Sailing the Dream: Gavin, McKay and the Journey of Kit

Gavin and McKay arrived in Gulf Harbour earlier this summer and extended their stay after falling in love with the area. From their remarkable Pacific crossing to exploring New Zealand’s waters - here’s a little of their story.

How long have you been boating, and what first sparked your interest?

I (Gavin) have been boating my whole life. I spent my youth cruising, racing, and teaching sailing off the coast of California. Later on in life, I did a ton of offshore cruising with my father. My Wife (McKay) started sailing in 2019 when the two of us started dating. She got introduced to it through me and was inspired by all the places it could take her.

Can you tell us the story behind your boat Kit - and how it got its name?

I have long dreamed of sailing across the pacific ocean to New Zealand from California ever since I did the return trip with my father in 2016 from New Zealand to Washington state. My wife and I are 34 and I have been working toward this goal for almost 10 years. Kit is actually our second boat owned for this journey, the first was a 1973 Whitby 42 monohull. We quickly found out that the constant rocking motion of the monohull made my wife McKay extremely seasick. As it turns out, the less movement experienced on a catamaran helped lessen the seasickness and allowed us to continue toward the dream of crossing oceans. We bought Kit in Florida and I had 9 months to get her back to California and retrofitted it to be able to cross the world’s largest ocean. “Kit” came from the previous owners and our dinghy’s name is “Caboodle”. So when together, it’s the whole “Kit and Caboodle”.

How did you choose this particular boat - was it love at first sight or a careful search?

It was kind of “love at first sight”. It is almost the exact same boat as I crossed the ocean in 10 years ago with my Dad. Both were 1995 Fountaine Pajot catamarans.

What are your favourite spots to visit when heading out from Gulf Harbour Marina?

We have loved Kawau, Tiritiri Matangi, Waiheke, Marsden, and Bay of Islands Areas! We plan on going to Great Barrier next.

Have you done any custom upgrades or modifications to your boat?

The two biggest upgrades have been installing a new engine myself (I am not a mechanic and it was an awesome experience) and creating a shoe closet for my wife (which made her very happy).

What do you enjoy most about being part of the Gulf Harbour community?

We love how kind and welcoming everyone has been. Its clearly a community of water people who all seem to be genuinely interested in making our stay memorable. People have gone out of their way to come say hi, tell us a bit about themselves, and offer to help with anything we may need (even rides to town!).

What advice would you give someone thinking about buying their first boat?

Take your time, don’t rush, and wait for the right one. Everyone will be trying to hurry you along to make a decision. Don’t be afraid to slow down and do it on your schedule. Boats are always a compromise, just make sure you are getting what you and your partner truly need.

Do you have a funny or memorable story from your time on the water?

The most memorable moment of the water for us was probably arrival to New Zealand right at sunrise. It was a beautiful morning and the culmination of years of hard work from McKay and I.

To finally have achieved a goal we had been working toward for so long, and to have it be so beautiful and welcoming when we did, was an amazing feeling.

What are your future plans for your boat - any upgrades or dream trips ahead?

Our future plans for Kit are actually to sell her here in New Zealand. She has been an amazing vessel and let us chase our dreams for the last year and a half. I have had a great time upgrading her and preparing her for blue water sailing, and I hope whoever the future owners are will also get to use her to chase their own dreams. She certainly won’t be our last sailboat, but for now we plan to go on some land adventures before setting sail again. (My ultimate dream is to sail across every world ocean)