Seeking any History on s/v 'Go For Broke'

[IanUSA]

Greetings! Soon we'll be bringing the 60' steel hulled clipper Go For Broke from Honolulu to California. Have discovered that she was built by Mineo Inuzuka, a highly decorated veteran of WWII, Korea and Viet Nam. He was in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team in Europe (the famous "Go For Broke" battalion). At 70, he designed and built with his own hands the Go for Broke, so he could then circumnavigate the globe at his own pace and on his own terms, mostly solo. That was in the early 90's. He's still alive but his health is such that he understandably chooses to be left alone. In any case, if anyone has any information, stories, guesses, hunches, about this man, the Go For Broke, or their trip around the world, please send it along asap. For example, he apparently bought a blueprint for it from somewhere...any info? It was built on Sand Island in Honolulu, with the Russian Alex Jakubenko as the nominal builder, and launched in 1989. This boat is a part of our national heritage, as well as the incarnation of one man's quietly heroic approach to living free. Send me a PM and I'll give you my e-mail and other contact details. Arriving Honolulu next Friday May 7th. Thank you very much! -- Ian

[skipmac]

Found a short summary of his military records with Google.


Valor awards for Mineo Inuzuka | Military Times Hall of Valor

[IanUSA]

Thank you Skipmac...Yes, Mineo Inuzuka fought in three wars and holds 35 combat service citations. Started with the Go for Broke battalion in WWII. His biography is being written and should be out next year. At this point, I'm trying to focus on him in his relation to the boat, and the history of the boat itself and its travels. Thanks again!

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha and welcome aboard!
I hope you can find some information on the boat. I left Honolulu for the Big Island early in 92 and hadn't heard about the building of her at Sand Island.
kind regards,

[IanUSA]

Thank you for your reply.

Supposedly built at Hawaiin Steel Boat Works on Sand Island, by Mineo Inuzuka with help from Alex Jakubenko, who is listed as the builder.

Apparently, after building Go For Broke, Mr. Inuzuka proceeded to circumnavigate in her, returning to Honolulu after two years at sea , when he was 72. This was in the early 1990s.

Any person with any information about s/v Go For Broke, and her trip around the world, is invited to help us build an account of her history.

Thank you very much.

[radhenshi]

Hey, i joined this site because i saw Mineo's name. Mineo is my grandma's brother. After the Pearl Harbor attack, West coast families of japanese ancestry were Held in internment camps. My grand mother, Mineo and the rest of their family was sent to internment camps. One of the only ways to be able to leave the camps was to join the army, forswear all allegiance to japan, and fight against japan. this is a little history of mineos earlier days. I remember when i was younger, and my grandma would show us news clippings from places like south africa, and there would be uncle mineo with a big smile, fixing something on his boat. After starting in hawaii, Uncle Min made his way to samoa, to australia, to south africa, suriname in south america, and through the panama canal before finally returning to hawaii. after being gone for so long, and returning to hawaii, his wife didnt recognize him. ( his hair had grown really long as well and an impressive beard. He had to say something to her before she realized that it was him! if you want more infor on Mineo, his travel, or his internment or service, let me know, and i can dig up some old files of stuff. I havent seen Mineo in almost 2 years, since he rarely comes to oregon anymore, but we hear from him often as our family is very close.

[IanUSA]

Thank you for your very nice posting and e-mail regarding your grand-uncle, Mineo Inuzuka.

As it turned out, last spring we made three attempts to bring the Go For Broke back to California. On the third attempt we got 800 miles out, about a third of the way, when mechanical problems forced us to return to Honolulu.

Maybe she didn't want to leave her home waters.

She is now for sale again, in Kawalo Basin Harbor. Since uncovering her history, I have always hoped someone, or some organization, connected with the 442nd legacy, would buy her and turn her into a floating classroom, making short sails around Honolulu Bay, to educate young people especially about the 442nd, Japanese-American history, and the remarkable man whose life of quiet heroism is a model of what it really means to be a great American.

If I had the money I'd buy it myself and donate it to a relevant organization. Probably at this point she can be bought for a very reasonable price.

I will send you a private e-mail to your Hotmail address, to discuss details I've uncovered and to inquire about the historic materials you referred to.

A book is being written about Mineo's life in general, and might be out this year. I'm pretty sure you know about that author.

In any case, thank you very much for contacting me. You have rekindled my enthusiasm for writing something in detail about your "Uncle Min" and the steel-hulled sailing cutter that he built and sailed around the world mostly solo at age 70.

(By the way, I met a nice New Zealand lady during my time in Honolulu, and have moved here from California. Will try to visit Mineo and finish the writing project.)

Thank you again.

--Ian

Ian M. Washburn, M.A.
University of Cambridge CELTA
1750 Kalakaua Avenue, #3665
Honolulu, HI 96826
(808) 347-9951 cell

[Tom Amundson]

It is currently anchored in La Paz bay in La Paz, BCS. Not looking too good but the info I have is that it is owned by Steve Arnold. I have no contact info.

[IanUSA]

Thank you.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, radhenshi, and Tom A,

[Tom Amundson]

As of Father's Day, June 19, 2022 it remains, apparently afloat, in La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico. At a minimum, it should be lifted, blasted, gauged and painted. I'd be willing to assist in this evolution to save this historical asset.
Tom Amundson
Skylane1@gmail.com

[Tom Amundson]

GO FOR BROKE update for those interested. 30 JULY 2022

She remains safely afloat in La Paz, Mexico. She has seen better days and is in need of hauling out, blasting, probably some underwater steel repairs and preservation.

I finally tracked down the owner yesterday who seems interested in selling. It isn't in my budget to do this but in the short-term I'm supremely interested in being involved in the preservation of this historic asset.

In the long run, the GO FOR BROKE belongs in Honolulu or other community who has an interest.

Email me at skylane1@gmail.com

[IanUSA]

Aloha from Oahu to Tom:


Thank you for the updates on s/v Go For Broke.


Unfortunately I don't get updates to that site when things are posted. Was just looking at the site and found your postings.


Am curious whether you're actually in La Paz, and whether you have the equipment and know-how to get her seaworthy, at least.


The refurbishing would be greatly cheaper in Mexico than here in Honolulu.


Then there would be all of the paperwork to get it out of Mexican waters and back where she belongs, here in Oahu.


Unless interest can be generated in a relevant 442nd related organization or an individual "angel", the cost/benefit analysis proves bringing her back to life to be prohibitive, at least for me as an individual.


But...dreams can come true.


I always imagined her as a floating classroom for short day trips around Honolulu Harbor, teaching people about the role of Japanese-Americans in WWII (the 442nd), and about the contributions of Hawaiians of Japanese descent, in general. Might be a tourist attraction for Japanese tourists who are interested in Mineo's life-story.


Let me hear from you.


And thank you again.


-- Ian

[Tom Amundson]

Update April 3, 2024 I tried to get her out of the water for repairs but alas no interested parties.
She is now on the sandbar in La Paz harbor after hurricane Norma last year. Email me for picture. Tom.amundson@gmail.com

[IanUSA]

Thank you Tom. You can send pictures to me at: IanMWashburn@gmail.com