Our Boat

Paraluman is a 36' (10.94 meter) Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 36i sailboat. She sleeps 6, has 2 cabins- one in front where my husband, Raul, and I sleep, and one at the back which we use as storage because the kids prefer to sleep in the cockpit. Raul can go on and on about her technical specifications but the things that matter to me are the head (toilet in boatspeak) and hot/cold shower, kitchen with a 2-burner stove, oven, double sinks, a spacious refrigerator with freezer, and the saloon with a dining table that converts into a bed.

The feature I love most is the electric windlass which lets me lift and drop the anchor with the push of a button. This is a far cry from Marikit, our boat before Paraluman, where I had to do that manually!

Paraluman means muse or a woman who inspires you artistically. It was a favorite word of Filipino poets in the early 19th century. It is also the name of a legendary Filipino actress in the '40s. It is known to young people as the lady in one of the Eraserheads' most popular songs, Ang Huling El Bimbo. Raul and I fell in love with this name but little did we know that it is also an archaic Tagalog word for "magnetic needle"- something that guides your way.*

Raul and I found Paraluman in Hong Kong in March 2010.

*source of meaning of Paraluman