And now the Boat

My lovely wife and I are staying at our oldest daughter’s house in Massachusetts until after Thanksgiving.

I’ve been doing a lot of on-line research for our trip to Florida. We will hook up our Oday 19 trailer sailer and head south in early December.

One of the things about hauling a boat is that you need a somewhat secure place to keep the trailer and tow vehicle. Many boat ramps do not allow overnight parking. Others limit your stay to two or three days. On-line information is not always accurate so that makes planning a bit of a pain.

One time the on-line information said the parking pass machine only took one dollar bills. Considering we planned on staying the maximum allowed time, that would have been a lot of one dollar bill.
The banks were closed so we finally got our dollars from a Publix. When we got to the boat ramp, there was a brand new credit card reader and it didn’t even take cash.

With that in mind, I’ve been doing the research, but not fully trusting it. In general I’m looking to find backup boat launches for each area I want to sail in. Of course price is always a consideration. There are advantages to having a smaller trailer sailer with us this trip. We can use boat ramps for smaller boats. The shallow draft lets us use the same boat ramps that John boats and canoes use.

California was fun, but too dry for my tastes. My lovely wife and I are looking forward to the trip to humid Florida.

-Sixbears

Gas to Electric

My Oday 19 used to have a 6 hp two stroke outboard. I wasn’t a fan. Sure it could push the boat at hull speed all day, but it was loud, stank, burned gas, and was a pain to maintain. For the last few years I’ve using a 55 lb thrust trolling motor instead of the gasoline one.

The electric motor can only move the boat along at 3 knots instead of 5.5. Still, it’s a sailboat so that’s enough for most things.

The Oday had a gas locker in the cockpit that fit a 3.5 gallon fuel tank. With the gas gone, that seemed like a perfect place for a group 27 deep discharge battery. That’s worked out just fine. While the boat only as a 30 watt solar panel, it’s been enough to keep up with normal demand.

When I had the gas outboard, the 3.5 tank was a bit small for long trips. The final straw was the night it ran dry in the middle of a 4 mile channel coming in from the Gulf of Mexico. Fortunately, a passing fishing boat towed us in the last two miles. I learned my lesson.

That’s when I came up with a plan for more fuel on the boat. I built a removable box to hold an additional 6 gallon fuel tank. The box fits in the back of the cockpit, sorta a removable lazarette. Of course, a second fuel tank is no longer needed. What is needed is more battery power and additional solar. The lazarette box is a good size for more battery storage. It’s also just about the right size to sit a solar panel right on top.

The box just received a good cleaning and will get fresh paint when it dries. Eventually I’ll have to take some photos when it’s all assembled.

-Sixbears

Free tow to Virginia?

One of my tentative plans for the fall involves sailing the Intra Coastal Waterway (ICW) from Virginia to south Florida. This trip would be solo. My lovely wife wants to sits this one out. That's fine. I could do the trip in our Oday 19. While it's a small boat, it's certainly big enough for one person. Plus, we already own it.

I won't have my tow vehicle anymore so something else will have to be done. One of my daughters has a nice truck and said she'd be willing to tow the boat down to Virginia That's really nice of her.

There's another possibility. A friend of mine was riding his ATV in the area and stopped in. Over coffee he mentioned that he's going to Virginia this fall to meet with his sister. He said his vehicle is perfectly capable of towing my boat down. That's a pretty sweet offer.

There's still the option of buying a bigger boat from somewhere in New England. The departure date would be moved up due to the longer distance. Then there's the little matter of hoping for a good weather window. The first part of the trip would involve a lot of open ocean sailing.

So the idea is that I'll be heading south on the ICE this fall in some sort of sailboat. However, a new problem just popped up. My lovely wife has been having problems with her elbow. She's afraid something might be torn and need surgery. If that happens, I'll stick around to take care of her. Imagine having to load wood in the stove with one arm in a sling. She wasn't going to ask me to stay, but is happy I offered to do so. Priorities.

-Sixbears

Possible Solo Trip?

One of the adventures on my list is sailing trip down the ICW (Intra Coastal Waterway) from Virginia to southern Florida. Almost did it last year as we nearly bought a boat in Massachusetts. At the last minute I backed out. It was just as well as I would have run into the hurricane somewhere along the way.

My lovely wife isn't too keen on that particular trip. However, she doesn't mind if I did it on my own. To avoid most of the bad weather, the trip should be started no later than the month of October. A solo trip changes the logistics quite a bit. The first thing is that I could do the trip in our Oday 19. It's a small boat, but with just one person in it, it's big enough. The boat would not need a lot of upgrades for a solo adventure. In fact, the vast majority of the work needed for the trip is stuff we plan on doing anyway.

Some people claim the ICW can't be sailed, only motored. There are those who've done the whole trip without an engine, so it can be done. The Oday can sail with the smallest puff of wind, so it should be up to the task. Currently, it only has an electric trolling motor for an auxiliary engine. The motor can move the boat at about 3 knots, which is good enough. I would add more battery storage and a larger solar panel.

There's a number of ways the trip could work. One way is to have someone come with me as I tow the boat to Virginia. Then my driver can take the van and trailer back to New Hampshire while I sail south. At the end of my journey I'd find a safe place to anchor, moor or dock the boat. I'd fly home for the holidays. Afterwards my lovely wife and I would drive down with the trailer. We'd spend the winter doing a mix of camping and sailing.

The thing about adventures is that I'm always thinking about the next one -even while currently on an adventure.

-Sixbears

Small Boat Solution

Reports are coming out of Florida about the situation on the water. The devastation has been extensive in the Keys. I hear something like 70% of the boats were lost down there. Even boats that survived are sitting still. There are so many wrecks and so much debris in the channels that it's not safe. Then there's the little problem of where do you go? Quite a few marinas are out of business. Even people who don't normally stay at marinas still use their fuel docks, fresh water, and pump outs.

My lovely wife and I plan on sailing the waters of Florida this year. We are taking down our Oday 19 sailboat. With the swing keel retracted, it draws only a foot of water. That will allow us to get into places where most boats cannot go. Instead of being hung up on debris or new shoals, we should be able to pass right over most of them.

In the past we've gotten by quite well without marinas. We used Google maps to find things on shore, then located anchorages that let us reach what we needed. We've anchored off shore, kayaked to town and chained our kayak to a park bench. When I needed gas I'd often just carry a gas can down to a filling station.

Since the boat is a trailer sailor, we can pick and choose where we want to launch. If a section of waterway looks too sketchy, we'll be able to trailer it to a better location.

That's great. It's a good little boat. We even bought a new mainsail for it last summer. There is one persistent problem though. The cabin isn't very large. It is big enough for both of us and the dog to stretch out and sleep comfortably. There is not much room for anything else.

A bigger boat would be nice, but my lovely wife has a different idea. Instead of having a bigger boat, she wants to have smaller crew. If we both lose some weight, there will be more room. Dang, she's got a point. It even fits our budget much better than buying a bigger boat right now.

Salad anyone?

-Sixbears

One Motor Away

My lovely wife has always said our Oday 19 is too small to make the jump from Florida to the Bahamas. Plenty of boats that size and smaller have made the trip. What she really meant was that it was too small for her.

It's not like she needs a mega yacht to feel comfortable. She was willing to make the crossing in our Ranger 23. Of course, we were going to haul it out first and really go over everything. As luck would have it, we lost the boat and never got the chance.

Then yesterday she surprised me and said that if we had a strong gas outboard on the Oday 19, she'd be willing to make the crossing. That's a huge change for her. It almost made me want to go to the marine store and pick up an outboard.

So what changed her mind? I'm just guessing here, but I've got an idea. We watch a lot of videos of people sailing the Bahamas. An old Distant Shores video featured a boat with a lift keel. I think, with the keel raised, they drew less than two feet. Now this was a full sized cruising boat, not a glorified dinghy like our Oday. However, the Oday, with keel raised, only draws about a foot of water.
She may have reached the point where having a shallow draft is more important than having a larger boat.

So why would she want a good outboard? One of the strategies for crossing the Gulf Stream involves waiting for a perfectly calm day. While there's no wind to sail with, there's no wind to churn up the waves. Northerly winds blowing against the current is especially bad. With a good motor one can just power across.

Right now the only motor on that boat is a 55lb thrust electric trolling motor. It can push the boat around at about half speed. That's fine for most things -it is a sailboat, after all. The electric motor is not a good choice for a longer passage in a strong current.

As for myself, I was thinking that next year we could get a slighter bigger lift keel boat and go to the Bahamas then. Of course, once we are down to Florida this winter, it wouldn't be that hard to pick up an outboard and scoot over to the Bahamas. It would not be the craziest thing we've ever done.

-Sixbears

Florida Memories

A few years ago we sailed our Oday 19 down the west coast of Florida. We put in at Bayport, which is about 30 miles north of Tarpon Springs. We sailed all the way down to Bahia Honda in the Keys.

This photo is of the old bridge. It was a great place to look over the ocean. At night the islands looked like a string of pearls in the ocean.

Every evening we'd gather on the beach with other boaters staying in the marina. This was a typical sunset. The crew would bring snacks and we'd drink sundowners.

This state park is on the dirty side of the hurricane. Landfall was just to the west of it. I've no idea how it looks now.

My lovely wife and I have a lot of great memories of the Florida Gulf Coast and the Keys. We'd planned on going back to a lot of the same places this winter. Maybe we will, but it just might break my heart.

Lots of friends in family still in Florida. It will be a day or two before I know how everyone makes out.

-Sixbears

Tentative Plans

My lovely wife and I brought our coffees down by lake Saturday. It's a beautiful time of the year. Had there been any wind at all we would have taken the sailboat out. Instead we sat at our picnic table and watched the wildlife. The loons stayed on the other side of the lake. A large bald eagle was perched above our heads in a tall pine tree. It got into a brief tussle with an osprey but the eagle held its ground.

It was a good time to discuss our future sailing plans. While we lost our Ranger sailboat last winter, we still have our Oday 19. Good thing, as we are not in a position to purchase a bigger boat this year. The Oday has a new mainsail and overall it's in pretty good shape. We will soon put it on its trailer so the boat will be ready when we want to go somewhere.

By where? When? We are definitely sticking around for the Christmas holiday season. All our kids will be around this year so it's going to be a special time. After that, however, our schedule is open. We might stick around all winter or we might head south to warmer weather.

One of the things we hoped to do was to sail the Intra Coastal Waterway down the eastern seaboard. Instead of doing it all at once in a bigger boat we could do it in sections with the boat we have. We could trailer the boat to the water, sail a section of it, then pick up the boat with the van and trailer.

Years ago my lovely wife and I did that in Florida. We sailed that boat 600 miles down Florida's west coast and ended up in the Florida Keys at Bahia Honda. I hiked through the park until I got to Rt 1. There I caught a bus to the Marathon airport where I rented a car. I backtracked and picked up my lovely wife and the dog. We left the boat at anchor and paddled the inflatable kayak back to the rental car. It was deflated and packed in the trunk.

Then I drove back to where the van and trailer were parked. A couple days later I drove to the park, inflated the kayak and fetched the boat. It was a hassle, but much easier than sailing the the boat another 600 miles.

One of the things I'd love to do is to go back to Lake Champlain. In Vermont. It's not all that far from where we live in New Hampshire. We could drop the boat in the lake and make our way through the canals to the Hudson River. My lovely wife grew up on the Hudson so she'd really like to go back. We could take the Hudson all the way to the sea. At some point I could either make my way back to the van or have a friend drive it down to pick us up. That would be a good spring or summer trip.

It's not the same as doing it on a larger boat but there are advantages. I can raise and lower the mast myself without special equipment. That's super handy when going through the canal system. Bigger boats hire boatyards with cranes to do the job. We always have the advantage of being able to tow the boat back home. Sure beats trying to find a good and inexpensive boatyard to store it.

If we leave in the winter we could do a southern section of the ICW. Options are open. Our plans are tentative, but by communicating with each other we are on the same page. By using our existing boat and equipment we can do our next adventures on the cheap. Eventually we'll be in a position for a larger boat, but we won't have to wait for that to have fun.

-Sixbears

Ship Shape

My boat insurance company (Boat US) wanted current pictures of the Oday 19. Since I had to take them anyway, why not share with my readers?


The original 6 hp gas motor was replaced with a 55lb thrust electric trolling motor. It moves the boat at 2.5 – 3 knots, which is fast enough. The motor doesn't get much use. For example, today it was used for about 5 minutes. The wind was from a bad angle for sailing to the beach so we just motored in the last 100 yards.

The little 30 watt solar panel has no difficulty keeping the battery charged. The old gas motor could move the boat at hull speed, 5.5 knots. That was fine, but I really don't like dealing with gasoline. The gas outboard was a two stroke. That meant I had to mix oil in the gas, not my favorite thing. While the trolling motor is slower, it's quiet and clean. When I go on a long trip I'll add another battery or two plus an additional 100 watts of solar power.

I'm finally getting around to rigging up my little 12 foot homebuilt Ooze Goose for sail. The plans called for a dagger board but I didn't want to put a hole in the bottom of the hull. Instead, the boat was going to have leeboards. That idea was also scrapped. Instead I decided to put a couple of shallow bilge keels. The boat needs a few more inches of draft, but bilge keels have no moving parts. They are rugged enough to hold the boat on the hard with a full load. Simplicity won out.

Leeboards had already been roughed out. Fortunately I can use them to build the rudder so it's not much loss of time and material.

My cousin was looking for an old sail to decorate his man cave, which has a nautical theme. The old Oday sail was traded for an extra mast and sail from one of his small sailboats. The sail should power the Ooze Goose without any difficulty.

The days are long and the weather is good. It's good to be on the lake.

-Sixbears

Getting the boat ready

The clock is running on my new sail. The sail company sent me an e-mail stating that they were all set with the measurements I sent them. All I had to do was to pay half the cost of the sail upfront. That appears to be a pretty standard requirement for custom built sails. Not that they've been paid the clock is running. They said it takes about four weeks for them to finish. Full payment is due at that time.

The new registration sticker are on so the boat is legal.

Unfortunately, the battery appears to have died over the winter. Amazing how they seem to last just slightly longer than the warranty. Once that's replaced I'm going to drive the ¼ mile to the boat ramp. Nothing like having a boat at your own beach.

The lake is small enough that I'm not worried about using the old blown out sail while waiting for the new one. The trailer needs new tires and a new jack, but it'll be good enough for the short distance to the ramp.

Living up in the mountains of northern New Hampshire there's not a lot of marine supplies. It is possible to get a few odds and ends for fishing boats, but forget about sailboat supplies. I'll be joining a friend of mine who lives in Maine on a trip to Hamilton Marine in Portland Maine. It's good to go with a native guide. He knows the places with the best beer and food in the area.

Once the new sail comes in and the trailer fixed we'll trailer it all over New England. We are hoping to get back out to the “West Coast of New England,” Lake Champlain. It's a fun place to sail. Now that we have our passports we may even sail into Canada.

We aren't sure exactly what we'll do for a boat next winter, but in a pinch we'll have the good old Oday 19.

-Sixbears

Fixing the boat I have

Monday was a good day for dealing with things on the Internet and on the phone. The day started with snow which accumulated to about an inch before turning to rain. Not a good day for playing outside.

The main sail on my Oday 19 is blown out and ripped. It's like the main motor is not firing on all cylinders. It really needs to be replaced. After a lot of searching around I decided to go with Bacon Sails. They e-mailed a detailed Measurement Form.

Apparently it's not enough to know the model and year of your boat. There's a lot of variance between boats, even those that are the same model. Rather than build a sail that sorta fits, they want to build one that really fits my particular boat. Makes sense, I guess.

I wish it was simple, as now I've got a lot of measuring to do. The boat will have to be unwrapped from its winter cocoon and moved to where I can lift the mast without getting tangled up in power lines. Tuesday is supposed to be another rainy day, but the sun is supposed to come out Wednesday.

I hope to get them moving on the sail fairly soon as it takes about four weeks to build it. They want half the money up front and the other half when the sail is completed. That seems to be a common practice in the industry.

While waiting for the sails to come in I might as well do a few other projects, like a mount for the 100 watt solar panel. A new cabin hatch would be great too. The Oday has a removable cabin hatch instead of a sliding one. It's a miracle that it hasn't fallen off the boat and sank to the bottom of the ocean. It would be kinda cool to build something that gives me a few more inches of headroom too. That would certainly make the boat more comfortable.

Maybe I can get all those projects done before the sail comes in. Right now all the ice isn't even off the lake yet, so giving it another month to warm up isn't a bad thing.

-Sixbears

Another boat?

My lovely wife was put off of sailing for a bit. Surviving a shipwreck can have that effect on people. However, a week later we were on a cruise boat to the Bahamas. She saw a really nice little sailboat at the marina in Freeport that had come all the way from Texas. She could picture herself on such a boat. While sitting on the beach at the resort, we couldn't help but check out the navigational markers and channels. There's a good chance that another sailboat is in our future.

Of course, we still have our little Oday 19. We couldn't live on it for as long as we did on the Ranger 23, but we wouldn't have to. The Oday is a trailer sailor. Next winter could be a mixture of sailing and camping in our converted ambulance/camper. There is something to be said for using the stuff we already own.

I don't regret buying the Ranger. We had a couple good months of sailing. It was great for my health and mental state. After my dad passed I had to do something to clear my mind. It's too bad we lost the boat but it was good for me while it lasted.

One of things that we learned from this boat is that the Gulf side of Florida is best sailed with a shallow draft boat. Four feet of draft was too much for the way we wanted to sail. Live and learn. On the flip side, that keel was one of the reasons that boat sailed so darn well. That performance will be missed. Should we buy another boat, it will need to be both shallow draft and fast.

In the near term we will have to get our finances back under control. The last 5 months blew the heck out of our budget. It's time to build up the savings and clear a few bills. We've got to act fast before the boat buying bug hits us hard once more.

-Sixbears

Summer boat deals

I woke up early and made the mistake of checking Craigslist to see if there were any good sailboat deals out there. It's the middle of summer, just about the time whe some people get serious about selling heir old boats.

Even though I'd pretty much decided to take the Oday 19 south one more year, that doesn't keep me from looking. There are a few nice little boats for sale for low low prices. How much longer boats in sail away condition are going to sell for less than the salvage value of the lead in their keels is anybody's guess.

August is an interesting month for northern boaters. People who upgraded to bigger boats are getting around to selling their old boats. By now it's occured to some people that the summer is half over, their boat has not been in the water and it probably won't be. Who wants to register a boat for half a season? In another month people will have to think seriously about winter boat storage. When that happens the market will be flooded with boats.

Even a 22 foot boat would be a nice upgrade: cooking inside the cabin instead of out in the cockpit, sitting head room, and maybe the ability to use the potty without reorganizing the whole boat. We could even squeeze in a visitor or two for the night. It's still too small a boat to interest "serious" coastal crusiers, but since we've cruised in a 19 foot boat, it's all good.

A boat that size has a bit more room, but it's still cheap to spend the night in a marina. Of course, shoal draft is a must. For the way I sail a swing keel has more advantages than disadvantages. There's an awful lot of shallow water off the coast of Florida.

In other news my buddy and I finally got around to working on the broken spring on my homemade trailer for my little 12 foot boat. My buddy has a cutting torch that make quick work of rusty bolts and brackets. We searched through his extensive collection of trailer parts but could not find a bolt on replacement. He was willing to install some heavy duty springs, but they were way too stiff for my little boat. It would be like having a straight welded axel. So sometime later this week I'll stop in on the local spring shop and see what those guys can do for me.

Just to round out the day my lovely wife and I took our granddaughter for a sail around the lake a few times. There's more to boats than buying and fixing them.

-Sixbears

Next winter's boating plans

It's funny. My lovely wife and I can have the car packed for camping and out the door in 20 minutes. We've done it. We've also taken days to pack. The difference? Good enough and perfect. With the 20 minute pack job we forgot a few minor items and either did without or bought them along the way.

Leaving with the sailboat to head south in the winter should also be one of those 20 minute departures. It's not that unreasonable. All we have to do is keep all the boat stuff in the boat and the van packed for camping. When we do decide to depart it's just a matter of throwing some clothes and food into the van, hooking up the trailer and going.

Unfortunately the boat and van are no way ready for a 20 minute departure. In a pinch, I could get the basics done in 3 – 4 hours, but the boat wouldn't really be ready.

Right now it's fine for messing around on fresh water lakes. It's going to need some upgrades before heading to the ocean. The hull needs fresh bottom paint. It's trailer could use new tires. A couple more deep discharge batters and another solar charger would be great. However, what it really needs is a new mainsail. That's the high dollar item.

Looks like we most likely will be taking the Oday 19 south again in the winter. With that decision out of the way we can work towards getting the boat and van ready for the trip. The van shouldn't need anything major. That's a big relief.

While we were tempted to buy a bigger boat this year, it doesn't look to be in the budget. If we pace our expenditures for our existing boat it shouldn't hurt the budget too bad. Knowing our boat inside and out, surprise expenses are kept to a bare minimum. The money we are spending on rehabbing the Oday would be a good start towards buying a bigger boat, but no doubt that boat would have unexpected problems.

At the end of our long trip on it two winters ago we made a list of the things that would improve comfort on the boat. I figured it would be a good idea to write it all down while it was still fresh in our minds. Looks like that list is going to come in handy. With any luck by the end of fall we'll be ready for a 20 minute departure.

-Sixbears

Boats, boats, boats

My lovely wife ran into someone selling a sailboat and came home to tell me about it. I love that woman so much. We really are not in a position to buy a sailboat right now, but that hasn't stopped her. Should the right boat show up for the right price we'd find a way to make it work.

A little Internet research revealed they were asking way too much for the boat. The asking price was about twice what similar boats were selling for. People have no idea how badly the bottom has dropped out of the used boat market. No matter, the boat wasn't quite what we were looking for anyway.

After several days of rain we finally got a break. The little 12 footer had a foot of rainwater in the cockpit. Good thing I pulled it right onto the beach as it was much easier to bail out. The good news is that new cabin hatch works much better at keeping water out of the cabin.

Once the boat was bailed out, my lovely wife, Brownie the sailor dog and myself went for a row. A couple of loons followed the boat the whole length of the lake. Maybe it was the freshly caught rainbow trout dragging behind us on a stringer that held their attention. Our timing was excellent. We had the lake to ourselves. The guys across the lake were unable to start their big pontoon boat. A young couple were in the process of launching a big powerboat at the boat ramp as we were pulling up to our beach. We were walking up the trail to the house by the time they were kicking up wakes.

Last fall I ran out of good weather before building the sailing rig for the little boat. Ah, the joys of open air boat building. I've got most of the materials I need to finish the sailing rig. Everything is set up and ready to go -weather permitting. Hope to squeeze in that little project.

Speaking of sails, the Oday's are pretty blown out. I'd like to at least replace the mainsail. The old sails are good enough for lake sailing we have planned this summer. However, should we take the Oday south with us this coming winter we'll need something better. Right now I'm looking for a used sail in good condition, or a new one at the right price.

Then again, there is always the chance we will find our dreamboat before the snow flies again.

-Sixbears

Nicks and Dings

One good thing about building your own boat is that you know how to repair it when the time comes. My little Ooze Goose project boat got a little touch up after a hard winter's use.

There was the spot on the cabin where we broadsided a bridge near John Pennecamp State Park in Florida. Tidal currents can be tricky. The little boat picked a fair share of scuffs when the boat and trailer disconnected from the van on the highway. We had a harsh landing on a rocky lee shore on Table Rock Lake in Missouri. Just loading and unloading the boat all those times did a bit of wear and tear -to say nothing of thousands of miles bouncing along on the trailer. I should be grateful it's in as good a condition as it is.

I mixed up a batch of thickened epoxy and touched up all the rough spots. I replaced my broken belt sander so it shouldn't be too hard to smooth everything out. A bit of paint and it'll be better than new.

While I was at it I replaced the cabin hatch with one of my own design. It should do a more effective job of keeping water out of the cabin.

Weather permitting, it should back in the lake in a couple days. At the same time I'm working to get my Oday 19 ready. Progress is being made on the conversion to electric auxiliary power.

Once both boats are back in the water I'm going to finally finish up the Ooze Goose sailing rig. While I was gone for the winter a local Maker's Space has set up in town. They have some heavy duty sewing machines that should work just fine for making sails. I've got a barter deal going with them so it won't cost any money.

Building our own boat is kinda like painting a painting. When do you know it's done? At least paintings aren't normally exposed to a lot of wear and tear. Good thing I enjoy tinkering with boats.

-Sixbears

But enough of politics

Sometimes I can't help myself and descend into the pit of political commentary. I'd rather talk about boats, homesteading, self reliance, or anything else that I have some sort of actual control over.

Today it's boats.

We've been having fun with the little 12 footer I built and expect to go boating in more interesting places with it. Since my lovely wife got her discount access pass to Federal campgrounds camping is a reasonably priced activity. It doesn't help at state or private campgrounds, but we stay at enough Federal places that it takes some pressure off the budget. The little boat is great for day trips.

No regrets, but we miss the living on a sailboat lifestyle. Waking up to dolphins playing around our boat never got old. Sunsets on the water are amazing. Living on a boat allows us to travel, but still sleep in the same bed every night.

When we bought our little Oday 19 we thought it would be a good trainer boat. It's called “The Weekender” as it had a V berth and space for a cooler and porta potty. We took a boat designed for the occasional overnight and spent 10 weeks on it last year. For a number of reasons we've yet to upgrade to a bigger boat.

Price is a concern, of course. One thing we've pretty much decided is that we really don't want to let this boat go. Selling it would offset the price of a bigger boat, but that's hard to do. It doesn't help that most folks who've sold theirs express regret for doing so. It's a fun boat to sail. When it gets right down to it a sailboat is all about sailing.

After careful consideration my lovely wife and I think we could easily spend another winter living on it. Modifying our existing boat for longer trips is cheaper than buying a new one. One thing that would give us more usable room would be some sort of shelter over the cockpit. Last year I brought down a canvas tarp/fiberglass pole arrangement for use as a boom tent. It worked fine home on the lake, but we never used it all winter long. It took too long to set it up. The lesson here is that any sort of shelter arrangement has to be quick and easy to set up.

I've also been looking to replace the sails as our are pretty blown out. The outboard could be replaced or even repaired. Some new rubber on the trailer, some bottom paint, and we'd be good to go.

Frankly, it's a darn good feeling to know that freedom on the water is well within my budget.

-Sixbears

Boats and travel plans

My little 12 Ooze Goose project is moving along. It's at the filler and sanding phase. That's pretty tedious and doesn't look like much has been accomplished at the end of the day. I thought I'd be putting on the last coat of epoxy before painting. Instead it was a day of mixing little batches of thickened epoxy to touch up gaps and joints. One more sealer coat of epoxy that then it's time for paint.

If the weather holds I should give it a water test before the week is out. There sailing rig is barely started, so it'll be a matter of testing its rowing capabilities. The sail rig can be be finished inside if need be, so the project won't be so weather dependent.

My lovely wife and I are still trying to figure out what kind of boating we want to do this coming winter. All we know for sure is that we want to spend some time in Florida and some time in East Texas. The 12 foot boat would allow us to get into some really shallow areas and explore rivers and freshwater lakes. We know what our 19 foot Oday is capable of, so that's a consideration.

I've modified the Goose's plans and stretched the cabin a bit for more leg room. One of the things we are going to test is to see how my wife and I will fit in the cabin. It's going to be tight, but will it be tight cozy or tight claustrophobic? Should it would out, we'd like to take the boat back to Calidesi Island. The Florida State Park marina only charges $1/foot. Imagine staying on an island paradise for $12/night. Actually, staying on the 19 foot Oday was a bargain.

There are some interesting places we've yet to visit. Anyone else remember when a road trip required piles of guidebooks and pamphlets? Now it's all on the Internet.

Financially it's pretty much a wash which boat we'll take. The trailer for the Oday needs new tires, but so would the trailer I'm adapting for the Goose. The Oday is in pretty good shape. The sails are getting old, but would survive one more season. Just about all the parts and materials needed to finish the Goose have been paid for. No matter which boat we decide to take, I'm committed to finishing the boat project.

This year we won't leave the frozen north until after the holidays. I only hope that nasty Polar Vortex holds off until our escape.

-Sixbears

Boat Balance

Always it's the same dilemma When the weather is perfect for sailboat building, it's also perfect for sailing the boat I already have. My Oday 19 sits just off my beach, about 350 feet from where I'm working on the Ooze Goose. Decisions, decisions.

My lovely wife and I were having our morning coffee outside in our yard. As we were soaking up the sun we heard the song of the halyards. The halyards are the ropes that raise the sails. When it's windy, the halyards bang against the aluminum mast. Wind strong enough to ring the mast are strong enough for good sailing. What could we do? We answered the call.

Temperatures were in the mid 70s. The wind was strong enough to move the boat nicely, but no so strong as to demand our full attention. There were no other boats on the lake. It was just us, the loons, and the osprey.

We stopped to have a late lunch. Then it was time to work on the project boat. After a few hours I ran out of screws and glue anyway, so there was no way I could have spent all day building. It was a good stopping point as the glue needs time to set. In the morning another trip to the hardware store is in order.

With today's addition of a rowing seat the boat is almost ready for a test run. All it needs is the oarlocks installed and it could be rowed. That's real tempting, but I should finish up the rest of it before wetting the hull. Playing with it on the water now would only delay it's final completion.

My sandpaper arrived in the mail today. Maybe I'll test it after it's sanded and painted. I haven't even started the sailing rig. The boat project is at the point where there's a lot of waiting for glues to set and then I'll be waiting for paint to dry. The only thing to do then is to answer the call of the halyards.

-Sixbears

Boat changes

My boat build project finally got a bit of attention after too much neglect. I'm building an Ooze Goose in my driveway.

The inside got a good coating of epoxy to seal the wood. The outside was coated using a brush. That left a lot of drips that will need sanding later. I used a roller on the inside and I'm happy with the results. It had been years since I used a roller on a boat as my my last attempt has left a lot of air bubbles. I'm happy to say that todays results were much better. In fact, I regret not using a roller on the exterior.

While rolling the epoxy on, I had some ideas about changing the rest of the design. Instead of a centerboard piercing the hull, how about a couple lee boards on the outside? Eliminating the centerboard case will allow a bigger rowing seat. That would also translate into more cabin space.

Lee boards are not everyone's cut of tea, but would make sense for the way I want to sail. If the centerboard hits an obstacle, the boat could come to a screeching halt, possibly breaking something. The lee boards would kick up and pivot out of the way. Very useful for skinny water sailing.

So what's the downside? I'm sure it would look less elegant than Michael Storer's original design. Wandering too far off the design could get me into unforeseen trouble. Then there'd be no one to blame but myself. Still, everything considered, I'm very tempted to make the changes. No sense in building your own boat if you are afraid to customize it to fit your needs.

In a few days I'll have to pull my Oday 19 out of the lake and do some work on her. My lovely wife and I plan on heading south sometime in October, so that boat needs attention too. There's nothing major wrong with her, but I've a laundry list of little improvements.

There are only so many hours in the day, so the Goose project might get put on hold before it's completely finished. However, my goal is to at least have it set up for rowing before we head south. The sailing rig can wait until spring.

At any rate, it feels good to be working on boats again.

-Sixbears