Finally! The adventure begins!

SFS

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Aug 18, 2015
2,065
Currently Boatless Okinawa
Well, the boat is ready, and provisioned, and we are ready, so in the morning we leave the dock and become full-time cruisers. It's been a few years in the making, and a lot of work in the past 30 days, but we are finally here.

We'll start by heading south (where it's actually colder than in Tampa for the next few nights). There is no set destination, and certainly no schedule, but the initial plan is to slide down the Florida west coast, hitting Charlotte Harbor and 10,000 Islands. Maybe Tortugas, maybe not. Wrap around the peninsula and head up the Keys. Decide in mid-April whether to jump over to the Bahamas for 6 weeks or so, or go on up the ICW.

I'll stay active here, but my posting will depend on cell coverage at anchorages. I plan to take a lot of pictures, so maybe more contributions to Wednesday photo day threads will be forthcoming. I want to thank everyone that has helped me with my specific questions about my boat, and everyone else that contributes both their general knowledge and their technical expertise in various areas.
 
Dec 25, 2000
5,702
Hunter Passage 42 Shelter Bay, WA
Well, the boat is ready, and provisioned, and we are ready, so in the morning we leave the dock and become full-time cruisers. It's been a few years in the making, and a lot of work in the past 30 days, but we are finally here.
Congratulations. Sail well, be safe and do hope to see pictures of your adventure. A couple of questions that you may have covered elsewhere, but:
1. Who is we (a portrait image would be nice)?
2. What specifically (start with the big stuff) did you do to prepare your boat?

No hurry with answers, but just curious. I would imagine that the excitement and trepidation is running pretty high about now. Sleep? Probably very little before morning.
 

SFS

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Aug 18, 2015
2,065
Currently Boatless Okinawa
Congratulations. Sail well, be safe and do hope to see pictures of your adventure. A couple of questions that you may have covered elsewhere, but:
1. Who is we (a portrait image would be nice)?
2. What specifically (start with the big stuff) did you do to prepare your boat?

No hurry with answers, but just curious. I would imagine that the excitement and trepidation is running pretty high about now. Sleep? Probably very little before morning.
We is my wife and I. Prepping the boat was mostly preventative maintenance and safety related items. In no particular order: bottom job; strengthen the rudder with additional fiberglass; new cutless bearing, shaft, and strut; new head; professionally inspect the standing rigging; change all the fluids and filter in the engine and tranny; change the racor filter; rebuild the raw water pump (small leak where a seal failed), including a new impeller and gasket; new exhaust system; new soles (there is a thread on that one); clean the holding tank and reseal the top; new macerator pump and Y-valve off the holding tank; replace the scupper drain hoses and the thru-deck fittings; new auto-inflating PFDs with marker light and signaling devices; new jacklines and tethers; Delorme (now Garmin) InReach as a semi-Epirb; all lighting changed to LED (love Marinebeam); add an accumulator to the water pressure pump; replace diesel fill hose and tank vent hose. You know, the usual.:waycool:

We've had the boat out for a week or two at a times before. The only difference now is, if we come back, it will be because we want to, not because we have to. Along the way, I hope to meet some of the folks that post here. First possibility is @seadaddler, maybe @pateco over on the other coast.
 
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Feb 14, 2014
7,399
Hunter 430 Waveland, MS
auto-inflating PFDs with marker light and signaling devices; new jacklines and tethers; Delorme (now Garmin) InReach as a semi-Epirb;
You are thinking about the Safety of boat and valuable crew. Planing and thinking is 80% and the equipment is 19%.
The last 1% is daily awareness.
Good job!!!
Jim...
 
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SFS

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Aug 18, 2015
2,065
Currently Boatless Okinawa
You are thinking about the Safety of boat and valuable crew. Planing and thinking is 80% and the equipment is 19%.
The last 1% is daily awareness.
Good job!!!
Jim...
Agreed. We did a delivery in December, on which the "Captain" had absolutely zero situational (or daily) awareness. We got off the boat for safety reasons. I recently learned that in the time since we left the boat, he has a) fallen through ice during the deep freeze in the DC area while walking from the boat to shore (the boat was frozen in place); AND b) has pumped 150 gallons of diesel into the gasoline tanks during a refueling. In three months, the boat has only moved a couple of hundred miles from where we left it.

You have to plan, but you also have to stay smart. We both agree that the most dangerous thing on a sailboat is a schedule.
 
Jul 19, 2015
154
Beneteau 343 BVI
Congratulations we are planning to start in a couple of weeks. We still need to sell some stuff and put the house up for rent. We are targeting April 1st then we will be heading south. Maybe we will see you. The only plan we have is to hopefully be in Grenada for hurricane season.
 
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Likes: Will Gilmore
May 12, 2004
1,502
Hunter Cherubini 30 New Port Richey
Bon Voyage. I'm jealous. You should have a nice ride to CH right now.
 
Nov 26, 2008
1,966
Endeavour 42 Cruisin
Have fun! We've been out 6 years. East winds in the spring make easting up hawk channel sporty. Can you go inside?
 
Oct 29, 2016
1,915
Hunter 41 DS Port Huron
What wonderful news, may you sail on fair winds and following seas. It certainly sounds as if you have put enough planning and thought into this day, be safe and write often.
 
Oct 19, 2017
7,732
O'Day 19 Littleton, NH
Congratulations! :clap:

I am SO looking forward to sailing this trip with you via SBO.

If you haven't been to Dry Tortugas, go. The fort is cool. As a kid, I swam in the moat around the whole fort. The water is crystal. The marine park is spectacular. The halls are haunted by the old warden's wife's cat. And we always caught mackerel on the way there.

I don't need to wish you a good time, I know you'll have the best you've ever had.

Favorable winds to you.

- Will (Dragonfly)
 

SFS

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Aug 18, 2015
2,065
Currently Boatless Okinawa
What's the quote? "Cruising is just working on your boat in exotic locations". Apparently it's true. Our Hood roller furler (Seafurl 810LD) has given up the ghost. Various parts have dropped out the bottom of the drive assembly, and I have little Torlon balls from the bearings rolling around on the foredeck. Will diagnose further tomorrow. Anyone know if parts are still available. My guess is that this one is original to the boat (1983).
 
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Jul 7, 2004
8,402
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
What's the quote? "Cruising is just working on your boat in exotic locations". Apparently it's true. The Hood roller furler (Seafurl 810LD) has given up the ghost. Various parts have dropped out the bottom of the drive assembly, and I have little Torlon balls from the bearings rolling around on the foredeck. Will diagnose further tomorrow. Anyone know if parts are still available. My guess is that this one is original to the boat (1983).
Call Pompanette if you want to rebuild your Hood 810. I just got my new centering clamp today. It too dropped out of the bottom of the tube. Maybe you'll want to replace it with a new furler.
 

SFS

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Aug 18, 2015
2,065
Currently Boatless Okinawa
Will call Pompanette on Monday. I'm in Punta Gorda (@seadaddler - Hi Nick!), anchored off town. Could have parts shipped here.

@Justin_NSA - How tricky are they to rebuild? Will you have to take the tack end of the headstay off to put the clamp on? If so, what will you use as a temporary stay?

I've clearly lost more than just the centering clamp, with bearings lyiing about.
 
Jul 7, 2004
8,402
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
Will call Pompanette on Monday. I'm in Punta Gorda (@seadaddler - Hi Nick!), anchored off town. Could have parts shipped here.

@Justin_NSA - How tricky are they to rebuild? Will you have to take the tack end of the headstay off to put the clamp on? If so, what will you use as a temporary stay?

I've clearly lost more than just the centering clamp, with bearings lyiing about.
I wish I could help. I have never worked on mine before. All I know is Pompanette says I don't have to drop my mast to replace the clamp. You may not be so lucky. There are people here that have rebuilt theirs. Hopefully someone will help. You should start a specific thread on it so they see it. Best of luck to you !!
 
Jul 7, 2004
8,402
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
I wish I could help. I have never worked on mine before. All I know is Pompanette says I don't have to drop my mast to replace the clamp. You may not be so lucky. There are people here that have rebuilt theirs. Hopefully someone will help. You should start a specific thread on it so they see it. Best of luck to you !!
Just had my coffee and reread your question. Pompanette said I could loosen my furler and raise it a little. You may have to use a temp stay if you want to chance it. I know members have rebuilt them. I have seen the pics.