Staying cool

We’ve moved onboard full time, and staying cool (physically!) is important.  We made this sun shade, which seems to be standing up pretty well with a breeze.  The amount of shade is incredible, and the fact that you can move around with some ease is good on the back.  Now if we could just get the boat sorted out so we could move around below.  For anyone attempting to go cruising, take what you need and then cut that amount in half and save yourself some headaches.  Still, we’ve managed to find room for it all… barely.

Crazy time

So we finally got out for a quick trip across the bay.  Its been busy cleaning out the house, getting the boat ready, trying to keep sane.  You know, the usual drill.  We put the name on the boat a few month ago, and will soon have a “naming” ceremony complete with the requisite champagne.  My only concern is the champagne is so old and cheap it may remove the finish on the boat!  Once we get closer to moving south we’ll post more often.  Until then, a few pictures….

 

Climbing Everest

If you can name all the gear here, you win a big prize.  This is about 1/8th of the gear we've got.... Seriously.

"So we're getting serious...."that's the quote I heard the other day when all this stuff keeps showing up at our house.  The sherpas of Everest would have a hard time with the load of gear we're accumulating for this "expedition".  We've also become good friends with Craig.  He has a list.  It's posted on the internet.... we've posted our household "treasures" on his list and are starting to sell some of it to fund the expedition.



The prop shaft and stuffing box... and it's really easy to access, really.....


Also got some boat work done the last few weeks.  New starter, alternator, cooling pump for the engine.  Stuffing box (where the prop shaft goes out the boat to the water, with the propellor on the other side) has been repacked to keep the water out.  Lots still to do, but it's getting serious.... look
out Everest, here we come....

Winter Reading

A few of the books we received... more on the way!



Hibernation has set in, and the cold makes doing boat work like getting out of bed on Monday morning... very difficult.  In the meantime, a little light reading is in order.  Since we are inside of 6 months to departure, we've ordered all the latest cruising guides, charts, etc... quite a bit to cover.  So we'll be reading till it gets a little warmer.  The reality of actually ditching all your stuff (everything - furniture, cars, pets, etc...) is really setting in.  It's a bit like the "rip the bandaid off" syndrome.  Hard at first to get rid of it, but some relief after it's gone.
Gotta go, too much typing and not enough reading....

Summer Trips

Finally made it out to the boat this summer.  It's been a busy summer, but we managed to make a 4 day trip to Annapolis, St Michaels and some anchorages in between.  The weather was amazing, 80's and a decent breeze.... oh and the kid's were at camp.  Here's a video, mis-identifying the lighthouse as Smith point, when it's Thomas point lite... still some work to do on my geography skills.  How we're going to make it to the Caribbean I'm not sure.

Summer wrap up

Busy summer, but we managed a few trips on the boat.  The solar panel works great, we are almost completely self-sustaining for our electrical needs.  The investment in LED lights, low power fridge and other equipment has paid off in keeping the amps used down.  A few pics from the summer:

Going through the drawbridge

Sunset at anchor

So now on to winter, and the winter projects.  Plans include new teak caulk for the cockpit teak, a new chainplate or two, and some engine stuff. 

Wrapping up the big projects

Two new coats of bottom paint

With spring finally taking a firm grip on us, it seems we're getting close to launch day the first week of May.  I went back over all the projects done this fall/winter and came up with the following:
5 of 9 new ports installed
New refrigeration & settee area
Install solar panel
New batteries
New fuses and electrical wiring for all major components
Prep bottom for launching (new zinc, prop cleaned and 2 coats of anti-fouling paint)

As well as various smaller projects (rebed some chainplates, run new water hose, new cockpit drain hose, install more LED lights, install radio/battery monitor/vhf/solar instruments.  Some things I had done by the pros, like new furling system and sail, new dodger, and rebuilt starter.  Also ordered a CPT autopilot, which I can install.  All in all, lots done but always more to do.  Ready for the warm weather and bay sailing.