Coastal Cruising and Bareboat Charter Certifications Part 3 of 3

Part 3 of Coastal Cruising and Bareboat Charter Certifications is a continuation of the blogs from Monday and Tuesday, of this week.

First thing Friday morning, we had our Bareboat Charter exam. After the exam and a short discussion with Kathy, we were out sailing. This time Kathy (the instructor) was just along for the ride. Since I was navigator today, she had given me a couple of points that we needed to visit and times ranges for the visits. It was up to me to get us there. This was our opportunity to demonstrate how much we had learned over the week and Kathy was not disappointed! Kathy had a couple of surprises for us along the way (i.e. man-overboard drills). We also got hands on experience filling the fuel tank and pumping out the holding tanks. Once we were back at the home marina, we packed up the left-over provisions, consolidated the dirty linens, and cleaned the inside of the boat (just like we would have to had done if we had charted the boat for the week).

That was it. We all said our goodbyes and I drove home to my family. What a great week and a great class! I felt comfortable in my sailing skills before the class, but now I feel like we can go coastal cruising anywhere! This class not only taught me new skills like weather, navigation, but it also honed my point-of-sail, sail trim, and man-overboard skills. I would recommend the class to anyone who wants to go coastal cruising.

Coastal Cruising and Bareboat Charter Certifications Part 2 of 3

Coastal Cruising and Bareboat Charter Certification Part 2, is a continuation of the blog posted yesterday.

Wednesday morning I awoke to the roar of the waves on the other side of the island, calm water at our anchorage, and a beautiful sunrise. The morning's anchoring lesson was interrupted by Blue Angels' practice (in the picture below, the small looking diamond in the sky in the center of the photo just above the horizon is actually 4 Blue Angles jets!) After the impromptu air show and completion of anchoring practice, we piloted our way through the Inter-Coastal Waterway (ICW) to Perdido Bay. Once in the bay, we practiced a different type of man-overboard maneuver, heaving-to, points-of-sail, and sail trim. That night, we docked at Bear Point Marina, Orange Beach, AL. Dinner was at Flippers, a restaurant at the marina, where we enjoyed Royal Reds (shrimp) and dizzy Dolphins (rum drink). I was responsible for running rigging (1) all day, which was basically making sure that all of the sails were trimmed properly with the help of the other person on running rigging (2). I got a great, all day, bicep and back workout.

Thursday was my day at the helm! That morning Kathy informed us that conditions in the Gulf of Mexico were good, if we wanted to go out. Of course we wanted to sail in the Gulf of Mexico!! After safely leaving Bear Point Marina, we motored through the ICW to Bayou St. John and onto Perdido Pass. Navigating the channel was a little nerve racking because on both sides of the channel were shallows. If the boat had gotten outside of the channel, by just a little bit, we would have run-a-ground. Kathy, in fact, shared that this has happened to her students in the past. The last hurdle, before reaching the open water of the Gulf of Mexico, was the 54' bridge over Perdido Pass. Now some might say, "big deal a 54' bridge," but the top of our boat's mast was 53' off the water. I had to steer the boat just right, so that the mast and instruments on top of the mast did not hit the navigation light hanging below the bridge. This was another exciting and nerve racking moment. After we cleared the channel and bridge, I was given a heading and off we sailed back toward Pensacola Bay. Sailing in the Gulf was a nice respite to piloting the channels. It was so relaxing and calming, just sailing (I can't wait until my family takes off on our adventure!!). The day ended with us practicing the Run point-of-sail, more sailing to a given heading, and me docking the boat back at its home marina. That night we had dinner with Kathy's husband John, at a local restaurant. John also happens to be an instructor.

Tomorrow's post, Part 3 will complete the blogs of my experience while obtaining my Coastal Cruising and Bareboat Charter Certifications.

Coastal Cruising and Bareboat Charter Certifications Part 1 of 3

The week of May 2nd, I was in Pensacola, FL in a 6 day/5 night class to obtain my Coastal Cruising and Bareboat Charter certifications, through American Sailing Association. The class was held on a Beneteau 39' sailboat named "Splendid Adventures." My class consisted of 4 students and 1 instructor. Besides myself, the other students were a couple, Bob and Biana, from Warner Robins, GA and a guy named Gary from Alpharetta, GA. The instructor was Kathy Struchen.

Success! I completed both certifications with above 90% competency.

The class started on a Sunday afternoon, with a review of the boat and boat systems as well as duty roster sign-up. The duties were helmsman/safety officer, running rigging (1), running rigging (2)/dinghy captain/anchor, and galley officer/communications/navigator. Duties rotated so that everyone had a full day at each of the positions. The first day also included obtaining provisions for the week. The first night was spent on the boat at the marina. :)

Monday saw a low pressure system move into the area accompanied with rain, high winds, thunder, and lighting (this was the same system that flood Nashville.) We spent the day learning about weather, navigation, reviewing Basic Keelboat knowledge, and we took the written portion of the Coastal Cruising certification exam. That night we had a great seafood dinner, made by Kathy.

On Tuesday, the sky was beginning to clear. We departed from the marina, taking turns at the helm to get a feel for the boat's handling and maneuverability. Afterwards, we practiced mooring ball pickup, docking, man-overboard maneuvers, and points-of-sail. The busy morning was followed by playing catch up on the Monday activities that were rained out. We sailed to our anchorage at Redfish anchorage in Big Lagoon. This was my first experience with a windlass. I see the advantages of having a windlass, but I also see the draw backs (too easy to lose little fingers). After anchoring, we took a dinghy ride over to Gulf Island National Seashore where we walked on beaches. There weren't just any beaches .... these were the types only accessible by boat. It was so beautiful. We capped off the day with a gorgeous sunset and wonderful grilled chicken dinner, with caribbean rice. My primary duties for this day were running rigging (2)/dinghy captain/anchor. I was really busy for most of the day.

Come back tomorrow for part 2...

Back from Coastal Cruising School

Hello Everyone, I'm back from my Coastal Cruising class!

I had a wonderful time and learned a lot. I will blog in-depth, in the coming days.

My class was held on a 39' Beneteau sailboat. It took a day for me to acclimate myself to a monohull, after sailing on our Gemini 3200 catamaran for almost a year. Ninety percent of the class was held in the waterway from Pensacola, FL to Perdido Bay, AL and in the Gulf of Mexico. I met some very nice people and had some awesome local seafood.

The mental break was nice, too. When not sailing, I found tons of time to read, meditate, listen to the waves, and just relax. Now, I'm back into the grove of home life and boat modifications.

Like I said above, I had a wonderful time, but I'm happy to be back home with my family.

Coastal Cruising Class

This afternoon at 2:00pm, I will be in Pensacola, FL starting my Coastal Cruising class. The 6 day class is composed of 5 days living-aboard a 39' monohull sailboat and 1 day for examinations. I will be learning about tides, anchoring, navigation, and honing my sailing skills. I will be taking this class solo. The girls will be hanging out with Bill and their Aunts and I will have a learning vacation. I'm so excited! See y'all in a week!

Repairing Sun Sacrifice with Sailrite Ultrafeed LSZ-1

I've started my first boat sewing project, replacing the torn sun sacrifice on one of our jibs. As you can see from the photo, it has been ripped to shreds. Fortunately, the jib is unharmed.

I started this project by removing the torn sun sacrifice and noting what I need to replace it. I will be placing another order with Sailrite soon for webbing, grommets, red thread, and Logo Red Sunbrella fabric. I'm going to order enough to sew a sun sacrifice on our other jib and maybe make a new main sail cover, too. This project should boost my sewing skill and confidence.

Practice Sewing on Sailrite Ultrafeed LSZ-1

I started practicing sewing with Beulah, my Sailrite Ultrafeed LSZ-1.

Beulah came with 3 test samples that the factory used to test her functions with before sending her out. I used the sample to practice my sewing on sunbrella and naugahyde fabrics. I also repaired a pair of sweat pants, pants, and one of KJ's fleece one-piece pajama suits. My sister, Jen, also asked me to alter a snuggie that she bought for her dachshund, Lamont. The back of the snuggie was gaping open and the velcro kept coming undone. I simple stitched the center of the back together and sewed the velcro straps down.

I think it looks pretty good. Lamont like it, too!

Sailrite Ultrafeed LSZ-1 Has Arrived!!

I finally received my very own Ultrafeed LSZ-1 sewing machine!! I'm sooooo excited!! We purchased the Ultrafeed LSZ-1 off of ebay. With shipping the total cost was $829. This was $100 saving versus purchasing the machine directly from Sailrite (at full price with shipping).

I unpacked the machine immediately. It is heavy and a real beauty. I watched the enclosed dvds and now feel like I can sew anything, literally. I can't wait to start my first project!

I still have a few attachments that I need to purchase directly from Sailrite. Fortunately, Sailrite recently published a coupon for 10% off, good through April 12th. This gives me some time to make measurement and do some research. If you are interested, the coupon code is SAIL2010.

I'm sooooo EXCITED!!!!!

Training for Self Sufficiency- Clothes Washer-Part3

I FIXED THE WASHER!! I FIXED THE WASHER!!!

From part 1 and part 2 of this continuing post, you know that we had a problem with our Kenmore Series 80 washer and that the next thing that I was going to do was check the pump to see if it had something stuck in it or find that the pump had seized.

It was...A SOCK. Yeah! That was easy to fix. All I had to do was fish the sock out of the pump, put hoses back onto the pump, and put the washer back together. As a test, I ran the washer without any clothes and it worked! Now we have a fully functioning washer again.

It felt really good fixing my own appliance, almost addictive.

So Sewing

One of the areas of self sufficiency that we've elected to take on is sail repairs. When a sail tears, what do you do? We do have sail repair tape, and that works in a pinch, but how do you repair it long term? The answer is, of course, to sew on a patch.

The materials that sails are made out of is quite tough, and the typical sewing machine cannot punch through the material. In comes the industrial grade heavy fabric sewing machine ... the Sailrite sewing machine. This bad boy can not only go through sail material like it hot butter, but can be operated without an electrical power source!

Val's dad has offered to buy this for us. Thanks Dad! It is his gift to our big adventure.

Our first sail project will be a dozie... Val will sew a new main sail for us. The one we have on the boat today is the original one and it is in good shape, but it is 19 years old! Time to make a new one and use the old one as a spare.

Val has demonstrated the sewing skill, and she will now have a machine that can punch through not only sails, but blue jean material too. Maybe it is time to make a custom fitted pair of blue jeans! :)

Training for Self Sufficiency- Clothes Washer-Part 2

If you read yesterday's post, you know that I've started my training in self sufficiency by taking on my first (ever!) appliance repair. After some research, I concluded that the lid switch was broken on my 15 year old Kenmore Series 80 washer.

I located the part at my local Sears Parts store. It cost $39.53 with tax. Using the instructions that I found on www.FitItNow.com, I took the washer apart by removing just 2 screws and 2 clamps. I replaced the switch and put the washer back together.

The moment of truth, I selected the smallest load size and shortest wash cycle and started the washer. Water filled the washer and then... a humming noise. Not exactly what I was expecting. Nevertheless, it was positive in that water filled the washer and now there was a hum.

After some more research on www.FixItNow.com (what a great web site! It gives detailed advice from appliance repair masters.), I came across a list of things to check in order to help diagnose the problem. First thing on the list was to check the lid switch. (Well I know that my NEW lid switch is working fine.) Second item on the list was to check pump, then the motor, and finally the coupler.

I followed the instructions and determined that the pump is not working. Now there are two reasons for the pump not working. One, there is a sock or something stuck in the pump or two, the pump has seized. I'm hoping that it's just a sock.

To check the pump I need to take off two clamps that hold the hoses to it. These clamps are really hard to squeeze and the tool that I need to take the clamps off is at the boat. Since I know that I will be going to the boat later, I decided not to go to Wal-Mart and purchase the pliers.

See, I warned you this might turn into a soap opera.

Training for Self Sufficiency- Clothes Washer-Part 1

When we start living on the boat, self sufficient will become my new middle name. Well the other day my self sufficiency training began. The clothes washer, that we've had for 15 years, stoped working without any warning. You know it was like the appliance knew that it had less than a year until retirement. The washer is a Kenmore 110 series 80. It has been a great washer. This is the first problem we've ever had with it.

The washer timer indicated that the spin cycle was complete, but the clothes were still soaking wet. My first instinct was to start the washer again to see what would happen. Nothing happened, and I thought "OH NO!" I stepped back from the washer and checked to see if it was plugged in and made sure that the circuit breaker had not tripped. Everything was as it should be. I went straight to my computer and googled "Kenmore series 80 washer won't spin." After some research, I came to the conclusion that the lid switch was broken.

After a little searching, I found the washer timer at my local Sears Parts store. My next step is to get the part and install it. This will be my FIRST appliance repair; however, I'm confident. Interestingly, before we started focusing on the trip, if this would have happened, we would have just bought a new washer.

Stay tuned... this could literally become a soap opera ;) ... and the clothes are piling up!

Halloween Costume - Construction

So from the post, a couple of days ago, you know that KJ had decided to be Medusa for Halloween. Most of what I know about Medusa up to this point, was from the movies. After doing a little research, we decided that a Medusa costume would need to be something that made KJ's body look like a snake and she would need to have snakes in her hair.

I searched the local fabric stores for something that resembled snake skin. I was about to punt on finding the fabric locally, when I found the perfect fabric in the clearance fabric isle of Joann's. There was exactly 2 yards of fabric. Given that I had never made a dress before, I was hoping that 2 yards would be enough fabric. I also saw a sign - McCall $0.99. I asked one of the ladies at Joann's , if all of the McCall patterns were on sale for $0.99. The answer was yes! I found a pattern that would work and was simple. To my surprise the pattern's regular price was $15.95. It was a good thing that the patterns were on sale for $0.99. So the total cost for the fabric and the pattern was $6.99 plus tax. It really was my day!

The pattern was very simple. Just by following the patterns instructions, I was able to make KJ a simple dress with long sleeves. It's not the greatest construction, but I made it for less than $8 and it will work great as a Halloween costume.

Next challenge, the hair!

Halloween Costume - Deciding on a Costume

Halloween is one of our favorite holidays. We start talking about what our costumes will be 10 months in advance. This year, after much discussion, KJ decided that she wanted to be Medusa. What a GREAT choice! Now you can't go into 99% of the Halloween/costume stores and find a Medusa costume. We were going to have to create it from scratch. No problem, we love having unique costumes and creating the costume is half the fun. As an extra bonus, it will give me an opportunity to work on my sewing skill.

Navigating Our Way

People ask, “where are you going?” Well, anywhere and everywhere. The follow up questions is “how will you find your way?”. Answer, navigation charts and GPS. While out on the ocean we will use charts to navigate by and use the GPS as a check. I should say GPS(s) since we will have more than one.

Navigation charts can be very expensive (anywhere from $80 to $500, for a set of charts). So we will probably purchase mostly used charts from eBay and other sailors. We purchased our first set of charts yesterday and can't wait till they arrive. The charts are of the West Coast of Florida and the Keys. We purchased them on eBay for $33 including shipping. Not bad considering, that the same charts cost $150 or more at online retailer and then you have to pay shipping.

Curtains - Phase 1 - Finding Fabric

We love to think of Ariel as our tropical home. So I decided that it was about time for her to start looking like it. My first transformation project are the curtains.

The curtains that the previous owners had were blue and functional. We wanted something with a more color. I took a trip to our local Hancock Fabric store to view their selection. Going in I looked at all of the fabrics that they had to offer, not just the outdoor fabrics. This was because the fabric was going to be on the inside and that it would have almost no wear-n-tear, since it was going to be used for curtains. While perusing their selection, I came across a great outdoor multi-color tropical stripe from the Lauren Hancock Collection an Exclusive by Waverly. I purchased 5 yards of fabric, 2 spools of heavy duty thread and 2 bottles of Liquid Stitch.

Now all I need to do is borrow my sister-in-law's sewing machine and learn how to sew!!! I really should have paid more attention to what my Mother and Grandmother tried to teach me.

Why Didn't I Pay Attention

I grew up in the Southern US. My mother and grandmother were avid food preservers and sewers. I assisted them in the garden, preserving food, and even sewing for nearly 15 years. But recently when I started to refresh my skills that I thought I had, I HAD NO CLUE. Why didn't I pay more attention to what they were teaching me. As I ponder this thought the only answers I can give are that I didn't thing that I would ever use thoses skills or that I had done them so many times that it would be like "riding a bike." Well it's not like "riding a bike."

Now I'm learning how to preserve food and sew all over again. Sadly, both my mother and grandmother are no longer living and I have lost them as a source of knowledge. Fortunantely, we live in the information age and there are tones books, youtube videos, blogs, and other online resources for me to utilize. However, I wish that I had my mother and grandmother around to discuss ideas and to hear stories about their experiences.

Heart Pounding Sailing Class!

Learning to sail was one of the most heart pounding, thrilling experience I have ever had. That’s saying a lot considering; I’ve been scuba diving all over the world, flown in aerobatic bi-plane, and been sky diving.

The heart pounding, thrilling part of the class was when I had to sail on a Close-Hauled point-of-sail. (Point-of-Sail is the direction of the wind as it relates to where it touch the boat first. Think of a boat like a clock, the bow (front) of boat is 12 and the stern (back) is 6.) When sailing a Close-Hauled you are sailing as close to the wind as possible without being into the wind or “in-iron”. With a good 7-10 knot wind and the sails trim properly; the boat speeds through the water, the tiller (which controls the rudder) becomes very heavy, you’re constantly making adjustments (using the tiller) to stays on the point-of-sail, and the boat is tipped on its side to the point that water is almost coming over the side and you think that its about to tip over. Or at least that’s what it felt like to me. Heart pounding!!

Learning to Sail

For three Sundays in June, I learnt to sail. My first sailing course was Basic Keelboat Certification offered by Lanier Sailing Academy, an ASA (American Sailing Association) affiliated school at Holiday Marina on Lake Lanier, GA. Going into the class I had no sailing experience; however, I love the water, love to scuba dive, and have been on boats thousands of times. I chose Lanier Sailing Academy because of its “sailing should be fun” and “no yelling” attitudes. But the guarantee is what really sold me. The academy guarantees that if you don’t pass the certification that it will provided additional instruction to you at no cost until you do pass!

The class was $585 and was well worth the price. During the three full (8 hour) days of sailing instruction, we spent 99% of the time in a 22 foot Capri and 1% in a classroom. I would highly recommend the Lanier Sailing Academy to anyone who wants to learn to sail or expand their sailing knowledge and skills.

Seafood Sucks

Something that is not lost on those who know me and know of our plan is that I detest seafood. To them, this is quite bizarre: I'm sailing a boat around the world and I can't stand seafood. For those who don't know me and first learn of my hatred of seafood, they usually ask for a qualification like, do you mean you don't eat this or that? I'm not a bigot, I hate it all ... Lobsters, Crabs, Octopus, Oysters, Shark, whatever. Yes, I've tried it. I've eaten it fresh out the ocean. I've eaten it at world class restaurants (where the chefs are world renown). I've eaten it at local places that "know how to make it." So, to be clear, I've never, ever enjoyed seafood. It is repulsive. Now back to the blog entry.

Firstly, you can sail a boat around the world and not eat one single nasty cockroach of the sea the whole way. Secondly, while I may turn green choking down the nasty nasty, I can eat it if I must. I do plan on taking up spear fishing on this trip so the family can have fresh fish, and maybe, just maybe I can find my way past its grossness. As a Divemaster, I've spent many hours (counted in days, if not years) under the water. I've seen what people would describe as the most amazing lobsters scuttling around on the floor, just ready to be snatched up and eaten. When the opportunity strikes, I will pick up some humongous lobsters for the girls to eat. Again, the mood may strike and I may try again (I try seafood once a year to see if my mind and taste buds have changed).