Adventures in Watermaking

See that missing arm in the upper right hand corner?  That is no bueno.  This is a bad impeller.

What is that they say?  "If it's too good to be true, it is?"  Sigh.  When will I learn?

We have been using our amazing Cruise RO watermaker for about four months now and many of you have been requesting a follow up post re: do we like it?

The short answer is, we don't like it.  We LOVE it.  So lets just get that out there to clear up any confusion.  Installing our high output watermaker is one of the best decisions we made with this boat, no question about that.  Ample fresh water on a boat floating in a sea of salt is a good thing.

I had a post ready to go about the unadulterated love we have for our 30 gallon per hour watermaker (daily showers! plenty of water for dishes! washing the boat at will! rinsing gear liberally!), when - in an ironic twist of fate - we went to run it and it went on the fritz.  Something didn't sound right.  At all.  (Note: ignoring strange sounds on a boat, particularly strange noises with pumps and engines, is not wise).  Scott immediately shut the system down and got to trouble-shooting.  Within ten minutes he had removed and dissected our Jabsco "boost" pump and found the culprit: a damaged shaft seal and a corroded motor, as well as a broken impeller.  This was Jabsco issue and, luckily, it was under warranty.

We called Rich from Cruise RO.  It's not always you get to talk directly to the CEO of a company - on a Sunday of a holiday weekend no less - and, as usual, he answered his phone immediately.  Our part was under warranty and he assured us he'd be shipping us a new one first thing on Tuesday morning (Monday being a holiday). While we're not exactly going anywhere fast at the moment, I braced myself for what was sure to be a long wait, full of customs hiccups, shipping gliches and red tape.  After all, isn't the bane of every cruiser's existence waiting for parts to arrive in exotic locations?

Through the magic of online tracking, we saw that the pump was indeed shipped Tuesday, arrived in Puerto Rico Wednesday, Tortola on Thursday, and the marina where we waited on Friday.  Incredible!  And we didn't pay a cent for this!  I was so happy I did a little jig, I even took to our Facebook Page to gloat.  I mean, shipping boat parts to foreign places never goes that smoothly! Never, ever!!

Sigh.  No it doesn't.

Scott got to work on the installation and, after about an hour of contortionist work in our watermaker locker to re-install the pump, he came up on deck with a very sweaty, very forlorn face. "Um...I was just about to finalize the installation and I happened to read the fine print on the pump.  It's a 24 volt pump".

(Insert loud sound of record scratching).

Our boat is a 12 volt boat.

This was a big problem and if it were me who had been working on the pump for an hour in a steaming sauna and discovered this little fact, I would have dropped a big old "F" bomb that rang through the mountaintops with fervor.

We were shipped the wrong pump.

We called Rich, and again he answered immediately.  Despite holding out hope that maybe just maybe we were supposed to get a 24 volt pump, he admitted the mistake and apologized.  As often as I'd like to think he is an incredible customer service robot who permanently has a phone attached to his ear, he is actually human.  We could have a new pump in four to five days, he promised, they would un-do this mistake.

But we didn't have four or five days.  We need to move on and our weather window is looking like it will be here on Thursday.  Waiting would be too risky.  So Scott took matters into his own hands and started calling around the island to see if we could source the pump ourselves (a frustrating process in itself, mind you).  While there was not a single Jabsco Water Puppy to be found in all of the British Virgin Islands, there was one in St. Thomas, the U.S. Virgin Islands.  Scott grabbed his passport, hopped a ferry to the good ole U.S of A and five hours later brought back our puppy.  Running out to get a part when you have to go to another country can take a while.

Later that evening, after a celebratory meal and some wine, the pump was installed and our watermaker was back in action.  And what's best?  Rich and the folks at Cruise RO have decided to reimburse us completely for the pump, saying:

"In a situation like this we would typically say something like, 'we can get it to you for a cost of $150 but if you want to source it yourself to save time then we will cover what our cost would have been for us and you can cover the extra.'  That seems fair to us and most cruisers we have done that with have been happy with that compromise......BUT this whole situation was caused by us sending you the wrong pump, so this make it not a typical situation. We will send a refund check in the amount of $361.55 to the address you listed."

They say customer service is a thing of the past.  With Cruise RO Water and Power this could not be further from the truth.  This company has the best customer service I have ever experienced.  It is almost comical how good it is and I still secretly believe that Rich is actually a customer service robot with a phone permanently attached to his ear.  They go above and beyond for their customers and I can honestly say I have never been more impressed working with a company.  Can you imagine if all marine companies held the same standard (I'm talking to you electronics companies!)?  We boaters would free ourselves from a huge amount of stress and frustration and be floating around in a perpetual happy-land where questions are answered, warranties are honored and parts arrive without a hitch.

But that would be too good to be true.

Interested in our watermaker? Here are some more posts:

• Why we chose our watermaker
• The dry fit
• How we installed it
• The first test run of the system

* Full disclosure: We are sponsored by Cruise RO Water and Power.  BUT we do not get 'special treatment' - talk to anyone who has worked with this company and you will hear similar stories of them going above and beyond the call of duty.  They are really this awesome.

Cruise RO Watermaker First Run

Scott, trouble shooting and doing a little "lateral thinking"

It was over two months ago that we first fired up our Cruise RO Water and Power 30 gallon per hour watermaker.  As mentioned in earlier posts, Scott was pretty meticulous about the setup and made sure every piece of the conveniently modular unit was perfectly placed and installed correctly.  We were eager to get it up and running, but wanted to wait until we were in the pollutant-free water of the Bahamas to do it.  Once there, we were good to go.  Or were we?

Scott was so scrupulous about the start-up process that he made his own checklist from the one in the very detailed instruction manual.  We were adamant not to miss a beat and screw it up.   I sat with the manual, reading off line item by line item like a surgeon to a nurse:  "Open seawater thru hull" check..."Turn inlet water selector to seawater intake" check..."Verify the product selector seawater valve is in the to tanks position" check... and on and on we went until we were ready to go.  We'd hear all the parts working, following them closely like a Rube Goldberg Machine until the next step.  Everything was going smoothly and then right when we got to the part when water should have been coming out - the breaker tripped.

Sigh. Why does nothing on a boat go as planned?

After a few phone calls to Rich (I am serious, the customer service alone is reason to work with this company!) we decided to beef up our 15 amp breaker to a 20 amp breaker.  "Sometimes when the boost pump is brand new there's a little extra power needed to get everything running" he told us.  So we did that and started again.  Same thing.  Another phone call to Rich, more trouble shooting.  We re-wired, tried again.  Nothing.  We were stumped.  Everything was exactly as it should be, so why was this not working?

Scott, ever the engineer, traced his mind over the system and poured over the manual repeatedly when suddenly he said, "Maybe our brine water discharge has a clog?" It's amazing how many boat issues can be solved with basic troubleshooting and a little lateral thinking.  So there we were, taking apart our hoses and connectors when we found the culprit:  a hardened mess of sand, dirt, hair and god knows what else in the discharge elbow.  Scott cleaned it out and hooked everything back up.  We were back in business.  We fired up the system again (we were pros by now) and, sure enough, our watermaker worked exactly as promised.  Water came pouring out of the sample hose at an incredible rate...thirty-five gallons per hour.  Our old watermaker made five gallons per hour, we can now make that amount in about nine minutes.  It. is. awesome.

This was after the first clean out of the clog! It was bad!

Gnarly nastiness.

We celebrated with warm, fresh water showers of the back of the boat that night...and just about every night since.  Going with a high-output watermaker goes down as being one of the best decisions we made this time around.  While a watermaker is certainly not a necessity (we know a couple who happily cruise on ten gallons every two weeks), it sure makes life a lot nicer.  If there is one thing I have learned while cruising, it's that being comfortable correlates with being happy.  "Comfort" of course is relative but for us, having ample water makes a big difference.

Here's a video of our test run so you can see the flow, but the most impressive part might be Isla dancing to Paul Van Dyk at the end.  Kid's got rhythm I tell you.

MVI 3950 from Windtraveler on Vimeo.

Interested in our watermaker? Here are some more posts:

• Why we chose our watermaker
• The dry fit
• How we installed it
• Adventures in watermaking

Full disclosure:  We are sponsored by Cruise RO Water and Power. If you are curious as to why we chose this unit, read this post.

Our Dinghy: Walker Bay Odyssey Light 310 SLRX

I've mentioned a few times that we feel like we've really "kicked it up a notch" this time around.  We have a bigger boat, a super sailor baby, water toys and we're eating a lot better (as in, more than rice and beans).  These things have had a tremendous impact on the "fun" factor out here for us.  Not that we weren't having fun before, because we were.  We're just having a little more fun now...

Another upgrade we made that has had an incredible impact was a new dinghy.  When you live on a boat, your dinghy is your "car" and - most important - your lifeline to land.  While I do admire the purists who forego propulsion and row to and from shore in their rowing dinghies, we have found that a fast, powerful "car" is invaluable to us.  Having a planing dinghy has literally opened up a world of opportunity.  We are able to go to so many more places that we were never able to before; neighboring islands, far-flung snorkel spots, and spear fishing reefs to name a few.  It makes shore-side chores like grocery shopping and laundry much easier, gives us freedom to roam in almost any condition, and is a lot of fun to boot.  Not to mention that a reliable, fast dinghy could prove critical in case of emergency (God forbid).  For us, this seemingly minor addition has made a huge impact on our cruising life.

After selling our last one with Rasmus, we knew we wanted another RIB (rigid inflatable boat) and after a good deal of research, we decided on a Walker Bay Odyssey Light.  The decision was made all the easier when they decided to partner with us as sponsors.  So far, we're thrilled with our choice and set up.  If you are interested, you can view all the specs and features of our model here.

Features that we love:  

• It's light.  Weighing in at about 100 pounds, this dinghy is easy for us to bring up onto the beach and hoist on our davits. It's also less weight hanging off the back of our boat which is nice for peace of mind when in rough seas.
• It's sturdy.  We love having the fiberglass floor; it's rigid which makes it easy to get in and out of (important with a baby!) and gets up on plane in no time with all of us on the boat.
• It's roomy.  We have the 10 foot model and we can easily (and comfortably) have four adults in the boat.  Despite it's roominess, it still fits nicely on the bow of Asante for long passages which was essential to us.
• It's dry.  The bow is designed so that water is deflected away from the passengers in choppy water.  While we'll still get splashed in big seas, we're a lot more dry than we would have been in our other boat.  A dry dinghy is a great dinghy!

What we don't love:

• The seat.  So far, we're not in love with the seat that comes with the dinghy.  While the stow compartment and drink holder are great, the corners of it rub the tubing in such a way that there is a little wear underneath. We have opted to remove the seat completely to avoid any more wear and tear and inadvertent puncturing.  

Along with our dinghy, we also upgraded to a Yamaha 15 horsepower 2-stroke outboard engine which we love.  It is so nice to have the extra power and the ability get up on plane in an instant is a nice perk.  Dinghies with powerful outboards have also been known to help their mother ships in tight situations like groundings or engine failures, so we consider this set-up "added insurance" as well.

Scott and I learned the hard way how essential a reliable dinghy and outboard is for long-term cruising, so this time around we did it way we always wanted and are reaping the benefits every day.

Water Toys Make Cruising More Fun

The water of the Bahamas is unrivaled in it's beauty.  It's no wonder people who have sailed the world over continue to return.  Having nothing to compare it to in 2011 when we first passed through, we had no idea exactly how outstanding it was.  We simply assumed that all the water around all the islands in all the world was like this.  Not so.  Now that we've sailed a little further afoot and learned that not all island chains are created equal, we REALLY appreciate the Bahamas.  The people are more welcoming and friendly than almost any we've come across, sailing in the protected banks is fantastic, and there's probably an island for every day of the year.  Then, of course, there's the water. There is no place that we have been whose water even comes close to that of the Bahamas (with the exception of *maybe* the Tobago Cays in the Grenadines) and we are so happy to be back here.

What makes this water doubly better this time around (in addition to the aforementioned appreciation) is the fact that we have a pretty solid arsenal of water toys with which to enjoy this aquatic playground.  To us, it makes a difference.  A big difference.  We absolutely love our inflatable Sea Eagle kayak and our Airis inflatable stand-up paddle board (iSUP)*.  The kayak can be enjoyed alone or as a family (Isla loves it!), and the iSUP is perfect for one of us to hop on and paddle away for a little exercise and some alone time.   While the islands themselves are pretty, the Exumas are not known for their shore side attractions (most of these islands have almost no contour and are more or less uninhabited) so having as many ways as possible to enjoy the water really bumps up the fun factor.  These toys are both inflatable, which makes them easier to stow, and are simple to set up and deploy from the boat.  We have found, however, that in benign conditions we can tow the kayak, secure the dinghy to the davits and keep the paddle board on deck, which is nice so we don't have to inflate and deflate every time we use them.

We are LOVING having these toys, they are one of several things that are making our lives afloat that much more enjoyable this time around (stay tuned for a full list in the coming weeks)...And if you see us on the water come on by, we share!

Our fleet.  No, the color coordination was NOT intentional.

Exploring Norman's Cay 

A great, easy workout and fun way to get out and explore (since this photo, Scott's farmers tan has filled in nicely)

* We are sponsored by both Sea Eagle and Walker Bay (Airis) and were given generous discounts on both.

Cruise RO Watermaker: Installation

Our 30 gallon per hour high output Cruise RO watermaker is fully installed and ready to go.  We have yet to run it, however, as we have not been in clean enough water to do it (marinas, canals, dirty anchorages and the like are not good places to run water makers) but we will be very soon, and rest assured we will let you know how it works.  In the meantime, I want to share some pictures of how our dry-fit went from plan to reality.

Despite the time that it took Scott to design this set up (and it took time!), it was an easy install.  All the necessary fittings (and even a tubing cutter) were supplied as well as incredibly explicit pictorial directions that were easy to follow.  The use of Mur-loc fittings made connecting the hoses a breeze and the modular nature of the unit gave us the flexibility we needed.  The company's owner, Rich, was always immediately available to answer questions via email or phone, day or night, which was a huge bonus.  We're so happy with the way it turned out and think we not only used space efficiently, but made all the necessary components easy to reach and service.  Check it out:

Membranes are mounted on the forward side of our aft hanging locker.  Hardly notice 'em. Scott wants me to point out how the hanging bar goes right through the two of them.  Nice touch, eh?

Hoses about to be hooked up, labeled and ready to perform a little reverse osmosis!

The watermaker locker.  This is on the starboard side of our walk through and holds 95% of our watermaker components. This pic is looking outboard and forward in the locker.

...and this is the same locker, but aft.

Same locker, looking down - this is the high pressure pump.

We built a shelf to cover the motor, and we can store all the filters back there...

And there is still usable space to store other things as well!

The man with the plan

Interested in our watermaker? Here are some more posts:

• Why we chose our watermaker
• The dry fit
• The first test run of the system
• Adventures in watermaking

* Full disclosure:  we are sponsored by Cruise RO Water and Power

Solid as a Roc(na)

Our anchor is laughably huge.  It is 73 honking pounds of galvanized steel and looks positively ginormous on our bow.  This is just the way we like it.  On our 35 foot Hallberg Rassy, we had a 55 pound Delta as our primary anchor.  It, too, was huge.  People commented on it all the time, "Wow...got an oversized anchor there, huh?"  Why, yes.  Yes we do.  While there aren't too many places on a boat where "more is better", I think your ground tackle is one such place where you're doing yourself a disservice if you don't round up.  You do not want to be the dude in the anchorage with the dinky anchor.  We don't want you to be that dude with the dinky anchor.  People with dinky anchors make cruisers around them really nervous.

So why did we go with a Rocna this time?  Word. Of. Mouth*.  There's really nothing more to it other than the fact that we met many cruisers between Chicago and Trinidad who had them and nary a one had a bad thing to say about 'em.  In fact, most used the word "love" to describe their anchor and would spontaneously launch into an account of some storm in some anchorage where every boat dragged but them.  We heard story after story of Rocna's being put to the test** and passing with flying colors.  Call it the cruising version of "keeping up with the Jones'", call it covetousness, but we wanted one.  Bad.  The fact that they agreed to sponsor us made the deal that much sweeter.

When cruising, you put an insane amount of trust in your anchor***.  There might even be a time when your life depends on it.  Picture this: You are sleeping in your cabin when all of a sudden you hear the wind start howling and something feels different.  You check the GPS.  It is pitch black outside but you know there is a reef behind you now because the wind has unexpectedly shifted and repositioned your boat.  You will be fine as long as you stay put.  Your boat begins to aggressively and erratically lurch and pull at the anchor chain as the wind builds.  The rain starts.  Sheets and sheets of water turn your cabin top into a drum making it difficult to hear anything else.  You turn on the instruments and see the wind is now gusting to forty knots.  It is shrieking and whistling through the rigging and again, there is a reef behind you.  Dragging and re-setting anchor at this moment would be horrible.  Definitely boat threatening and possibly even life threatening.  You, however, are confident you won't budge because you know you set your anchor properly (you dove on it) and you trust your ground tackle (perhaps it's a Rocna?).  Despite this, you decide to do anchor watch shifts anyway because a) you are a prudent mariner and b) you can't trust the folks (the ones with the dinky anchors) around you.  A couple hours pass and by the time the sun rises, the storm has cleared and it's a beautiful day in paradise.  You have a fresh cup of coffee in the cockpit, share a chuckle with your partner about how annoying last night was and jump in the water for a snorkel.

A scenario similar to this will happen to you at some point if you go cruising.  Do you want to worry about dragging?

Dragging anchor can, at best, be a nuisance and, at worst, be catastrophic.  Part of the allure of being on the 'hook' is how peaceful, calm and relaxing it is.  And it really is most of the time.  We chose a Rocna for when it's not.   Because we like a good night's sleep every night.

* As I mentioned in an earlier post, cruisers have strong opinions about gear ESPECIALLY anchors.  We strongly urge you to do your own research when selecting an anchor for your boat.
** An independent anchor performance test compilation consistently showed Rocna to be an outstanding performer. 
*** No amount of anchor can make up for human error.  If you don't know how to anchor properly, it won't matter what size and type of anchor you have, you will most likely drag at some point, possibly often.  There is no "magic" piece of gear in sailing.  Before you rely on a piece of gear (like an anchor) make sure you trust yourself using it first.

Giddy

Every now and then I get this crazy surge of excitement about shoving off.  It usually happens when I am editing photos, checking back on our blog or responding to an email from a wannabe/soon-to-be cruiser.  The feeling bubbles up inside me and my body goes all haywire for  a couple seconds as endorphins rush through my veins and images of what our life will soon be flash before me.  I smile, I feel elated and I become positively giddy as my imagination runs wild.  I'm guessing it's the same feeling drug addicts are constantly chasing, but lucky for me no illegal substances are needed for my high.  So much cheaper...

Anyway, today's particular surge was due to an email I received from Walker Bay telling us our new dinghy will be arriving on the 7th.  This is one of the last pieces needed to complete the "puzzle" of making our boat ready to cruise.  I am so excited.  They also threw in an inflatable stand up paddle board (SUP) which I am positively ecstatic to use.  With our kayak, Scott's kite board and now this SUP, we will have no shortage of toys aboard Asante.  This is a good thing because with a baby on the boat, we plan on cruising at a much slower pace by staying a bit longer in the places we visit.

If the stars align as they should, we'll be shoving off in about a month!

Dinghy Davits

Our new davits are a thing a beauty.  Those of you who aren't really boat people might not recognize this fact, but for those of you who are: please, take a moment to appreciate the stainless steel art that is hanging off the back of our boat.  Sigh.  I am so excited how this turned out I cannot even tell you.

I first approached UMT Marine because when it comes to custom stainless steel work, they are the best.  Their expertise, however, comes at a price.  We were beyond ecstatic when they agreed to partner with us to design and create our dinghy davits.  We had considered buying pre-manufactured davits but were concerned about the look and strength of them.  Not to mention, our pushpit (back of the boat) is unique and quirky because of two bucket seats back there.  We love those seats and didn't want to compromise their comfort or functionality with davits that got in the way.  Enter UMT.

The designer and artist, Rafal!

I literally cannot sing this company enough praise.  They went above and beyond for us from the get-go.  Their sales rep, Dominik, was fantastic to work with and was always available to answer our questions or help us out.  The designer, Rafal, well...he is not only a super nice guy but a true artist.  I was a little nervous how these would turn out because they looked positively GINORMOUS in the shop, but Rafal kept assuring me that they'd look great.  I trusted him.  After all, you don't get a reputation for being the best if the proof isn't in the pudding, right?

As I wrote in a previous post, Scott and I wanted to preserve the beautiful, elegant lines of our new boat and we wanted the davits to reflect that.  We also wanted them to be strong.  Really strong.  We've pounded head first into enough heavy squalls and storms to know how powerful mother nature can be and the last thing we want to worry about at sea is if our davits are going to hold up (note: for long passages we lash our dinghy up on the bow, but shorter hops we secure it to the davits). UMT delivered exactly what we wanted.  Custom crafted from 3" stainless steel tubing, our davits are strong enough to hold approximately ten of our new dinghy and they continue the lines of our boat seamlessly.  I could not stop looking at them as they were being installed, they are things of beauty!

HUGE thank you to the team at UMT for going above and beyond the call of duty for us (they needed to buy and construct a raft for the installation because our slip doesn't allow enough room for backing in!) we are SO pleased with our new davits and can't wait to use them!

Big Work Day

When it rains it pours.  Nothing like getting some major items crossed off your to-do list less than 24 hours before you leave.  Today we've got two fiberglass workers finishing off our anchor locker and the incredible folks from UMT Marine are here installing our beautiful davits (and yes, they are beautiful!).  Meanwhile, I'm zipping around getting parts, cleaning and prepping the boat for leaving, and making arrangements to finish a few projects while we're away.  The only downside of this fabulously productive and exciting day is the fact that I am running on fumes. I went out for a girl's night last night with my lovely Lauderdale lady friends and, of course, Isla decided to wake up at 5am as opposed to her usual 7am.  Typical.

Water, Water, Everywhere...

...And LOTS AND LOTS to drink! 

One of the best decisions Scott and I made with Rasmus was to put a watermaker on board.  We loved it and loved knowing that we didn't have to schlep jerry cans back and forth from boat to shore to fill up.  We also loved knowing that we could take showers daily, use fresh water to clean and rinse our boat, and, in general, use good ole H2O a little more liberally from time to time.

Notice I said a "little" more liberally.

When we bought our new boat, we decided that we wanted to install a high-output watermaker to allow ourselves even more liberal use of water to accomodate our growing crew (Isla likes her bathtime!).  The ability to take longer showers, thoroughly rinse our boat and gear after passages, and drink as much water as we please all make cruising more like living and less like camping.  Once we decided that a high-output unit was what we wanted, I did what I do best; and hit the interweb to do some research.  I've mentioned before that a perk of having a fairly popular blog is the fact that we get lots of emails and input from followers, and more than a couple of you suggested we check out Cruise RO Water and Power.  I did some more investigation and I liked what I found.  Designed for cruisers by cruisers, Cruise RO Water and Power creates affordable, efficient, high-output watermakers to quench the saltiest of sailors!

There are so many "perks" with this company that it's hard to single one out - but to me, the biggest perk is their customer service.  They pride themselves in getting back to inquiries within hours and in today's world of telephone automation and "push one for...", having some decent customer service is a major plus.

The other perk is the fact that the units are incredibly competitively priced.   Their watermakers use no proprietary parts which not only helps keep the cost of the units down, but means you can buy parts for your watermaker at most hardware stores.

What also makes these watermakers unique is the fact that they are designed to run off a Honda generator, rather than your ship's batteries.  Because we have a genset on our new boat, we will be hooking our new SeaMaker 30 up to that.  We anticipate only having to run our generator one hour every five days.  Sure, you can run your watermaker off your batteries, but at such a high amperage draw most people have to run their engines to make water anyway, and we've decided powering our unit off the genset is the way to go.

Finally, Cruise RO (that's Reverse Osmosis if you were wondering) Water and Power backs their product by offering an industry best three year warranty and a lifetime guarantee of stainless steel parts.  That's pretty good if you ask me.

We'll keep you posted on the entire process with our new watermaker; from the dry fit to the installation, from the test run to a recap and review 2-4 months down the line.  We're looking forward to it!

Interested in our watermaker? Here are some more posts:

• The dry fit
• How we installed it
• The first test run of the system
• Adventures in watermaking

* Full disclosure:  we are sponsored by Cruise RO Water and Power

Cruising Swag: A Giveaway!

When Scott and I raced in Chicago, it was always cool to race on a boat that provided their crew with gear.  You know - shirts, hats, jackets, shorts - all with the name of the boat embroidered on them.  Average run of the mill boats don't provide crews with this sort of thing because it can get expensive, but the one-design and often professionally raced boats do.  We liked to call this gear "swag" - the term that pirates used for their booty and plunder.  There are a lot of racing sailors out there who, I am convinced, race only to add swag to their collections.  This fancy gear is like wearable bragging rights.

But I digress...

One of our blog followers runs a great site called BoatNameGear.com and wanted to know if, in return for sponsorship, we'd be interested in some clothing emblazoned with our new boat's name: Asante. Were we interested in SWAG?!?  Heck yeah we were!  His site has all sorts of cool stuff from my absolute FAVORITE type of visors (the kind with the velcro on the back, so much better than the rest in my opinion and hard to find!), to performance polos, from great sailing totes to baby onesies...there are towels, welcome mats, ships bells and lots more.

We opted for two visors, one polo and one romper for little Isla.  They arrived last week and they are great, high quality items that we will definitely use on the boat. The visors I knew I'd love (because I currently own one), and the onesie is great but the polo is fantastic.  It is moisture wicking, quick drying and made of bamboo so it's super soft and light.  It will be great for the nights aboard when we find we need to spruce up a little (those are rare, mind you, but they happen!).

If you have a boater friend, spouse or relative you might consider buying them something from Boatnamegear.com, because lets face it - racer, cruiser or pirate - a sailor loves his swag!

And now, we get to give away some swag to one lucky follower!! Whether or not you have a boat, you can enter to win* any single personalized item from Boatnamegear.com under $50 by doing the following:

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED

1. SHARE this post either on Facebook, Google+, on your own personal blog or via email (don't forget to copy and/or 'tag' us so we know you did it)
2. Comment on this post with the following:
1.  How you shared us,
2.  The piece of "swag" you'd like to swagger and
3.  Your email address (so we can contact you if you win!)

Once you do those two things, you will be entered to win!  It's that easy!  I will announce the winner on Friday morning!

Boatnamegear.com is also on Facebook.  Go on over and LIKE 'em!

The Sea Eagle Kayak

Scott and I have wanted a kayak since day one...

Why would a cruiser want a kayak you wonder?  Well, there are lots of reasons but the main reason is that sometimes, it's really nice to peacefully paddle yourself around without having to start an engine and make all that ruckus.  Not to mention, kayaks are famous for being able to get into all sorts of places (like estuaries  shallow bays, rivers...etc.) that other boats (like a dinghy) cannot.  It's also a great workout, which is always a bonus.

We'd put off the purchase of a kayak because we were concerned about space and cost.  So we waited.  Finally, one day while we were sitting at anchor and I saw a nice couple glide by our boat on their kayak with beaming smiles I thought, "That's it...we're getting one."

We've seen lots of boats with kayaks on them - but none of them really caught our eye.  They all seemed too wet, too heavy, too cumbersome, too much effort...so I hopped online and started doing some research.  There had to be something better out there.  After a little Googling, I found a site that listed the Top 5 Inflatable Kayaks and was immediately impressed by numero uno, the Sea Eagle Fast Track.

I contacted the company and voila!  We had a new sponsor and a new kayak on the way!  So how does it measure up?

In short - we LOVE it.  It has made a fantastic addition to our "fleet".  Here's why:

PROS:

• Comes in a (relatively) small package that measures about 31"x19"x8" and is easily stowed on our boat
• Easy to assemble, even on the boat (don't need to launch from a beach or dock)
• Incredibly durable (watch their demo video with the hammer!) and come with a THREE year warranty
• Can easily be converted from a tandem to a solo kayak
• Tracks very, very well thanks to a keel-type design and a small removable skeg on the stern
• So sturdy, you can Stand-Up Paddle (SUP) in it with the addition of their SUP paddle (this thing is more sturdy than our rigid dinghy!)
• Weighs only 35 pounds which is light compared to other models
• The hull material is made of 1000 Denier and completely resistant to sun and salt water
• DRY!  You butt stays nice and dry (is there anything worse than sitting in salt water?!), thanks to 2 self bailing drains and a superb design

CONS:

• We're probably going to have to watch the hardware like the metal clips for the seats and the D-rings.  We have yet to find a metal that will not cease up in salt water.  Luckily, we have plenty of Boeshield T-9 on board!
• Apparently, the kayak doesn't track as well without the fin in the back (we've never needed to use it without this, so cannot confirm).

If you are looking for a versatile, general purpose kayak for your cruising boat, I would not hesitate in recommending the Sea Eagle Fast Track Kayak (we were given the "pro" package).  We have used ours nearly every day since we got it and love it.  In addition - Sea Eagle Boats has a whole slew of other types of kayaks and boats to suit just about any need, including a LongBoard which would be ideal for Stand-Up Paddling. 

Be sure to 'like' Sea Eagle Boats on FaceBook too while you're at it!

Love,
Brittany & Scott

How to get Sponsors

Our latest toy from our friends over at Sea Eagle Kayaks!

We recently announced our newest sponsor, Sea Eagle Kayaks on our Facebook page, which brought in a slew of email inquiries as to how to go about getting sponsors.  I will write more on our latest sponsor soon (insert happy dance!!), but for now I'll focus on sponsorship and how we go about getting it...

While we are not experts on "sponsorship packages", this notion of getting "sponsors" has saved us thousands and thousands of dollars in the past year, not to mention gotten us some super cool products and services.  I must admit, when Scott first broached the subject of getting sponsors to me I laughed and thought, "yeah, whatever..." but now, anytime we want/need anything for the boat - we write a company that has that particular product or service, and ask for it.  Which brings me to my first rule:  ASK.  The worst they can do is say no!

BUT...and this is a big 'but': you must have a blog/website that gets seen.  What makes us attractive to sponsors is the fact that we get over 1,000 people visiting this blog every single day, and over 100,000 page views a month.  That's not huge in the blog world, but those numbers are not to shabby in the sailing blog world.  The fact that we are and/or have been featured in Cruising World Magazine Online, North American Sailor, Women and Cruising and a whole slew of other online sailing publications doesn't hurt either.  In addition, lots of potential sponsors like the fact that we have about 4,500 targeted "fans" on our very interactive Facebook Page, which is also pretty impressive for a personal blog (if you have lots of fans but no interaction, these are not quality fans, the key is interactive).  Segway to rule number two for sponsorship:  HAVE TRAFFIC.  If you don't have the stats and the followers, the sponsors are less likely to bite.

In return for sponsorship, we agree to write a post about the company, an honest review of the product, inclusion on our static Sponsor Page, as well as Tweet and Facebook about that product or service.  Which is rule number three:  GIVE THEM SOMETHING IN RETURN.

That's our formula, and it has worked very well for us thus far.  In addition to asking outright for sponsors, we are also approached by companies, but have found that more often than not we don't really use what they offer and it is not in our interest to plug products we don't use or need.  We've found it much more beneficial to approach those companies who do offer something we need.  It should be known that we get turned down as well, but you can't win them all, right?  It's a numbers game and if someone says 'no', just move on to the next one!

Good luck!

In The Shade with ShadeTree Awnings

He that will enjoy the brightness of sunshine, must quit the coolness of the shade. -Samuel Johnson

I'm not going to lie.  Our relationship with our ShadeTree awnings got off to a bit of a rocky start.  When we first received them we were...concerned.  They seemed huge.  We had ordered two awnings in total, one for the bow and one for the stern.  The boxes each measured 10x10x36 and the awnings inside weren't much smaller.  Already strapped for space, we were leery as to whether these were going to work out.

And it got worse (but it gets better - so don't stop here!).

First let me explain a few things:  it's important to note that the ShadeTree awnings are set up much like a tent, with collapsible tent poles and all.  They are "custom" made for your boat based on your measurements. Second, shade is absolutely necessary down here.  Having your boat covered can potentially lower the temperature in the cabin by eight to ten degrees, not to mention make your cockpit area bearable.  Life is much, much more comfortable ten degrees cooler down in the Southern Caribbean!

A few weeks ago, Scott and I made our first attempt at "operation awning".  We unfolded the one for the bow and got to work.  The directions were a little vague and left something to be desired.  We weren't sure which end of the awning to put forward and which to put aft.  The tent poles were different lengths and there was no way to tell what pole went where which led to us learning by trial and error.  It got frustrating to say the least.  It was also noon, unbelievably hot, and we hadn't had any lunch yet (have you ever been around a hungry pregnant lady?  Be afraid, be very afraid).  We threw our arms up and called it a day, bagging the awning back up while we cursed it.

I was devastated.

Then yesterday came and Scott and I knew we needed to do something about the temperature of our boat.  We could not take a hot cabin any longer.   The awnings were still sitting in the aft cabin and we thought that before we went giving up on them, we had to try again.  We un-bagged them both and this time we started with the 'main' awning (the one that covers the boom).  I don't know if it was a full moon the during our first attempt or what, but this time - it was a piece of cake.  A piece of cake, I tell you!  To set up both awnings took us a total of 45 minutes, which is just over 20 minutes an awning and nary a curse word was uttered.  We are so thrilled with the result - not only does the awning look sharp, but the cabin temperature is definitely cooler.  Put it this way, I'm not sweating typing this.  And typically, even typing on the boat makes me sweat.  No joke.

How do they measure up?  Here's my honest opinion.

CONS

• Directions need some fine-tuning.  Marking which tent poles go in which pocket would help tremendously (some of the tent poles are different lengths).
• They are not cheap.  We got a very good price on our awnings because of this blog, but even still they were an investment.  HOWEVER, I am a firm believer in "you get what you pay for".  Scott and I tried a regular old tarp before (very cheap) and the sun and wind ate it right up within three weeks.  
• The tent poles don't float, so you must be very careful working with them so they don't fall overboard.
• The tent pole "pockets" don't seem as sturdy as the rest of the awning - we think these might be the weak spot, but don't know as ours haven't been time-tested.
• While they are compact, they are not small and you must allocate space for them.

PROS

• The awning is clearly made out of top of the line, very durable material that will not be eaten by the sun (didn't know the sun could 'eat'? Trust me, the sun eats everything down here!).
• Once assembled the awnings are tall enough to walk under making it almost completely non-invasive.
• They come with these great additional bungee clips so you can "tweak" your awning and shape it "just right".  They are very easy to use and also marine-grade (like everything else).
• Once you get the hang of it, they are relatively easy and intuitive to set up.
• They make a difference.  Our cabin feels at least 10 degrees cooler than it did before.  Plus, the shape of the awnings funnels air through them so there seems to be more breeze around the boat.
• The staff at Shadetree are incredibly friendly and responsive.  Our awnings arrived just three weeks after we ordered them (they'd be quicker in the US).
• We can leave our hatches open when it rains!  No more open, close, open, close every time a little rain shower blows through (though I'm sure we'd still have to close them for a torrential downpour).

Looking forward

Looking aft

 Overall - we are thrilled with our awnings and they make life much, much cooler.  For more information on Shadetree awnings, go here.

Love,

Brittany & Scott

Grenada Sailing Festival

One major bonus that comes with being in Grenada for an extended period of time is the fact that we are going to be around for the Grenada Sailing Festival...  

This is supposedly one of the best events of the year in Grenada (second only to Carnival) and draws racers and boats from all over the world.  What's even better? The regatta is hosted by our beloved home port of Port Louis Marina so we will be at the heart of all the action.  As most of you know - Scott and I began our sailing careers as racers so this is going to be a ton of fun!  Scott will be racing - which he is SO excited about and since I'll be as big as a house by then,  I'll be cheering from the sidelines...unless anyone wants to take a pregnant woman on board as rail meat? Only joking.  That would be awful.  Hiking out not pregnant is painful.

If any of you racers out there want to get a taste of the Caribbean trade winds on a race boat - check out the crew board and see if you can get a position!

Love,
Brittany & Scott

Dinghy Freedom!

I don't think I can begin to describe the excitement we feel at finally being owners of a real dinghy.  Not than our other dinghies (yes, plural) weren't "real" - but neither of them worked well.  Actually, neither of them worked at all, truth be told.

The first dinghy was the one my family had on my mom and dad's boat when we were children, that is to say it was about thirty years old.  It was an 8 foot Achilles inflatable and the motor (which also saw it's hay day in the 80's) was a teeny tiny Johnson 2 horse that was actually so slow it was humorous to watch (when it worked, that is).  People actually pointed and laughed.  Hey, it was all in good fun.  We laughed too.

Then we lost that dinghy and were stuck in Georgetown, Bahamas for two weeks trying to scrounge up a new one.  Being dinghy-less more or less leaves you stranded on your boat which can get old, fast.  Desperate times called for desperate measures.

Luckily for us, we finally found and bought a used dinghy WITH a 5 horse power motor for $300.  We were thrilled!

What's that they say? "When something sounds too good to be true it usually is?"  Yeah.

Both the dinghy and motor were nothing short of lemons.  We cursed them regularly and they became the bane of our existence.  The motor was seen by at least three different mechanics in the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos and Hispaniola, to no avail.  When used, typically it would get us about half way where we wanted to go and then die.  Then we'd row.  Inflatable boats, by the way, don't row well at all.  After three months, the dinghy itself actually began to fall apart.  Something had to give.

And give we did!  We gifted that old thing to our Rasta friend, Ashley, as soon as we got to Grenada (full disclosure) and boy was that a happy day.  We wanted that thing gone and Ashley apparently wanted a project boat.  Good riddance!

We thought we were doomed to a life of dinghy dodginess until Island Water World came along and came to our rescue.

They made us a deal we couldn't refuse on a new 8 foot Carib Light and a new two-stroke 8hp Mercury engine.  We are so thankful, and we couldn't be more pleased.  The staff here in Grenada (and St. Maarten, and St. Lucia - we've actually shopped at all three) are fantastic and so helpful.  They were just as excited as we were about our new ride and made us feel right at home!  We even got Island Water World shirts and hats!

This opens up a whole new world of opportunity for us; we will now be able to go places much farther and much faster, we'll be able to safely check out far-flung snorkel spots, visit friends on boats a couple anchorages away and so much more.  Having this new dinghy to us is not unlike getting your first car.  The world opens right up!

HUGE thank you to Island Water World!  Sean and his team over there are excellent - check them out on Facebook to get all sorts of information from store deals to local happenings!

Getting Back in Boat Mode

We head back to Grenada in less than one week!  We've been so busy visiting friends and family all over the place that I almost forgot that part of what we wanted to get out of this visit was to buy some things that are much easier acquired in the good ole' U S of A.  Things like extra firm tofu, Tofu Scrambler, Emergen-C, PG Tips Tea (only the best for this Brit!), Probars,  Fantastic Brand hummus, shampoo, face wash, lotions, potions and lots more (okay, fine...I did order some new clothes and a few bikinis as well).  Luckily we got these great bags from Sailor bags.  Not only do they look great, but they are waterproof, durable and meant to hold up to the rugged standards of sailors.  They hold a TON of stuff and we're so happy we both have our very own to jam full of goodies.

If you were heading back to the islands, what would you bring from the land of plenty?!

Love,
Brittany & Scott