Meet Lady Slipper
Lady Slipper is a 2020 Dufour 412GL registered in Racine, Wisconsin.
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She has a 3-cabin 2 head layout and is equipped with AIS, Radar, EPIRB, Current Raymarine Electronics Package, 6 person life raft, storm jib, drogue device.
Both the main sail and Genoa are self furling and we sail with an asymmetrical spinnaker when weather permits.
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We’ve installed a water maker and a small solar panel to help support this trip, and this year converted to a lithium battery.
Meet The Crew
Doug Dunmire
Lady Slipper's Skipper
Doug and his wife Kathy, owners of Lady Slipper, have been dreaming, scheming, planning and preparing for this adventure for the last several years. Doug is grateful to his family and friends for their support, and to the terrific crew of individuals who are accompanying him on this journey.
Mark Banker
Dauntless Blogger
The creator of this website, Mark chronicled the adventures of Lady Slipper rom Racine, Wisconsin, through the great lakes, the St. Lawrence seaway and the Canadian Maritimes. Mark's next great journey takes him to Thailand. Bon voyage and best wishes to this stalwart crew member.
Tom Bergen
Newport, RI to Redhook, St. Thomas to Panama
I grew up with Doug in Santa Cruz, where my father passed down his love for sailing. Day sailing transitioned to buoy racing, then big boat offshore racing including to Mexico, Hawaii and Caribbean.
Married for just about 40 years to my best friend and talented business partner Debbie. We have an amazing adult daughter, Abby. We now mostly live in Atlanta, but still keep a place in Santa Cruz and hope spend more time there when not consulting or sailing.
Ruth Hakanson
Newport, RI to Redhook, St. Thomas
I have been sailing off shore on big boats for over a year, having done the reverse, Bermuda to NY trip in June/July 2021. I also enjoyed: Brooklyn to Block Island, St. Augustine to Fort Lauderdale, Exumas plus many other islands in the Bahamas before crossing back over to Florida. Just this September I sailed 3 weeks along the southern coast of Florida (Naples to Miami).
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I fell in love with sailing when I was 8 and have sailed and raced many types and sizes of boats mostly around Long Island in bays and the Sound, with occasional travel regattas in lakes.
I retired in January after teaching for 32 years. It was wonderful but traveling on the sea was calling me! I have 2 incredible daughters who have been my focus and joy. Now they are amazing adults. It's a new chapter for sure.
I am super active and enjoy exercise. In Bermuda I'll be taking long walks after our days on the sea! I like to read, listen to music, and have a balance of conversation and quiet time. I enjoy meeting new people and being part of a team along with sharing with and learning from others.
Tim Donovan
Newport, RI to Bermuda
I have been sailing since I was 11 years old on increasing size boats. I typically sail 2-5 times per week and currently am the co-owner of a Raider 33. I typically sail the waters of Buzzards Bay in Massachusetts but have sailed in the Caribbean, Great Lakes, many ponds, and from the Canadian Maritimes to the New England coast.
I am working toward my USCG Captains License. I am a retired fire officer and I teach EMT and Paramedic program students. I have an extensive background in electrical and building construction trades with good functional knowledge of many other mechanical areas. I am pretty easy going and appreciate good company.
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Bob Graziano
Bermuda to Red Hook, St. Thomas
I met Doug on our passage trip last November, and decided I was a sucker for more punishment so I signed up to help the Bermuda to Saint Thomas leg ( I wish I could do more – unlike Doug, I am not retired yet, and have to work around my client schedules!) I live in Fort Mill, SC, and I work for ServiceNow (for any of you who still work, we are a workflow automation company).
I have been boating my whole life (since 9 or 10) but only sailing since 2018. I am ASA certified 101, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 114, and I love being on the water. It fills my soul. I have done a couple charters, and multiple passages as crew.
I am a cruiser, not a racer. I don’t have any desire to race, but really enjoy island hopping. I plan to do more and more as I approach retirement.
Nathan Sanders
Racine to Montreal, St. Thomas to Jamaica
Nathan comes from Denver, Colorado and is married with a 7-year-old boy and a 4-year-old girl.
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Nathan was a sailing novice when he joined Lady Slipper for the Great Lakes leg, but he is a quick study who is always able to jump in and do whatever is needed with an unending good nature.
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He is looking forward to his first ocean passage.
Les Johnson
Red Hook, St. Thomas to Panama
Doug and I were connected through a sister-in-law who knew I had sailing experience and would be interested in crewing. After a couple of phone conversations and some quick prep I was on my way to St Thomas.
I started sailing after college and crewed for many years of buoy racing on Lake Minnetonka in Minnesota. That led to bareboat chartering classes and multiple Caribbean bareboat charters from the BVI on one end to Grenada on the other.
But none of these experiences included any long distance, open water passages which has been one of those "itches" in the back of my mind for a long time. This opportunity to work with Doug and other crew members is a true highlight in my sailing life.
Ponce, Puerto Rico to Panama
Living in Kansas and Missouri, I started sailing small boats on inland lakes in 1977 but didn’t get on the ocean until 2019.
I have a wife and 3 grown married kids and retired from a pathology medical practice in 2018.
Jim Quigley
Gordon Manning
Panama to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Living during many summers at Lake George, New York, both at Hague and at Glenburnie, I was taught sailing, motor boating and swimming starting at age 4. Dad raced his Star called FATHOM at Northern Lake George Yacht Club. While living at LANDFALL, the family house in New Canaan, CT our family raced sailboats with 2 clubs, the New York Yacht Club and Norwalk Yacht Club. During some summers we lived on Martha’s Vineyard and often sailed many races like the Jewett Bowl, Vineyard Haven and Nantucket Regattas. During some of the America’s Cup races starting in 1958 in Newport, RI we often watched the races in Buzzards Bay. In elementary, junior high and prep schools or high school I was crewing on many different sailboats: sloops, yawls, ketches and schooners.
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Last September (2022) after returning from Nantucket to Newport on a Northern Lights Sailing Club charter, I learned about Captain Doug Dunmire and his passages and goals for LADY SLIPPER from Paul Maravelas’ presentation at the NLSC meeting. I was thrilled to learn that Doug was sailing from Racine, WI to Monterey, CA. I enjoyed meeting Doug and Kathy in December and being invited to sail from the Caribbean to the Pacific. I’m looking forward to sailing with Doug, Tom and Peter from Panama to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
Som Varma
La Cruz to San Diego
I’m a novice sailor with sailing dreams and ambitions that far outstrip my modest experience. I’m eternally grateful to Doug and Kathy for allowing me aboard to battle sea sickness head on in the Baja Bash and put some real ocean sailing/motoring on my experience list. Their generosity and kind spirits have taught me so much already!
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Living in Madison, WI, I work as a project manager and teach as a volunteer sailing instructor for the local Hoofer’s Sailing Club. Sailing on Lady Slipper will be only my second ocean sailing experience.
Bryan Hayes
La Cruz to San Diego
When I received a text approximately 4 weeks ago asking if I was interested in crewing the Baja Bash leg of Doug’s journey, I immediately jumped on the privilege and opportunity of realizing a life-long dream of an extended offshore passage. My sailing experience over the past 40 years off and on has included instruction of youth sailing and day sailing with family and friends. I look forward to learning so much more about navigating offshore from Doug and experiencing life at sea under the endless canopy of the night sky.
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When I am not at work, I can be found in the Santa Cruz mountains trail running, mountain biking and surfing.
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My greatest joys in life are spending time with my wife, our two grown kids & spouses and our first grandson (#2 is arriving soon) and serving others in our local community. Oh yes, and sailing too!