For the many who have followed our restoration of our beloved 1970 V222 - This post is overdue. We finished S/V "Sea Gypsy" right before Labor Day last summer. That gave us a few weekends to shake down any issues before trailering her nearly eight hundred miles to the Gulf of Mexico in late October, last fall.
The trials went well - as we spent three weekends on the water at Patoka Lake, Indiana and Lake Barkley / Kentucky Lake in far Western Kentucky. We "overnighted" at least one night on each of the three trips in preparation for five days aboard later that fall. This not only gave us a chance to shake down the boat but also get a feel for how she towed.
"Sea Gypse" In tow near Kentucky Lake - September 2018
So, with the trials behind us, it was off to the Panhandle and Choctawhatchee Bay, or so we thought. With days before our trip, Hurricane Michael turns toward the Panhandle of Florida and we are forced to re-route to Perdido Bay.
So, on October 12th, 2018 on a very rainy Friday night we left Louisville Kentucky for Orange Beach Alabama and ports unknown. We had spent almost two years on her restoration and thousands of dollars on a boat that would never be worth more than three thousand at the very best. But, we were going.
"Sea Gypsy" Moored at Bear Point Marina - Orange Beach, Alabama
We pushed through the rain and drove most of the night, only stopping for a quick nap seventy miles from Orange Beach. One of the things I'm going to love about being a trailer sailor is hopping in the boat at a rest stop of some sleep.
We arrived to beautiful weather and a mild 76 degrees. A far cry from the 40 degrees and rain we left far behind in Louisville. We wasted no time raising the mast and rigging our home for the next five days.
We were fortunate enough to have her original canvas pop up for head room.
We spent the first night at Bear Point Marina after a long day of towing, raising the mast and rigging. The rollers turned out to be too much for us at Bear Point. We were literally nearly de-masted when the constant motion caused the starboard stay's turnbuckle to completely twist out in the time it took us to eat dinner. By the next day we made the decision to cross the bay to Pirates Cove, a decision we wouldn't regret or soon forget.
"Sea Gypsy" Beached at Pirates Cove - Orange Beach, Alabama
Beaching "Sea Gypsy" on a secluded beach near Pirates Cove
Above is our hatch AC System. It worked like a charm and not overly complex. Just take it out and put it in the Jeep or leave it dockside while sailing.
We spent the rest of the week dodging the sand bars, eating cheeseburgers and drinking Bushwhackers. We were incredibly grateful when the folks at Pirates Cove literally said "just use that slip over there" and never charged us a dime. We returned many afternoons from cruising with dolphins in our slip.
There where three of us for five days in the V222. Not a lot of elbow room.
Molly and me near Perdido Pass - Orange Beach, Alabama
The trials went well - as we spent three weekends on the water at Patoka Lake, Indiana and Lake Barkley / Kentucky Lake in far Western Kentucky. We "overnighted" at least one night on each of the three trips in preparation for five days aboard later that fall. This not only gave us a chance to shake down the boat but also get a feel for how she towed.
"Sea Gypse" In tow near Kentucky Lake - September 2018
So, with the trials behind us, it was off to the Panhandle and Choctawhatchee Bay, or so we thought. With days before our trip, Hurricane Michael turns toward the Panhandle of Florida and we are forced to re-route to Perdido Bay.
So, on October 12th, 2018 on a very rainy Friday night we left Louisville Kentucky for Orange Beach Alabama and ports unknown. We had spent almost two years on her restoration and thousands of dollars on a boat that would never be worth more than three thousand at the very best. But, we were going.
"Sea Gypsy" Moored at Bear Point Marina - Orange Beach, Alabama
We pushed through the rain and drove most of the night, only stopping for a quick nap seventy miles from Orange Beach. One of the things I'm going to love about being a trailer sailor is hopping in the boat at a rest stop of some sleep.
We arrived to beautiful weather and a mild 76 degrees. A far cry from the 40 degrees and rain we left far behind in Louisville. We wasted no time raising the mast and rigging our home for the next five days.
We were fortunate enough to have her original canvas pop up for head room.
We spent the first night at Bear Point Marina after a long day of towing, raising the mast and rigging. The rollers turned out to be too much for us at Bear Point. We were literally nearly de-masted when the constant motion caused the starboard stay's turnbuckle to completely twist out in the time it took us to eat dinner. By the next day we made the decision to cross the bay to Pirates Cove, a decision we wouldn't regret or soon forget.
"Sea Gypsy" Beached at Pirates Cove - Orange Beach, Alabama
Beaching "Sea Gypsy" on a secluded beach near Pirates Cove
Above is our hatch AC System. It worked like a charm and not overly complex. Just take it out and put it in the Jeep or leave it dockside while sailing.
We spent the rest of the week dodging the sand bars, eating cheeseburgers and drinking Bushwhackers. We were incredibly grateful when the folks at Pirates Cove literally said "just use that slip over there" and never charged us a dime. We returned many afternoons from cruising with dolphins in our slip.
There where three of us for five days in the V222. Not a lot of elbow room.
Molly and me near Perdido Pass - Orange Beach, Alabama
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