“We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea, whether it is to sail or to watch – we are going back from whence we came.”
JOHN F. KENNEDY
Recent Posts
We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect.
Building a Sailrite 3-Bow Bimini
First, I'd thank everyone for the concerned questions, comments, sincere emails and vicarious anger regarding our arch project. I'm hopeful this post and video will answer all your questions, and we can finally put the "arch saga" to rest.
Coppercoat as a DIY Project
While researching Coppercoat, one of the biggest criticisms we heard was: "It's so expensive!" (Sailing Soulianis Patrons get a discount!) Upon further investigation, this appears to be only partly true--and only for some people.
Is Coppercoat the Best Antifouling for Your Boat?
CopperCoat antifouling bottom coating is a very polarizing topic. While researching what antifouling bottom paint to use on our Tartan 37 we heard everything from "It's Magic!" to "It's Snake oil". Surprisingly we didn't hear a whole lot of opinions in the middle, which only made the decision making process more difficult...
What’s the deal with Centerboards?
Most of you who have followed our journey for some time are familiar with our somewhat infamous centerboard issue, where we ran aground in the Illinois river in 8' of water when our boat should only draw 4'. We'd like to take this opportunity to talk a little bit about the pros and cons of the centerboard system and shed some light on how we've been using it with real life examples.
How to Prepare your Boat for Dry Storage over Hurricane Season
Storing your boat away for hurricane season is a daunting task. There's not much you can really do if Mother Nature conjures up her worst, but with proper planning and solid preparation you'll sleep better knowing you did your best -- and short of suffering the direct hit of a cat 4 or cat 5 hurricane -- your boat should survive!
Monthly Cruising Budget: July | Y2M1 – Hanging Out in the Great Lakes
July was a fun month. After the rush of getting up to the midwest to help move Lauren's family move house, we got a little time to relax and enjoy the best time of year in the midwest.
Monthly Cruising Budget: June | Month 12 – Summer Haul Out & Off-season Vanlife
Where as April and May were normal-ish, June was an absolutely wild ride: It completed our first full year living aboard the boat; we bought a van and named him Chip; we hauled the boat out of the water for hurricane season and drove north to help Lauren's parents move out of her childhood home, and attended our first electronic music festival.
Monthly Cruising Budget: May | Month 11 – Key West & A Business Trip
April and May were odd months if we were "normal" cruisers. But since we consider ourselves more 'slow travelers' who happen to live and work on a sailboat, it was just more of the same for us.
Monthly Cruising Budget: April | Month 10 – Fixing Things in Non-Exotic Places
While we made good progress south in the month of March, April took a bit of a strange turn when we realized that our raw water pump was leaking. It was a costly repair, and still without a reliable dinghy and motor we decided it would make much more logistical sense to be in a Marina.
Monthly Cruising Budget: March | Month 9 – Cruising the Panhandle
We left Mobile at the beginning of the month and officially began our saltwater cruising. We continued our spendthrift in March after having stocked up on food, and wrapping up all of our planned upgrades. It was good to be on the move and good on our pocketbooks as well.
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