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!

Felicity's First Fourteen (knots)

It has been far too long since we took Felicity for a serious ride but after our haul out that's exactly what we did. Although, it was a quick one just before sunset (we are in the process of replacing our Nav. Lights) this ride was exactly the gratification we'd been longing for after all the hard work we've been doing!

This clip shows what our wake looks like at about 14 knots. This is the first time we've actually had her up to this speed. The reason being is she had some fuel issues, which we resolved (at least we think so) back in January.

Here are some more pictures from that quick trip out the inlet.

Felicity's First Haul Out in Photos

Here's a brief photo tour of Felicity's haul out, August 2013. Haul out projects included up sizing generator water intake and air conditioning raw water intake, removal of three (yes 3!) non-functional transducers and addition of new transducer, trim tab actuators, bottom paint and of course our artwork!!

This was the first time we have seen Felicity out of the water AND the first time we've hauled out a power boat making it very exciting and nerve wracking at the same time. I held my hand on my heart the whole time they lifted her and carried her a short distance before she was on the stands. I mean, this is our whole life, our home.

All in all it was a smooth yard period with no errors or interruptions, which is really all we could hope for in this situation.

Enjoy the show.

Five Ways to Make it Through a Re-fit!

Taking a break is definitely on the list but what other ways do we stay sane during what has become the biggest re-fit of our cruising "career?"

Sundowners at sunset are absolutely THE best part of life on the water. (Miami, 2012)

I'm not sure who came up with the idea of a "Gratitude Journal" (Oprah, right?ha.) but I've got to tell you, it's magical. The theory is, of course, to write down at least one thing you are thankful for each day. The act of physically writing it down is probably the hardest part for me, I'm the type of person who is constantly in motion. I rarely keep a routine, unless otherwise forced, for example, work, library returns, showering daily. Whatever, routines are over rated. I'm a Gemini, remember, we hate monotony.


NEWSFLASH: Felicity is currently docked in a boat yard (her first time since we purchased) we've got to finish these decks and the paint job. While I try very hard to put on a good show (SMILE) inside I sometimes wonder if maybe we bit off more than we could chew. She misses resort style living very much, so does the rest of the crew, but in an attempt to keep up moral I've pledged to create a list of my  favorite boatyard things. (#favoriteboatyardthings) On Facebook, I've made it a point to share my thoughts with my friends and family so as to be held accountable by them not to forget my obligation. I'd like to share my list as it stands to date.

Day 1 - 1.) Looking At Boats! 
              2.) Meeting Incredible People 
              3.) Yard Days are Always Long (sh*t gets done!) 

Day 2 - 1.) Everyone has a story to tell.
              2.) We are all in the Redneck Yacht Club (like it or not!)
              3.) Every puddle of liquid on the ground is liquid death - One learns to be very nimble.

Day 3 - There's a bunch of boatyard kitties here, and one is so sweet.

Day 4 - I helped a boat limp in that lost it's steering, three guys struggled to help but I was able to pull them in and was cheered, " See it takes a woman!" by all the people on board!

Day 5 - Gia has made friends with a pair of sisters and they are serious fishergirls!

Day 6 - Did I mention we have a fully, functional, brand new ELECTRIC head!!!!! Swoon!

Day 7 - Coming home from work and always finding a parking spot in front (not many others here overnight)


I know many of our friends are in transition at the moment, in boat yards, awaiting parts in exotic locations, underway and even waiting on a potential buyer.

My question to you is, "How are you making it through?" Please share your thoughts, comments, suggestions and questions below.

Seriously, We Are Painting?

So we really had no intention on painting at this stage in the game; I mean there are bigger, more imperative fish to fry, like getting 3 new toilets, hooking up our water system and installing new batteries! But after we moved from one end of town to the other (so to speak) we found ourselves in the very thick of the "fancy pants club." Our marina is home to some of the biggest yachts in the industry, ever heard of 7 Seas? At our previous marina, Felicity looked the best of all the girls at the dock. Yet as we tied up, surrounded by million dollar boats we felt a bit like the Lauderdale Hillbilly's! So, we made some calls, found an amazing, hardworking guy who began the long, slow process of updating the exterior for a fair price!

Felicity's fly bridge midway through her "facelift."

Beginning top to bottom with tons of supplies, epoxy, filler, lacquer thinner, sand paper, brushes and blue tape. Two weeks later it looked incredible. It's amazing how fast progress goes when someone else is doing the work! In boating, as in life, there are times when you will have a little money and no time or a little money and nothing but time. Thus, we hired  the painter who really has impressed us. He has sanded, filled and faired, primed, prepped and painted Felicity into a shiny classy lady! Each day we see a little bit more progress and it's been keeping us motivated! Check out these pics!

Before the "moon dust" colored stripe.

We used Awl Grip's Matterhorn White and Moon Dust. We are also using West System Epoxy and Fillers.

Before the new non-skid.

Here are the completed non skid decks. We mixed the Moon Dust with the Matterhorn to make a lighter version for the deck in this area. In the sun, it's super white up here.

While painting the boat may not have been in our immediate plan, it sure does look nice! AND hey, we usually sell them after they look so good, this time, NO WAY Jose!!

Boarding Ladder *or* Sea Stairs

Marquipt Boarding Ladder - A fancy and super, convenient and SAFE way to board Felicity.

Over the past month at our "new" dock we've done a ton of small projects. One of the first major pocket crunches was this little number. Ever heard of Marquipt? After 40 years of sales and service they are pretty much the industry standard for this type of boarding ladder (sea stair) and many other yacht related equipment including cranes, gang planks and elevators. They are proud of their product and nothing reflects that better than price!!! Felicity had this boarding ladder aboard upon purchase, however, she, like the rest of the boat, was in need of a bit of attention. The wheels were worn down and somehow the aluminum was mangled and twisted  in a manner that made boarding awkward and dangerous. The purchase price of a new ladder would be in the $2,000 range. Financially, just not a priority. However, when you are spending all your time at the dock, getting on and off the boat in a convenient and safe manner becomes a priority pretty, darn quickly!

The bottom step was somehow or another smashed up and bent and the wheels had deteriorated over years of riding concrete docks. We took the bottom step to a machine shop for repair but sadly they reported they were not only unable to repair but they had ruined the aluminum step during rehabilitation! Alas, we were pleasantly surprised that we could buy replacement parts! Marquipt has an office in the Lauderdale area so I drove over and picked up the parts and GR installed them with ease! Now we are riding the tide in style and safety!!

Removing a Dinosaur

Okay it's really not that BIG, but it might as well be! (Image found here.)

Removing Felicity's original generator, a 1968 12KW Onan, has become a very daunting task. Similar to removing a dinosaur. It's huge, heavy and OLD!! A dinosaur in that the technology has advanced so much in the last 44 years that many of the parts are obsolete. A major factor in why we chose not to fix it; spending money on something that in the long run, could cause headaches.  It's also a dinosaur in that it's monstrous, considerably larger than many new generators and almost double the weight. While GR has spent many a night, crouched down in the generator room below our galley disassembling the engine, we have managed to get the bulk of the job done. However, the actual "removal" has become another beast entirely. We are still in the concept stages of how we will 1) lift a 1000lb generator  out of the hole and remove the hunk of metal our of our galley, up 6 steps that round a corner and out of our salon without ruining carpets or walls. 2) THEN WHAT?! What do we do with this thing?? We have no way to transport it.

Our biggest issue is that we just don't have the right kind of equipment. We don't really want to put out the expense to build a framework to lift it up and move it out. Then we have all that wood left, to what...store it? No. Normally, we are do-it-yourself-ers but on this project we need someone that already has the equipment AND the manpower!

Yeah.

So that's what we are up against. Any ideas? Have you done something similar? Please leave your comments below!!

Guest Head Project

To say we needed a new look in our heads was the understatement of the year!! With one wall painted  faded robin's egg blue and the other two walls bright white, blue, marbled Formica counter top, fluorescent lighting and gold towel racks it felt like an out-dated hospital room. Visiting first thing in the morning and last thing before bed this look was really on my last nerve! Our little girl loves to gather paint swatches from Home Depot so when I told her I was going to gather some myself she was thrilled to have a "partner in crime!" My idea was obviously to warm up the room with some earth tones but I also wanted to find a "brown" that could give the illusion of wood. As much as I'd love to tear the room apart, we do live here and we are just trying to make do with what we have NOT re-invent the entire space! So... after weeks of looking at the swatches on the wall and embracing our vision we decided to take the plunge and commit already!!

I wanted to try out the colors in the guest head first, that way if we needed to make some alterations we could learn now and then our heads would benefit. Typically, I am the one that does anything aboard that requires a brush. Brushing our hair, scrubbing our shower, floors, decks etc and painting or epoxying are all my favorite!! Seriously! After all the materials were purchased and set up in the head I was pleasantly surprised to come home and see my  handy (& sexy) man was already getting his hands dirty! First, we had to remove the terribly tacky gold-plated, brass towel bars. We filled any holes, sanded the walls and then prepped by wiping down with alcohol. The rest is history because we used up a whole date night to finish it up. Yeah, we were THAT excited!

I'm really pleased with the colors and can't wait to see how it will come together once we change out the counter top with colors that will match and modernize hardware. So, now that the guest head is painted and the Captain's away, I get to dig in myself and take care of our head!! On that note, I'm off to get that DONE!!

Update: Workbench Project

After an awesome night of tricking & treating, I'm catching up on some house, er...boat-keeping. So, here is a little collage of the work we've been doing in the engine room above the water heater we installed a couple weeks ago. This is one project that seems to have come together rather quickly! Turning misused space into a great use of space complete with a drawer for organization and a workbench that can help us finish more projects! Every time, I turn around another piece is coming together, maybe it's because we've been lucky to have the use of our neighbor's table saw this week and making cuts has been a whole lot easier! Check out the design of the drawer, there is NO HARDWARE!! Nothing to rust or corrode or break! *BONUS* Of course, an engineer would think of that, right!?

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!

The list just seems to grow...

We were supposed to make our way to Rickenbacker Causeway for fuel, but the weather kept us at home. Winds were blowing hard with up to 30 knot gusts, the steady winds clocked at 20 - 25. The skies were an ominous gray and the rain was everything from torrential downpours to soft sprinkles for about 6 hours. It felt very similar to weather associated with tropical storms. In any case, it sure was nice hanging around catching up on our nap time and reading our books. I actually had time to break out the jewelry box to make a friendship bracelet! Haven't done that since Guatemala! Still, in between all that we did manage to fool around with a few things.


Provo helped us print labels for some wires, then she took a nap!


With our upcoming trip ahead, our goals are to perfect the navigation equipment. Since the rudder indicator has never worked, we went through the troubleshooting process and pinpointed the issue to the control box. We began by unhooking the sender wires from the control box, then we attached the Ohm Meter to the wire ends. I turned the wheel at a slow pace and The Captain looked at the Ohm Meter for erratic behavior. Since the meter read at a steady pace we proved that the sender was good. Next, we checked the control box to see if it was translating the signal from the sender to the gauge. That's where the problem was, so we now know we need a new control box. We found one on Ebay for $39, but the shipping is the issue. The timing is off because we are moving at the end of the week and we just wouldn't get it in time. Thank goodness it's not a show stopper! We will let it ride until we get settled in our new location, but now it's on the list!

"One Mile Ray Vintage Boat Search Light"

Next, we messed with the spotlight. This boat search light is original and vintage. It really compliments Felicity's classy yacht look. It sure would be nice if it worked though! Upon opening  the switch housing and we found that the spade had burned out of the switch. We jumped it to 32 volts and "Shazam!" We lit up the Grove Sail Club Moorings like a police helicopter's spot light! While we didn't replaced the switch, we will. It will be an easy fix after a quick trip to West Marine.

Isn't that just how life is? You start out with a couple of things on your list for the weekend but then life has completely different plans for you and your list seems to grow! Ahhh, the life of a boater and we just can't get enough!

Original Ad for 50 Hatteras

As we were enjoying a lazy day yesterday we stumbled upon this ad through Sams Marine, sponsor for the Hatteras Owner's Forum. This is original footage of the first fiberglass motor yacht. You'll notice the original 50' Hatteras didn't include a flybridge. Felicity is a 1968 model, the last year they manufactured. Just looking at the way they are playing around in the water makes us want to get up and go! Check it out!

Hatteras 50 Motor Yacht & 28 Convertible by samsmarine

Living Aboard a "Project Boat"

Many of our new readers might need a little clarification as to who we are and where we came from. I hope a little background helps get people up to speed. I wanted to give you all a chance to see where our heads are at, at least at this point in our lives. So below I give a quick synopsis of our cruising experience and the choices we have made that have led up to now and our happiness at finding Felicity.

Okay so our first boat was a 424 Pearson S/V San San and what a great 1st boat for me. It was one that needed very little in the way of mechanics or upgrades. Essentially, ready to go, GR packed us up and took us on the shakedown trip of a life time from Peanut Island, Lake Worth Area straight to The Abacos, Bahamas. I was so nervous I was seasick the whole way. Nothing cures the ails and exhaustion of the sea like waking up to the crystal clear aquamarine waters that are the Bahamas. When I say the boat had everything I mean it had a reefer (boater terms for refrigeration), generator, hot water heater, vaccu-flush toilet, the list goes on. It definatley made life easier to adjust from land to sea. However, after a year of glorious salling through the Eastern Caribbean and some minimal teak restorations we had obligations to "take care of" back home. Property. Not to mention that cultural calling to be a part of society and give Gia an education with other children.

Well during our 2 year stint on land we worked our butts off, dreamed of sailing away, and got rid of the property. We never wanted those chains on us again. We were resolved to be seafarers for life!

Our 2nd boat, the one we just couldn't wait to get into was a "REAL" project boat. The boat was an 1977 Ericson 36C, red soon to be renamed S/V San San. We carried the name over because to us, it meant home. We tried to make acronyms out of it; Sail All Night, etc but to no avail. San San was recently sunk, briefly for a few hours while tied to the dock in brackish water. When we got a showing the bulkheads were covered with mold. There was no head, the oven was rusted to bits and generally speaking it looked like trash. Yet, GR and I were smitten, we could see through all the crap down to the bones of this good, old boat and envisioned the beauty we could create in her. We got right to work, made the offer and purchased her officially the end of February 2009. We had plans to whip her into shape and move aboard by October that same year. After a bottom job, completely re-plumbing and re-wiring the boat we splashed (put back into the water). The yard was 2 hours from home and some nights were spent curled up among the dust, mold, paint & epoxy fumes. Yet, looking back I would do it all over again.

Fast forward to the point when we decided to put San San up for sale in Guatemala; she sold and we were faced with the decision to buy another boat. There are so many options out there. One boat in particular caught our eye, a 50' Ted Hood, classic designed yawl with a flush deck and 2 completely separate double cabins, so 4 in all. Located in Guatemala, so the move would have been pretty smooth. It was a major project boat. I was okay with that, although I was a little afraid of how much we would be able to do in a third world country. We loved it, but again this was not meant to be. The boat was struck by lightening, it was hit so hard that the hull got so hot that the paint bubbled off the hull, and some of the front deck opened up, it was covered in black soot. We began to look further away then our "backyard". Our search led us to Felicity, in North Carolina.

Felicity, a 50' Hatteras, I was kind of shocked when GR was pointing her out to me. I mean, we have talked about houseboats to do the Great Loop, and catamarans and RV's we really ARE up for anything but I was surprised. Felicity was a "project" but it sure didn't appear that way, I mean not like the project we had with San San. After living aboard Felicity for 5 months I can count the amount of projects we have HAD to do on one hand. Everything was in general working order, nothing imperative to our living standards or health or government regulations was imperative. My favorite thing is that while we are living and working our butts off saving money to complete the major projects we need to do, I am able to live aboard with no real inconvenience.

Frankly, the start up of a new boat is definitely something to take into consideration. I often think about how great San San was, we had touched every single part and knew her inside and out. We were at a great part in our time together because there was very little work to be done. Yet, we were a little bored. We longed for a project. We work very, very well together and we get antsy if we aren't collaborating on an assignment. So Project Motor Boat was born. We got the crazy idea to test the waters with a power boat. I mean why not? GR and I have worked on Mega-Yachts and know several companies and manufacturers of products that we'd love to play around with on Felicity. Hopefully, our Project Boat will not dissappoint and as you follow along you too, will get a feel for what life aboard a "project boat" is really like. Who knows you may even long for a project of your own.

Wishing you your own felicity,
Jessica, GR & Gia

Five Reasons Why We Bought a Bigger Boat

I selected this post to be featured on Sailing Blogs. Please visit the site and vote for my blog!

We knew we wanted something bigger, we just didn’t know it was going to be THIS big! When we first started looking at other boats our goal was just to gain more living space. We’d been bumping into each other for a while and having guests was leaving us all longing for a bit more privacy. Since our real goal is to be able to take more people along with us on trips an extra cabin was essential. Trying to find a sailboat with 3 cabins was difficult because there are certain things we look for in a boat. Think about what San San looked like, she had classic lines and a truly unique look. While there are plenty of production sailboats that offer 3 cabins we just don’t love their design. So when we stumbled upon the Hatteras, she took our breath away with her classic style and the quality behind the Hatteras name made her a clear choice. Not to mention we got a great deal on it!

5. A Bigger Bed - Not that I don’t love being close to my love in our cozy little bunk but I’d also like to stretch out. REALLY stretch out. GET THIS: We both sleep with a body pillow. That’s almost like 4 people trying to sleep in a double bed.  An island queen bed has long been the dream when we visited the boats of Strictly Sail Miami.

4. Another Project – I know, I know you can say. We are SICK! Seriously, we have an addiction to working on boats. I once saw an author ask, “Do you enjoy working on your boat more than you enjoy sailing?” Sadly, I think my answer is yes! GR and I work so well together. We just love tackling a project and all that it entails. Our previous ventures have shown us that we prefer being busy over being idle and our lifestyle reflects that. All boats need work, we think it’s our gift to buy them, make them pretty and fully functional and then move on.

3. Change – Make no bones about it, we are all about change. We can’t sit still for too long and are always looking for the next adventure. Everyone thinks about change. What would it be like to anchor like the catamarans do, way up close? Wouldn’t it be neat to have this many people on our boat? I’ve been on bigger boats and gotten that little tingle in my chest that says, “Man, wouldn’t this be cool?” Well, we are giving it a shot, we are trying something new. 

2. More Living Space - I once read an article that talked about sacrificing comfort at sea or comfort at anchor. We live on our boat ALL the time. We are more often at anchor living and working and less often traveling to and from destinations.  More living space means more comfort, no doubt about it! I’ve now got more room for clothes, bedding, as well as more storage for provisions and room for people of course!

1. A Third Cabin - Having another cabin for guests is the REAL Number 1 reason why we bought this boat. We just love having company but our last bought just wasn’t set up properly. It was okay for my sister and Rudi but they were still basically living in our salon (living room). Now guests will not only have their own room but their own head too!

I’m not saying bigger is better, it’s way too soon to make that statement. Bigger is definitely more costly, but we were prepared for that weather our choice was power or sail. For now all we can say is bigger is definitely different and different is good!

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

This is a show stopper!

Ouch! This is a show stopper!!

We found this little number while inspecting the engine. This is exactly what we were looking for; bad hoses, bad belts, places that hoses were rubbing. This hose was a wet exhaust hose. We ripped it open a bit more than it was so you could really see the damage.

We called Napa, we called West Marine, we searched Home Depot and Wal*Mart; no one had this hose! So we settled for West's fuel hose. It held up well for the first 4 hours and it appears as though it will get us Miami!

Fingers crossed and hourly engine checks continue....

Making a List and Checking it Twice

Everyone knows that boats need work. It’s just a matter of finding out what needs doing, and then listing them in order of importance.  First, decide what the most important tasks are; we call these show stoppers. Our list has been shortened already as we have been working away at completing these jobs so we can get off the dock. Just because we bought a motor boat does not mean we want to sit at a dock. Besides it’s pretty chilly up in North Carolina and we are ready to move!

Our list

Bow Cleat – The Starboard bow cleat needed re-bedding. This is a two person project. Someone (meaning me) has to climb into the anchor locker to hold the wrench over the bolt while someone else (meaning him) unscrews the bolts from the deck.  Actually, the anchor locker was a lot bigger than some of the many other bilge compartments and lazarette cabinets I’ve previously been shoved into. Fast forward through the 30 minute drive to West Marine and boom! We are back at the boat with the new hardware. We applied two sheets of fiberglass cloth to the inside of the cabinet. Once that dried, the holes were filled from the top deck with West System and Colloidal Silica. Once that is completely dry, we re-drill and re-bed with 5200.

Sampson Post – Pretty much same as above. Re-bedding is re-bedding.

Anchor Light – Simple enough. Order online, and insert. Turn on the switch and Voila! Let there be light!

Fuel Line – Eeek! This is a tricky one! Hatteras has a fabulous owner’s manual that show in-depth drawings of all the systems including the fuel system. It’s a 43 year old boat with copper fuel lines that have managed to get pin holes in them. With a can-do attitude and a lot of trial and error we replaced a few lines and think we have nailed it.

Engine Maintenance – Being cut from the same cloth of good ole’ Captain Ron we are fans of the motto, “If anything’s going to happen it’s going to happen out there.” Yet, we still prefer to prepare ourselves for what might happen by going through the general maintenance on the engine(s) before we set out on a trip. In the past few days, we have replaced all fluids and filters, installed new impellers in the water pumps and have scrubbed everything in the engine rooms. We have degreased from top to bottom so that if we should develop a leak we can spot it fast and trace it easily.

Ground Tackle - From the anchor well, we pulled out all the rode, measured and marked the line using a super simple method of stretching the line out on the side deck. We used zip ties to mark the lengths beginning at 50’ and then every 25’ thereafter. This is our get us home fix, in the long run we plan to have all chain rode.

Needless to say, we have been pretty busy, but we are seriously enjoying every minute of it. The boat makes for a super comfortable live aboard while working on all these projects and it sure is nice to cross things off the list as we go!Not to mention the pure satisfaction of a hot shower at night after a long days work, another bonus we’ve enjoyed since making the switch! (Our last boat not only didn't have hot water, it was only sea water operated by foot pump, seriously folks. We kept it simple.)

Meet Felicity

Meet Felicity, a classy lady that needs work! Don't they all? ;)