Hi Jeff:

My plans for the 50 are the Pacific - Panama Canal, Galapagos, Marquesas, Society Islands, Fiji, New Zealand, Australia, etc.  Maybe continue west from there.  I've got 80,000 ocean miles on multihulls, but all in the Atlantic / Med / Northern Europe / Caribbean.

The 50 has a limited payload, but it's still considerably more than my last boat (50' Newick trimaran), and it'll feel like sinful luxury in comparison! I expect most of the time we'll be sailing with 2 onboard.  So the two cabins in the windward hull are overkill.  I think in the leeward hull I'll keep a single berth (just in case I get can't resist entering a race or two).  The rest of the leeward hull will be mechanical -- watermaker, and a small washing machine (required by the Admiral ever since an unfortunate laundry incident in St. Martin).

Batteries will definitely be Lithium, probably 400-600AH.  Maybe a kilowatt of solar (including on the hard dodger that Rob disdains).  Maybe a hydrogenator, if I can figure out how to mount it on a boat that keeps reversing the bow & stern.

Electrical - I've had several interesting conversations with Nigel Calder about this.  I'll go with a distributed power system, maybe 24v (Nigel is pushing that).

Electronics - that's my weakness (I'm a software engineer & a ham).  A couple of laptops w/OpenCPN, maybe a B&G plotter at the helm, SSB, etc.  That's why I need a big battery bank ...

The autopilot will be interesting.  Rob believes they'll be easy; I'm not yet convinced but I hope he's right.  It should be easy to mount a wheel pilot; a ram will be more complicated.  Also depends on what Rob's latest / final rudder configuration proves to be.

I'm used to limited tankage.  With a watermaker, I don't think I'll need more than 60 gallons of water and maybe half that in fuel (mostly in the tender).  Hopefully the HP 50 will be light enough to move well in light airs & not require motorsailing.  If I can motor through the canal, and if necessary in harbors, I'll be happy.  I actually *like* sailing in light air.  A ~30hp high thrust outboard on the sled / tender should be ample. (My 50' tri had a 27hp Yanmar, weighed about 11,000lbs loaded, and could motor at two-thirds throttle at 8.)

Heads will be Air Heads -- I've got no interest in dealing with holding tanks, ever again. That'll also save some significant weight.

More to come soon - I've finished redoing my workshop shed, and have the infusion table ready to go.  Just waiting on one final item (perforated release film) to be delivered, and will start some test infusions in the next week.  Once I've got some understanding of the process, I'll start looking for a builder.