So, here we are, back for another 'go' at the Singlehanded Transpac!!! Haulback and I showed up for both the '02 and '04 races - which I guess qualifies us for the 'repeat offender' category of entrant for this time around.

I am a big fan of long distance ocean sailing - by myself - so this race suits my temperament very well. Also it is, quite simply, a great excuse to get in a little 'boat time' over the summer. I have enjoyed the camaraderie amongst the competitors in years past and expect to do so again this year - sounds kind of odd, to be making friends while sailing alone to Hawaii, but that is what seems to happen.

Which brings us to the 'goals' question for this year's event...

- I am looking forward to re-newing old acquaintances, and making new ones.

- This year I hope to get to Hanalei in less than the 16 days it has taken me previously

- Find a glass ball on the way over

- Catch more fish

A few things have changed on the boat since I last did any real sailing;

- New autopilots to maybe/hopefully/possibly steer a bit better once I disengage the wind vane when the apparent wind goes well aft.

- Added a stand-alone Simrad A150, Class 'B' AIS transceiver so I can 'see' and 'be seen' by at least some of the other shipping out there - this will be a big help for collision-avoidance (something important, as a general rule, to most solo sailors)

- Put on a new solar array and charge controller - my thinking is that I may be able to get to Hawaii on solar power alone... there are, of course, absolutely no calculations involved in this at all - it is really of more of a 'hope' than an 'expectation' - but time will tell.

Apart from that she is pretty much the same old girl I've sailed in both other races... Haulback is a Spencer 35 - designed by John Brandlmyr in the early 60's for wood construction, this particular hull was built later on from 'glass, and while she may not be your typical ocean greyhound sort of boat, she is reasonably comfortable in a seaway, about the right size for me, and well-enough built so as to hold up to most conditions one would expect to find while wandering about in the ocean.

As in other years, I show up at the start line with the help and support of Washington Marine Group and the guys from the Log Barge Division of Seaspan International, where I work as a crane operator on a self-loading, self dumping log barge. Why they put up with my continued and prolonged absences from work, and sailing-obsessiveness when I do show up, is truly a wonder... Thanks very much to everyone involved!!!