Adapting passages to accomodate schedule constraints rears its ugly head. It's a serious issue and often hard to address in the modern world. Even though Lynnie and I are now totally flexible, it's sometimes a challenge to have friends visit and/or help with passages without letting ouselves get shoehorned into a schedule. We are always astounded when people set up rigid schedules to accomodate guests. A couple sailing around Italy and Greece told us horror stories of making difficult and dangerous sails to meet their guests.

As far as the preps go, that is on the owner and shows his inexperience. It brought to mind the beginning of an article I wrote for Ocean Voyager several years ago regarding safety at sea:

"You always want to leave port with all important systems working ... You want to be able to focus on the passage and not have a lot of loose ends to deal with the first few days out. I have been on too many last-minute deliveries with unknown boats where you spend the first night restowing rattling cans, chasing down pesky leaks, fiddling with things that don't work - all of which tires you out and cuts into your overall control of the passage. I much prefer having little to do the first few days so I can visualize the passage ahead and remain well rested."