UPDATED 8th May: Looking for volunteers to voyage to Guatemala. There are comfortable cabins available, the weather's great (not hot!) and we are ready to sail again after initial transit from Florida directly to Guatemala, 950nm south between Cuba and Mexico. 5 more berths available 3 double cabins and two bunks for singles.

Our 97-foot boat has sailed 8,000 nautical miles and conducted 8 humanitarian aid and disaster relief operations in the Caribbean in over 3 years, supporting dozens of other yachts in the region with volunteers and supplies. 

Thunderbird 5 has been our flagship and focal point in the Caribbean, now IRG plans to haul and re-fit for a new mission to set up operations in Asia, based in the Philippines. Presently anchored at an attractive location Fairhope in Mobile Bay, Alabama.

After the voyage, if you wish to stay aboard in Rio Dulce, help re-fit our yacht, if you'd like some experience in a marine yard on hull steel, wooden rig, electronics and painting etc., come and join us!

COST: Nothing except that we will share just food expenses and crew are expected to make their own travel arrangements (we're a charity, we don't have a budget or volunteer travel...)

LATEST: The second crewman has committed, now looking for 2 more (we have free berths for another 4 crew), the more the merrier!

ITINERARY

Note that this can be delayed for various reasons, this is the best stab at timing. Volunteers who have hard stops may not find this yoyage suitable.

• Now Ship is anchored and ready to fuel, water, provision and sail before end of May
• End May-early June (crew and weather permitting) Voyage from Mobile Bay, Alabama to shipyard in Guatemala (latest weather window looks fantastic to cross the Gulf Stream). The voyage is about 950nm and will probably take 2 weeks though of course is weather dependent, it might take another week or so if we get adverse winds.
• June-August 2018 Anchor for a week or two then haul-out and block for 3 months. Crew may stay aboard in their own berth and help with re-fit of the yacht on many projects, food will be provided
• August 2018 Launch and shakedown sail in Caribbean Panama region. Transit Panama Canal into the Pacific and tour the Gulf of Panama and Las Perlas islands on a humanitarian aid mission
• September 2018 Voyage to South Pacific and on to South China Seas, to establish an IRG base in the Philippines about end 2018.

REFIT LOCATION

ABEL's at Rio Dulce Guatemala is where we can continue to live on the boat and do DIY work, we'll use the Yard for the heavy work such as pulling the propshaft, repaint the bottom with anti-foulant etc. We will do various jobs like grinding, welding and re-priming steel where there is corrosion, taking of some old machinery, refresh the electronics and Nav, install a radar, do some sail repair and rig work etc.. NOTE that our main engine is being replaced in Guatemala, we will be using auxillary propulsion to exit our anchorage in Mobile, Alabama, sail all the way in the easterly tradewinds, and have a tugboat to take us to the shipyard. You must be comfortable with the idea that this is a sailboat, if the wind dies enroute we will simply await the wind to return. Please think carefully about this, some people react badly to being offshore becalmed for more than a few hours, if so this may not be the voyage for you. If you wish to truly hone your sailing skills, you will learn a lot

Find more VOYAGE NOTES and CREW APPLICATION FORMS to the right ===>>.