Offshore cruising in an open boat can be hard, cold, wet, lonely and occasionally miserable, but it is exhilarating too. To take an open dinghy across a hundred miles of sea, taking weather as it comes; to know that you have only yourself and your mate to rely on in an emergency; to see the beauty of dawn creep across the ever restless and dangerous ocean; to make a safe landfall – is wonderful and all of these things develop a self-reliance that is missing from the modern, mechanical, safety-cautious civilised world. (Excerpt from Ocean Crossing Wayfarer by Frank and Margaret Dye)
Frank died in May of 2010. A quiet and unassuming man, he had a steely determination which saw him through some dangerous situations. He made a lasting impression on those who met him, and he inspired many people to take up dinghy sailing and cruising.
Frank and Margaret Dye’s Wayfarer dinghy, Wanderer, pictured here being sailed by Frank, had many adventures with the couple and became a part of their lives.
Although some may have regarded Frank’s exploits as foolhardy, he was never reckless and prepared for every journey with meticulous planning. Frank’s sometimes perilous sailing adventures have been written about in detail. He spent more than 50 years dinghy cruising. He and Margaret amassed a huge amount of knowledge and experience and became experts in the art of sailing, and living aboard, small boats.
