Boat owners have a habit of talking about boat repairs. Which would be fine, except that boat ownership often entails an ongoing string of breakages and repairs. Ask a question like, “How are you today?” and 90% of boat owners will tell you all about how they have been trying, probably frustratingly, to fix something….
Tag: Boatyard
Hidden Haul Outs In the South Pacific
It seems appropriate that as we FINALLY leave the boatyard here in the Philippines a round-up of yards that we have used and discovered on our travels through the South Pacific is published in Cruising World Magazine. If you are looking for a place to do work, hide during cyclone season or store the boat…
Out of Sight, Out of Mind? Leaving Your Boat on the Hard
The first time we left Kate on the hard I remember reaching across the back seat of the taxi as we pulled away, searching for Steve’s reassuring hand. My eyes welled with tears and I heaved a heavy sigh as he told me over and over that the boat would be ok without us. 30…
Before the Tide Turns, a Boatyard Update
“Cruising is just making boat repairs in exotic locations.” This is a popular saying in the sailing community, but one which we have never adhered to. (And, don’t even get me started on my dislike of the term “cruising.”) Yes, travelling and living on a boat dictates that maintenance and repairs will have to be…
A Decade, A Milestone
April marked the 10th anniversary of Steve and I taking the plunge. I am not talking about marriage, I am talking about signing on the dotted line, offically becoming boat owners. Our mad plan was hatched on a dock in Martinique in February 2008. By June we’d quit our jobs, found our boat, drove across…
The Hard Life
We are two months into a hefty list of very necessary projects and I can feel my sea legs atrophying. It’s not the time spent on land that is causing the problem, it is living on the hard. I have always liked that turn of phrase, “living on the hard.” It sums things up nicely….
Boatyards and New Years
It seems appropriate that we are starting off 2018 in the boatyard. The New Year is, after all, traditionally viewed as a time of renewal, a chance to make all those improvements that you’ve been meaning to get around to for the past 12 months. An opportunity to take stock, address problem areas and make…
We now return to regular scheduled programming
And we’re back! After 5 months (almost to the day) we returned to Kate in the Philippines. We decided to stay in Manila for a few extra days so we could catch a ride back to the yard with one of the Yard Managers. Sure we could have taken a 5 hour bus ride to…
The more things change the more they stay the same
“I am about to spend the first night on the boat alone…yikes!” That’s what I posted on July 9th, 2008 on Facebook (thanks for the reminder internet). At the time we were tied to a dock in San Diego, far from the threat of cyclones, close to grocery stores, good internet, hot showers and all…
The Great Escape
So, here we are, working on week three of being back from vacation in Australia (yes, yes I see your eyes rolling and hear the gasps of “your life is a vacation!”, but it is not, really). We escaped Vuda Marina relatively quickly. In just over a week we had put all the running rigging…