The launch was 23ft long and little more than 6ft wide, the freeboard was less than the length of a man's hand. It was designed for a maximum of 15 men and for short distances, not for 19 men with belongings and supplies and destined to sail 3,618 miles across the Pacific Ocean. On board they had: 70kgs of sea biscuits, 10kgs of salted pork, 7 litres of rum, 6 bottles of wine, and 130 litres of water. Some navigational equipment, some clothes and a

carpenter's toolbox. With the boat so heavily weighed down it was in danger of being swamped.