Tag: under way

January 14, 2014

I’m gonna be an auntie!

My little sister Carmen and bro-in-law Keith are expecting their first baby in March! We’re so excited for little Jackson to arrive :) They live here in Florida so it’s really nice that Peter and I have been able to spend some time with them before we leave the U.S.

Carmen and Keith came down to see the boat and puppies a few weeks ago and we took them out for a really nice day sail. Neither of them had been sailing before. It was really fun to show them what we’re going to be doing for the next few years. Pictures are great but it really helps to put things into perspective when you can see the boat in person.

Keith was having a great time relaxing even as we were heeled over :)

Gunner and Betsy do better each time we take them out. They weren’t anxious or feeling sick. Gunner sleeps almost the whole time and Betsy cruises all around.

Of course the guys had to set up the trolling lines… You never know when you’ll get a bite!

Baby Jackson was getting rocked to sleep as we cruised through the harbor quietly under sail.

Keith tested out the helm and did an awesome job.

It was so nice to have family come visit and it’s always great to get in more practice out on the water :) While we won’t still be in Florida when Jackson is born, we will definitely come visit him as soon as we can! Hopefully baby Jackson will be able to come visit his auntie Jody and Uncle Peter at some beautiful island soon too!

January 5, 2014

A Christmas Visit

We’re a little behind on the posts as we get ready to leave Florida and head for the Bahamas but we still want to share a few pictures from our first Christmas aboard S/V Mary Christine. This year we got a very special Christmas treat. Peter’s Dad, Wiley, came to visit and spend Christmas with us on the boat!!!

We watched the weather and tides and waited for the perfect day to take him out on the water. We went for a day sail in the harbor and showed Wiley how we’re going to be living for the next few years :)

It’s still hard for me to believe we live on a boat and when we go sailing we are taking our WHOLE home with us!! It’s such an amazing feeling.

As we were heading out through the channel into the harbor we passed our friends David and Jan aboard S/V Winterlude. They were coming back in from a few days out at anchor.

Betsy just LOVED going for a cruise with her daddy and her grandpa :)

That little licker just never quits!! :)

Captain Pete at the helm…

Gunner was such a good boy this time he didn’t even need to be tethered up. He absolutely loves to relax in a sunny spot with a cool breeze… just like his mommy ;)

The weather was perfect. Not too calm, not too windy. Wiley got to see what it’s like on the boat and we got a little more practice in. Every time we take the boat out it gets a little easier and we gain a little more confidence. We played with the sails and made adjustments for the wind as we tacked across the harbor. We timed it just right to head back in at that perfectly golden hour before sunset where everything looks just magical.

We neared our slip and prepared for docking, this time with no trouble at all. Just a few quick engine thrusts in reverse, forward and reverse, then she walked right in :) One of these days Peter’s going to make me dock this boat myself. Maybe I’ll practice with the dinghy first? :)

We had a wonderful time and it was so nice to have family here for Christmas. Now that he knows what to expect when staying aboard S/V Mary Christine, we hope that Wiley will come visit again when we get further south into the islands :)

Stay tuned for a few more fun pictures of the holidays liveaboard style!

January 3, 2014

Buddy Bowl – How to keep water available for pets on a boat

One of the small details that went overlooked when we first moved onto our sailboat was keeping water available for the dogs. It’s never been an issue before. We just put a bowl out and check it a few times a day to make sure the kids have plenty of water. We know they like to drink mostly after eating and after a run, with a little bit throughout the day. No big deal.

When we first moved aboard the food and water routine was no different than it was on land. Fill the bowls and the dogs empty them. It wasn’t until our first sail with the dogs aboard that we realized our original plan wasn’t going to work. I had read a few suggestions online that some people just use an oversized bowl and only fill it up half way or less so that the water doesn’t slosh out all over the place when you’re under way. Guess what spilled the water out when we tried this method? Me! I spilled more water out of that bowl while moving around in the cockpit than the amount of water that was spilled from the boat heeling over.

In researching more helpful tips and tricks for liveaboard dogs I came across the “Buddy Bowl.” That was it! It was perfect!!

I contacted Great American Spillproof Products and they gladly sponsored our adventures by providing us with two (2) 64 oz TOTALLY SPILLPROOF Buddy Bowls for Gunner and Betsy!! These will be totally essential for every day use while anchored up and especially while we are underway.

We keep one tucked behind the ladder at our forward companionway next to where we feed the dogs inside the boat. Gunner and Betsy know right where it is and they have no trouble at all helping themselves when they feel a little thirsty. Gunner ALWAYS lets Betsy drink first if they are both thirsty after a run :) He’s such a gentleman, just like his daddy.

We keep the second Buddy Bowl on the floor of the cockpit so the dogs will always have water while topside. When we are underway, they frequently like to lap up a little water every hour or so. We’re in southern Florida now and heading to only warmer climates so its super important for us to have water available at all times for our pooches. It’s also important to keep water available for them if they are feeling seasick. Last time we took the boat out we put them down below and Betsy didn’t feel that good. She was happy to know where the water was though.

The staff at Great American Spillproof Products recommended sending us the 64 oz models instead of their standard 44 oz size based on our weather conditions and the size of our dogs. They hold more water (a HALF GALLON!) so you don’t have to refill them as often! It doesn’t look like the 64oz bowls are available in their online store but I’m sure they can help out if you’re interested in getting one for your furry friend.

It looks like it might be hard for the dogs to actually get to the water but it’s really no trouble at all. Gunner has a long nose but it’s just his tongue that needs to get inside to where the water is. Gunner is also a VERY messy drinker and his food, water and slobber usually get flung at least a foot from his bowl. The Buddy Bowl is even more awesome because it catches all that excess water inside instead of spraying out away from the surface of the water where his tongue hits. Score!!

We tested them out and sure enough, they are totally spill proof. The Buddy Bowl will even hold the water if you tip it upside down! The bowls are made in the U.S. with non-toxic/BPA-free food grade plastic, and they keep the water cleaner with less surface area for bugs, dust and other dirt to collect in. There are fastening points on the bottom for tying the bowl up for storage or keeping it in one spot. We don’t have to worry about tying it down though since there’s not too many places it could slide to :) They actually stay put very well on their own.

The Buddy Bowl is easy to clean and even dishwasher safe. Even though we don’t have a dishwasher anymore its still a cool feature :)

This really is an awesome product and could be used in the car, on a boat, outside, inside, at the beach, camping, in a crate, anywhere! It’s also especially handy if you have little ones around that like to spill the water bowl and splash around :)

We are proud to promote the products we love by sharing our experiences with others in hopes that it may bring the same joy to you!

If you’re interested in ordering one of these, the online store on the BuddyBowl website is down at the moment. Simply send an email to cree@greatamericanspillproof.com to place an order!

IN CASE YOU WERE WONDERING… We are PROUD to share these awesome products and services with our readers. There are so many different solutions out there for everything we could possibly need, but these are the solutions that work for us.

This post may contain information about a product sponsorship. We gladly accept discounts or samples when a company feels generous enough to support our cause. In return we support the manufacturer or local service by sharing their links and writing about our experience with them. We only seek out sponsorship and affiliate programs from products and services we actually WANT to use and likewise only accept offers for products or services that we WILL use. We are not paid for any reviews we write or feedback we provide. We simply like to spread the word and share great experiences we have had that could also bring joy to others.

December 16, 2013

Day Sail with New Friends

We met Kristin and Kevin here at the marina. I was out walking the dogs and Kristin stopped me to see Gunner. They have a Weimaraner as well and its always such a treat to see other weims when you’re out and about. They’re not very common so many people are fascinated with them and want to know what breed they are. Pronounced “wym-er-on-er” these dogs are one of a kind. They have a very distinctive personality and many of them have the same mannerisms. It takes a certain kind of person to appreciate their quirky ways ;) If you’ve ever been around one, you’ll surely understand. Gunner has grown to be very crotchety in his older years but we still love him just as much – he’ll be 13 this March!

After initially meeting Kristin, she brought Kevin by the boat to say hello a few days later. They have a Y Flyer they keep here in Florida and Kevin has been sailing most of his life. We had no idea what a Y Flyer was, but the Y Flyer is an 18 foot (5.5m) sloop rigged racing dinghy designed to be sailed by 2 people. Sounds like a blast and something Peter and I probably should have started out with! Instead, we took the “sink or swim” route and bought a 42′ liveaboard sailboat with no sailing experience :S

We thought it would be great to get the dogs together for a play date. Sadie is Kristin and Kevin’s female weim, not quite as old as Gunner but she is in her senior years. We had a wonderful evening a few nights ago over at their house for dinner and all three dogs got along great! We weren’t so sure how Gunner would do at first, but I swear he knows his own kind… it didn’t take him long at all to warm up to Sadie and make himself at home. Betsy got totally WILD and was SOO excited to play with another puppy friend inside a real house! Its been an adjustment for the dogs living on the boat and they sure appreciate a carpeted house when they get to visit one. They rolled around and played with toys all evening.

Saturday was another beautiful day out in Charlotte Harbor so we jumped at the opportunity to go sailing again! Our new friends were available and excited to come out with us and we’re so glad they did. It’s really fun to be able to take others out sailing with us and share the joy of being out on the water. Kevin taught us a few things about sailing a Ketch – his dad built one!! Now that we own a boat we can appreciate all the craftsmanship and attention to detail that goes into building a boat. It’s mind blowing when you realize all the little things that are done both during construction and later as upgrades.

We were a little more relaxed and yet again more confident as we sailed across the harbor. Winds were up to 15-20 this time out but that didn’t scare us!! We were really FLYING at 7 knots!!! Wow that was a great feeling. We practiced reefing the mizzen and genoa, tacking back and forth, and adjusting the running backstays. We had plenty of speed with just the two sails up, we didn’t even bother with the main sail again today. It was just magical with the wind in our hair, sun on our faces, cutting the engine, and just listening to the sound of the waves and the wind sweeping us over the water.

On the way back we kept the sails reefed and had some lunch. I stopped to grab some sandwiches from The Trading Post before we left the dock. There were quite a few other boats out enjoying the weather and we were so thankful we were out there too! This was our third time out after purchasing the boat and there was one final challenge of the day. Docking has been a knot in my stomach every time, and we knew this day was a little gustier than it has been in the past. Coming into the marina through the channel was even a bit nerve wracking as we were getting tossed all over the place by the currents. We’ve got a 5′ draft and the channel is dredged out with a good 8-10′ clearance but you’ve got to really pay attention and make sure to stay inside the markers. We’ve been told “you haven’t been sailing in Charlotte Harbor unless you’ve run aground” – yikes! Hopefully we can avoid that!

The Captain did a FANTASTIC job docking, better and better every time. It took a few tries but Peter backed her stern-in again without any damage for us or the dock :) It definitely helps to have a few more available hands for grabbing a line but hopefully Peter and I will be able to get through it by ourselves next time. Cross your fingers!!

December 15, 2013

Second Sail Aboard SV Mary Christine

Another gorgeous day out on Charlotte Harbor!! We were absolutely thrilled when Jan and David (commutercruiser.com) wanted to go sailing with us again. The forecast looked promising and we decided to head out on Friday around noon. The sun was warm and we had 10-15 knot winds all afternoon. We were going 6 knots without even putting up the main sail!

Gunner loves when we are motoring through the channel out of the marina. He gets so many good smells and just loves to be out in the sunshine.

We also got a chance to play around with our newest toy. Santa came early and brought me a new Nikon D3200 DSLR!! I have a lot to learn!

Betsy kept a close watch on the flock of white pelicans on the sand bar as we came out of the marina. She is quite confident of herself when cruising around on deck. We still haven’t put up the lifeline netting yet but having the new harnesses on the dogs was so reassuring this time while we were under way. Having the second hip lift handle is amazing when the dogs were almost out of reach, but we can still grab onto their little butts and keep them from going any further in the wrong direction. A new post about the harnesses is coming soon, but we are just beside ourselves with excitement over how awesome they are in so many different applications. Check out our Products & Services page for a preview on where to find them!

Betsy loves having friends aboard when we are sailing! There’s always a lap for her to sit in.

All in all, it was another magical day on the water, ever reminding us how lucky we are to be starting this amazing journey. Every time we take the boat out our confidence and experience both increase exponentially and our smiles grow even bigger :) We believe everything happens for a reason and it all just keeps falling into place. We keep meeting amazing friends and hearing the most inspiring stories. Although it might be hard for some of you to grasp, selling everything to move aboard a sailboat and cruise the world feels like exactly what our little family was supposed to do!!