Home is Where Your Boat is...

So, I eluded to something on my Facebook page over Labor Day weekend about finding a new place.

About a week earlier, I opened up a fortune cookie that read...

The irony of receiving this "fortune" was it was absolutely not telling me something  I didn't already know. Unbeknownst to anyone else, GR and I were toying with the idea of renting a house with a dock. See, you wouldn't think in "the Venice of Florida" it would be very difficult to find a slip however, I beg to differ. We've used a variety of ways to search for dockage including but not limited to:

• Craigslist.com
• Docksearch.com
• ActiveCaptain.com

These resources are ones that I rattle off almost daily to those seeking aquatic accommodations. To be more specific check out "bridge height clearance" and use the term "live aboard" in your search to weed out the gorgeous yet, unattainable.

In order to understand our decision a little better there are a few things you should know. If you have been following along please forgive the recap. We have lived in Fort Lauderdale for about a year and a half; in that time we have "parked" in three vastly different settings.

• "The House of the Sun"* - This was a small two story, short term rental building that mainly catered to vacationers. Located literally a stone's throw from the ICW just North of the Sunrise bridge it had space for 5 boats. Live aboard was okay and they provided a laundry room, a shore side restroom with shower, a pool and BBQ area as well as a parking space. This place was super convenient and was essentially empty most of the time.

• "The Pier"* - Staying at the  "The Pier" made life at the dock seem like a vacation with ample parking and ALL the amenities one could ask for including, Pool, Spa, Hot Tub, Laundry Facility, Taxi Stand, Gym, and three Restaurants.

• "The Dirty South"* - The yard, located just off the infamous State Road 84, offered us a safe haven during hurricane season to complete the work we were knee deep into on Felicity. Although, we lived aboard at the yard, we actually only lived aboard while she was floating, once we hauled out we escaped to a nearby hotel. The yard was a Do-It-Yourself, services were reasonably priced and several craftsmen conveniently offered services on-site. As much as we grimaced as we trudged through barnacles bits to reach our floating oasis, the people there made our stay that much more enjoyable.

We live on a boat. Isn't that proof enough that we LOVE change?  After our "release" into the "wild" we decided to seek out something unlike our past situations. Each one of our previous docks had wonderful and less than attractive qualities that we wanted to both emulate and eliminate. Now we were armed the perfect list in which to find our new "home".

• A dedicated parking space
• A side tie
• A wide berth (we are 15' 6")
• A space for storage.
• Room for the cats to roam
• Privacy 
• A common area, to host guests

Why wouldn't we have the best of both worlds? I mean it's not easy living on a boat. I mean the day to day living, the get up and go to work daily grind. Isn't the only reason people put up with life on a boat is that someday they plan on really living? Throwing off the proverbial chains that tie and sailing off into the sunset? Our lives aboard are misunderstood and oftentimes scrutinized. Trying to find the "perfect" dock was proving difficult. This is how our search  for a "House for Rent with a Dock" began. We've pretty much covered every square inch of this town in search of new restaurants, hardware stores, specialty shops, kid play dates and random bike rides. We'd meander through neighborhoods and dream of the homes, scoffing at the ones that didn't have didn't have dockage. "It'd be perfect if..."

We looked at several places before deciding on the one. We have several things planned for the next several months and we will be sharing, of course! For now, we have officially moved out of Felicity and although, it feels quite strange (yes, I was land sick for a few hours) Felicity is still our main goal and focus.

BUT, no matter where we are, home truly is wherever our boat is.

* - The REAL names of these places have been changed.

3 Is a Magic Number

Ever heard the saying  "things happen in threes"?  There is much debate over weather this could be a law similar to Newton's, but the things is it'd have to universal. For us it's merely coincidence. There's a song from the old Schoolhouse Rock series, that's where I got the title for this post. Things are just better in three, I mean our family is 3 people. Felicity is our third boat together. The list could go on but I digress...

First, we tackled the fly bridge. The decks and seating area were neglected and peeling. We sanded and filled and then began painting.
Second, we re-cored our decks using balsa core and tons of fiberglass and epoxy which we then painted. Third, we completed a very swift and successful bottom job in less than a week!

To say we've been busy would be the understatement of the year.

Suddenly, the dust settled and we were able to clean up our living space. Man, I tell you, hind sight is 20/20 and we see soooo clearly now. The past 3 months are mostly a blur. Why? Where were we? All I seem to recall is lots of complaining, lots of receipts and LOADS of supplies and belongings piled EVERYWHERE!! In order to cope with the stress that came with the clutter and home construction, we wrapped ourselves in a cocoon. We were into these projects so deep at one point that we literally spent any off time, in bed, watching previous seasons of "How I Met Your Mother" on rotation. Thanks NetFlix.

The sight of this became too much for us...

Our Salon full of Everything. Ugh.

However, the last  three months we've tackled 3 major issues with Felicity thus significantly upgrading our lives aboard. AND that is super exciting! Once we were finally done with the decks and the paint and the haul out this view of our salon was much, MUCH better!!

Which brings us to a stopping point, for now, a resting place. As much progress as we've made requires a certain level of money, attention and dedication all of which our levels are showing LOW. We are going to take some time to recoup mentally, physically and spiritually (3) in order to get back into the game with our wits about us, with the full dedication and excitement that boats demand!

Reality Check

Well, hello out there! (echo, echo, echo)

It's been FAR too long since I've logged onto this blog to make a report on our progress (or lack thereof).

I feel like we've been completely consumed by the "real" world. The life of responsibility. Wake up, look presentable (is this clean? sniff), feed everyone, make lunches, beds, clean  the cat box, toss the garbage, drive Gia to school then me to work in traffic - Work - WORK, then drive back home in traffic, Traffic - TRAFFIC!! Make dinner, do homework, feed the cats, clean the lunch boxes, do some kind of boat project, shower?? Have I mentioned it's been a LONG time since I had a 9 - 5? I wasn't just working 5 days a week either, I was picking up gigs left and right for charters. Days that can last up to 15 hours. I was tired. All work and no play.

Last week, I had a breakdown. I should have stopped to use a restroom as soon as I felt the urge. But I was in a rush, right? Got to get to work on time! To my surprise the highway suddenly turned into a parking lot, a horrific accident shut 95 down at midnight - it was now 8:30am. After 2 hours my eyeballs were yellow and I'm pretty sure I developed a twitch in my eye! I didn't realize how much I was wrapped up in this hustle bustle shit! My blood pressure rose; my nerves were shot. I had premonitions of a major wreck on highway 95 with every tap of the brakes. Because I wear my heart on my sleeve everyone noticed. I didn't know how to turn it off. I wanted to throw in the towel. What was the root of the problem?

I wasn't living in the present moment. All the projects that need to be done, the supplies to be purchased filled my mind. I held my breathe  and clutched the wheel as I pushed pedal to metal rushing to make some deadline, to punch a time clock. What the heck!? I haven't felt this - EVER! What could I do? Well, for starters I decided to get the heck off the highway. Now, I take a nice leisurely cruise down US1. The speedometer doesn't reach 50mph. I hit every light. And I don't give a flip. In fact, I crank up the tunes and chill out. After taking this step back I see other vehicles filled with "rushers"; zigging, zagging in and out only to end up beside me. I say a silent pray that they too will slow down.

Que Sera Sera - Whatever will be, will be. There will always be things on my mind, projects to do and lists that need doing but as long as we stay in the here and now, the future can wait.

A big part of what's going on right now aboard Felicity should be recorded and it will, eventually. I mean it's pretty major stuff! But I'm so tired, I'm so pulled in other directions I haven't been able to steal away. The reason there aren't more blogs out there that describe every detail all the amazing things that take place during a boat refit is because it's time consuming, it's hard on the body AND the mind! So, please be patient with us and me as we slowly pump out updates.

Namaste!
Jessica
xox

Playing with Our Toys!

Two Kayaks, a Kneeboard & Two Livingston

It's taken me a week to even post this! We had great weather and friends visit from Daytona Beach during Spring Break and we took FULL advantage!! It seems like we have just been hunting and gathering all the toys, and not really using them so getting over to Lake Sylvia with the kids and towing them around was a BIG step in the direction of fun.

The Florida Promise

 

Image here.

It must be the blinding sunshine. Maybe it's the sensational beaches with endless bikini clad bodies emitting the scent of tanning oil. Could it be the laid back lifestyle or the lure of fishing just a few minutes offshore? Whatever IT is...IT SUCKS!

IT, is the Florida Promise and it's been happening for a LONG time. It began when droves of Northerners began the exodus from the chilly weather to the incredible, natural "Disneyland" the is the Sunshine State. Basically, contractors (local or not) make you a promise by saying they will show up and then never do! OR when they do they are either drunk, hungover or have a wicked tan from their day out surfing instead of working for you!

I've changed the names to protect the innocent or not-so-innocent in one such scenario we've experienced. Let's say, "Tom", the painter tells you he will show up Tuesday to look at the boat and give you a price. Well, he never shows up and he doesn't even call. Being the good communicator you are, you call him and say, "Hey Tom, Don't worry about coming by today, it's a bit late now. Thank you". "Tom" replies with some excuse about how busy he was and he will come by tomorrow. BUT he never comes!!

This seems to continue until you've called about 6 different people until you finally get a "good" one. Someone who shows up when they say the will, performs the job with little to no errors, charges on or below the estimated amount and gives the results you were after. Unfortunately, that's just the way it is. There are an amazing amount of boats (mega-yachts mostly) here and these contractors know how in-demand they are. It's as if they don't really give a sh*t about their name or reputation. WHY? Because they know they can charge insane amounts of money and people will pay it(not us but some people don't know about the "working man's price") -  and they know that there will always be those folks that are in a rush to get cruising that just want the job done and pay because they can't wait any longer.

My advice to you:

• Don't Be in a Rush  - Contractors can smell your fear and your money. If you are pushy, hurried and riding them they will charge you for it!

• Be Proactive/Handy - Doing the work yourself not only helps you understand systems better it allows you the freedom of knowing how to fix things when your "out there" where it can be exponentially expensive! If you really can't do the work yourself it's not the end of the world but it may cost you more in time and money. Two things we rarely have at the same time. So if you have time - SAVE MONEY & Vice Versa!

• Get Several Quotes - Get as many contractor names & company's as you can, ask everyone you know, use forum and prepare yourself to be confused. You will get opinions and ideas from different ends of the spectrum by stick with what you know and keep it simple!

I'm sure several yachting and boating town's have similar issues with handymen and such but here in Florida we refer to the issue as "The Florida Promise." The best weapon is awareness! I hope you found these tips useful. Best of Luck!

Namaste!

What's the Reward?

Image found here.

Best Buy. Winn-Dixie. Pet Smart.

All have what in common??

They all have a rewards system. Who doesn't these days, right? You only need to open your wallet to see the tiny plastic cards plastered with brand names. There seems to be the idea that everything bears a reward. Especially things we spend our money on! So when dreaming of sailing away someday on a boat you don't often think of all the working time you will spend; covered in grease, grim, or paint. Using your boat helps you appreciate all the time you spend working on her. It seems for the past, well, year and a few months, we haven't gotten to do very much playing!

Well, today we went ahead and cashed in some of our rewards!! We needed a change of scenery but we won't be docking anywhere else, anytime soon, so we flipped Felicity around! Funny, how such a small adjustment can turn a the stench of routine into the spark of adventure! We are now looking out over the canal. I can hear the sound of a wake as it slaps under each dock before it gently rolls Felicity in her slip. I needed today something serious!

I'll never forget the first time I sailed out of that first inlet. Lake Worth. I was so excited and nervous I was glued to the port side railing the whole trip. In the morning as the sun blinded my bloodshot eyes, I saw dolphins in insane blue water. It was precisely that moment when I realized I would suffer that pain again in a second (if given the chance) to make this memory one more time!! That is the reward my friends.

The reward of cruising varies for everyone. What are some of your favorite rewards of cruising?
The perfect tan.
Cooking with native produce.
More family time.
Bonfires!

Spread Thin, an update!

Image found here

I swear I'm just NOT happy unless I have a zillion things to do!!! Currently, I'm spread thinner than light mayo on a dieter's BLT!

Besides, the fact that I am blogging for ourselves here at Project Motor Boat. I'm Kids as Crew "Topic Coordinator" for The Monkey's Fist, which means I am reading a (bleep)-ton of blogs sorting through them to find kids displaying their knowledge for navigation, provisioning, driving the tender etc. Got any links?? Share them in the comment section!!

I'm doing data entry for my local Bikram Yoga studio, AND washing those sweat-soaked yoga towels (yea. eww.)  all in order to continue my membership and continue my practice, so that I might go to Teacher Training, hopefully in 2013!!!

I'm working with a friend/yacht broker on my Yacht Broker Internship (2 years) so that one day I can sell more than just our own personal boats!! Didn't know a yacht broker? NOW you do!!

I'm also still writing with Raft Up (soon to have a new website) so stay tuned for my next post, February 2nd, I'm the first up on a very touchy subject!!

This weekend I'm looking forward to unplugging (just a little bit) when GR's mom comes to town (tomorrow) and we get to play tourist on Saturday by taking on ride on the infamous Jungle Queen!!!

So if you were wondering?? Now you know!! Enjoy today.

Traditionally - Nontraditional

Yup, it's *REAL* and it smells soo good!

This year things are a bit different around here but then again every year has been kinda different. I mean that each year we have celebrated the holiday we have been in a unique location generally in the midst of gearing up our boat to head off cruising. We haven't really kept too many "traditions" of our own aside from the usual - wake up Christmas morning with presents from the Big Man and then eating an incredible breakfast. This year GR and I sitting back admiring our super-cozy, floating home all light up and sparkling and said to each other, " So what will we do for Christmas Eve this year?" I was literally speechless. Here in "the real world" we don't have an anchorage full of close friends planning a list of activities for us. We're going to have to come up with something on our own. (scoff) *Also, although we are in Florida, we are still about 4 hours from our "old hometown" full of  family and friends. (We may get the chance to sneak up there at some point but not Christmas week, driving and Christmas just don't sound fun.) So, this year, like many others will be traditionally nontraditional. We picked up a *real* tree, a real BIG, Douglas Fir at that (with the car). She's about 5' tall and smells heavenly. Gia picked the color scheme of our ornaments; silver, blue & white. Reminiscing about where we've been over the years was fun, here's a list of our crazy, mixed up Christmas's as liveaboard boaters.

Christmas over the Years 

2007 - Warderick Wells, Exuma, Bahamas -  Anchored out, dinghied into the park headquarters for a "Proper" potluck (Turkey, Ham, Potatoes, Pies all free) hosted by the park ranger. We had a construction paper tree taped to the bulkhead. Santa called us on the VHF and dropped Gia's Christmas presents on the deck of the boat from his sleigh. (Pearson 424, San San)

2008 - Ponce Inlet, Florida -  We moved back into our house in preparation for the final liquidation of our property. We bought a 12' tree from a guy on Craigslist and didn't have enough ornament to make it look quite right! We invited many family and friends over to celebrate with us while we had the "big" house one last year. Gia got a boombox for her room. (Recently boat-less and in the market)

2009 - Marathon, Florida, Boot Key Harbor -  On a mooring surrounded by totally cool liveaboards our cockpit donned LED, multi-colored lights and handmade decorations. Several friends got together on various boats for different gatherings, that community was the best, lots of kids around! We picked up a tiny, table-top tree and made most of our ornaments by hand. It was a cold, cold winter that year and we actually had to buy a heater! YES, in Florida! (36' Ericson, San San)

2010 -  Miami, Florida - On a mooring at Dinner Key Marina, we still had our table-top tree and our cockpit decorations with lights. This time, I worked ALOT and so did GR. We were so focused and had Guatemala on our minds! (36' Ericson, San San)

2011 - Miami, Florida - New boat for us, the start up with this one was hard since we sold everything we owned (yet, again) with San San . Thankfully pulled into the slip a few days before and grabbed a Rosemary tree from local market in between trips to and from work. New boat, new $kitty$! (50' Hatteras, Felicity)

2012 - Fort Lauderdale, Florida -  Docked, covered in lights, nice tree and working but not TOO much! All three of us are home together and will consider this one of many years that we are super blessed. Gia will make the cookies for Santa all by herself this year. (50' Hatteras, Felicity) 

It's fun to think back on all the places we have been and where we "think" we are heading but the truth of the matter is all that counts is where you are right now and loving every minute of it! Happy Holidays to you wherever you may be, from all of us on Felicity.

Home for the Holidays.....Or Not.

Happy Holidays!!

When was the last time YOU were home for the holidays? Cruisers, yachties and many others such as ourselves are often subject to spending the Thanksgiving, Christmas, and even New Years in unique locations surrounded by *new* faces. It can be fun and exciting to dine "potluck" style and to be introduced to new traditions but it can also be hard for families to cope without their loved ones.
 
Being in the yachting industry (or any service industry for that matter), holidays and weekends just aren't the same. Typically, we ("yachties") work every weekend and every holiday; it's just expected. It just comes with the territory. We work for people who work hard and want to play hard with their families aboard their *awesome* yachts, can you blame them?! Thankfully, owners' are using their boats. keeping us working and keeping us in the green. A recent study by The Triton, a local yacht crew publication shows crew perspective regarding working through this time of year. Some don't mind, some hate it but either way there's no getting around it.

Through the years we have found ways of getting around the separation.
You could celebrate at another time of the year when time off is more acceptable.
You could celebrate in unique ways like by using modern technology to be a part of your family party via Skype or Facetime.
Or you could just quit your job and go home! (At your own risk, of course)

Seriously, this year we are super thankful to both have great gigs that allow us more freedom during the holidays, meaning we will both be home on the "big" days. All three of us will go to sleep on Christmas Eve and wake up together to open presents, eat an incredible breakfast and spend the day playing with our new things and just plain enjoying ourselves. This year we are doing it right!

Two Yachtie Tips You Can Use!

Those "mega" yachts sure are pretty and man, do they spend a lot of money to play with them! BUT I will say this, they still keep to the" basics" when it comes to cleaning! I work on a classic Burger here in Fort Lauderdale and find I use these two products more than any other cleaning supply. They are cheap and safe to use for anyone, anywhere!

There are a number of reasons why using natural cleaning products in your home (floating or not) is a great idea! We could start with the fact that these chemicals are absorbed by your body, end up in our waterways AND can cause lasting damaging effects on both human and animal life! Just because your turning over a "green" leaf doesn't mean you'll need to spend a bunch of "green" either, let's just consider going back to the basics!

1. Vinegar -A simple mix of white vinegar and water will work wonders on windows, ports, hatches and any other clear or glass surface! No more blue dyes or streaks baby, this is it! Designate a small spray bottle for this use specifically and keep it full and handy wherever you will use it most. Don't like the "salad dressing" smell? Add a few drops of your favorite essential oil like calming lavender!
2. Alcohol - Yup! Straight up rubbing alcohol. Just put it in a spray bottle and use it on just about any hard surface. It's not a deep cleaner but it will cut your workload in half when you use it everyday to clean lightly. Showers, stainless, mirrors, toilets even floors can benefit from the germ killing powers in plain, old, inexpensive rubbing alcohol!

Now, I'm off to work, Happy Friday!!

What's in a name?? 2012 Hurricane Season...

Hurricane season is upon us and with two storms prior to the actual start date we have a hunch that this year might be a little busy. We spent last year in Rio Dulce, Guatemala a good spot to wait out the season. Although, we will pray and keep our dock lines and fingers crossed that it's as peaceful a year as ever, we got a giggle out of the names on this list!! Check it out!!


Alberto (used) Gone(used) - Gone but not forgotten.
 Beryl (used) Gone but not forgotten
Chris (unused) - Short for Christine or Christopher, remember that movie? Christine, eek!?
Debby (unused) - Does Dallas? Who knows...
 Ernesto (unused) - A Latin spin on a German name, spicy!
 Florence (unused) - My Grandmother's name, She doesn't take any stuff!
 Gordon (unused) - Captain, My Captain, I think Gordon will be the one!!
 Helene (unused)
 Isaac (unused)
 Joyce (unused)
 Kirk (unused)
 Leslie (unused)
 Michael (unused) - My Dad, and if this storm is anything like him, he'll give us hell!
 Nadine (unused)
 Oscar (unused) - The Grouch, need I say more??
 Patty (unused)
 Rafael (unused)
 Sandy (unused) - Sandy Seagull one of our dearest friends, and she's a tough cookie!
 Tony (unused) - Good Strong Italian Name, Hope he bark is worse than his bite.
 Valerie (unused)
 William (unused) - A good, strong name.

Since this is our lifestyle we will be paying particular attention to this topic until November.Do any of these names have any significance in  your life?? Help us fill in the blanks!

*Giving credit where credit is due, our friends on SV Papillion posted the list of names on their blog first, check it out here.

Donations Sent to The Casa!!

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world.  Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.  ~Margaret Meade

For those of you who have been following along for a while you know that we are all about Guatemala! And at every chance we get, we talk about our favorite non profit, Casa Guatemala! Our karma yoga is to promote and support them in any way we can. For those of you who'd lie more information, check out these posts; Casa Guatemala & Hotel Backpackers.

About a month ago we received 3 boxes totaling about 42lbs from some *great people* who collected donations through their office. We had hoped to hand deliver them but instead ended up storing them until a volunteer appeared! Since they are school supplies and the best thing to do is to get them to the kids as soon as possible; we are happy to know they are well on their way! The beautiful kids of the orphanage oat Casa Guatemala will soon be receiving crayons, pencils, notebooks, markers, band-aids and tooth brushes & toothpaste! We can't think of a better way for them to start off the new school year!

So the first group of people collected the goodies, then we stored them. Then I found a volunteer heading to Guatemala to work with Casa Guatemala in Florida He went ahead and paid the extra charge to carry a whole suitcase full of stuff. Then I bummed a ride (since we don't drive or own a car) from a friend who took me and all the supplies to the nearest Fed Ex and we shipped it to the Volunteer who leaves Monday morning for Guatemala City! PHEW! I tell ya, it really does take a village. But again, thanks to just a handful of committed people we made it happen!

It makes us so happy to know that "Together Everyone Achieves More" and we worked together as a T.E.A.M. and got the supplies to the kids with very little expense and within very little time!! Want to help? Email us @ MVFelicity (@) Gmail.com .

Don't forget to support Casa Guatemala by checking out their Facebook page.

-Or-

Make a donation by clicking here.

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!

Click on the monkey's fist to read others bloggers on this topic.

Attention Antique Vessels

One of the benefits of having an antique vessel is Antique Vessel Registry.

Did you know that if your boat is at least 30 years old you can register it with the state of Florida as an antique? According to Florida Law:

2)  ANTIQUE VESSEL REGISTRATION FEE.--
(a)  A vessel that is at least 30 years old, used only for recreational purposes, and powered by the vessel's original-type power plant may be registered as an antique vessel. When applying for registration as an antique vessel, the owner of such a vessel shall submit certification, as prescribed by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles or from a marine surveyor that the vessel meets the requirements of this paragraph.
(b)  The registration number for an antique vessel shall be permanently attached to each side of the forward half of the vessel as provided in ss. 328.48 and 328.54.

What are the particulars of antique vessel registry? 

1. Original Type Power Plant - Want that in Layman's terms? Sure thing. The engine in the boat should be the same year and make that it was originally outfitted with.
2. Non Commercial - The boat is only used for recreation. Is there any other way?
3. 30 Years Old - Sadly, I too am approaching antique status! But, really is your boat is at least thirty years old, you're in the club!

To obtain Antique Vessel Registration, click here for the certification form.

Obtaining an Antique Boat Decal

This type of decal comes directly from the State. A written request must be submitted
with a copy of the boats most current certificate of boat registration issued by a county
tax collector in the State  and HSMV Form 87243 signed by the registered owner. This
document shall certify that said boat meets or exceeds the standard for an antique boat.
Effective 10/1/97, there is no annual fee for the decal. Annual reg. fees of $7.00 still
apply. Once an antique decal is issued to a boat, it remains current for the life of the
boat provided the boat continues to conform to the definition of an antique boat. The
decal shall be placed within 3 inches of the registration number which shall be affixed
on the forward half of the hull.

The best part of this whole deal is that it is way cheaper to register an antique boat! Give it a shot and let us know how it works out for you!