Preparations
We could have started this blog last fall, when the journey really did begin. However, we weren’t completely sure when it would all come together until it did in May, 2008, when we closed on Hull 71.
This adventure started last fall with a trip to the Ft. Lauderdale Boat Show. If we had asked advice from any seasoned cruisers and/or boaters, we’re sure their response would be: get a small sailboat, learn how to sail on it, practice for a few years, charter a variety of boats, and then start to think about buying something bigger. In fact, we’ve frequently read this very advice on cruiser forums. Obviously, we skipped to the end and bought something bigger.
At this point, with Seas the Day being delivered this month, we have made some preparations, but not as many as we had hoped to accomplish.
1.We’ve listed the house for rent and one of the cars is for sale.
2.We are getting rid of as many household items and clothing as possible by giving them to charities and looking into an estate sale. What we keep will be stored in an outbuilding on our property.
3.Mark is making needed repairs to the house. A property management agency will handle everything for us, but we want to leave the house in as good condition as possible. We don’t plan on coming back to this house and hope, eventually, to sell it when the market improves.
4.We formed an LLC, PG & J Seas the Day. That stands for “Party Grandpa and Jan.” Mark’s grandson Luca gave him that nickname as his earliest memory of Mark was at a party.
5.We’ve started to purchase everything we can think of we’ll need on the boat, while we can get it delivered here in Minnesota. The plan is to drive to Florida with a van packed and get the rest of our supplies there. The more we can purchase now, the less time and money we’ll spend outfitting Seas the Day once we move aboard.
6.Yes, we know we have to take classes. We planned on enrolling in a class in Florida during the winter, but time slipped away and now the new plan is to hire an instructor from the sailing school to come with us on Seas the Day for a week. By being the only students onboard, we hope to customize our class and end the week ready to at least feel confident cruising up the East Coast, out of the hurricane zone.
7.We have purchased books on every boating topic imaginable, including a variety of books about the skills needed for sailing, traveling with pets onboard, cooking on a boat, and even a book about doing yoga onboard for Jan, who has practiced yoga for years. The “Resources” section of this site will review all the books we have read. We’ve also purchased many magazines and have read them throughout the fall, winter, and spring. In addition, online sources have been a huge education. Two of the most helpful are The Cruisers Forum and the South Seas Cruising Association Discussion Board. We are also members of a Yahoo forum just for owners of the Lagoon 420. This has provided a wealth of information about the 420 which we couldn’t get anyplace else.
8.Speaking of books, we are planning on converting a sitting area next to the master cabin into an office. We are both avid readers and hope to have space to store books, as well as computers, cameras, and office supplies.
9.We have plenty of video equipment to record our adventure, including two Canon digital cameras, a Canon camcorder, and an Olympus waterproof digital camera.
10.Mark’s son and daughter-in-law spent a year aboard a sailboat, cruising from Annapolis to Venezuela. Their experiences, encouraging support, and helpful advice have been invaluable as well as motivating.
11.Doctor, dentist, and optical appointments are all being done this month, as is Daisy’s trip to the vet. Medications will be purchased in three month supplies. We’ve researched how we will keep up to date with our medical needs while cruising. We will stock first aid supplies for people and Daisy.
12. We’ve chosen a mail forwarding service and are trying to cut down on all mail before we depart.
13.We’ve purchased a pressure cooker, which appears to be an essential component in the galley. Before we leave MInnesota, we hope to try various recipes.