About a month or so ago, Kim and I were dining at our favorite restaurant, Los Tarascos. Kim has been ramping up her already well-established business, KBC Communications, and is settling into the groove. She felt so “in the groove” that she stated, “we need to set a date.” I agreed that we should and with that she said, “How about September 1?” (more…)
Posts Tagged ‘yacht’
It’s a date
Posted in Adventures, Boat Maintenance, Boat Renovation, tagged adventure, boat building, Fort Collins Colorado, Hans Christian, Hans Christian 33t, sailboat, sailing, yacht on January 21, 2015| 1 Comment »
The Hans Christian 33t gets rave reviews
Posted in Boat Renovation, Taking the Plunge (or Buying a Boat), This & That, tagged boat, Hans Christian, Hans Christian 33t, sailboat, sailing, yacht on November 24, 2014| 4 Comments »
Photo by Elliott Bay Yacht Sales
I know, I know. I’m WAY behind in updating you on our progress. That’s because we’ve been busy working on that progress or working to pay for the progress. Both are so time consuming. I promise to add new photos soon and let you know what’s new on Sundown. In the meantime, here’s a great review about how well suited she is for blue water sailing.
Our ticket to ride is official
Posted in Adventures, Taking the Plunge (or Buying a Boat), tagged adventure, buying a boat, Colorado, Fort Collins, Hans Christian, Hans Christian 33t, leap of faith, sailboat, sailing, yacht on August 23, 2014| 2 Comments »
Woot! It’s a day of celebration at Port Sundown. We made our final boat payment! Sundown is all ours. Well actually, we’ve had Sundown’s title since we bought her. We took out a loan against one of our 401k retirement accounts and paid for her in full, so the monthly payments with interest we’ve been making have been to ourselves. Still, it feels great knowing we’re finished paying off that loan, because now we have that much more money each month to invest in refurbishing Sundown and getting her ready for our cruising adventure. Our ticket to ride–or sail–feels that much more real. Yea!
The perfect mess
Posted in Boat Maintenance, Boat Renovation, Lessons Learned, tagged Anne Lamott, boat maintenance, Hans Christian, Hans Christian 33t, how to clean a boat, sailboat, sailing, yacht on June 9, 2014| 2 Comments »
Where in the world is the galley?
When people ask, “How’s the boat renovation progressing?,” I cower and feebly mumble something I think will appease their curiosity like, “Oh, you know, it’s a big project” or “It’s coming along.” If they say they want to see it, I cringe and politely change the subject or pray my phone rings so I can feign annoyance that we’ve been interrupted and will have to set a viewing date another time.
I react this way because s/v Sundown is a mess (view more photos in the gallery). There’s crap everywhere. It’s dusty, dirty and greatly disturbs the sense of order I need to feel balanced. But I’m reading a book that’s giving me a new appreciation for the boat’s disheveled, nasty state (more…)
Plans, progress and promises
Posted in Bicycling, Boat Maintenance, tagged bicycle, Bicycle Ambassador, biking, boat maintenance, Colorado, Cycling, Fibre Glast, Hans Christian, League of American Bicyclists, sailboat, Traffic Skills 101, yacht on May 24, 2014| Leave a Comment »
Teaching TS101
While we’re still land locked, bicycling is a big part of our lives. As League of American Bicyclists certified instructors, we often teach Traffic Skills 101 classes. As Bicycle Ambassadors, we give presentations in our community on the same subject. I also am a member of a women’s bike commuting team sponsored by Hottman Law Office. (more…)
Adventures of Captain Clay in Islemorada
Posted in Adventures, Boat Maintenance, Lessons Learned, tagged boat maintenance, boat transport, Florida, Florida Keys, Islamorada, sailboat, sailing, travel, West Marine, yacht on February 10, 2013| 2 Comments »
When you live in a land-locked state, it’s a great opportunity to have all your expenses paid to captain a sailing vessel. I had that very opportunity when a friend asked me to move a 1978 Morgan Out Island 41 from Islamorada in the Florida Keys, to New York City last June.
My friend, Larry, and his son, Sean, had purchased the above vessel in Florida and arranged with a local marine electrical engineer, Tim, to be our mechanic and get the vessel ship shape for the passage. I volunteered my son, Kyle, to come along as an able hand and we set a departure date. (more…)
Strippers for sailboats
Posted in Boat Maintenance, tagged boat maintenance, boat maintenance tools, Hans Christian, sailboat, stripping, yacht on September 29, 2011| Leave a Comment »
Let’s do the brain wrap
Posted in How to Live Afloat, Lessons Learned, tagged Forbes magazine, Hans Christian, lifestyle, National Outdoor Leadership School, paramedic, sailboat, Sailrite, San Juan Sailing, sustainable living, travel, yacht on August 27, 2011| 2 Comments »
Since my husband and I bought our boat, Sundown, and began refitting her for blue-water cruising and life aboard, I’ve noticed an interesting phenomenon: people cannot wrap their brains around the idea that we will one day sell our home, quit our jobs and sail into the sunset. (more…)
Perfect products for boat projects
Posted in Boat Maintenance, tagged adventure, boat building, boat maintenance, boat maintenance tools, Hans Christian, Jamestown Distributors, sailboat, yacht on August 18, 2011| 7 Comments »
Ah, yes. I remember back in the day when a steady flow of boxes from Jamestown Distributors arrived at my shop in West Sedgwick, Maine. A Farrier Marine F-9a trimaran was under construction and I needed every imaginable item for the job. From unidirectional carbon fiber for a shaft strut to bronze catches for Okoume and Teak cabinets. It was so easy to spend someone else’s money. Not so, now that I’m spending my own boat bucks! (My friend Larry introduced me to the term “boat buck,” which is a $100 bill that goes like water water in the bilge.) (more…)
Sundown Sailing Adventures 