The Mahi crew flew home to California for a quick trip to see the grandkids and take care of some last minute business. It was good to see our home and visit for a week. We wanted to wrap some things up before heading off to the Bahamas in the New Year. It felt good…
Boat cards have been around for a long time. It is a way to stay connected with those you meet along the journey. Many boats have boat stamps, too. Because I love to design, I decided to draw up a new Mahi fish boat design for our boat cards, that could also work…
When you own a sailboat, your life and priorities change. Celebrating the holiday is much different than at home. For me, I am most thankful that Joe has finished changing out both toilets (“heads” in boat-speak) Let’s face it, replacing the boat toilet and permeated hose is the grossest job to do on a sailboat. …
Lots of funny quotes that poke fun at the fact that a sailboat is a money pit. Trust me, it is all true. You just have to plan for this reality when you decide to go cruising. Luckily, we knew this before we bought our boat. One pricey thing you need on a cruising sailboat…
Lots happening on the Barrett Boat front the last few days. First, the new boat name was placed on the vessel, along with her hailing port. I had the sign company guy apply it. Now that I have watched their process, it is not at all hard to do. Next time, I will apply it…
When you purchase a new boat, you need to decide if you want to keep the boat’s name, or change it to something new. While we liked our sailboat’s former name, Fortune Cookie, we made the decision to change it to Mahi. What tipped the scales for us was the length of the previous…
This last week was a busy one for the Mahi crew. Work with our various contractors continue- the rigger (who is replacing our rigging), sailmaker (new sails), welder (building a custom radar/VHF/GPS pole mount), canvas/awning maker (making the full enclosure and sun awnings), and upholsterer (interior upholstery). 4 year-old Ethan had a busy week with…
As part of the sailboat remodel for Mahi, I wanted to redo the interior space as well. The interior cushions and fabric were well past their prime, so it was time for a more modern look. First, let me show you what the older interior looks like now: The blue fabric is rather traditional, and…
Since our boat had standing rigging that was 23 years old, we definitely needed to replace them before we could safely set off for the Bahamas. “Standing rigging” means all the stainless steelwires, lines or rods that ensure that the mast stays in place. It also includes the forestay, backstay, and side stays (aka “shrouds). …
Last Friday, the delivery trip of Mahi from Sarasota to Ft. Lauderdale began. This is the first big sailing trip since we bought the sailboat. This first leg started out in Longboat Key, out to Sarasota Bay, ino the Gulf of Mexico, with the sailboat heading south towards the Florida Keys. Aboard for the delivery…
