Our 2017 Blog...

Nanny Cay, June 12th, 2017 (Monday): Pleasant taxi ride to the airport. 3 Flights, 2 layovers (a long one in San Juan) and 16 hours later, we arrived in New Bern; Dick drove home. (Thanks to Kim and Larry for dropping our car at the airport! And Thanks to Barry for caring for the hounds while we were gone!) Tomorrow, we pick up Dot and Dash at Dove Landing kennel. We will be happy to see them and we're sure the feeling will be mutual! A final word... Next year we will spend considerably longer in the islands (4-5 months), so we will blog once a WEEK, versus once a day.

Nanny Cay, June 11th, 2017 (Sunday): Last Day on the Way Out until January 2018. Crew stripped the master berth, and did all remaining laundry (towels, clothes worn the prior day) while having lunch; Crew is sad to be prepping to leave the Way Out. All food was taken off the boat and given away or stowed with VsV in large bins. Jackie cleaned the galley and the master head and vacuumed rugs, etc. At about 3:00, Jackie and Dick met Jules to discuss final open tasks and to understand what VsV will do to prep the boat for dry dock and to splash her in late December.

One final passthru with Jules, and we grabbed our ONE bag for traveling and went to check in at the marina hotel. Jules had made the reservation for us, but they had no reservation. (???) Jules had shown them our contact info from his phone, but somehow they had us down as "Wam" instead of "Lam". Having cleared that up, the receptionist gave us our key (Room 111) and we ordered a taxi for the next morning's trip to the Beef Island airport (EARLY, 5:00 a.m. pickup); the taxi driver we had planned to use hadn't responded to our texts or calls, so we wanted to ensure we had a ride. When we arrived at our room, Jackie heard loud Caribbean music coming from the room. She tried to use the key to enter, but the door was latched from the inside. A woman's voice said "Just a minute; we're getting dressed." Huh?!? Jackie told Dick that she didn't want (ahem) a just-used bed, so back to reception. THEY were confused as well and walked us back to the room. A young man rolling a suitcase came out just after the receptionist knocked, followed by a young woman. The young woman insisted that they had late checkout (it was 5:00 p.m. at this point!?!). Back to reception, to get a new room. As we headed to the new room (114), another woman came out of her room (113) and "had words" with the receptionist, indicating that she was the mother of the young woman in 111 and they ALL had late checkout. Kinda funny!

We dropped our bags in the room and headed to the beach and pool for one last swim. Jules and Francois arrived shortly afterwards and Jules bought us a pizza, and rum drink (Thank you, Jules!) and Francois bought us a 2nd rum drink (Thank you, Francois); good people to know! ;) We also met Trevor (the VsV boat detailer, who loves doing karaoke and singing Country music songs, e.g. Kenny Chesney, whom he met at one point while cleaning a yacht) and Will (Horizon Yachts, a VsV competitor who had only good things to say about Jules) and we shared our hotel story with them all. We all laughed; Jules found it very amusing, laughing and shaking his head. Francois also informed Dick and Jackie that he captains the boat of one of Jacques Cousteau's former crew members. Cool! We hope to meet him next year. Jackie and Dick headed back to their room at about 10:00 and crashed.

Nanny Cay, June 10th, 2017 (Saturday): Crew worked to prepare the boat for dry dock. Dick prepped the dinghy, flushing the outboard with fresh water and emptying the gas tank. He pickled the water maker, after searching out a 5 gallon pail, and also started putting clothing, life vests, linens, etc. in vacuum bags. He closed sea cocks, stowed electronics, cleaned raw water filters, etc. Finally, he fitted the hatch covers on all the hatches, reducing the air conditioner load. In the interim, Jackie dropped off and picked up the accumulated dirty laundry, started prepping the galley (stowing things that can stay on the boat and putting the rest in bags/bins to give away or store with VsV). She also prepped a farewell dinner for Dick and Jules and Francois. The menu included "wine pairings":

• Starters (with Prosecco): Smoked Salmon Dip on Water Crackers, Cheese with Apple, Nuts
• Salad (with a white Cotes du Rhone)
• Pasta: Lobster Ravioli w/Lemon Sauce
• Main (with 2 Alexander Valley Cabernets): Grilled Herbed Lamp Chops, Red Potatoes with Butter, Carrots & Broccoli, Hot Whole Grain Baguette
• Dessert: Apple Blossoms with Creme Fraiche

After cleanup, the crew fell into their berths, a tad inebriated, but well fed too! There were no complaints. :)

Norman Island Bight and the Caves, June 8th, 2017 (Thursday): Excellent sail upwind, short tacking through the Thatch Island Cut, sailing past St. John to the Caves. The snorkeling at the Caves was excellent as well, with much better photos, thanks to a lens cleaning just prior to getting in the water (another lesson learned). Saw TONS of beautiful fish, up close and personal. Dick got to do his Lloyd Bridges (Sea Hunt) and Jacques Cousteau moves. Then headed to pick up a mooring in the Bight. Went to dinner at the Pirates Bight Beach Club on shore. Excellent food and what a view!

A few words about mooring... We've gotten pretty good at it, given practice, hand signals and a clear process, making it LOOK easy. This is what it actually entails (Warning... A LONG post):

Picking up a Mooring:

For prep, Dick takes gloves and the boat hook up to the bow. Jackie has the helm, with the engine running and the bowthruster ready.

At the bow, Dick pulls the Way Out mooring bridle up tight and cleats it on the starboard side. The center of the bridle (with the carabiner) is temporarily attached to the bow pulpit. Dick then passes the port side of the bridle in front of the bow and cleats it off (loosely) on the port side.

Dick indicates via the boat hook where the mooring ball is, trying to keep it just starboard of the bow.

Jackie uses the engine (mostly idle forward) and the bow thruster to creep up on the mooring ball.

Dick calls out when the mooring ball is 10 feet off the bow.

When the mooring pennant is within reach of the boat hook, Dick puts up his right hand as a fist to indicate to Jackie to stop.

Dick uses the boat hook to pull up the mooring pennant, hooks the large carabiner of the Way Out mooring bridle, and drops the mooring pennant and attached bridle back into the water, then pulls the port side of the bridle up and tightens it.

Finally, Dick signals a "cut throat" to indicate that Jackie should kill the engine and raise the bow thruster. We are moored!

Dropping the Mooring:

Jackie starts the engine (in neutral) and the bowthruster and loosens the wheels.

Dick again takes the gloves to the bow. He then releases the port side of the Way Out mooring bridle and passes it to the starboard side of the bow.

Dick points at the mooring ball to indicate where Jackie should move the boat to slacken the mooring line.

When the line is slack enough, Dick pulls up the bridle and releases the carabiner, throwing the mooring pennant off the bow.

Jackie then reverses and uses the bow thruster to leave the mooring ball.

Dick sets the bridle up for the next mooring ball.

That's it. Easy, right? ;)

White Bay, Jost von Dyke, June 7th, 2017 (Wednesday): Couldn't resist staying one more day! This mooring is delightful. After breakfast and some reading, we took the dinghy most of the way over to the Soggy Dollar.

Dick adhered the dinghy to a small tree limb, and as we walked toward the bar, Jackie insisted that she had to go in the water and "swim up to the Soggy Dollar", or she didn't earn her drink! (Excuse the staged photo!)

Dick procured his Soggy Dollar hat and will proudly wear it at home. Dick got a Carib beer and Jackie got a LadyKiller (a painkiller on steroids!!) and they grabbed two beach chairs and sat watching the people and listening to the entertainer. He sang some BLUES! It was awesome! Then he sang Hotel California and Dick was ready to leave ("most overplayed song in music history"). Lots of Dancing on the Beach! Back to the dinghy and back to the boat. More napping and reading (we are well-rested and well read at this point!).

Dinner was a "Dick and Jackie dinner" (a red wine, two cheeses, a garlic cheese spread, grapes, red pear, baguette and crackers) while the sun set.

At this point, we remembered the blue lights that our neighbors Jennifer, Joe, and Joey, had and decided to create a poor man's version. Using two solar-powered small inflatable lights we had gotten at Fawcett's in Annapolis, on the blue color setting, we weighted them down in the water using the dinghy line and anchor. Only very small fish arrived to check it out (no big tarpon); they were rewarded with some cracker crumbs. :) Back below for another episode of Longmire, then off to our berth!

White Bay, Jost von Dyke, June 6th, 2017 (Tuesday): We headed to D Best Cup for breakfast again. We were early, but had the company of a few of their resident chickens. Dick fed them, and they stuck with us for most of breakfast. After breakfast, we headed to the boat and prepared to get underway. It now only take 45 minutes to get the dinghy ready; a 20% improvement. :)

After emptying and flushing the head systems (a mile offshore), we sailed downwind with just the jib for about an hour. Arriving at White Bay, we saw that only a few mooring balls were available, so jumped on one. After napping, reading, drinking, we struck up a brief conversation with a moored power cat; Jennifer, Joe and Joey are pros at picking up mooring balls and we complimented her on her hand signals; she joked that her signals can be very POINTED sometimes. ;) We dinghied into Ivan's Stress-free Bar on the beach to pay for the mooring. There was SOME stress when the dinghy motor sputtered and died. Dick pressed the bulb to get an extra injection of gas, while Jackie held onto a mooring ball to ensure we didn't drift out to the open ocean. It worked, and we safely arrived at the beach (all of 150 feet from the Way Out)! The white sand beach is STUNNING here. Jackie took a dip while Dick got us a rum drink. We then headed back to the boat, napped a bit more, chatted with some swimmers who complimented us on OUR mooring technique (awesome!), then broke out the leftovers. Pork, hamburger, lobster ravioli, beans, sliced peaches, applesauce, with French champagne. Ok, so it was an ECLECTIC meal; we're in the islands, mon!

About 8:00 we visited our power-cat neighbors for a quick tour of their 51 foot power cat. Nice boat! And very nice people. Joey, their 12-year-old son, is VERY smart and wants to be an entrepreneur; we have faith he will succeed! We also LOVED the waterproof bean bag chairs and their topside lounging area!! Their blue underwater lights drew dozens of tarpon! Back to our (smaller, but equally comfy) boat for more Longmire.

Sopers Hole, June 5th, 2017 (Monday): Dinghied in for breakfast at D Best Cup, which was crowded. Met a lovely couple from Wales (Jackie and John on a 56' Oyster named Stealer VI). Gave them a boat card and suggested we reconnect early next year. Jackie then did a little shopping, finding a cute gift for Kayla and a pair of capri pants. We then went to Harbour Market for a few last minute provisions for our jaunt to Jost tomorrow. Back to the boat for some much deserved R&R. This cruising is tough! Since Jackie had finished her 2nd book, The Practice House, the day before, which she enjoyed immensely, she started a new one. Dick in the interim tuned the TV antenna on the boat and was able to pick up NBC's Days of Our Lives soap opera; he was thrilled. Not. Jackie was updating the blog, so Dick mirrored his iPad on the boat TV to watch the Apple WWDC keynote. In Dick's opinion "another lackluster Apple announcement...". HomePod?!? Seriously? Clearly, the presenter was even embarrassed to say the name. The Amazon Echo and Google Home have been available for a few YEARS NOW at a MUCH lower price and have the same function!! Dick's not impressed. He's nicknamed it "Apple's homeless pod".

Jackie prepared a cold tortellini salad with French baguette and dessert was an apple tart, shared. There was a beautiful breeze blowing all night, so after watching a few episodes of Longmire, we slept well.

Back to Norman Bight, June 3rd, 2017 (Saturday): Just another day in paradise! :) We sailed from Great Harbour on Peter Island to Norman Bight, on a broad reach, "skinning the charter cat behind us". Sailed past the Indians, but no moorings were available. Darn!! Sailed past the caves, assuming no moorings there only to find out later that the red moorings are the park ones; we have a permit!! (Another lesson learned...) Looked at Privateer Bay for a mooring, but the depth looked iffy. The forward scanning sonar was indicating we would run aground if we went 1/2 boat length beyond their moorings, so we opted to go back into the Bight. Snorkeled, saw lots of different fish, including a large school of... Went back out the Bight, but then opted to stay, instead going to the northwest shore to pick up a mooring. Better protected from the winds, or so it seems. Tonight will tell. Hamburgers with Lipton onion soup mixed in and Dick's favorite, baked beans, for dinner!! (90% fat-free angus beef from Harris Teeter). I only hope we can find low-fat beef upon our return in January!

Saw another fabulous sunset and watched a crazy SUP guy being towed around the mooring field on his stand up paddle board.

Peter Island 2nd Day, June 2nd, 2017 (Friday):

Started the day early. Cloudy skies, so we opted for a large pancake breakfast, with Bourbon barrel syrup, applesauce (Dr. Lam insists on it), breakfast sausage, and French press coffee. Between naps, Dick worked on a new dinghy strategy (current score is Dinghy 3, Dick 0), and Jackie read and painted a horrific sunset (her mother was kind and told her to "keep her boldness"; the art world is NOT missing THIS Mahan as a painter). We watched several large catamarans come into the moorings and Dick suggested the "Empire outnumbers the rebellion forces" (13-5). He kept humming the Star Wars Empire Theme, driving Jackie crazy.

Chez Jacqueline took pity on Dick, as all he had for lunch was a chocolate chip cookie and a beer, so lobster ravioli with lemon butter sauce, salad, and French bread, coupled with a beautifully buttery Rodney Strong chardonnay for dinner. We will be on STRICT diets when we return stateside!! Another fabulous sunset (Jackie will thankfully leave it to nature to paint them in the future), then more of Longmire Season 2, then sleep! We hope everyone is enjoying this blog, as the adventures are nominal and the writing to make them appear noteworthy is a challenge!

Cooper Island II, May 31st 2017 (Wednesday): Had some of Winston's apple turnovers for breakfast (famous for over 50 years at the Bitter End) then off the mooring, sailing to Great Dog for snorkeling. Darn! All the mooring balls were taken! Ok, a little further to Cooper Island again. They have snorkeling there. :) Had lunch and got in the water. It felt SOOOO good! Snorkeled a bit and saw 2 large tarpons, 2 sea turtles, 2 stingrays, a blue tang, parrot fish, we believe a puffer fish, and several long silver fish (snapper?). Very cool. Not as many as likely at Great Dog, but we did see fish! No photos, as the camerawoman fell down on her job and forgot we have an UNDERWATER camera... (sigh)

Bitter End & Saba Rock, May 30th, 2017 (Tuesday): Dick checked the raw water strainers for the gender and A/C and it's a good thing. Lots of Sargassum! Next we had breakfast; Jackie spoiled Dick yet again with French toast, bourbon barrel syrup, breakfast sausages, and fresh coffee. Yes, we are eating WELL.

After Galley cleanup, the laundry! 3 small loads. Used the scrubba and the spinner and they both appear to work well... also gave us an upper arm workout. :). Headed to the beach point for a bit, watching a kite surfer going back and forth in perfect wind. After reading and napping (Dick did the napping!) we grabbed a drink and potato skins at the BEYC tiki bar, then headed to the Way Out for showers. Tarpon watching and dinner at Saba Rock. Incredibly posh place with excellent food. The tarpon come dockside every night at 5:00. They wait for the kitchen fish scraps and jump for them. Remora fish occasionally tag along on their backs to get whatever snacks the tarpon miss. The tarpons we saw were only 60-90 pounds; they can grow to 200 pounds +!! I had told Dick we would just have a lite bite at the lounge, but they seated us in the dining area, sooo.... After a fabulous dinner (shared Caesar salad, mushroom and goat cheese with toasted baguette, grilled Anegada lobster and chocolate mousse and key lime pie - Jackie grabbed 1/2 of the desserts for dessert tomorrow night), the crew set off for the boat. Longmire Season 1 finished. It's awesome! :)

Bitter End, May 29th, 2017 (Monday, Memorial Day in the USA): Dick had the only Sunday flag out to commemorate. Dick tried to dive the watermaker's thru-hull and believed he saw some kelp, but it was far enough under the hull that he couldn't dive, locate, inspect AND do any significant cleaning. Dick is lamenting not being able to scuba dive anymore (one bout of DCS is enough). Had breakfast (wakey wakey, eggs and bakey and toast). Jackie tried out the Scrubba and got Dick's white shirt (and a few unmentionables) clean -- success! Then headed in to the Bitter End to pay our mooring ball fee and inquire if a diver could check out our watermaker's thru-hull - scheduled for 4:15. Dick sent an email to the Glomex tech support team AGAIN, asking for info on how to configure; he's hoping they actually READ the email this time. :/ Jackie attempted to update the blog, but internet speed CRAWLS here... (Sigh, it IS paradise!)

Checked out the beach and relaxed for an hour or so, watching a pelican dive for lunch. He had a seagull companion who would land and stand on the pelican's back and attempt to steal the food the pelican caught. Funny to watch their antics. Headed to the BEYC Crawl Pub and split an excellent Cuban sandwich for a late lunch. Then dinghied back to the boat to read and wait for the diver. Michael of Sunchaser Divers arrived promptly, complimented us on the Way Out, and dove the thru-hull, announcing no kelp or issue (Huh!). Darn... Back to Aquadoc with that news. Took a swim (the water really IS beautiful here) and watched the MIT crowd arrive in their catamarans; Dick said that, head on, all of the catamarans reminded him of a fleet of star destroyers from the "evil empire" of Star Wars... Tikka Masala, Jasmine Rice and Na'an for dinner!

Bitter End, May 28th, 2017 (Sunday): Breakfast at Cooper Island Beach Club coffee bar, then sailed from Cooper Island to Cow's Mouth, Virgin Gorda. Given wind on the nose at that point, we motored 35 minutes into North/Gorda Sound to the Bitter End and picked up a mooring ball. Went to the bar for dinner (Conch Fritters, and Potato Skins) and drinks (Bushwackers and Lemondrop Martinis). Contacted Jules about onboard wifi and he told us to reset the router; it's been awesome for communicating with family & friends. Back to the boat, to watch a few episodes of Longmire, then passed out.

Cooper Island, May 27th, 2017 (Saturday): After a grapefruit and scones breakfast, we motored out of Norman Bight, put up the sail and beat North East. At one point a man in a fast dinghy with a camera swung up close to us, taking lots of photos - www.yachtshotsbvi.com - pretty cool!! We went to Cooper Island early afternoon, as the wind was going to be directly on our nose if we continued to the Bitter End (Virgin Gorda). Good decision, as we both wanted a break from the slogging part. Cooper Island is a BEAUTIFUL setting. We picked up a mooring ball (no drama again), inflated the starboard stern of the dinghy a bit (it had lost some air), and went for a swim/snorkel. Dick checked the hull and discovered two things: 1) A good length of black 3-strand polyester line wrapped loosely around the prop... (Argh; hopefully no damage to the prop!) and 2) There MAY be some seaweed in the water maker thru-hull (he will attempt to dislodge it tomorrow). A neighboring boat captain (Denny) visited us by dinghy and advised us to snug up our mooring bridle (which as a 30-year merchant marine, he was impressed with); the mooring balls are close to one another and neighbors were "talking" to each other the night before. :/ Reservation made for dinner at www.cooperislandbeachclub.com. Crew napped, then realized the mooring bridle had caught under the boat, so we let it go on one side, then the other. We then got pushed over by a boat neighbor in his dinghy and recaptured the mooring and SHORTENED the bridle. Lesson learned! We took showers and dinghied in for an excellent dinner (this place is pretty posh for being on an island!). Life is great on the Way Out.

Sailing & Norman Bight, May 26th, 2017 (Friday):

After working with Lincoln of Aquadoc to try to determine why the water maker isn't making as much water as it should (suspected clogged thru-hull), we headed to the fuel dock late afternoon, then sailed 45 minutes over to Norman Bight. No drama picking up the mooring ball. :) We were close to Willie T's and were amused at all the young people jumping off the 2nd deck. I believe 1-2 girls (ahem) earned their free Tshirts. Dick kept requesting the binoculars. ;)

After a LARGE rum punch, Jackie fired up the stove and made some pasta with chicken and green beans - simple, stick-to-your-ribs food. The crew hit the hay early, a good thing, as we were awakened at ~4:00 a.m. by the anchor thumping in the bowsprit. The wind was significant and the mooring bridle was occasionally riding up UNDER the anchor, then pulling away, resulting in the loud thumping we occasionally heard. After several attempts at fixes (Let the anchor out a bit? Lift the anchor up a bit?), Dick hit on fenders as a solution. Only two nominal thumps after that. But dawn was rising at that point. (Sigh)

Projects, May 25th, 2017 (Thursday):

After a quick breakfast of cereal with blackberries/blueberries, we've been working the warranty issues; we've had the additional headache that the local B&G shop needs a "Navico-certified Installation Certificate" to work on the boat and get re-imbursed. Hanse, according to Doug Brophy, has never heard of this kind of request. Hmmm.... Catch 22!?!

Jackie opted to get a pedicure today (tricky with a broken pinkie toe, but it can be done!); her feet no longer resemble leather. Veronica at Almond Tree Salon at Nanny Cay did a great job and was very careful not to further injure the toe. :) Afterwards, Jackie headed back to the boat to attempt her first painting (a copy, not very good, but it's a START; see below).

Later in the afternoon the B&G crew stopped by (Neville and Oliver, two 20-something young technicians). They got the Wind working, but now the forward scan isn't working. Ah well... Another project for Dick to manage. :)

Jackie prepared her lemon chicken, a salad, and some green beans for dinner. Pretty damn good, on a boat! After cleaning up the galley, she and Dick headed to the RiteWay here in Nanny Cay and grabbed ice cream for later. After stowing it in Jackie's freezer drawer, they headed to the onshore showers. Jackie gave Dick a haircut (he needed it), he showered, and all is right with the world again.

Watched two episodes of "Longmire" (a Sandy & Daniel recommended TV series) and had ice cream. This boating is hard work, you know.

Projects, May 24th, 2017 (Wednesday):

Now that the crew has departed, Dick gets to start working his boat projects. He loves pulling out his tools (or "toys", as Jackie affectionately refers to them)! He had some work to do in the foc'sle (aka Sail Locker) at the bow. It's "warm" here at the moment (almost Summer), so he sweated up pretty good!

Jackie made a quick breakfast (RiteWay apple turnovers and grapefruit), then cleaned up (no dishwasher, remember), then further organized her galley.

In the late afternoon, we headed to the beach/pool to relax and swim. We each got a drink, ordered a small pizza, then headed back to the boat for movie night "Manchester by the Sea". Occasional downtime is good!

Crew Departure, May 23rd, 2017 (Tuesday):

Mark and Vic headed to the airport early to catch their respective flights. We will miss them, but they really did need to get home (Mark to his business, Mariner 1, and Vic to support his wife with their grandchildren visit).

We've cleaned the boat crew quarters and head, registered items for warranty/repair, gone to Customs to get a temporary import permit, provisioned for the next 2 weeks (RiteWay in Tortola is impressive), worked with Vacances sous Voiles, the local Hanse dealer & management company, to schedule our haulout in mid-June. (Need to protect Way Out from hurricanes!)

The VsV team are efficient, hard working, and good people. Richard Lacelle and Jules Lague have been excellent to work with, and have jumped on repair issues quickly, explaining their roles clearly so that we have a good idea of what to expect when we return in January of 2018.

Jackie also dropped off the laundry early a.m.. Clean clothes at the end of the day! :)

Richard and another Hanse sailor (a retired doctor, Francois) joined us for wine and cheese later in the evening. Richard also provided us with some excellent info on good anchorages and provisioning in Tortola and St. Maarten.

IN the BVI at Nanny Cay, May 22nd, 2017 (Monday):

Our first full day at Nanny Cay. Had breakfast at the Genaker Cafe, scoped out the laundry and provisioning, then headed into Roadtown to do a little siteseeing and to go to the Customs office. (Forgot the management contract, so will need to come in again.) Crew got gifts for their kids/grandkids/wives. Had lunch at Pussers. Jackie misplaced her cellphone, but just as we'd given it up for gone, a man called to say that he had it. Phew!

Mark went up the mast to tighten the cap shrouds and to try to insert the Glomex sim card (card cutout was too small, so we now have to get the unit down and see whether we can get the sim card out - another boat project for Dick); Glomex, when working, will give us reasonable internet access on the boat while in the islands.

All showered late afternoon and headed to the tiki bar. Devon made Jackie two strong rum punches (the last one even had floated 151 on top), so she was in no pain! The crew then had dinner at the Nanny Cay beach restaurant, PegLegs. Awesome food! Mark sampled a great rum (Flor de Cana, with a cointreau-like flavor), Dick DEVOURED a lobster, Jackie enjoyed her mango BBQ ribs, and we shared an excellent rioja. Mark RAVED about his mushroom risotto. We all fell into berths and passed out.

The Passage (05/11/17-05/20/17):

So you want to know what a crossing is like? Here are a few ways of looking at one:

• Not for the faint hearted, nor those who suffer from sea sickness.
• An opportunity to realize just how HUGE the oceans really are; some nights we didn't have another ship within 50 miles of us.
• Nights are DARK; you use red flashlight headsets to move about after dark. And the stars are SOOOO bright.
• A chance to catch up on your reading.
• Dirty. Regardless of whether you feel like cleaning (you/the boat), the effort involved is tremendous, and everything takes a LONG time.
• A very SLOW way to get to a far off destination.
• Camping on a skateboard ramp while it moves erratically. Ok, now envision using the stove, the sink (water goes SIDEWAYS??), the head. And sleeping in a center berth is near impossible.
• It took us 9 solid days (think 24 hour days, not 12-16 ones) to get 1152 miles. We had a FAST boat, a very capable captain and crew, and good food, all the elements of success. :)
• See a summary of what transpired each day, and a few photos below...

BVI Passage Summary by Day (05/11/17-05/20/17):

1st Day Out (Thursday) - After trying the dinghy on the foredeck (it wouldn't fit and resulted in abysmal visibility forward, the crew hoisted the dinghy back onto the davits. This took time, so our leaving was delayed until about 11:30 a.m. We headed out Beaufort inlet and motored for about an hour, texting friends and family to tell them we were underway. As we raised the mainsail, the Starboard winch stopped working; the crew had to crawl part way into the starboard lazarette in the cockpit, but debugged the problem to find a loose wire. We are SAILING! (Later evening Jackie started feeling some mal de mer.) On our way!!!

2nd Day Out (Friday)- Saw a number of whale spouts and the boys saw 2 humpbacks, 1 that splashed its large fin. (Jackie struggled with more seasickness.) Dick lost the GoFree wifi and had to reset the power to get the IridiumGo working. This is how we send our location, and get weather updates, so it was a "phew" moment! Saw some of the bio luminescence at night; pretty cool to see the light flashes on the surface of the water - It comes from the Sargassum, from the Sargasso Sea.

3rd Day Out (Saturday) - FAST moving squall followed by a slow one with thunder and lots of rain. The water is a gorgeous cobalt blue. There is SO much of it! Mark showed us a flying fish that had gotten trapped on the deck and warned us not to pick them up, as they REALLY stink and it's near impossible to get the smell off your hands. Crew also saw Mola Mola (ocean sunfish). Some issues with the B&G instruments not sending data (for Wind) and High Voltage alarms, resulting in an email to Jonesy. Mountain House meal tonight. Mark accidentally dumped his all in the sink; oops! Jackie had spares, so all good. All of this was followed by a beautiful sunset. Crew didn't get much sleep though, as it was rocking and rolling a bit.

Squall!!

4th Day Out (Sunday) - Another flying fish hit the deck; this one was larger. Dick accidentally dropped a sparkling water in the nav station before lunch. Big oops, but thankfully there were no electronics within it. "Clean up on aisle 7!" Lasagna for dinner, followed by a small Acai berry chocolate-covered ice cream for dessert; crew isn't starving. Another beautiful sunset.

5th Day Out (Monday) - The doldrums are an actual location elsewhere on the globe, but Jackie was convinced we found them - VERY LOW wind. :/ Dick checks the weather at least 2 times per day (via the PredictWind app on his iPad (connected via GoFree WiFi through the Iridium Go satellite connection) and it has been predicting 10+ knots of wind. Mark has renamed PredictWind to "Occasionally PredictWind" given the number of times the app has been right. After a good (French toast with bacon) breakfast, Jackie was pulling a towel off the lifelines, and stepped wrong into the cockpit, snapping her left pinkie toe. Argh. Broken. Sandals on sand beaches? No. Snorkeling? No. Damn. Mark went up the mast to try to fix the wind Instruments (they haven't been reading correctly - Wind always from 180 degrees?), but the connections at the head of the mast were solid and no water had gotten in. Another email to Jonesy and potential warranty issue. (Dick rolls his eyes, but on the whole, there aren't too many). Another fabulous sunset, then movie night (Captain Ron, with popcorn)!

6th Day Out (Tuesday) - 2:55 a.m. Update from Captain Mark "At 0255 hrs, with 5 minutes left in my watch and a warm bunk awaiting, the jib started to flog. The wind was light and the seas weren't bad so I turned my headlamp on the sheet winch expecting to see that it had popped out of the tailing jaw, but was still made fast! A shine of light forward revealed a flogging clew with no sheet attached, I knew then that we had a gear failure. Scurrying forward it was easy to reconstruct the event; one of two screws that allow a becket on the self tacking jib car to be removable had fallen out and the loaded line bent the becket until the splice popped free. I furled the sail from the foredeck and lashed the furling line to a stanchion and after several minutes searching the deck I was amazed to find the errant screw sitting calmly on the leeward gunwale. Neptune had been merciful, as this was a specialty fastener. The repair took over an hour because the splice had pulled through the clew block and was too fat to re-reave without serious mechanical advantage. We had to attach a messenger (Vic was on deck at this point) and un-reave the entire sheet so the line could be rove, tail first, through the tackle, up the mast, down the mast, through the organizer & on to the cockpit clutch...in the dark on a wet, moving foredeck, hundreds of miles at sea. Did I mention I had to climb down into the foc'sle to get the Torx wrenches and thread lock, then return it all, and the gear removed to find them, somewhere in this process? Such is the glamorous life of the yacht delivery Captain. The screws were locked in with adhesive and other fasteners on board of similar design were inspected at first light. Way Out was whole again." Crew slept in, and Vic covered, finally getting some wind at about 6:00, so the motor is off! Then wind died again midafternoon... making ~4 knots. "UnpredictableWind" proposed as another name for the app. But as Dick has mentioned, on the whole PredictWind has been "spot on"!

Tacked to try to get a better run on the BVI. We need South AND East. Crew were reading, listening to audiobooks, napping, and telling stories.

Saw a waterspout in the early evening, from a good safe distance. Chicken white bean chili tonight with fresh-baked cornbread! Emails/Texts sent to family and friends with schedule revision indicating projected arrival on Saturday.

7th Day Out (Wednesday) - SLOW progress. Crew, especially Vic, has been good about marking our position 1-2 times per day on the larger North Atlantic chart that we've been using to locate the Way Out against the continental USA and other parts of the Caribbean. 3rd day of slow progress. The doldrums continue. The crew demanded a well-cooked meal for lunch...Peanut butter and Ritz crackers. Lots more reading, napping. The night watches are the rough ones (9-12, 12-3, 3-6), with occasional needs for Mark to get up for a "consultation" at the helm. Dick has the 9, Mark has the 12, Vic has the 3. Jackie has occasionally kept them company in the cockpit or given them a few hours break.

8th Day Out (Thursday) - Tease of wind in the a.m., then slow going (4 knots SOG). Mark read amusing anecdotes out of Nigel Caulder's "Cruising Handbook" to keep the tired crew engaged. After the very last of the prepared dinner hot foods (leftover lasagna, chicken chili, and cornbread), the crew discussed water, diesel, and propane supplies. If we make the BVI in the next 36 hours, we should be ok; if not, we will be rationing and eating COLD foods, and PADDLING if the wind dies again. :/ Wind picked up just after dinner. :) Hoorah!!

9th Day Out (Friday) - EXCELLENT progress last night. It was a 150-mile day! Jost Von Dyke by tomorrow afternoon!! Jackie played "One more day" from Les Miserables in the cockpit to celebrate. Jackie also made pancakes with bacon & sausage; crew loved the bourbon-barrel-aged maple syrup. :) Saw another sailboat (1st boat we had seen in 4-5 days) headed north (Americas Cup in Bermuda?). Just after dark on one of the boat's lighter lurches, Jackie slammed her injured pinkie toe into the hassock. Argh... that hurt. Crew had a long night as there was rain during Mark's watch with gusts up to 20 knots.

10th Day Out (Saturday) - We will get to Jost Van Dyke (BVI) today, hopefully checking in before they close the customs and immigration office (4:30 p.m., as per the Cruising Guide). Crew has already discussed potential dinner plans ashore. :) We still have diesel and at 6 a.m. are roughly 50 miles from Jost.

"Land, Ho"! 10:00 a.m. Vic spotted the mountains of Jost von Dyke. Dropped the mooring bridle in Great Bay at 2:29 p.m. We're here!!

Headed to Customs and Immigration to check in, then Foxy's for a drink (mango mojito much recommended)! Went back to the boat to strike the Q flag, and for a bit of cleaning (us and boat), then to Corsairs for ceviche, lobster mac & cheese and lobster pizza. Awesome!!

In the BVI

Sunday, May 21 - Just-baked chocolate chip scones, banana bread (Carmen's), pear, and coffee for breakfast. Crew worked on the dinghy a bit, then off to Sopers Hole for a drink and lunch on our way to Norman Island. Saw a loggerhead turtle enroute; covered in barnacles and swimming along. Mark and Vic did some snorkeling in the Norman Island Bight, then we headed to Nanny Cay to meet Jules from VSV. Awesome marina, it has it all! Crew thank you dinner was sharp cheddar cheese, Quantum wine, lamb chops (2" thick) with roasted potatoes, asparagus, and mint jelly. All enjoyed!

Finish was Pusser's rum cake and "Deep Water Horizon" and popcorn. Crew was happy; perfect evening!

May 9th, 2017 (Tuesday evening)

Had a SURPRISE Retirement Soiree for Dick at a local restaurant, Black Sheep Beaufort, on the waterfront in Beaufort. His brother and sister-in-law drove in from VA for the surprise. All enjoyed beer, wine, salads, and brick-oven pizza. The food was innovative, well-prepared, and delicious. The staff were well-trained, knowledgable, and friendly. (Thank you to Amber and Jeff for helping make this a great event, especially as it was just after your soft opening!)

Dick was blown away! Here's his "speech":

Thank you ONC, Carrboro, Wake Forest and VA friends for making the trek!

March 28-29th, 2017 (Tuesday, Wednesday)

After driving 7.5 hours south to get home (late Monday night), Jackie went to remove her bag from the back of the Range Rover. She was surprised to find Dick's bag there. OOOPS. After a quick call to Dick (Way Out crew still had cell service in the Chesapeake), Jackie got a few hours of sleep, got up at 4:15 a.m. Tuesday, and headed to meet them at Portsmouth, VA marina where the Way Out was to pick up the Petit Way Out (dinghy).

When Jackie arrived, the Way Out was circling to determine where the fuel dock was. The Marina wasn't answering the phone; the woman Jackie had spoken to the day before had given the wrong info; the marina they were proposing Way Out land at was miles up the creek from the Chesapeake. SO, Jackie asked Rebel Marine next door (which had a transient dock that could accommodate Way Out) if we could temporarily dock there until we had the dinghy on the davits. Dave, the marina owner, was very accommodating. They have updated docks, a clean and well-maintained clubhouse and heads. (If in the area, we recommend them.) The Lighthouse Marine employee backed the dinghy into Willoughby Bay and he and Dick motored the dinghy around the breakwater to the Way Out's location. The transom on the dinghy was pretty low in the water, given the 20 HP Tohatsu, so Jackie followed them on shore, keeping an eye on them.

The crew spent some time fastening the dinghy to the davits to ensure the dinghy didn't move/chafe under heavier seas, and decided next steps, then Dick kissed the "shore support crew" good bye and Way Out headed to the other side of the Chesapeake for fuel. They fueled up there, had lunch, and headed out Norfolk channel and offshore, JUST MISSING a hail storm!

The AIS system was RECEIVING other vessels locations, but wasn't transmitting yet, so a little extra care was taken on watches. Overall they had a safe passage, just missing a major lightening storm, and rounding Hatteras with lots of wind and 8-10 foot seas.

The crew would send Jackie location info (Lat, Long) when possible via texts (every 4 hours was the rule) and she would check their position using the NOAA online charts. Jackie wasn't getting much sleep, but finally received a text late Wednesday night saying the Way Out would be landing at Beaufort Town Docks at about 3:00 a.m. on Thursday. Much relieved, Jackie slept! :)

Day 1: We fueled up the first day, passing some young racers in the river as we motored to and from the fuel dock. Mike and Dave from Crusader Yachts then walked us through the fairly simple instructions to raise the main and pull out the self tacking jib. The winds were light at the onset, but picked up a bit after an hour. We got to reef the main (a 1st and 2nd reef), and Jackie had a blast yelling "Ready About" and "Hard Alee" every time she tacked the boat solo, much to the rest of the crew's amusement.

Day 2: The 2nd test sail Way Out performed VERY well under light wind conditions; we raised the gennaker! Getting the gennaker back into the bag was the biggest challenge sailing. Getting her into the slip (backing her in) was the other challenge. Patience, Jackie! :/

Note for the non-sailor readers: With a self-tacking jib, no one has to manually "move the sail" sheet from one side of the boat to the other. Because she is tethered to the cabin top and leads to BOTH sides, you merely use the wheel to gently turn the boat across the wind when you are ready to tack; that's IT. Cruisers LOVE this feature, as it makes it easy to single-handed sail.

March 10, 2017

In late February, Jackie took a cruise to the warm Caribbean while Dick finished up his career. :)

We've returned to Way Out after the hiatus! :) Back in Annapolis, we were pleasantly surprised to fine that Deane Ford (of Christopher Ford Yacht Canvas) has added all of the pipe, including some innovative inside-the cockpit grab rails for the bimini, giving it increased strength and stiffness, and a good hold when under heavy seas. Some of the canvas and Aqua-view glass have been added as well. Solar panels and the rest of the canvas will be finished in the next few weeks. This canvas will provide us with a great shaded area in the cockpit when we're in the islands. See the preliminary photos below.

We also met with Mid-Atlantic Marine Electronics (Mark & Jonesy). These two are an AWESOME resource, and we highly recommend them. They walked us through the chart plotter interface and all of the various pieces that provide input to the screens. They spent several hours with us, and thankfully had brought a remote screen, so we were able to do the training in the comfort of the salon, versus standing out in the cold cockpit at the helms!

Mark Lucas, Mariner 1, met us the next day to take a look at the boat, check the rigging, and get familiar with her for when he captains her offshore with us. Jackie declared that SHE is ready to go, even if the boat isn't!!

February 3, 2017 (Friday)

Boat systems walk thru with Dave van den Arend and Mike from Crusader Yachts: Bow to stern, topside then below! The systems that we looked at:

Exterior:

• Anchor locker.
• Sail locker (windlass remote, washdown hose & pump).
• Systems Panel (in the Salon, over the nav station).
• Sails (Mainsail cover removal, halyard, reef lines, lazy jacks, preventer; Jib sheet furling, halyard, heaving to, outhaul; various sheet controls for the spinnaker, genoa, topping lift).
• Boarding ladder.
• Emergency tiller and swim ladder (starboard lazarette).

Interior:

• Bow thruster with battery and switch (under the forward berth).
• Water Tank (under the forward berth).
• Air Conditioner, controller, condensate tray, and filter locations for the master cabin (under the forward berth), the salon and galley (under salon starboard seat), and aft cabins (behind the panels in the very rear of the guest cabins).
• Water lines and thru hulls for the water heater, and master cabin air conditioner sea water return, and the head, shower, and basin.
• Transducers for speed, depth, and water temperature, and for sonar, inclusive of dummy plugs.
• Master shower sump pump and strainer.
• Shared deck wash pump and forward head intake thru hull.
• The water maker fill/feed hose (to the water tank).
• Master head fittings and access panel.
• Electric macerating head instructions ("Press fill, then flush").
• Lighting controls (forward cabin, aft cabins, salon, courtesy lights) and dimming capability.
• The water maker (done separately with Peter Lund).
• Fusion stereo system (allows us to play music from our iPods, iPhones, etc.).
• The Isotherm refrigerator and it's control (inside the freezer compartment).
• Battery compartment, main switch, fuses, etc.
• Autotransformer (to change current as needed from 120-240-120, with 3 breakers), the MasterVolt battery charger/inverter and the galvanic isolator.
• Electrical panels and control.
• Keel bolts.
• Sea water supply and pump for the 3 air conditioners.
• Manual float switch and bilge pump, as well as an electric one.
• Guest head's shower sump pump, filter and strainer.
• Air conditioning ad heat operation (setting ideal temp, fan control, etc.).
• Vitrifigo freezer (12V) operation thru the batter/charger right now.
• Microwave operation (RTFM).
• Propane system: Stove and oven operations, including battery replacement for the electric start.
• Diesel tank and fule pump.

We will cover the engine, generator, and electronics at a later date, when it's warm enough to stand at the helms!! Have we mentioned that Annapolis is COLD in the winter?!?

Also got a chance to hang the W/O battle flag! Thanks to Mark and Stacey for a prominent brand that friends can use to locate us in an anchorage. Here's Dick with the flag:

January 16, 2017 (Monday)

Peter from Lunbar Marine sent more photos (we love hearing from him, btw)! Davits are ON! (See photo below.) They look AWESOME. :) Dick has now ordered the spreader bar from Kato Marine. For those who don't understand what a spreader bar is (Jackie had no idea, btw), a spreader bar is used to spread the dinghy weight to ensure vertical equity; if you have davits further apart than your dinghy attachment points, you will put more lateral force on the davits (not a good thing), so you use a spreader bar to ensure the weight is all downward from the davits. If you need a laugh, look at Wikipedia's explanation of "spreader bar" - NOT what we are ordering! :)

The sail cover, helm covers (2), and the cockpit table cover - 1st pass - have been done; they need a little bit of adjustment, so Dan will work them in the next week or so.

Also got good news from Peter: The Vitrifigo freezer drawer has been ordered! Peter has determined that it WILL fit. Jackie is over the moon about having a readily available freezer on the boat, so all is good!

January 10, 2017 (Tuesday)

Received word this past week from Peter at Lunbar Marine. They have installed the microwave (see photo below) and balanced the electrical outlets (port, starboard, galley). Jackie is much relieved about the electric outlets being balanced across the boat, and very happy to see progress in her galley!

We sent a very LARGE check for the watermaker purchase (yikes, they are expensive!) and gave the go-ahead for the Vitrifigo freezer drawer research. It appears that the drawer may stick out a bit, so Peter and company will cut out the back wall of the current fridge cabinet as well as the cabinet below to see exactly how much room they will have to install the freezer drawer.

Dick has researched every freezer on the market, and the options are slim for fitting in the space and providing the functionality desired. Jackie has threatened a small mutiny if she doesn't have a freezer onboard. How would we keep meats, fish, breads, etc. frozen? More importantly, how would we supply ice for the all important rum punches at the end of the day?? Stay tuned, as the saga continues...

Progress for the davits and other work on the boat has been slow, as the weather in Annapolis hasn't cooperated (freezing rain makes for very slick decks). We should see some developments in the next two weeks, as the weather cooperates better.

That said, the bimini and dodger pipe is in progress (no canvas yet). And the sails are ON! Woot Woot!!

Dick and Jackie plan to trek north to sail her sometime in late January, AFTER the inauguration (way too much traffic and hoopla). The plan is to then bring her south to Beaufort, NC sometime in February, assuming a good 3-day weather window. We will have the very apt support of Mark Lucas aboard. (Our sailing experience offshore is limited.)

We will work on the large forward sail locker (install a floor, shelves) while she is in Beaufort (a much shorter drive from ONC) and have a small gathering to celebrate her and Dick's retirement. More to come as the story develops! :)

December 21, 2016 (Wednesday)

s/v WAY OUT was cold when we got to the boat. :( Dave came down to check on the heat system. Concerned that we might burn something out, he opted not to run it too long. Peter later told us that it DOES take time for the system to warm up, especially in this weather. (Lesson learned) Peter's team will winterize the A/C and Heat system over the holidays to ensure no issues.

We hung a photo print Jackie had bought for Dick's B'day (it's of Oriental, North Carolina on a beautiful moonlit night, courtesy of Will Conkwright), Dick put up the TV and Apple TV (it looks VERY cool), and Jackie moved most of her galley stuff on board. Most of it will fit easily! Awesome!! (No food onboard yet, but that's what the new freezer and existing isotherm fridge will address when we are ready to sail.)

Spoke a bit more with Peter and his crew about the electric outlets and breakers. It appears that the microwave and ALL the boat outlets were originally put on the same breaker at the factory?! That's a recipe for disastrous overload, so Peter will look at better balancing our panel.

Met with Dan and he gave Jackie the bad news, and Dick the good news... A hardtop bimini will be too heavy, so we'll go with standard canvas. Dick was relieved as that wasn't in his budget!

BACK to s/v WAY OUT. We grabbed Dave (our broker, becoming our friend), headed to the boat with champagne, and christened her. Dick wrote Jackie's "speech", which pays appropriate respect to all of the Greek Gods, Jackie spoke clearly so all could hear, and Dick did an excellent job of smashing the bottle of (less expensive) champagne on the anchor. Mike Titgemyer (head broker/owner of Crusader Yachts and a very knowledgable and nice man) had given us a nice Cava Brut champagne for DRINKING, and we shared with the gang working at the boat. See the boat christening video at this link: s/v WAY OUT Christening (click on the underlined text to open the video).

One last visit tomorrow (for a few final galley storage tasks) and we're off to spend the holidays with our families.

Life is good. More adventures as they happen!

December 20, 2016 (Tuesday)

Slept in a little, grabbed breakfast and headed to the s/v WAY OUT. Today we splash her!!

Met with Mike and Dave, then headed to the boat. Shortly after, we heard a siren and the sound of a high-speed chase close by. It appears some guy went off the deep end, stabbed someone in a neighboring marina, drove off in a a van (with a flat), was chased by a local police car, abandoned the van he was driving, and ran off and hid from the police; the perpetrator was 6', 190 lbs, and a white male - HEY. That describes Dick!! Helicopters, security alerts, etc. Wild! (Found out WEDNESDAY that he hid on a boat ONE dock over from where our boat was located. Yikes!)

Back to the s/v WAY OUT... Mike Titgemeyer, and Dave, our brokers, and Dick and I met the boat at the travel lift, walked her to the water and she was re-splashed. (Note for Dick and I: The travel lift slings go between of the forward starboard ports and the aft starboard ports; perfect symmetry, right in the middle of each set.) We boarded her and took her to F-Dock, where she will reside for a few more weeks while the rest of the outfitting is done.

We moved some more of Dick's tools on board, worked with Mike and Dave to get the heat (almost) started, then got out of the way so that Peter's crew could "burp" the A/C and Heat system and complete some of their work.

Returning from our late lunch, we were thrilled to feel warmth as we boarded her! Tomorrow is Jackie's turn... Galley stuff will be brought on and organized. And the microwave is due to arrive at the boat. Progress!

Quick visit to Target to get some small storage items for our galley items (spices, etc.), then back to the hotel, dinner and some wine to warm us up!

December 19, 2016 (Monday)

Thru hull for the watermaker is installed! Thanks, Peter! Argiras and Matt work for Peter and are working on the electricity for the wash down pump, as well as the additional outlets. It's tough work in the cold, but they're working it!

In thinking a bit more about the bimini and dodger, Jackie really liked the idea of a hard top. Dick wasn't as thrilled with the potential heavier price and well... heavier TOP (not a good thing on a sailboat). We discussed briefly with Dan and he said he would look into it and build us a quote by Wednesday, if it was feasible. Stay tuned... The canvas will be beautiful, especially with "OC glass", a Strata-like clear glass that is sewable and can be used in the dodger to allow excellent visibility, but Jackie likes the extra security/longevity of a hard top.

Dick and Jackie also paid our "stuff" a brief visit at the storage unit. We had managed to forget the key AT HOME in ONC. :( Luckily we were able to borrow bolt cutters, and put on a new lock. After that visit we had organized things a bit better, and packed LOTS more tools and galley stuff into the Range Rover to bring to the boat! :)

When we got back to s/v WAY OUT, we tried out one of the hard bimini material swatches against the hull (Has to match, right), then we put together the TV bracket. Dick did, actually. Dick also figured a way to include the Apple TV which he had modified (with consulting support from Dan Reinecke). Modifying the Apple TV means that it can work with 12V, versus requiring the generator or shore power. That's pretty cool.

Speaking of cool... Yes, it's still too cold for a small space heater on our 46' boat. Thankfully...

the boat is due to launch tomorrow! Then we start moving stuff on board (mostly tools to start). AND WE WILL CHRISTEN HER!!!

December 18, 2016 (Sunday)

Arrived at Port Annapolis after a quick stop to grab breakfast at Starbucks. Climbed the ladder and had our first "meal" aboard. Coffee, and a morning bun (for Dick) and almond croissant (for Jackie).

Next we started looking at the Flat Screen TV install. Dick plans to mount it on an arm against the bulkhead in the salon.

Did some more poking around the boat. Found a small "wine cellar" (4 bottles). How awesome is that!!?? Found all 3 of the A/C units - 32000 BTUs total; we can hang meat as needed. :)

Grabbed the SIM card that has all of the manuals, and then planned our strategy for the rest of our time here in Annapolis.

It's still cold. :( After a few hours, it wears on you, so back to the hotel to warm up.

Copied all of the manuals from the SIM card to my harddrive and the external harddrive we will use on the boat.

Tomorrow it will warm up a LITTLE bit! Woot woot!

December 17, 2016 (Saturday)

Arrived at Port Annapolis early. s/v WAY OUT is still on the hard. It had rained early a.m. and there was a layer of ice covering EVERYTHING. (Several major accidents - a BAD start to the holiday season.)

Dick dragged a ladder over to the boat (her transom is HIGH up), but the ladder rungs were frozen solid. Working with our broker, Dave van den Arend of Crusader Yachts, we got an extension cord hooked up so that we could get power on the boat for a small space heater we had thankfully remembered to bring with us! Dick grabbed his heat gun, but it wasn't strong enough (would have taken HOURS, given the ice would just freeze again). Talk about FRUSTRATING!!! We had to WAIT a few hours for the ice to melt.

FINALLY got on board. Lots of cushions to move, boxes to unpack, things to install, stuff to do....

Met Peter Lund of Lunbar Marine. Nice guy, smart, immediately made points with Dick because he "speaks quality" (e.g. thru hulls done RIGHT). He will work the electrical for us (installing a wash down pump for the anchor, putting in a thru hull for the watermaker, installing the extra outlets we requested). Lots of discussion ensued about the ideal location for the watermaker. (Jackie lost some storage for dry goods, but it's worth it to be able to generate safe drinkable water on board!) Peter will also get us an estimate for purchasing and installing the Spectre Catalina 340Z watermaker itself, and purchasing, and installing (lots of cabinet rework) a REAL freezer (Vitrifigo DW70). We will meet his carpenter, Tom tomorrow about which cabinets will need to be "repurposed" for the freezer.

Did I mention it was still cold? (NC has thinned our blood!)

We had an appointment with Dan Wood, Canvas Creations, next. Lots of discussion about what we want for the bimini and dodger vs. what is possible. Boats are always tradeoffs! Dan will work an estimate and design up for us.

Now for some work on the boat... Dick decided that we should look at EVERY thru hull outside, then climb back aboard and look at all the thru hulls, systems, etc. on board. Jackie took lots of photos, but won't bore you with all of them, just a few. See the ones below of the boat as we first saw the interior. Don't worry! he will be beautiful when we're ready, and all of the piles of parts, etc. will find their proper stowage!

Next, Dick decided to start running "guide lines" for the wiring for the Predict Wind and other antenna systems connected to back of the bimini. This was not fun. :( The snake that we use for this exercise in futility is a kind of thin fishing reel with stiff metal that feeds out instead of line. You feed the stiff metal thru nooks and crannies on the boat (behind and under cabinets, walls, water pipes, other electrical wires, etc.) to run it where you want the actual electrical wire to run. You then tie the guide line (heavy "string" really) to the tip of the snaked metal, and draw the metal back (reeling it in, so to speak). The guideline comes along with the metal line and you're ready to run wire; just tie the wire you plan to run to that guide line (string) and pull it back thru. Sounds easy, right? Ha! Try it lying down with your shoulder through a small opening in the very back of the boat, reaching to your left, feeling for the (sharp) fiberglass edges of the hole where your mate is attempting to see your waving hand and move the metal snake in that general direction. Took about 30 minutes of bending in several yoga positions, sailor swearing, iPhone flashlights, etc. BUT WE DID IT. :)

At this point, we agreed that it was time to go get a drink and dinner. We headed to Galway Bay (we'd been there before thanks to a suggestion from Mark Lucas). It's an excellent Irish Pub in downtown Annapolis. We sat at the bar and sent photos of everything to friends and family. Jackie had an eggnog nut Irish coffee (it was AWESOME), Dick had an Irish whiskey to (ahem) warm himself up", and we both had some food. Went back to the hotel and FACE PLANTED we were so tired. Tomorrow is another day!

December 16, 2016 (Friday)

Loaded Dick's Range Rover with all of the family (wrapped) gifts, and lots of his boat tools. Departed Oriental late afternoon and arrived in Annapolis (LATE, almost midnight).

Dick heard from the dinghy folks of Lighthouse Marine (Portsmouth, VA), and our detailed and tricked out "Petit WAY OUT" will be waiting for us in VA on our way South. We're a tad worried that the 20HP Tohatsu motor may be oversized, but we'll see when we pick her up.

Checked into the hotel and fell asleep almost immediately, dreaming of seeing s/v WAY OUT tomorrow!

November 28, 2016 (Monday)

s/v WAY OUT is on the hard, for her outfitting. Here are a few photos of her on boat stands. Isn't she purty? :) Working on the transom name and hailing port design, davits, bimini and dodger...

November 26th, 2016 (Saturday)

We left at 7:30 a.m. to get a head start (Jackie was chomping at the bit to get there!), and to allow us time to stop by the storage unit to store a few more items.

At 12:15 we met Dave van den Arend, our yacht broker, at Port Annapolis Marina, and headed to F Dock to see our new boat, the s/v WAY OUT. She has lots of boxes, sails, cushions everywhere and we didn't get a chance to do more than scope out the 4 additional electrical outlets, do some preliminary measurements for the Vitrifigo freezer drawer and microwave that will be added, and open a few fun gifts from ONC neighbors (Thanks, Sally & Henry!)

After the walkthru, we sat down with Dave to get a rough idea of the next few weeks and what to expect (all dependent on weather and resource availability):

• Pull the mast and halyards off the boat (so the yard can work on her).
• Pull the boat out of the water and onto the hard.
• Work on the bottom (mold release, bottom paint).
• Install the lifelines, stanchions, and spreaders.
• Build the mast (inclusive of radar, etc.).
• Complete and run the electrical wiring (deck washdown, additional 4 electric receptacles, microwave, electronics).
• Step the mast and boom.
• Run the halyards and install the mainsail.
• Measure, design, and build the bimini and dodger:
  • Slide-thru hull attachment (NOT snaps).
  • Tall Dodger with Strata glass.
  • Opening in the center of the dodger, zippered sides.
  • Zip-in center between the dodger and bimini.
  • Pale gray color (TBD when we see the fabric).
  • Will need to accommodate 2 antennae, zip in solar panels (size tbd).
  • Needs to consider any sheets/lines.
  • Above all... Form, Fit and Function - "Elegant Design".
• Install a thru hull for the water maker (location tbd yet).
• Install bimini (minimum 6'2" from cockpit sole, 4 " boom clearance) & dodger.
• Put her name and hailing port (Oriental, NC) on her transom.
• (Dick will) install a floor and shelves in the sail locker (Trek?).
• (Dick will) Install the water maker.
• (Dick will) Install the 12V 32" HD TV.

November 22-23, 2016 (Tuesday-Wednesday)

The cargo ship Sampogracht arrived at about 10 p.m. in Baltimore, MD. At roughly 3:00 p.m. the next day (Wednesday, November 23rd), the Crusader Yacht crew helped offload s/v WAY OUT, commissioned her diesel engine, and motored her to Port Annapolis Marina.

SHE'S HERE!!!

Dick and Jackie will see her in person and start the bimini and dodger design and measuring this coming Saturday, November 26th. More photos to follow...

November 18, 2016 (Friday)

Sampogracht has arrived in Bermuda. It's coming, it's coming!!

Patience, Jackie, PATIENCE!!! :)

Have been working on the Provision List... With help from various sources (including Ana Maria Kruger - Thanks Ana!), I have a good first pass. It will be honed "with experience".

November 3, 2016 (Thursday)

s/v WAYOUT (aka Hanse 455 - Build #164) was loaded onto the cargo ship Sampogracht on November 3rd in Rostock, Germany. The Sampogracht will make a few stops, then arrive on the East Coast of the USA in a few weeks.

Patience, Jackie, PATIENCE!! :)

October 27, 2016 (Thursday)

Received photos! s/v WAY OUT looks GREAT!!! All options were correct, EXCEPT... all of the countertops are the CREAM Corian (a $700 upgrade, btw) but we wanted BLACK Corian in the galley, to hide cooking sins/messes and CREAM in the heads. We told our yacht broker and indicated that we did NOT want him to act on the error on Hanse's part; the schedule impact could push us into a January delivery from Germany (brrr...).

Yes, we predicted a miss, given Hanse leaves photos to the very last step. We tried to tell Doug Brophy, the Hanse North and South America sales director, and his admin, Annabella, that it would be a major customer satisfaction enhancement to provide interim status and photos, AND could save them from significant rework on the wrong side of the pond, but they just didn't seem to understand... (sigh)

Ok, so I'll have to live with the wrong Corian in the galley... The rest is PERFECT.

October 7-8, 2016 (Friday-Saturday at the Annapolis Boat Show):

Today is measuring day! We arrived early to beat the crowds and are busy crawling all over the Hanse 455 at the show (the same one as at the Essex CT show, btw).

Jackie "had a chat" with Doug Brophy, Hanse North and South America. She reiterated that we want photos ASAP, to ensure that all of the options we ordered are correct (e.g. AC installed, teak decks, galley and head counter top color, floor color - Noce Nero - and Italian Oak wood finishes. He assured Jackie that we will get photos. His admin, Annabella, assured us that Hanse does such a superb job on their builds that we have nothing to worry about. We shall see....

July 14, 2016 (Thursday)

We bid adieu to the Sais Quoi in Oriental, leaving her in the very capable care of our delivery captain. We hired Mark Lucas (Mariner 1) to bring her from Oriental to Annapolis for our trade in for the Hanse 455. Mark and his crew did an excellent job and we highly recommend him for any/all deliveries, rigging, etc. See his webpage for more info.

Mark (USCG-certified Captain), Stacey (1st mate), and Chase (Chief Swabbie) headed off to take her up the ICW (hottest part of the summer, btw), as Jackie packed up the Range Rover to bring the s/v WAY OUT galley and cabin supplies up to store in Annapolis. (Dick held down the home front.) Local storage allows for easy/quick access, given we won't be bringing the s/v WAY OUT to ONC (67' stick).

Jackie met Mark and Stacey on Sunday, July 17th for the trip back to ONC. Mark and his crew made GREAT time and Mark raved about the Sais Quoi - "What a well-equipped and fast boat!" It was nice to hear. :)

June 25, 2016 (Saturday)

We did it! Ordered our new Hanse 455 today. They project an October completion; while Jackie would LOVE it to happen in time to show the boat in Annapolis, Dick knows it likely won't make that date.

We ordered ALL of the bells and whistles. She will be a beauty. Jackie is already ordering all of the galley accoutrements, rugs, new bedding, towels, etc. Dick is starting to research water makers, arches/davits, etc.

Life is GOOD!

May 14, 2016 (Saturday):

We attended the Essex CT boat show (while visiting our great CT friends) and got the opportunity to step aboard a Hanse 455. (We had decided that the 505 was a bit TOO much boat for us, so we were looking forward to checking out the 455.)

The 455 walkthru (Thanks, Tom!) quickly convinced us that it was THE boat for us. Spacious, light-filled, she can give us all the options we could ask for (teak decks, AC, a genset, a huge cockpit, AIS, etc.); it is time to order.

We are working with Dave van den Arend at Crusader Yachts in Annapolis. Crusader Yachts is the local Hanse dealer, and Dave is awesome, especially as they are willing to take the s/v Sais Quoi (our 42cc Jeanneau) in trade.