We spent the Spring, Summer & Fall docked in Rhode Island.
We grew up here and our families still live in the area. We spent much of our time catching up with friends and family which was nice after spending the entire winter in the Florida Keys.
For me that meant lots of trips to the grave with Dad and my siblings to visit Mom.
While at the dock in RI Kelly took up fishing..
In January of 2017 we made the decision to leave our careers in corporate America and boat full-time. While we will miss our coworkers we believe in “Sell everything but the boat and have the Simple Life”. Once retired, we took on the huge task of selling everything we own and staging our home for sale. We worked right up to the middle of November when we just had to leave because of the weather. I had no time to prepare the boat for departure we simply loaded it up and shoved off for warmer weather.
This year we spent the entire Spring, Summer and Fall completing routine maintenance & projects so the boat to be better prepared for cruising.
When you own a boat and you are not rich you must perform all the required maintenance yourself. That means you must be an electrician, plumber, HVAC/R tech, Marine electronics expert, diesel mechanic, FRP (Fiberglass Resin Plastic) and gelcoat repair technician, Carpet installer, painter, boat detailer, etc.
Maintenance projects Pictorial Guide:
No Eels were harmed during the painting of our bottom.
Then it was time to splash the boat back in water
Then it was time to get back to more maintenance jobs:
When we were not doing maintenance we were doing upgrade projects:
When we were not busy with boat projects, with the help of my family we were able to replace my father’s Septic system
We Voted …
We suffered “Boat Bites”…
After we watching one of our slip neighbors depart to Martha’s Vineyard, we were saddened to hear of their boat running into the Oak Bluffs entrance jetty and sinking on the beach. Luckily, captain, wife and child were unharmed.
And other local boating disasters…
We swore that we were going to leave in mid October and now it’s approaching mid-November and the weather is not looking great.
MV Simple Life 
Sorry we missed seeing you both this summer but I’m sure we will meet in spring. Safe travels where ever u go as we know u are a great Capt and ur crew Capt will keep u on the straight and narrow as all women do God keep u safe and Happy Safe Travels love u both Armand/ Maybelle
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Thanks! Hope to see you in the early spring!
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Damn Marty, you didn’t retire, you just changed occupation.
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Hi Don, Yes, very true. Luckily, I enjoy working on the boat cuz there is always something that needs maintenance or break/fix. Just happy to finally be underway.
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Hi, I may be repeating myself but a previous reply seems to have gotten lost in cyberspace. If it didn’t really get lost, my apologies.
We are delighted to hear you are on your voyage. We have enjoyed following the trips. It looks like you are anchored in the Pt. Judith Harbor of Refuge and we are in our house near Snug Harbor Marina. I’d run you out some IPA we got for you this summer but never got it to Aponaug but our boat is hauled for the winter. At any rate, I’ll watch for you in the AM when you exit the west gap and head off.
We missed your layover in Fort Myers Beach by just a couple of days last spring. This year we will be in Cape Coral for a couple of months. If we overlap would love a visit or buy you an IPA at Bonita Bill’s, Doc Ford’s or Nervous Nellie’s.
Fair Winds and Following Seas
Penney and Carl Bush (Cyndi and Andy Bush’s parents/in-laws)
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Hi Carl & Penny,
That’s nice of you. Kelly & I hope to meet up with you both someday soon. Right now we are focused on getting West of the weather that’ll be here Tuesday. -Kindly, Marty
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