Satisfaction

I grew up in Rockville, Maryland just outside Washington, DC, one of five children. My parents just sold our old house earlier this year. It was in a nice suburban neighborhood. We moved in when the house was new. One of the things my parents liked about the neighborhood was that when it was built, rather than leveling everything in site, they carved out lots and roads leaving most of the wooden area it was built on.

Of course, that meant that every fall there were tons of leaves; I mean an endless, mountainous supply. And, as it should be, it fell to the children to rake them up. In response to our complaints my mom would say, "Just think of the satisfaction you'll feel when it's done." I guess some lessons take time.

Many years later, I have grown to love the feeling of completing tasks, looking at something that was a mess and is now, due to my labor, beautiful.

Much of the past two days have been spent cleaning the dinghy. When you live on a boat your dinghy becomes your car. It takes you from the anchorage or mooring field into shore. It takes you from your rented slip up the river to a restaurant or grocery store. Sometimes it takes you on the cruising equivalent of a Sunday drive. Over the past 9 months, our dinghy has delivered groceries, taken us to dinner dates, and, the best outings, brought the kids to their swimming spots. But all these activities had taken their toll and she was in need of a thorough cleaning.

After rinsing her off I got out one of my favorite products, GoJo Orange, which we list in our Products and Tips We Love section of our website. It's not just that it does a fantastic job of getting off the dirt and scum, it's also not a "boating product" so it's reasonably priced. I'm convinced that somewhere there's a Federal statute levying any product with "marine" or "boat" in its name with a 200% tax.

So I started in and as I finished the starboard side and moved to the port I had to step back and admire the difference between the two. And, yes, I felt a great sense of satisfaction. Mom, you were right.

Love,
Karen

Downtime

We're still waiting for Bill to make his way up the east coast. The predictions here in Maine are for rains and winds to start tonight through Sunday. He's moved further east and slowed down so we're hoping the seas will settle down Monday allowing us to leave first thing Tuesday morning.

In the meantime, we're taking the final preparations a bit slower and taking some downtime with our friends. We've had some parties, big and small, and went to see the new Meryl Streep movie, Julie & Julia - Karen loved it (Jeff says "chick flick"). This afternoon we found time to give the dogs a final bath. Can anyone explain why dogs who absolutely love being in the water hate being bathed? But they smell awful sweet right now.

We were left a comment asking advice about the "poop deck" for the dogs. We have an article describing all about the technique we used. Check out Canine Crew on the web site. If you'd like a reply to your comment, please make sure you leave us your email address!

Cruising With Our Friends

We're in what we thought would be our final week - Friday, August 21st being our take off day. So we planned some day cruises with friends to say good-bye. While we're looking forward to the trip, we're also going to miss those back home. We had two beautiful days cruising around the Penobscot Bay. Our friend, Marion, took this picture after we pulled into the dock one day. I think it's a pretty good looking crew!

While we're almost ready to go, it seems that Mother Nature has some other plans for us. The weather is deteriorating as the week goes on so Friday is looking like a "no go." We're actively watching the building disturbances in the Caribbean with Hurricane Bill too. We're still moving ahead as planned. That way if the weather clears we can go and if it doesn't, we'll have some down time before we leave. No more projects are left - we're simply loading clothes, books, last minute supplies, readying the house, etc.

Anchor Testing

On Tuesday we left for Carver Cove to do some testing with our new anchor. We wanted to really understand how it worked and how working with it might differ from our other anchors. Carver Cove is a good spot for this as it's a large cove with good water. Tuesday night we were the only boat anchored there - even better. We pulled in around 5:00 PM and set the anchor at a variety of scopes, at first trying to make it not set and skip along the bottom so Jeff could know what that felt like. Whenever we anchor Jeff does the bow work while I handle the helm. When we finally let her set, she really did set. Putting the engines in reverse didn't cause us to move an inch.

The night was calm but we still wondered how hard it would be to haul anchor in the morning. Rocna's have a reputation for being a bear to free - the reason we got it actually. We were up early Wednesday morning and found the process went very smoothly. Using the engines, we were able to free the anchor fairly quickly. It also gave the prefect chance to use our new saltwater wash down. Jeff says he's in love. It's a good thing I'm not the jealous type. There is still an issue with positioning the anchor and chain as she moves in and out to ensure the chain stays on the winch. Jeff and Larry are working on that one so I'm sure a solution is coming.

The kids did great. They're settling in and finding the spots they like - the bow is a favorite for sniffing those good sea smells. We tried feeding them while underway (something our last crew mate, Tucker, never liked doing) and they finished in their usual rush. They both seem to understand the "poop deck," although Dylan still waits for Dyna to go first. He seems a bit unsure whether or not it's OK. We stuff our pockets with treats so I'm sure he'll feel more confident soon.

When we returned home, the dogs were loaded into the car for a ride to Bangor. We had a promise to fulfill for JoDee -- a four generation picture of Dyan, daughter Katie, granddaughter Daisy, and great-grandson Sarge. Of course, we also took the opportunity to get Dylan with his grandma Dyna, and mom Katie. Dyna has certainly created quite a "Dynasty"!

Less Than Two Weeks

Time is growing short. Last week Jeff made a calendar of each day remaining and what we needed to get done. So of course we started the week with me in bed with a cold, followed by my computer dying, totally blowing the schedule - a good lesson to re-learn prior to our departure. We did manage to get the engine room painting mostly done along with applying the ActiveCaptain logo to the side of the boat. The provisioning process is coming along quite well with our "to get" list down to a single column. Our home freezer is filled-to-overflowing with meat and frozen vegetables. The dining room is stacked with other must-have things that need to be stored onboard. Once again, I'm really appreciating the vast amount of storage space they put into DeFever trawlers.

We finished the week with a visit from JoDee and Al. JoDee owns Birchwood Labrador Retrievers where we adopted Dyna, Dylan and our beloved Tucker. JoDee needed some "Dyna time" before we left and we wanted them to see the kids on the boat. We finally had a wonderful day on the boat without projects to do!

Here Comes The Sunshine?

As I write this it is pouring down rain - again - even though Yahoo Weather says "Light Rain." The rain and fog just refuses to let up. According to AccuWeather, we had over 8 inches of rain in June, our normal is 3. We have been going to the boat when it's merely been raining, as opposed to pouring with blowing wind. There have been trips back in pea soup fog. Most trips we've taken one or both of the dogs. They're settling back in and finding the places they like to sleep. But we've mostly been confined to doing indoor tasks.

The biggest job we've worked on was running hose for the saltwater wash-down. On the first trip we decided to cut two of the five holes we'd need. Somehow it always feels ominous when cutting a hole in the boat. The first hole went from the chain locker, which has an access door in the guest stateroom, to behind the curtained area. That took pretty much all afternoon and we returned home well after dinner time, much to Dyna and Dylan's dismay. The next time we decided to cut just two more holes and all four went in quickly without a hitch! Jeff spent one more trip pulling the hose from the master stateroom through an access hatch to the engine room which required one more hole. Dylan was there to help with that one. So now the hose runs from the chain locker at the bow, aft to the engine room where we will mount the pump. One last hole in the deck to connect the deck fitting and she's ready for a trial. Hopefully we'll get that done this week.

On July 4th we had an amazing break of afternoon sun so Jeff took Dyna out to help him install new site-glass material on the fuel tanks. They've become so discolored that we can no longer see the fuel level. Jeff heard about this special tubing called Tygon from another trawler owner who has had it for several years. He says it's still crystal clear. We'll see. He said it was about the smoothest project he's done to date, and was back earlier than predicted. He stepped in the door just before the sky opened up. Went to the annual July 4th party to watch the fireworks. Fortunately, the rain slowed to a drizzle just about 9PM so we had a beautiful fireworks display before the rain started again.

The job we are most anxious to get done is touching up the cap-rail. For that we need several dry days in a row. Fat chance. 7 weeks from today is our targeted take off date.....

The Time Grows Short

We are scheduled to put the boat in one week from today. Actually, we're in pretty good shape. Barring no unforeseen event we'll be ready. Hey, what could possibly happen? But just to be sure I have been making plenty of overtures to the God Dylan. No, not our lovely puppy who turns two today by the way, but the Celtic God of the waves, for whom our Dylan is named. As you can tell, we are absolutely not above shamelessly sucking up to any available deity in the hopes of calm seas. I find it just as effective as swearing when you're in a blow.

This week was mainly attending to lots of small tasks. Adding the final connectors to the new VHF antenna and testing the fly-bridge radio, putting the snaps on the two new window screens, replacing the windshield wipers, etc. Jeff finished gel coat repairs on the Whaler and plans to bottom paint this weekend so she can go in early next week. Each trip we make down to the boat we load the car with items we removed last fall. Excitement is growing.

Our final tasks include preparing our four-legged crew for duty. We fear they have reverted into quite the landlubbers over the winter. I put the "training mat" back out several months ago which they are completely ignoring (see our article on training your crew to use the poop deck, Canine Crew, for an explanation). A week from today they will begin 3-days onboard as we whip them back into salty dawgs. We'll keep you posted.

Eight week old Dylan reports for duty. Where does the time go???????

Putting Her Back Together

Somehow it always feels better when we're putting things back on the boat than when we're taking them off. It's the start of new adventures! This week we put our newly cleaned blinds back up in the salon. First I washed the windows and woodwork as it is so easy with nothing on the windows. We started testing equipment. One of the new chargers Jeff installed last time didn't seem to be working - %$#&!. We took a trip to Home Depot to buy new fuses only to discover it was the outlet splitter that wasn't working -- good news actually. Our speed sensor stopped working last season so we played with that a bit. Jeff is guessing it's a problem with the wiring, so that goes on the list for next time. Jeff replaced all of the engine room zincs. The massive hull zinc is about 30% used but since it is so easy to replace now, we're putting on a new one so the holes had to be measured. We'll keep the old one and monitor the new one during our cruise. If it wears too much Jeff can always dive and put the old one back on. We took some initial measurements for the new saltwater washdown we're installing. The job will be bigger than we had hoped - aren't they always. But we figure this will cut our fresh water usage by about half - an important consideration in the outer Bahamas and of course, if we're lucky enough to get to Cuba! More cleaning, organizing, etc. The most pleasant part of the process is thinking about our trip and what things we will want aboard - happy thoughts. We didn't get our list done as we had to get back to Castine for a cocktail cruise on a friend's new (to him) Grand Banks. We had a beautiful little trip up the Bagaduce River on a perfect evening! Bill will also be heading south next winter and we're making plans for our paths to cross. Happy thoughts indeed!

Prepping the Blinds and Canvas

There are just some jobs that need to be done every year, This week's jobs were cleaning the window blinds, and cleaning and waterproofing the bimini canvas. Castine, being essentially an island, has exorbitantly high water costs. When we bought our house over 16 years ago, we inherited a marshy backyard. A clever contractor suggested we collect up the water using a series of french drains, dig a well to store the water, and use it for watering the gardens, washing the cars, etc. Brilliant! We have a usable backyard while saving on our water bills. However, living this far north we can't leave the pump in year round due to freezing. Last week we installed the well pump and washed the cars. This week we tackle the blinds and bimini canvas. We laid them out on the driveway, washed them with mild soap, and let them dry in the sun. Particular attention was given to the bimini top as we wouldn't see it again for some time. Then a coat of 303 High Tech Fabric Guard spray was applied. We've used this for years and find it works quite well - it even repels the seagull droppings! We'll let the canvas dry for 2-3 days and do another light coat of the 303. The blinds will be reinstalled on our next trip to the boat and the bimini will go back up when we remove the shrink-wrap in a few weeks. We're making progress indeed!

Installing the Chargers - Well, That Was a Bore!

This week the new chargers arrived so we planned on installing them right away to give us plenty of time before our launch date to deal with any problems we might encounter. We left first thing in the morning armed with extra tools and with Jeff having carefully read all the instructions. I looked to face another day of crouching in the engine room, and running up and down the ladder for needed items all while attending to cuts and bruises. And I had my own list I really wished to get to. Well, while I did get called 2 or 3 times to bring an item or two, and there was one request for a paper towel to clean up blood, the units went in without any real hitches. It was kind of creepy!


I was happily left to tackle one of the things I like best - organizing. I decided to do the galley as the engine room hatch is right there which allowed me to be available if needed. One of the things I decided to do before we left in August was to go through every drawer, cabinet, closest, and cubby to purge them of items we have not used in the past 6 years - excluding safety items, of course. I then reorganized each area and noted any items I felt we should add. For example, since Jeff and I started weight training a year ago, we drink 1-2 protein shakes a day - we need a blender! So the galley is done. I took home a boat bag of items and now have several empty drawers and extra space in some cabinets. A successful day indeed!

Our Onshore Transportation

We've sketched out our itinerary for our winter cruise, bearing in mind the wise sage who coined, "The most dangerous thing on a boat is a schedule." We'll meander down the east coast, spending a few weeks on the Chesapeake Bay where we're giving a couple of talks, ending up in Brunswick, Georgia at Brunswick Landing Marina sometime in November. We plan on spending about 2 months in Brunswick. As we used ActiveCaptain to peruse the area, we noted that several important services, such as the grocery store, were a short trek from the marina. So we've decided to bring our folding bikes out of mothballs. We purchased these bikes about ten years ago for a previous boat we used for "island hopping" in the Penobscot Bay. Unfortunately, these models are no longer made because we really like them and would love to add them to our list of "Products and Tips We Love." They're full size 15-speed bikes which easily fold in half for storage. We pulled them out of the basement, washed off the dust, greased the gears, pumped the tires, and adjusted the brakes. Then we took them for a spin. They worked great! The only issue is our very tender backsides. Well, we have the summer to toughen them up!

Stabilizer Maintenance

We have NAIAD Stabilizers on our boat. I LOVE our stabilizers! It has allowed us - well, really me, as I’m the one who gets seasick - to actually enjoy most any condition offshore. Of course, we have learned to be ever more particular about the weather conditions we go out in. Our motto is “It’s SUPPOSED to be FUN!” But anyone who has done the New Jersey coast knows that there are just some situations where the beam-to seas never cease. Well, every 3 years the stabilizer seals need to be replaced. The last time we were in Ft. Lauderdale and had them done at Playboy Marine by Stabilized Marine - and met Larry since he was still down there. They convinced my husband that this was a job he could learn to do, so he jumped in and helped with the idea of doing it himself the next time. Stabilized Marine makes it all quite easy. You order the seals and they send a metal box with the seals, hydraulic pumps, a mother-of-all torque wrenches, other specialized tools, and a wide assortment of spare parts. Much to our poor UPS driver's chagrin, it weighed 103 pounds! When you’re done, you simply send back the tools and any parts you didn’t use. What could be easier? Besides, Larry offered to help!

Here I must admit that while this escapade was occurring, I was far south assisting my parents with a move. But the summary I received went something like this. In Ft. Lauderdale the whole job took about two hours - of course, there were 3 guys, including my husband. As I remember it, no swear words were uttered and my husband hardly had a smudge mark on him. Well, this time it took 9 hours, several phone calls to Stabilized Marine, numerous trips to Hamilton Marine (the local marine store), and an undetermined amount of off-color language. Oh yes, and large amounts of Advil over the next 24 hours. My husband proudly claims that the next time “will be easy.” I haven’t had a chance to check with Larry on that.

Sorry, as I wasn’t there so I could record the blessed event but the picture above is how they looked the next time I saw the boat.

Larry’s Lines - Perfection

When it comes to making lines there are none better than Larry’s. It is one of the things that he loves to do and still accepts orders from all over the world. Making dock lines for mega-yachts is one of Larry’s winter pastimes. Each line is meticulously hand spliced and whipped, and they are true works of art. It doesn’t matter if they’re dock lines, mooring lines, or even “leash lines” for our dogs, each one is beautiful. Three-strand or braided, without color trace, or hard to find New England Ropes, Larry can get it, splice it and deliver it. Since we met him, only Larry has done our lines. Here in Maine practically every boat sits on a mooring. Larry’s mooring lines have nice leather chafing gear and the ends of our docking lines are custom finished to fit our boat perfectly. He has tried to teach Jeff his techniques and while Jeff’s lines are certainly passable, you would never confuse them with Larry’s.

Our 24-volt Charger

The last time we went to the boat Jeff thought there was “something funny” about the charger. We had plugged it into shore power as always then did our usual bits on the boat, had a leisurely lunch, did some shopping, whatever. When we went to unplug it several hours later, it hadn’t come up to charge. When we went back in two weeks Jeff brought his meter and tested it more thoroughly and determined it was no longer working. ARGH! Our first expensive equipment failure of the season. Actually, we’ve been pretty lucky in the 6 years we’ve had aCappella - replaced the inverter once and some problems with our KVH satellite antenna which we had replaced at an excellent electronics shop in Cambridge, Maryland on the Chesapeake, Mid-Shore Electronics. They did a great job, were helpful and friendly, and even let us stay an extra two days on their dock while we waited for better weather. We highly recommend them!

Well, Jeff did his research, asked the right questions on the Trawlers and Trawlering forum and ordered new charges - two new 12-volt charger which cost less than the old one! Oh, joy, our next trip to the boat will include the thrill of installing new equipment. Stay tuned to find what will (not may) go wrong.....

Take Me To Cuba?

We have long discussed the idea of taking our boat to Cuba. It could be the purported beauty of their beaches, the thrill of the forbidden, or just the desire to experience something new (to us) and different. Only 90 miles off Key West, it’s tempting. We’ve never had the nerve to break the law and just go. Having met one captain who did, and then lost his boat and faced jail time, we decided that was just a bit too much excitement for us. But we have read up, followed some web sites, and spent time talking about it. We even found a funky propaganda film in our tiny library - came in a cigar box - and watched it this past winter. Well, now the news is abuzz about the possibility of the US opening relations with Cuba. Could our dream be within reach? Might Dyna be swimming on Cuban beaches next winter rather than the Bahamas? Oh, it is still so much speculation. But we are keeping an eye on the news and renewing our research. If it happens we want to be prepared to get there fast before it losses its charm to casinos and big development.

New Window Screens From the Microburst

One evening in September of 2007 Castine experienced a “microburst.” We were home with Dyna and our new puppy, Dylan, when it hit. By the time I whisked the two dogs away from the windows, it was over - maybe a minute or two. I’m told that a microbust has winds as strong as a hurricane but hits in only a single spot and without warning. We were the spot. M/V aCapella was across the river on our “normal” mooring - as opposed to our storm mooring in Smith’s Cove, since no storm was predicted! After surveying the amazing damage in town the next day, which sadly included the loss of many old elm tress, we went out to check on the boat. Now our “normal” mooring has a 7,500 pound stone which sucks down 3-4 feet in that good Maine mud bottom. Even with that strong hold, the boat dragged the mooring 200 feet due to the strong winds!!!! The only damage was 3 missing window screens which we think may have blown to Kansas. Several calls trying to find someone to come to the boat to measure for new ones proved fruitless. Just not a big enough job.

On to plan B. I began sewing at about age ten and have made clothes, crafts, quilts, upholstered items, you name it. Heck, how hard could it be to sew a few window screens? Finding the material was relatively easy. Sailrite carried everything I needed online. Now I just had to measure the windows, cut out the screens and bind them. Piece of cake, right? Wrong! Dozens of heavy duty needles, lots of words I won’t list here, and one trip to the sewing machine repair shop later, and I was still shy of getting the final binding on. For that I went to a canvas shop in Bangor. Now we “just” have to get them to the boat to measure and install the snaps. Luckily for me that will be Jeff’s job.

Oh, and if you’re wondering about the screens blowing off in 2007 and not being replaced until 2009, well, last year we “improvised.” We decided we didn’t want to look like hillbillies on our next cruise.....

Why We Always Listen to Larry Eaton

I’m afraid our blog will often make reference to “Larry” so I’d like to take a moment to explain why, when it comes to anything to do with boats, we always listen to Larry. Larry’s grandfather, Mace, founded Eaton’s Boatyard here in Castine, Maine. It’s become one of those “Maine Traditions” for boaters. Mace Eaton became known as a master boat builder making beautiful wooden boats, most of which are still in use today. Larry’s father, Alonso took over the boat yard from his father and after much family turmoil the yard ended up with Larry’s brother, Kenny. For the next few decades Larry built a thriving boat management business in Ft. Lauderdale handling numerous mega-yachts such as Limitless, one of the biggest American-owned yachts at over 315 feet long. Over the years Larry learned many great techniques and tricks, from how to clean anything on a boat, to where to find obscure items, to how to put together an authentic Maine lobster bake anywhere in the world. We have spent time in several different yards in and around Ft. Lauderdale and Miami and have yet to find someone there who didn’t know about Larry. Even though Eaton’s Boatyard is proud NOT to have a web site, you can still find them on ActiveCaptain.

A few years ago Larry decided to “retire” back to his birthplace here in Castine. We were most fortunate that he agreed to take us under his wing. Larry still get calls from his many patrons begging him to help with difficult situations and sometimes he still obliges. Fortunately for us, he remains just a couple blocks away with advice and guidance. He has never steered us wrong, therefore, when it comes to boats, we ALWAYS listen to Larry.

One of the most beautiful boats in Castine (in my opinion), Leaf, was owned by Mace Eaton and has now been lovingly restored by Deane and Sandra Richardson. Visit Castine this summer and you're sure to see Leaf gliding past the town dock.

Fender Cleaning - It’s Magic!

It’s hard to believe we’ve had aCappella for nearly 6 years! It seems like only yesterday we pulled out of Herrington Harbor on the Chesapeake Bay in dense fog for our first “solo” trip. This was after 2 days of instruction by an onboard captain. My knees were shaking but when we pulled into the Penobscot Bay a couple of weeks later, I felt like quite the salty-mate. We were fortunate to purchase aCappella “practically new” from two very experienced cruisers who had thought of pretty much everything when they outfitted the boat. But now our gear is looking a bit dogged. Ever mindful of keeping our cruising budget down we’ve decided to give our most used items a much needed face lift. Our first target - the fenders. Last year I stumbled on the MagicEraser which I gleefully used in the kitchen, the bathroom, the patio -- I’m pretty sure it is “magic.” Jeff had the idea to try it on our much scuffed up fenders. It only took one evening in front of the TV and they came out beautiful!

Lists, Lists, Lists

OK, so we all have our little quirks. One that Jeff and I share is a passion for lists. Going shopping, make a list. Weekend chores, make a list. Christmas coming, need another list. They’re all over the house, handwritten, printed out, on the computer, and on the mobile phones. Unfortunately, simply making the list isn’t enough - go figure. So we’ve prepared lists of things to get us ready to leave in August. Things to check, things to buy, and projects to complete. In the past we’ve even made a list of our lists! Now we need to get working!!!

She’s Buttoned Up Tight

After winterizing all the systems, aCappella, who is too large for inside storage, needed to be shrink-wrapped to protect her from Maine’s sometimes harsh winters. Journey’s End in Rockland, Maine did a great job padding all the rub spots and ensuring a tight seal. Unfortunately, they miscalculated a bit on the entry door making getting on and off the boat slightly challenging. But hey, being on a boat requires a certain nimbleness and maybe this will keep us prepared for next summer. Yes, she looks lonely but she receives a visit about every other week for a “once over” and a charging of the batteries. We work in a lunch in Rockland so it’s a nice winter diversion.



Fortunately, I regularly practice yoga........