[preparation] Over-optimization
The 2020 Seattle Boat Show ends today. It was another great year of seeing friends, knocking out projects and learning. It seems really corny, but I love hanging out at the boat show each year. This year felt different because we’re just focused on the final bits of prep before taking off and a lot of the gadgets and information we just don’t need or want. That’s good, and it’s made me think about how much we’re in the hyper optimization phase of our trip. We’ve prepared ourselves and the boat as best as we can but we can’t eliminate all risk as a wise person told me at the show yesterday. That’s very true and it snapped be back into focus.
We had this crazy idea to go cruising about five years ago and we set a five year plan to do it. This has given us plenty of time to prepare the boat, to sail, to get our plans and lives lined up for this. I can think what it would be like if we had just said then, let’s do this thing, we would’ve certainly had a lot of hardships. The boat just wasn’t ready or as safe as it is now. Does that mean we won’t have any hardships? No, certainly not, but hopefully we’ve mitigated a lot of them and we will have a more comfortable time. Now in the last six months it feels that we’re hyper optimizing. The reefing system can be just 10% more efficient. The backup systems need backup systems. Just a few more spare parts. Another class or two. Just one more conversation with an expert.
The truth is, if we could go tomorrow, we would be fine. In fact it would be better. But being February in Seattle, the weather window is not too great to head out into the Pacific Ocean. That’s not quite the experience we’re looking for right now. We just have to check the emotions and hyper optimization and try to relax and be patient for June to get here.