I’m in the middle of a great book, “The Education of Little Tree” by Forrest Carter. Carla bought it for me as I’m such a fan of indigenous living. It reminded me of this funny clipping I found on-line a while back (click on it to enlarge).
The book is set in the 30’s and is a story of a young orphan boy who is raised and educated by his Cherokee grandparents. It’s about as far from a Tom Clancy novel as one can get but I highly recommend it. It highlights “where white men went wrong”, and in my opinion is a good book for anyone trying to clear their head to unplug and think straight.
We (man) really do need so little, but the system is so ingrained in our head it’s 
hard to see the sea clearly for the smog, noise, signals, and pollution.
For those serious about trying to mentally prepare to go cruising on little, decompressing is essential. Get rid of the television, read some good books, and allow your mind some free time to listen to your little voice. Meditation is a good idea. You don’t need to think of it as sitting lotus position in a room filled with Indian music and incense. Just go somewhere outdoors and away from civilization, sit in the grass, snow, or sand, and just take some time away from work, bills, responsibility, television, radio, and the internet. Just think and clear your mind of all the garbage. I spend so much time these days just watching the clouds trying to imagine them moving faster for time lapse video. This is how we find our center, 
through peace.
A successful minimalist sailor thinks outside the box, and we must. Most of my readers are American, Australian, Canadian, English, Irish, Scottish, and South African, basically English speaking countries. The problem with English speaking countries is that we are trained to think linearly as we live at the heart of the “machine”, as we should, we built it. Many of you are reading my words here because you believe we have become too dependent on the machine and you seek freedom. You seek simplicity, travel, sailing, and freedom. You seek time. Well, think laterally.
Basically we are trained to believe that we should always put screw “A”, in slot “B”, and if we don’t have screw “A”, we need to buy one. We also believe in the West Marine philosophy that there is a gadget for every situation on a boat, and therefore one would deduce successful cruising is dependent on money & gear. Well…, I can assure you it’s not! Successful cruising is dependent on attitude and being resourceful. Whatever you do don’t rely on west marine anchoring suggestions/packages for the size of your boat. Big boat mega-shops are like any other shop, if they have an excess of one item they want to move it, they are about money and selling (sales, not sails), if you know what I mean.
The clever people in poor or indigenous countries make something from nothing. A car is used, fixed, restored, and fixed again. Bent frames are straightened, welded and reinforced. There is much less waste here and people really take responsibility for their possessions as they don’t have much.
I would assume 
Cuban mechanics would be at the top of their profession working on simple combustion engines. One may also deduce that poor cruisers are more resourceful than others. Not always true, but I would certainly say most of the time. I would be so bold as to say the more resourceful you are, the more successful of a cruiser you will be. There are no mechanics, plumbers, riggers, sail makers, carpenters, or fiberglass guys at sea. We must be our own. A successful minimalist sailor has a minimalist boat, which has minimal systems. The catamaran that was struck by lightening here a few weeks ago claimed about $100,000.00 in damage. He couldn’t start the engines as everything including throttle control was electronic. Something to be said for a good old cable lead to the helm. What the hell are people thinking, who designs this crap, and more so who buys it?
Something I thought was interesting but a bit off base, check out this laid-off Chinese farmer who built himself a submarine, he is selling them for about 30k, he’d be a good cruiser 
My point is think small. Not necessarily small boat, just small. God only knows I’m guilty of veering off my path every once in a while but I always seem to find my way back. If I lost Splendid there would be a thousand boats I could find for under 10 grand to set me/us back on our path. Sure I might have to hand steer for a while or go without a cool beverage, but I would still be free and only have to work a few months to get set up again. If you seek it, clear your mind, clean house, and go.
Carla’s birthday is on the 11th, mine on the 14th. I need to think of something to make her as there is no store around, man I spaced this one. I Should have thought of it when we were still in Linton.
Life is beautiful and I am such a lucky man!
Sail far and live slowly.
– alex