To see as much of the world as we can,
Using the smallest carbon footprint we can,
Spending the least amount of money we can,
Making as many friends we can.

Team Red Cruising

  • Mast Inspection Report

    Riggers called us back today.

    (Not them in this picture, it's an old picture of me.)

    Steve at the top of the mainmast
    Steve at the top of the mainmast

    Things up there look really good to the riggers, too.

    This news is a huge relief to us. Huge. Relief.

    When I went up the mizzen, I …


  • The Sailing Season

    I think our sailing season has slipped away from us.

    We would need to haul out before June to avoid Hurricane Season.

    Because of some other travel, we have less than two months open to us.

    If all the work was completed tomorrow, we might try to get launched and …


  • Mast Inspection

    I went up the mast today.

    Steve at the top of the mainmast
    Steve at the top of the mainmast

    Things up there look really good.

    I swapped out the mast-head light. The old LXTA-S (an OGM light sold by Weems and Plath) worked; the wiring harness had failed.

    In a panic, I had purchased a replacement …


  • Dodger and Solar Power

    The last three days? Major accomplishments. All with "R".

    • Restored the Dodger
    • Repaired the Dodger
    • Rebuild the Solar Panel Wiring
    • Ran the Engine

    Dodger Restoration

    Our big mistake was leaving the dodger windows in place. Hurricane Ian's wind pummeled the windows, ripping the entire dodger structure apart.

    Three of the …


  • Initial Cleanup

    So far? The work for the first 3 days look like this:

    • Fix the flooding
    • Start cleaning
    • Make some repairs
    • Re-stow and re-arrange

    Flooding

    After she fell over, Red Ranger took on serious water. My thesis was the long piano hinge on the port-side lazarette was exposed to Hurrican Ian …


  • Travel Days

    We think we've worked out a pleasant trip down (and back) to Punta Gorda and the Save Cove Boatyard.

    It's a little weird to go by way of Savannah, Jacksonville, and Daytona to get the Gulf Coast, but, there's no real E-W road other than I-4 through Orlando.

    In Jacksonville …


  • Repair Updates -- Many Things Completed

    Many things are completed. Not everything, but, many things.

    New Paint
    New Paint

    Here's the painted hull.

    The board on the top of the starboard-side winch coaming has been replaced by the carpenter.

    The picture shows the dodger is still laying across the front of the cockpit.

    We're waiting for the canvas …


  • Repair Plan

    It's been about 6 weeks (45 days) since Hurrican Ian.

    We've been righted.

    Main Saloon
    Main Saloon

    The batteries are plugged in and the pumps have run, so there's minimal water in the bilge. The dehumidifier is standing over the galley sink, so the interior is unlikely to be mildew hell.

    We've …


  • Post-Ian Cleanup

    It almost goes without saying that hurricane damage is widespread. Repairs are sometimes difficult and expensive.

    The pictures we see from the height of the storm show wind and rain and crashing waves. Sometimes the weather channel will show palm trees bent almost double.

    Pushing a 23,000 pound boat …


  • Thank You, Scott

    CA asked if we had closed the dorade vents.

    We closed up Red Ranger back in June. It's hard to recall exactly what we did.

    I reminded CA that there's a "close up the boat after haulout" checklist. What did that say?

    The answer: Remove dorade wind-scoops and screw in …


  • Baby Steps

    We didn't learn anything new yesterday. (Not surprising, really.) We're still stuck with this:

    Safe Cove Devastation
    Safe Cove Devastation

    We were sure that the millions of people who endured Hurricane Ian would all have property and casualty claims for every insurance company on God's green Earth. We figured this would mean waiting …


  • Hurricane Ian Aftermath

    This appears to be a new chapter in our journey. (As a writer, I'm deeply aware that you don't really know until after the events spin out whether this is a chapter or an anecdote.)

    Here's our happy picture of Red Ranger in the boatyard.

    Red Renger in the Slings
    Red Renger in the Slings …

  • Hurricane Ian -- Part 2

    Yesterday, I said "For now, all we can do is worry."

    That's partially true. The pictures are pretty conclusive. We're a bit beyond vague worrying.

    Red Ranger is laying on her side. The Whitby is a robust boat. We don't think falling off the jack stands will wreck the hull …


  • Hurricane Ian -- Part 1

    Hurricane Ian devastated the Gulf Coast of Florida. Landfall was near enough to the Fort Myers area that Safe Cove yard where Red Ranger was hauled out was right in the eye of the storm.

    A lot of people suffered. Deaths. Houses wrecked. Serious injuries.

    As of today, power is …


  • Ph. IV, day 12, Boot Key Harbor, More Pix

    We're (still) moored on ball K-9 (at 24°42.250′N 081°05.550′W) in Boot Key Harbor.

    CA took this picture of me, aloft.

    Me, up the mast
    Me, up the mast

    It's real work getting up there.

    Planning the work to make sure you have the right tools is hard.

    And …


  • Ph. IV, day 12, Boot Key Harbor

    We're (still) moored on ball K-9 (at 24°42.250′N 081°05.550′W) in Boot Key Harbor.

    Beth Leonard (I think) said "Cruising is fixing your boat in exotic places."

    For the last three days I've been going aloft to work on our OGM LXTA masthead light. It …


  • Ph. IV, day 8, Boot Key/Vaca Key

    We're moored on ball K-9 (at 24°42.250′N 081°05.550′W) in Boot Key Harbor.

    Boot Key Harbor
    Boot Key Harbor

    Repairs

    I've ordered a replacement for the mast-head OGM-LXTA-S light. It's a sealed unit. Maybe Weems & Plath will repair or refurbish the old one so I can have it …


  • Ph. IV, day 6, Boot Key/Vaca Key

    Our fourth Island-hopping "day sailing". (Ugh. Again. Not actually sailing, the wind was almost on the nose, so it was a 5-hour motor.)

    Boot Key Harbor
    Boot Key Harbor

    We're moored on ball K-9 (at 24°42.250′N 081°05.550′W) in Boot Key Harbor. It's between Boot Key and Vaca …


  • Ph. III, day 45, Solutions

    Today was the day.

    1. Old engine out.
    2. New engine in.

    We don't have a car. So, this was complicated. CA prepared a minute-by-minute plan.

    09:00 Stage the old stuff on the dock

    Old Outboard
    Out with the Old

    10:00 Call for an Uber ride to a U-Haul place in Stuart …


  • Ph. III, day 36, Stuart

    Nothing much going on here.

    I've cleaned out the pile of Tohatsu/Nissan spares.

    Box of Parts
    Tohatsu/Nissan Spares and Parts

    We remain docked at the Harborage marina in Stuart. 27°12.702′N 080°15.451′W. Slip J-38.

    We placed an order about a week ago for a motor and …


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