One of my friends on that trip was Max, a German-born sexy guy who’s spent the last few years living in Malaysia, working on boats based there.  I told him about my idea. Two months later he contacted me, explaining quite earnestly how he wanted to join me in this venture.  He’d had a sort of epiphany, realizing how much fun the trips could be – and how they could also help men embrace and rejoice in their nakedness, in their sexuality, and in their friendships with other guys.  His passion was over the top – fresh and young and future-focused – and he was smart.  I liked that, too.  Max struck me as the perfect business partner.   We started long discussions using our mobile phones, and it quickly became apparent that we’d need to meet face-to-face for a dedicated time period, to see how we could create such an experience.

Fast forward to Bali, exactly 3 weeks later.  Max flew in and we spent three full days hammering out the concept.  We worked on logistics:  could we make a trip offering that would be sophisticated and comfortable, but also casual and relaxed?  Could we offer it for all men, and embrace the essence of being male?  Could we do it safely and securely within the waters we felt were ideal?  And could we make it affordable, and not overpriced – thereby allowing MANY guys to join in, and not just an elite few?

As the idea took form, it became clear that a Pinisi ship would play a major role in both setting the tone and resulting in a quality experience.

Running around Bali looking for Pinisi was a stitch.  Each time we got close to a marina, we were sent elsewhere.  “No Pinisi here, try over there…” we were told, and we’d get back on my scooter, Max wedged up close behind me on the seat, him navigating with GPS on his phone, me watching out for dogs and chickens and the occasional kid playing too close to the street.  Eventually we had to accept the fact that affordable Pinisi vessels just aren’t in Bali.  If we wanted to offer an upscale, other-worldy experience at realistic prices, and keep it in an amazing location, we’d need to go a bit further… to the island of Flores.

In fact, we were led to a particular, unusually-sounding town on the island:  Labuan Bajo.  Not the most melodic name, but we didn’t care.  We were on a mission.  Island-hopping on a short flight, we were off to have meetings Max had arranged the week before with Pinisi boat owners and operators.

We were off to find our Pinisi… as beautiful as the Indonesian Great Bird of Paradise… but not as elusive.

Well, that’s what we thought.  It wasn’t until eight months later, that we found a vessel that would actually be right for the trips we’d envision.  In our minds, it had to have several components.

• The systems all had to work efficiently.  Meaning, good-flushing toilets and hot water showers – and air conditioning, if guys wanted that in their rooms.  We wanted a kitchen with a cook, and places to eat.  We wanted comfortable lounging areas, and places to kick back.
• Rooms that were pleasant.  Beds that offered a good night’s sleep.  Rooms with good air flow, privacy, and comfort.
• The food had to be delicious. Not just passable, but really tasty.  And varied.  Max thought it’d be a nice touch to provide a “Juice of the Day”.  I wanted fresh fruit available at all times.  We both wanted a variety of food being served, that would please a wide range of palates.
• The wood on the ship had to be brown, exposed, and conditioned.  Asthetically, we wanted it to be gleaming.  Not just painted wood; we wanted a boat without color – something more tasteful, more sophisticated, more handsome.  More masculine.
• The crew had to be open to taking all-male excursions with guys who would, at times, be naked.

It took a while, but we did it.  After many exhausting meetings, we found our Pinisi. It had all of the above components.  We hammered out logistical details as well as a route for our trips that would take us away from typical sea paths.  While passing other boats in the seas would sometimes be unavoidable, we wanted to minimize that situation – and working with a captain who understood our goals was crucial.

Having found our boat, the next steps were equally exhaustive and exhilarating.  By the time we got to the question of marketing our trips, we both knew:  we’d need some help.  Max’s background is in ship systems, with a concentration on the electrical and mechanical aspects.  My background’s in anthropology, with a focus on sexual practices and lifestyles.  Neither one of us, we felt, had the skills necessary for marketing these clothing-optional sailing ventures to the public.  We chose Facebook and Freelancer.com to help us find the help we needed – someone skilled in marketing.

Ads running, we sat back and waited.  I worked directly from my home, creating some of the website content.  In between periods of writing, I’d go to the beach – literally a minute from my house – with my little dog, and let her run around.  She loved the beach, and I loved the break.  One day, I saw a man walking towards me, smiling.  He was shirtless like me, clad only in shorts.  And he too had a dog, of similar size and color.  We stopped to talk.

Mariano was from Argentina.  He was friendly, relaxed, and our conversation flowed easily.  At some point, I suggested we sit, as I’d spied a nearby piece of driftwood.  We sat and talked for what seemed to be nearly an hour.  We discussed many different things, and at one point I mentioned my new project – clothing optional boat trips for men, in the eastern islands.  He told me he worked in digital marketing, and said if we needed help, he’d be happy to do so.  I looked at him for a minute and he explained:  naked sailing sounded interesting to him.  I could tell then that he embraced a sort of sexual freedom – he was definitely open-minded and adventurous.  The sky was getting dark, so we exchanged contact details and parted with our respective pets.  He said he’d follow up with an email sharing his previous marketing work.

A few days went by, and Mariano sent a short message, explaining that since his resume was in Spanish, he wanted to translate it before sending it to me.   Meanwhile, Max and I were getting responses to the position we’d posted, but no one sounded right.

Another two days went by. I had dinner plans with some new friends, Tom and Ayu.  Max was staying with me, we were working full force each day, and so that evening I asked him if he wanted to come along.  Tom and Ayu are a lively couple, and Ayu loves my dog, so my puppy came, too.  It was a fun night, enjoying grilled seafood with friends at a restaurant near the beach.  Later the tide came up, and with waves crashing close, we moved to a different table, a bit further away.  It was just around then, that Tom told us his background with marketing and sales.  Max and I were completely enthralled.

Tom’s from Estonia.  Ayu’s from Java.  They’re a great couple together, and separately they each shine, too.  But that night, Tom wasn’t just shining… he was on fire.  His passion for marketing, his knowledge for sales, and his enthusiasm for what Max and I were creating – all were impossible to hide.  We agreed to meet with him the next day at a more calm locale – I suggested my house – for a comprehensive discussion about what we were doing, and how he might fit into that.

By the end of the afternoon, we had hired him.  Max and I felt great about Tom.  Most people are immediately struck with his “model” good looks, but what becomes evident when he speaks, is his keen analytical nature.  He’s an intelligent man who seeks the best in things – and we liked that.  After several hours carving out what Tom’s job would be, he went home to Ayu – and Max and I took the dog to the beach for a run.  We were flying high with our good luck…

And then, we ran into Mariano.

It could have been an awkward moment, but I decided to just tell Mariano the truth.  It’s a cliche, but honesty really does work best in most situations.  Mariano responded wishing us the best – which then led us to talk more and deeper about Everything To Sea’s goals.  Mariano was lucid and helpful and engaging.  At one point he went a few meters away to get his dog, and Max looked at me and said the very thing I was thinking:  We need him on our team, too.

Our heads were buzzing.  We didn’t know how we were going to do this, so we did it gingerly. We asked Mariano if he’d be willing to talk with Tom and us, all together, for an exploratory meeting.  Later that night we contacted Tom – it was 11:30 in fact – and asked if he’d be willing to come in early the next morning for something exciting.  I could tell Tom was curious.

The “Tom and Mariano” meeting went great.  The two guys – albeit very different from each other in personality, style, and background – got on really well.  All four of us did, in fact.  And we crafted out roles for both of them to be in complementary places, working for Everything To Sea.

The next five days, we all worked like crazy.  Four men, shirtless, brains buzzing.  Two dogs, sometimes playing, sometimes sparring.  Synergistic.  Computers open, researching and planning and charting.  Systems planned, trip philosophies shared in detail.  The concept of men being naked: conceptualized, explained, and exposed.  Everything To Sea:  on chart, on its own path.

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