Recruited Two Additional Crew

We had a boat named “Purple Rain” pull up in front of us at the marina. After chatting with the crew, we invited them aboard MackenSea for dinner. Sylvie and Timour, from France, are full-time sailing instructors, and Timour is also an offshore racer. With their extensive passage-making experience, they were delivering Purple Rain to Tenerife. After completing the delivery, their plan was to join an ARC boat as crew for the Atlantic crossing. Once in the Caribbean, they intended to head to Martinique to provide sailing instruction there.

The next morning, Byron and I were walking to the marina shops to pick up supplies. On the way, one of us said what the other was already thinking: Maybe we could use some extra experience for the crossing. We both agreed that, with their expertise, they’d likely be picked up by another boat very quickly. By sheer coincidence, we bumped into them as we passed the ARC office. I asked if they’d like to join MackenSea for the crossing, and they accepted with enthusiasm.

Now, taking strangers on for a 17-day Atlantic crossing could be seen as risky—though no more so than joining a boat with four strangers. However, having spent a pleasant evening together and observing how they managed and handled the delivery of Purple Rain put my mind at ease.

I did have to apologize to David and Rudy for making the decision without consulting them, but after a few days of getting to know Sylvie and Timour—and seeing their extensive sailing experience and strong work ethic—we all felt confident and happy to welcome them aboard.

To celebrate, we held a small flag-raising ceremony to welcome our French crew. We now proudly fly the Canadian flag on the stern, with the American and French flags on the port side.