Did I Just Do That? - Side Effects of Cruising

Symptom #1) New Habits Die Hard

Some people do fist pumps.
I do foot pumps.

At my Grandmother's gleaming white, kitchen sink I pumped my leg up and down searching for the pedal.

That wouldn't have been such a big deal if I had actually been on a boat, where foot pumps are the norm at the galley sink. Noticing her collection of roosters staring at me I swept the dishrag over the counter, oops...that rooster was asking for it.

True story. 

For me, this return to terra firma kept proving just how much I'd changed.  Once recovered from the rooster attack I smiled, I couldn't remember how to act in a land based home. Leaving what I knew and starting anew brought on many emotions. Changes took place in me while I was away that may made me more sensitive, alert, happy and courteous.


Symptom 2)  Slow is the new fast.

Earlier in the day, I was told I could drive the car. (Gram's southern.)

Gram: Jessica.
Me: Yes?
Gram: Honey, you got to drive the speed limit child!
Me: I feel like I'm going so fast!

Yes. Walking can be faster than sailing, did you know that? Our most recent trip we'd done 4 knots all the way to Jamaica. Aboard Felicity, I joke that my cheeks flap at 10 knots!! Seriously though, driving in cars going high speeds wig me out. I rode a bike for 4 years!


Symptom 3) Budget, Budget, Budget

Running an economic cruising boat is something you learn as you go. Budget talk makes me cringe but GR is the money man. Thankfully, for us (me) he enjoys this task. He is constantly figuring costs when planning our next anchorage or our monthly projects all in order to keep our dream alive. When we are cruising we have learned to live more simply and work together as a team as each dollar is viewed as a fuel for our adventures! That being said, life on land becomes this constant negotiation of dollars and cents. Are we spending money that is supporting "the dream" is a question we often ask ourselves.




If you or someone you know is experiencing symptoms like these or others, you may need to seek a local happy hour or cruiser's potluck and start sharing stories and laughter!!

I'm sure I've missed a few other symptoms, have any to add?

It's Not the Size of the Ship...

We've all heard this line before...

It's not the size of the ship but the motion in the ocean.

 Well I'm actually talking about boats here not... well, you know.

I'm going to tell you right now, it most certainly IS NOT about the size of your ship ESPECIALLY at first. The excitement that builds around the very idea of cruising is insurmountable. A floating piece of Styrofoam might seem like the perfect boat after you've been feening for it long enough!  Desperate times, desperate measures?!

In our experience we spent literally thousands of man hours scrolling through boats on the various web sites; YachtWorld, Sailboat Listings, The Florida Mariner and more trying to find our "perfect boat". AND we found it, 3 times!! Once in a 1981 42' Pearson, loaded with generator, A/C, pressurized water, auto-pilot the list goes on. The second time we feel in love with a 1979 36' Ericson that had recently been douched with St. John's river water and left on the hard for a few months (can you say mold, eww!). She was bare bones and we did a complete re-fit. Third times a charm right?? We'd like to think so, Felicity is our 1968 50' Hatteras MY.

All 3 purchases were different times in our lives, different cruising grounds. We felt we had different desires, needs and wants. When it came down to the nitty gritty we just wanted to get "out there"! We liked the looks, we could see past the projects and we went for it. Enjoying the journey along the way regardless of a 20 degree heel or hot food and lukewarm water served up at every meal! We've lived the cruising life from all sides of the coin, power or sail, big or small, it's really all about your personal preference with ships and... well, other things.

Years ago, when I heard other folks talk about how they "needed" refrigeration or a/c  - I laughed. Not gonna lie. Inexperience told me I'd be happy to take off on a Styrofoam raft, boy, was I wrong. I went for 3 years without refrigeration or a/c or even running (pressurized water). At the time, it was "fine." Some days I wished for more but I never "hated" it. The turning point came in Guatemala after a particularly HOT, MUGGY, BUGGY spell. I realized that we really were going to do this for the rest of our lives. I turned to GR, with a sincere look of desperation on my face..."Babe, I'd really love to just get up and walk to the fridge for a cold drink. I'd really love the option to turn on the a/c on a hot, buggy, sticky night. I think I need these options." "Options are nice," he agreed. And with that we began our search for the next boat, Felicity was our answer. We had more reasons for wanting a bigger boat but it wasn't all about space it was more about the utilization of said space.

We didn't pick her name, she came with it but she certainly describes the period in our lives, we are full of felicity;) Big or small happiness can override any discomfort not matter the size of the ship OR the motion in the ocean.

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

Home is Where Our Boat is

This scenario happens daily. Generally, after the introductions comes the "where are you from" or "where do you live" question.

"You live on a boat?!" they sigh dreamily. "Oh, I've always wanted to do that."

"Really?" I ask, as wrinkles appear on my forehead. "I'd never even heard of people living on boats!"

I'm from South Jersey and the only boats I'd ever been on were *rough* little Whalers. We'd catch crabs with chicken on a hand line. The only boats I'd seen that looked decent enough to live on were, well, tankers! I know, I know, how the heck did I end up living the "dream"? It's all HIS fault!

When I decided to leave my land life behind I had only been dating GR a little over 10 months. Yes, with toddler in tow, I sold what little I owned and told the landlord I was leaving! We had already purchased the boat together, cruised from South Carolina to Daytona Beach and done a shakedown sail to Abaco, Bahamas. I was sun-kissed and sold on the idea of life aboard with sun-downers at sunset!

Yes, my family and friends thought I was crazy. (not that they didn't already know) They had plenty of well meaning things to say, but I've never been one to listen to them. (this they also know) I always jump into things, especially when I'm in love. Full speed ahead, no regrets, just learning experiences. Fast forward seven years and we are still together AND we still live on a boat. Granted the boats have changed, we are on our 3rd if your counting, and I can't imagine life any other way.

It hasn't always been easy, or glamorous, but the sacrifices we make to live this way don't really feel like sacrifices anymore. I've learned more about different cultures and languages during our travels than I had in school. I became a part of an incredible community of men and women who live aboard.  Everything we own is floating around with us; our cats, our daughter, our precious few material items. We don't own anything else except this boat, our bikes, our car and the scooter. No land. No house. We have been living this way for the past 4 years. We pay for everything (almost) with cash. We try to keep our kitty (living expenses for "cruising") separate from our living expenses while attached to shore (jobs, school). Our plan with Felicity is to 1) fix her up 2) cruise the Bahamas for the full cruising permit time allotted and 3) come back to the US and cruise the East Coast.

Before I lived on a boat, I was not who I am today. Leaving behind the "known" for the "un-known" was the only way I found myself. My true self. I think we are all the best version of ourselves when we push each other to seek out our dreams. Sure, it was his dream to start out but it's our dream to continue.

Two Hulls Are Better Than One

Livingston 12T

(with our dinghy that is) 

So, after about 2 years of pining over this particular model of Livingston catamaran dinghy we pulled the trigger! Our friend, Sandy, was in need of a new dinghy and was tired of dealing with the woes of the inflatable versions. After talking her ear off over how awesome the Livingston was for us, she decided to try one for herself!  Two weeks ago, on a sunny Saturday we walked onto the lot at Power Cats of Fort Lauderdale and began to drool over our future tender. This was maybe the 50 or 60th time Gordon had been by to oogle her, the salesman recognized him, they shook hands and Travis (salesman) pondered aloud, " You going to take this one home today, man?" We hoped to, but it all depended upon weather or not they accepted our cash offer. He played like he couldn't take our initial offer and we told him out right, "Okay, well I guess we will go home then." He reconsidered and retreated to his office to work some numbers, when he returned his counter offer was $38 higher. Again, we were still just tire-kicking, we weren't quite ready to take ownership of another boat, it was just something we kept dreaming of. A way to get back out on the water in between our day jobs, an escape from the laundry list of projects aboard Felicity. We said we wouldn't pay the $38 in hopes that he'd just dig his heels and we could stay in our dreamy comfort zone. Suddenly, the thoughts of buying a new outboard motor, fuel tank, oars, life jackets, anchor, and dock lines hit us smack in the face! Travis laughed, "Oh man! I can't let you down man, I feel like I'm selling the boat to my brother-in-law, I see you more than I see him!" And with that became two boat owners!!

The purchase of our dinghy is a huge milestone for us and we couldn't be happier!

Livingston Boats is celebrating over 40 years of production right here in the USA (Eastern North Carolina) and over 75,000 satisfied customers!!

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!

Listen to the Mustn'ts

“Listen to the Musn't's child, Listen to the Don't's. Listen to the Shouldn't's, the Impossibles, the Won't's. Listen to the Never Haves, then Listen close to me. ANYthing can happen, child, ANYthing can Be.”

 
Shel Silverstein (1930-1999);
Poet, Songwriter, Musician

I think back to when I first learned anything about cruising sometimes when I meet newbies. I hear their stories and see the excitement on their faces as they speak of their "plans". I love basking in their glow. I, too, have that same excitement. The feeling never goes away. Acknowledging our blessings in the midst of a financial drought, broken parts or crappy weather can be difficult but nothing but pure joy emits when your dreams actually become reality. It's the singing in the rain that fosters growth!;)

As a newbie, I knew nothing of the fears or doubts that I know now after experience. Even with that knowledge I still chose to believe that anything is possible because it is! I've seen it in our projects, attacking these large seemingly endless refits and turning them into just another check off the list!

This year will be a big one for Felicity as we are tying up several loose ends including the fuel system, the heads (including installation of 2 new toilets, flooring and counter tops), installing new batteries & battery charge, purchasing and installing a new generator (Major, major) just to list a few!! Who knows we may even be able to fit in a few quick trips to The Keys & The Bahamas!

Travelers with a Boating Problem.

The question is Sailor? or Traveler?

• Sailing - The fine art of getting wet and becoming ill, while going nowhere slowly at great expense.

• Travelling - To go from one place to another, a journey. 

The answer is ....

I have always been a gypsy soul; prone to wandering and unable to stay in one place for a long period of time.  Sailing only came into my life in the last 10 years, when I met my soul mate. (awwwww!) When we met I really had no idea how to sail or how the change of lifestyle would affect me.  He told me his dream of sailing through the Caribbean and living on a boat. We spent countless hours on Yachtworld.com looking for the perfect boat. (We are still looking by the way.) Well, that sounded right up my alley! Little did I know I would dry heave for an entire 8 hours while we slogged along at a painstakingly slow 6 knots on our first Bahamas shakedown sail. (I now know that 6 knots is actually a great speed, as long as your not ill.) Once the sun rose and that unmistakable cerulean blue water illuminated the sea before my eyes I knew my yakking was not in vain. As the dolphins breached and danced in our bow wake I thought to myself, “This is so worth the pain and embarrassment of seasickness.” Over the past 7 years of cruising we have been to over 15 different countries and seen too many cultures and landmarks to count. That my friend is living! 

Sailing is fun, but I could just as easily hop on a plane, train or in an automobile if my goal is simply getting there.  Not to mention sailing is still the most inexpensive way to travel considering the cost of fuel these days. I’m not sure I would sail around a lake or just go sailing every weekend just to “get out there”. I mean I didn’t do it before and living aboard doesn’t allow for very many “leisure sails”. To me, traveling is what boats were meant to do. I have often asked, “Why would anyone want to live on a boat that doesn’t travel?”  The cramped quarters, the lack of shower, refrigerator or air condition are all things that personally I have only gone without only as a compromise to the simple fact that I was living in paradise; even if it was temporary.

In our case this lifestyle is truly about the journey, learning and fixing and growing along the way. Ghosting along under a full moon with all the wind Gods shinning down on you can be magical.  And pulling into a new harbor with excited eyes that just soak up everything the island has to offer is what keeps me cruising. However, you can’t be in a hurry and you have to be ready to expect the unexpected.

Originally, sailing felt like vacation.  We sailed through the Eastern Caribbean stopping at every different island experiencing their cultures, food and landscapes. Yet in the back of our minds there was still a home to go back to; a King sized bed to long for, a walk in closet, a garage, a yard. So when the sun beat us down, when the leaks came through the cabin, when the bugs ate us alive we had something to dream about. Going home. But then, being home left us restless, we knew that we could never be content in one place for the rest of our lives. The search began for another boat. We sold the house and the cars and moved aboard full time. With nothing to look back at we were able to come to terms with our new home and our new lifestyle with wild abandon. We learned to adapt to the changes that come with leaving your homeland and entering  strange new countries with different values, foreign languages and unique foods.

Sailing, like we see in the movies rarely happens. When it does, yes, it is magical and perhaps that is why we all keep going out there. Over my experience there are some things I have learned about myself. What I do and don’t like. I do not like the jerking motion associated with rough seas. I am a fair weather sailor. Generally speaking that means we leave with light winds because heavier winds mean bigger seas. Lighter winds mean we run the engine. We have never ever felt bad about the fact that we are motor sailors, let those other wind junkies go slogging out there in 6 foot seas, not me, not me. I do not enjoy spending days on a constant heel. I do not enjoy taking spray over the bow without the comfort of a dodger to hide behind or inside steering station. Been there, done that, got the t-shirt!!

Hence the fact that we now live on a power boat. Yes, we gave up our deep keel and white sheets for Detroit Diesels. We still want to travel, we don’t want to commit to a house on land, nothing could keep us away from boating. Having our experiences and our choices we also now want comfort, space and speed. Felicity affords us all of that. For us, we have lived on the sailor’s side, we loved it and we learned many things. For now, we are on a different path but we are still traveling and we will never stop.

Travelers? Yes. 

Travelers with a boating problem? Definitely!

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

Rare Occasions

I don't mind saying that I love painting bilges! Crawling into and hanging upside down in cramped spaces in order to brighten up the darkest place in the boat sounds fun. For me, there is nothing better than going to sleep to the smell of good, old fashioned hard work on your floating dream home!

Generally speaking we moved aboard in one fell swoop and got straight at replenishing the cruising kitty. We are longing for a quick break to the Bahamas in Summer. Right now. Today, I am quite content smelling paint fumes;)

Felicity's Five Favorite Items to Drool Over

"Good plans shape good decisions. That's why good planning helps to make elusive dreams come true." - Lester Robert Bittel

To say that we look at West Marine or Lewis Marine catalogs very often would be an understatement. I venture to say we are not the only ones though. I mean who doesn't love scanning through the pages of all that fancy gear and dreaming of having it on their own boat? Why not dream big, right?

Since it's Miami Boat Show weekend, I see it only fitting to mention our five favorite items to drool over:


12' Livingston Dinghy w/ a 30 hp Yamaha - Yes, we will absolutely get another Livingston dinghy! We had so much fun with our last one we can't think of a reason not to! We are excited to go a size up because the 10' was great for the three of us or even another full size human, but if we had two extra adults along for a ride we weren't able to plane. Since we plan to have more guests along in our now bigger boat we plan to be able to get up on a plane and hit the beach in style!


Tecma Silence Plus Heads - Sure two heads are better than one, but we've got three and only one is operable. GR was exposed to these bad boys through the current yacht he works on and he is sold! The design is easy on the eyes with clean lines, keeping all the hose under wraps. They are affordably priced at under $1,000 and operate electronically so none of that hand operated pump action. Guests will feel right at home when they just push a button to quickly and silently flush. The system has programmable flush cycles that even prevent flushing when the tank is full.


Northern Lights 10KW Generator - The difference in the technology of models built in the 1960's and today is enough to want to replace the generator not to mention the difficulty in getting parts that dated. The Northern Lights 10KW weighs less than half of what our current generator does and would offer double the fuel efficiency. The goal of Project Motor Boat is to create a live aboard motor yacht that can be as efficient as a live aboard sailboat. We don't plan on staying at the dock forever and the sooner we get to self sufficiency the sooner we can get cruising!


Magnum MS4024 Inverter Charger - Basically we will need this unit to operate the reefer; something we have grown to depend on! Although, we currently have a household refrigerator I would love to eventually have an RV style counter depth unit that would be more efficient. Our boat is currently on a 32 volt operating system which makes this unit perfect for us to slowly make the switch to a 24 volt system.


Ocean LED Underwater Lighting - You've seen them, those boats that light up the night making their own personal anchorage aquarium show! WE WANT TO BE THAT GUY! I can't tell you how long we have pined over hauling out and installing these incredibly efficient LED lighting systems. To be precise
we need to 2010 HD flush mount model. These models are easily accessible from inside the hull for maintenance and even offer color changing abilities depending on the type of water you are in! It's so cool!

So, tomorrow I will finally get the chance to make my rounds at the 2012 Miami International Boat Show and hope to make stops at these booths for more information and more drooling! See you there!

Boat Show Gear!

The 2012 Progressive Insurance® Miami International Boat Show and Strictly Sail is happening! This week begins the move-in of thousands of boats to the Miami Beach Convention Center and Sea Isle Marina & Yachting Center. Some boats are still shrink wrapped and are brought in by crane, while still others like the one GR is on will be driven in and parked into tight spaces where they will show off their goods for the next week to dreamers and buyers from around the world!

GR brought home our first bit of boat show gear last night!

I'm so stoked to rock this hat! IAG Yachts are the manufacturer of the current yacht GR is working with. EARLY this morning, I drove G up to  Ft. Lauderdale so he could get on the brand new 127' model and bring it down to South Beach to get prepared for the show. If you get a chance to check out the Mega-Yachts at Sea Isle and look for him! Tell him you heard about it on Project Motor Boat!