I am funding the trip from my own savings as it's a personal challenge and a chance for me to improve my sailing experience. However it's an expensive expediton and there are a few items which would help ensure a safe trip which I don't yet have!

Any support you can give will help with my ambition of raising awareness of Crohn's disease as I travel around the UK. The Liverpool Echo newspaper will be following my blog around the UK, so hopefully the more exposure the trip gets, the more money I will raise towards my target of £25,000 for Crohn's & Colitis UK.

If you are a fellow sailor and have some spare kit you think might be useful do get in touch. The list opposite has my wishlist essential items.

Your company logo can be placed as a vinyl sticker on a prominent place on the hull of Zuma for the duration of the trip. If you are interested, please get in touch

update 29/04/11... And a Special Happy Wedding to the Royal Couple...

Prince William is a Search and Rescue helicopter Captain and is responsible for the search / rescue area of Zuma's home port of Liverpool and if not on his honeymoon would usually be ready and waiting for the SOS call for rescue of stranded boats over the first few legs to Conway and beyond.. God forbid anything untoward happen to Zuma, but we're safe in the knowledge that the future King of England would risk his own life to rescue any of his loyal subjects in trouble at sea...Also thanks to the RNLI who keep an eye 24/7 on the same shift, albeit as volunteers. Huge respect goes out to all of these people, who also risk their own lives to save sailors in distress, whatever the weather.

Further thanks go to Marine 16 who have kindly provided fuel bug treatment & John at Hope upholstery who adjusted the dodgers... The support from everyone has been fantastic and has made planning the whole trip a million times easier. I couldn't have done it without all of your support !! I will be making blog entries along the way so keep in touch and I'll see you all in a few months..

If you can make it to see Paul and Finlay off, they will be leaving from Liverpool Marina on the high tide at 11am SUNDAY 1st MAY...so bring your fog horns, whistles, flags and your Grandma...the bigger the crowd, the better


update 07/04/11...

3 weeks to go and lots of exciting developments have occured as final preparations are made. Zuma has been out of the water for final preparations, hull & safety checks and a last minute touch up on the paintwork..
OK Signs have now applied the sponsorship logos to the hull which they have kindly printed & donated in support, Finlay looks fantastic as a figurehead image !



Yachting Monthly magazine featured a great article and photo about the trip in April's issue which has helped with lots of hits on the website, now reaching 6,000.

Liam Deveney, journalist at JMU and old friend, plus fellow fundraiser in last years Liverpool half marathon, with the Quarry Bank Striders running club has also written a great extended feature article for JMU-journalism.org.uk read the article and watch here.

Practical Boat Owner website has also written a nice feature about the trip, so all the hard work in preparation is really beginning to pay off.

Liverpool City Council is also on board and have kindly agreed to help all they can with publicity to raise awareness of the trip.

Last but certainly not least....A Huge Thank You to Sarah Brown who has arranged some fantastic support. below is the full list of donors & items organised by Sarah, including some welcome berthings from Marina Managaers around the UK. Not only a great donation but I'll be looking forward to being expected by friendly harbourmaster faces when coming in from each leg of the journey..If you can make it down to Liverpool Marina to see me off on Sunday 1st May, Finlay & I'd be delighted :)

update 03/03/11...

I have have received some very nice gifts, firstly all the west coast and half of the south coast charts along with new anchor chain, donated by Kenny and Linda from Liverpool Marina.

Also Rob has kindly provided Bosuns chair, generator, pare fenders, battery charger, new ocean going coat and waterproof trousers, 100m of quality rope, spare charts, battery charger, spare shackles and bits and bobs.
Thank you very much, Rob.

Also on the sponsor side of the trip, GJW a boat insurance company from Liverpool, have reduced my insurance premium by 75% as a way of donating. Pets Pantry of Old Swan have kindly agreed to supply all the food and essentials for Finlay on the trip and donate to the charity, in return for advertising space on the sides of Zuma.

So all in all things are looking pretty good, apart from the boat show being cancelled. Currently I am in the process of trying to find some larger sponsors for the trip, but this is proving hard with the current economic climate being the way it is, but I am still hopeful.

Thank you so much to the people who have already donated to the charity, it's breathtaking to see the generosity of people.