Five Favorite: things about the "switch" we still love

Changing from sail to power is a popular topic on this blog. While the things we love about the switch may not be power boat specific they are specific to our boat and the changes we have made. I may not talk about it enough but the changes are always on my mind. Let me just jump head first into this post.

Felicity in her slip @Dinner Key Marina

*Never having to duck down! - I can't say enough about the fact that we don't have to climb into or duck down into any parts of the boat! We can walk in the upright position through every hallway, doorway and stairway. Getting into a sailboat depending on the location of the companionway and the steps can be a tricky maneuver.

*Always having enough room in bed!  - I'll admit it, I'm a bed hog. Give me a big bed and I'll hog it up just like I did the small bed. No, really in all seriousness folks, Pullman berths (where the bed is up against a wall and only the person on the outside can get up to pee without having to climb over the other) are a thing of the past for this pee-weasel! I can sleep soundly the whole night through and not even bump into GR. We each sleep with a body pillow and somehow we still manage to have plenty of room AND sleep like babies! Bonus!

*The Fridge! - When I tell people about our humble beginnings and how we spent 3 years aboard with no refrigeration they totally of get why I' m excited about having things like ice cream, frozen meats, yogurt and cheese readily available to me! Having the fridge has made my life soooo much easier. Prior to the fridge our menu was limited and our grocery trips were plentiful. Now, I can make one trip weekly to the market and stock up. Making busy weeknights with homework and lunch packing less hectic.

*Showering aboard!  No more shower bag for this girl! I get to keep all my shower goodies in the stall! I can wake up in the morning and jump in the shower! We could jump in the shower before bed! Hey, one could even shower twice in the same day! Hey, hey, hey now we are talking! I do not miss wearing shoes in public shower stalls or seeing other peoples hair clogging up the drain. Best part is - I never have to worry about someone else hogging all the hot water!

*The Couch - If you have been over, you have had a seat on our couch. Isn't it great? I know salon cushions are so convenient because they can lift up and have storage underneath but man is this thing is comfy! On days when I have sat on the couch for a movie it's been absolutely heavenly! Eventually, we think we might change up the salon area a bit to make it suit our style but the couch works for now. It's just funny to think that "yes, yes I do have a couch on my boat." LOL!

**It is not my intention to sound like I'm better than anyone or any other kind of boat. This was our change and it works for us. We love it and want to share why.

Human felicity is produced not so much by great pieces of good fortune that seldom happen, as by little advantages that occur every day. — Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)

Our Five Favorite Lines from "Captain Ron"

Captain Ron is one of those movies that every boater should see and if possible even memorize lines from. When I first got into boating GR exposed me to Captain Ron saying I couldn't begin to understand what life on a boat was going to be like without this brief introduction. I never understood those lines he was quoting until I watched it either! After I'd seen Ron, Oh, maybe 300 times, I had my favorite lines picked out. These simple line can be applied to bigger areas of boating & life and still carry meaning. So, with no further adieu, I present our 5 favorite lines from Captain Ron.

"If anything is gonna happen, it's gonna happen out there."  - Seriously though, no amount of time spent sitting at the dock, reading, researching, buying, planning and dreaming of driving a boat, anchoring a boat, docking a boat and/or cruising in general can truly prepare you for the real deal! Once you "get out there" the boat is really being used. She's moving around all the fuel in the tank, stirring up junk. She's got a little resistance under the keel and the wind is on your face causing extreme periods of elation. All this combined with the fact that Mother Nature is a force to be reckoned with can make for some interesting bonfire stories! Which is in fact why we love to live this way, is it not? Just get out there and do it! Use the boat, use your judgement, practice makes for better because no one is perfect!

"Shit happens, cough it up." - At this point in the movie Ron and Ben are playing Monopoly for money and Ben says, "That's all the money I have!". As the saying goes with boats, it's just a hole in the water we dump money into. Doesn't it always seem to take the biggest chunk too? It seems like every time we turn around now, it's break out another thousand! B.O.A.T. But once again, that is life. We earn it to spend it! So why not spend it one your dream boat, or on your dream cruise or trip to the Caribbean? Don't complain, gripe and moan; shit does happen. Just ask Forrest Gump!

"It's just a little squall. They come on ya fast and they leave ya fast." - Generally speaking, squall lines roll in and roll out. You ride the storm and while you are clinging to the life lines or the tiller you are learning some great lessons on how to steer your ship. Isn't this a great metaphor for life? Life has a funny way of teaching us things sometimes. You can be in the midst of some terrible times but in the grand scheme of your life it's a very short time. Once the storm calms down and you are able to look back on the tumultuous time you persevered through, it seems a lifetime away. Take this advice from Captain Ron lightly if you wish but there is some depth to it; I promise!

"If we get lost, we'll just pull in somewhere and ask directions." - While this is a very funny line, it isn't that practical. You literally can't pull in somewhere and ask for directions in the middle of the deep, blue sea - but there are several electronic advancements around these days that can help in times of delusion or GPS Failure or feeling lost. One time, we had our GPS go out on us after a long night of slogging across the Gulf Stream. I mean we were being given at least a 5 gallon bucket wave every 20 minutes for 6 hours. UGH! Typically we would plot our course as a back up but in this weather it was impossible. We reached about 6 miles offshore of Bimini, Bahamas but weren't exactly sure of our location, SCARY! We hailed on the VHF and were helped in by some friends already there. Shortly after this incident we invested in a Single Side Band Radio, "just in case."

 "Let's kick the tires and light the fires" - This just sounds like FUN doesn't it? What better way to get the crew psyched up and ready to go then this? We use this lines just about every time we start the engine. But you could also use it before you start the car, the grill or your outboard! Every crew needs a little motivation now and then. Find a motivating phrase you like if this one doesn't suit - but don't deny it, you were ready to go!

All this talk about sailing and Captain Ron has got me ready to drink a beer, but "hey, you want a beer you get your own beer!" Ha ha!