Join us at this year's Cruising Forum for an inspiring panel discussion with active sailors/adventurers! 

Panelists will draw from years and miles of experience to answer host Sarah Curry's questions. What to prioritize when choosing and outfitting a cruising boat? What works, what doesn't? We'll cover topics from self sufficiency to heavy weather tactics to life changing landfalls. Learn from our mistakes too! Benefit from expert tips for safe coastal and offshore passages to exciting destinations beyond ... the freedom to explore the world in this amazing way is yours to realize.

John and Amanda Neal are celebrating their 30th year of sail training expeditions and Hydrovane is celebrating 1st and 3rd place finishes in the Golden Globe Race. Cake will be served.

John Neal and Amanda Swan Neal have combined experience of 712,000 ocean miles. They've now conducted 170+ worldwide sail-training expeditions aboard Mahina Tiare III, a Hallberg-Rassy 46 detailed on www.mahina.com. John and Amanda annually spend six months at sea, sailing approx 10,000 miles every season. Both are authors and regular magazine contributors and their seminars incorporate the lastest information, techniques and resources.  During their 2017-2018 seasons they sailed from Sweden to Iceland, the Med, Africa, Caribbean, Hawaii, Tahiti and Mahina Tiare III is currently moored in New Zealand for the 2018/2019 cyclone season.

Will and Sarah Curry hatched a cruising plan on their very first date. They bought their first boat in Mexico in 2012 and after Will showed Sarah the ropes, they set off across the Pacific in 2013. They sold SV Hydroquest in Australia in 2014 as planned, but knew they were hopelessly addicted to the lifestyle. Sarah and Will cruised and outfitted their second boat, SV Kaiquest, a Jeanneau SO 43, in the Pacific Northwest before setting off again in August 2017 - albeit at a much slower pace. Kaiquest in currently in southern California with her bow pointed South. 

Lyall Burgess started sailing in 2004 by taking a week-long sailing course in the UK, after which he jumped on as crew to sail the ARC rally across the Atlantic.  2,800 miles and 19 days later he was hooked on the adventure.  Lyall went on to take the RYA Yachtmaster Ocean, sail over 60,000NM on a variety of sailing boats as crew and skipper, and work as an Event Manager with World Cruising Club.  He now lives off grid in Hawaii, so is no stranger to solar panels, and launched a business last year with his wife Katie called Sun Powered Yachts.  They are an authorized dealer of SunPower flexible solar panels. These days he sails with his wife and two young daughters through an ownership program with Dream Yacht Charter.  They're planning to take off on their Dufour 382 'Blake'  in 2021 to cross the Atlantic and see how long they can spend in the Caribbean!