Funny picture. Carla and I are talking to each other but having a hard time connecting. Perhaps it’s the fact I’m on my shell phone?
Computers on boats are always an issue. Most people only need a cheap mini computer for charts, pictures, & internet. However feature-length video processing, editing, and viewing full HD video is another story.
I always seem to be a bit ahead of my time with technology. Back in the day editing a feature-length film (SD) on a laptop was a big deal, today its all about HD for me. A laptop is covenant but lacks the power & functionality I’m looking for. The decked out macbook pro I’d want is just over five thousand dollars so it’s not really an option.
I decided to build a SH67H3 shuttle box ( http://global.shuttle.com/products/productsDetail?productId=1477 )
with an i7 processor, 8 gigs of ram, and a 1gb video card with the help of my friend David who runs the website. I think it’s a pretty sexy setup for my application. It’s small for the boat and only has a 300 watt power supply so it won’t hit my 
batteries too hard. I’m going to need a lot of storage space but the SH67H3 also has USB 3.0 for fast data transfer to external drives.
I’m getting pretty dialed in to start production of my next film. My intention with “The Minimalist Sailor” is to produce a film for a larger audience that will convey some minimalist philosophies and hopefully inspire some to live simply either on the land or sea. I firmly believe that a minimalistic lifestyle is the key to happiness, caring for our environment, freedom, and peace.
My new computer is in the states now and I just need to figure out how to get it to Panama, shipping is an expensive nightmare here. I’m asking my cruising friends if they know of anyone traveling to Panama from the states soon. The “coconut telegraph” is a very real and useful service in the international cruising community as we all help each other with shipping.
Soon Carla and I will disappear into the San Blas and I will focus as hard on the film as I have on the decks. I’ll need to stir up a charter or two so I can buy supplies but I will leave this anchorage shortly.
Chuck, Carla, and I had a really nice time together. Chuck helped with non-skid, and all that is left is the foredeck, a days work. Chuck is hoping to unplug in about a year after another 6 months in the middle east, paying off some debt, and finding a cruising boat. Chuck is going home knowing how to make bread. I searched yacht world in his area and found an awesome deal on one of my dream boats, a Cape George:
http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/1974/Cape-George-36-2392909/Seattle/WA/United-States
Carla is a strange creature. I often call her Tyler Durden (Fight Club) as I sometimes think she’s my imaginary friend. It’s not unlikely that I’m the single-hander that has gone off the deep end and I just made her up? Am I sitting around talking to myself? Imaginary or not…, life is good. I won her an evil Paul Frank monkey at the airport waiting for Chuck 
I am so grateful for 
my life. I really believe that wanting little and good karma is why so many wonderful things find their way to my doorstep, this is the path of minimalism. If you can find the time to turn off the television and listen to the universe speak to you, you just might see a path leading you where you need to go. I often fight this path as it’s not always convenient, but I try my best to live simply and truly.
The traveler sees what he sees, the tourist sees what he has come to see.
– G. K. Chesterton
Peace, Love, & Coconuts
– alex