Joe and I have now experienced the steep learning curve of cruising- including a boat search, purchase, driving across the country to move aboard, then a refit, then back on board, provisioning, outfitting and now setting off. We thought we would post advice we wish someone had given us- or advice we wish we…
Category: Cruising Lifestyle
Adding Equipment, Boat Improvements, Boat Repair, Cruising, Cruising Lifestyle, interior, Sailing, Steps to Cruising
Our Refit List 2016- Interior
Now that our Refit “To-do List” is complete, I thought I would share all the improvements made to our Taswell 43, Mahi, in less than 5 months. Because our list is so long, I have broken it down into the “exterior” of the boat and the “interior.” Yesterday, I covered the exterior modifications for Mahi.…
Random Boat Stuff
Living on a 43-foot cruising sailboat is much different than living on land. I thought I would share some of the little differences. Washing Dishes by Hand– Yes, everything must be washed by hand. Plus, you do not have a garbage disposal, so no dumping food scraps down the drain. If you plan to sail,…
Provisioning
One of the last steps you do before leaving the US on your sailboat is to provision. Provisioning means you supply your boat with food, drink or the equipment you need for the journey. In this case, we plan to be cruising on Mahi, our Taswell 43, in the Bahamas for about 5 months before…
DIY: Foaming Dish/Hand Soap
On a sailboat, where the closest store may be a long distance away, you learn to stretch your supplies. This DIY life hack is great for both on land and sea, but especially helpful for offshore sail cruising. An added bonus is this DIY will save you money, too. Supplies: Large container of Dawn* Dish…
No-See-Ums
From an earlier post here, I mentioned that there were biting midges in the marina and beaches near Sarasota, FL where we are living aboard our boat. They are commonly referred to as “no-see-ums” because they are too small to see until they actually bite you. The photo shows you the size comparison borrowed from…
The Adventure Begins Slowly
When you start your cruising journey, you picture white sandy beaches and swaying palm trees. Drinks are optional. However, if our first few days are anything to go by, we are not there yet. Quite the opposite, though we will probably look back on these early moments and laugh one day. Why is this? Let…
Traveling Coast to Coast
Packing complete, it was time to load up the U-Haul trailer and head for Florida from our home in California. Can you say, “Long drive with a 4 year old in his car seat?” Actually, Ethan did just fine, except for those moments across Wyoming, Colorado and Kansas, when he declared he needed to go…
Laundry Aboard
As we pack and prepare to move aboard, friends and family have been naturally curious about what exactly cruising will be like. How will we cook, do laundry, provision, and all the little things that are much easier to do living on land. Let’s begin with laundry. Fortunately, we start out in a marina, so…
Using a Cruising Mail Service
How do we receive our mail and packages when we are out cruising, traveling place to place? Fortunately, there are special mailing services that sailboat travelers can use to ensure you receive your mail. Joe and I signed up for St. Brendan’s Isle, a well known cruising mail service located in Florida. Specifically, we went…
SV Mahi 