At the end of our first seven days as cruisers we still didn’t feel like cruisers. Seven to ten days was our usual vacation time aboard and, in the past, it typically meant sailing toward Pensacola. After our first week cruising, we were still in the Florida panhandle and I felt like we should be […]
What’s in a Name? (Or, Incurring Poseidon’s Wrath)
Boat names are extremely personal, and the source of much discussion and divergent opinions among mariners. All you have to do is mention around a marina that you’re considering re-naming your boat and you will be bombarded with a flurry of “advice.” The suggestions range from the practical to, well, the lunatic. “Make it easy […]
More Upgrades As Time Is Running Out
As we get closer to our departure date, the urgency to complete all those upgrades we had planned is heating up. Here are a few of the ones we have checked off the list. Sea Water Pressurized Faucet – Our boat did not come equipped with a seawater pump at the galley. We […]
The Sale Before The Sail
There’s a word for people like us – LIVEABOARDS! We slept in our “land bed” for the last time about a month ago, right before our estate sale took place. We finally got everything sorted and left behind the things we decided we could/had to live without, to be priced and sold by “professionals”. Yeah, […]
The Transition Begins
As the website subtitle suggests, this blog is supposed to document the steps we’re taking in preparation for our move onboard. Thus far, we didn’t have much to write about on that subject, but with less than two weeks to go before the move happens, there is a lot going on! By the end of […]
Boat Upgrades
While I’m sure this post is boring to most of our land friends, I hope it’s interesting and/or helpful to sailors preparing to cruise. First and foremost, I must give props to the previous owners for doing some outstanding upgrades to the boat, leaving us very little to worry about before we sail off permanently. […]
The “Plan”
It was brought to our attention during the holidays, when we had the joy of seeing many of our relatives, that several people close to us don’t know what we’re doing. Not that we know what we’re doing, but for anyone who might be interested in where we hope to be in the next few […]
Our Private Signal
The maritime world is full of customs and traditions; some are quite practical while others border on the bizarre. As we prepare for a life at sea, we have chosen to embrace the practical tradition of the private signal. This practice dates back over 6,000 years to the Egyptian captains of the Nile who would […]
Busting Barnacles (Flushing the AC System)
This will probably be boring to our friends and family but for any boat owners out there who need a bit of guidance on how to flush a blockage out of their AC/heating system this may be helpful. Having central AC and heat is not something I expect I will be concerned about when we […]
I can’t believe I actually forgot the freakin’ mayo!
Our first, and (for a while) only, major passage is complete! We sailed Miami to New Orleans non-stop in five days. With the help of our delivery captain, Capt. Woody Henderson, we are now aware that this boat can handle almost anything. She laughs out loud at 30 knot, on-the-nose winds and 13 foot waves, […]