Dinghy – MV Simple Life

Return from Florida

My winter 2019 season ended with a rough ride home to Rhode Island in early May 2020. The ride home had tossed everything in the salon as I fought beam seas.

My Keurig needed a minor repair but she is still making coffee this morning as I type this

Lots of fenders to starboard as this early in the season has many transients coming and going.

Back in my slip in early May… I thought the worst was over…

Covid-19 Pandemic

2020 had some good times for me but it sucked in so many other ways

Dad

Now home, the first order of business was to go see Dad. I had flown up to visit once during the winter but now we could spend the next six months together until I had to leave again on Halloween 2020.

Dad & I enjoying some coffee & catching up

I could not do my trip south each winter if it were not for my brother, Eddie and his wife, Doreen. They give so much of themselves to help my Dad live his best life. They become the primary care givers for my Dad when I leave to head south for the winter. Family is a wonderful thing.

Doreen is playing barber and making sure Dad looks sharp

Eddie and I took my Dad to the D Rounds Truck Shows 2020

My Dad drove trucks all his life. These days his memory is failing. My brother and I thought it would be nice to take him to the Danny Rounds truck show 2020. Dad surprised us with his recall of all things trucks that day. It was a great day to see him get out and smile around the antique trucks.

Projects – Dad’s Home

When I get back every Spring my brother and I make any needed repairs to my Dad’s home. This year was a busy one with lots of repairs and modifications to siding, ceilings, furnace, new privacy fence, etc.

FBM – FaceBook Marketplace – Cash is King

I spent some time using FaceBook Marketplace to sell many items and turn them into cash to purchase others. I am kind of addicted to FBM.

More Anchoring – No Kayaks

This was the year that I finally decided to sell both heavy kayaks and go with twin lightweight, high-pressure inflatable, SUPs (Stand Up Paddleboards). I was able to stow two SUPs in the port kayak hooks and a 12″ high-pressure inflatable dock on the starboard side. I also purchased two 12′ x 18″ rafting fenders so other boaters can raft along side me each weekend.

Dinghy Upgrade

Fishing is big in SW Florida. However, much of the water is very shallow. I have decided to upgrade my dinghy as my old Walker Bay 340 dingy (shown below being hauled away by its new owner). It had several patches and was showing its 8 year age.

I found a 12′ Highfield aluminum hulled hypalon dinghy with a 25HP Yamaha outboard on FBM (shown below).

I then set out to customize it. I added:

Tan colored dinghy chaps
Motor & seat covers
Custom silk-screened state registration panels
Garmin GPS/fish finder
NMEA 2K network for outboard engine data on Garmin.
Lifters trim tabs,
Garmin Fusion Stereo
Upgraded battery box with cell charger and 12V power.
Drink holders
Fishing rod holders
etc. (see pics below)

I like to trick out the dinghy to have everything that I need for fishing.

Summer Getaways

My brother was nice enough to cover for me while I flew to Florida on a family emergency as well as got in a few boating trips to Martha’s Vineyard, Cuttyhunk, Block Island and Newport.

Forget Baby Yoda, I got to hang out with a baby Zebra

Saltwater Drone

My old drone got damaged by salt water so I decided to buy a drone that can land directly in the saltwater.

My 4-Legged Kids

Thanks to Kelly for letting me visit our dogs before I left. She’s a great dog Mom and takes the best care of these two. I love these furry kids.

My girl Happy on my right and my boy Brody on my left.

Projects – Simple Life

I worked on several boat projects such as replacing my Khalenberg air compressor, new bottom paint & zincs, waxed hull, LED & party lighting, upgraded to all Gen 3 iPad Pros for navigation, new windlass & deck mount, etc.

Simple Life’s new party lighting in the salon

I also added a new espresso machine and station complete with everything needed to make some good coffee drinks.

Also a shoutout to Greg and Tracey from MV Reel Fine for giving me their old dinghy davits. I mounted them on the stern just before I left.

I finally mounted a proper first-aid kit, Anti-chocking device and AED – Automated External Defibrillator. I hope I never need these but it’s good to know they are aboard.

While I had the boat on the hard for maintenance, I made sure to pretty her up.

Civic Duty

Soon I was down to a week before departure so I had to run out quick and cast my vote.

Last Minute Projects

Preppy was supposed to join me for the 1st week on the trip but we needed that week to finish several projects that needed to be done before departure . I can’t thank Preppy enough for his help during this last minute rush to get things fixed and get off the dock. I don’t know how I would have done it without him. Nice to have good friends. Below is a pic of Preppy & I while we took a break and chatted with Heather and Debby who had come by to see me off.

Stay tuned for the next blog post about the first leg of my Winter 2020.

We spent a total of two weeks in BKH (Boot Key Harbor). While there, a go-fast boat poker run paraded by.

We got to see a manatee even if the video evidence is quite brief.

We spent time at the Sunset Grille which is at the start of the famous Seven Mile Bridge

One of the best things about being a cruiser in BKH is the “BKH Cruiser’s Net” that is broadcast every 9AM on VHF channel 68. This communications link (along with their FB page) ties the live-aboard boater community together in a way I wish landlubbers did. Communicating with your boating neighbors everyday in just the two weeks connected us with more neighbors than our 13 years in our previous land-based home.

There is a format to “the net” that starts by allowing new cruisers to introduce themselves and departing cruisers to say goodbye. They then do announcements about rules of the harbor, weather, meet-ups, Charity work, etc. They allow boaters to ask questions of the group (ex. Can anyone help me program my Raymarine autopilot?) The amount of boating knowledge in the community is impressive. They hold a buy/sell/trade/give-away/ask-for different items cruisers want/don’t want. They do a trivia section and end with different boaters contacting each other on other channels to discuss business of sorts.

Through the Net, I learned of a cruiser, Capt. David of S/V Expectations who was offering to share his knowledge of the NW Caribbean.

David shared a book and his notes about sailing in the NE Caribbean. A popular route from Key West is to sail along Cuba’s coast to Cozumel, MX then down to Costa Rica, Guatemala, Roatán and Honduras. I and many other captains jumped at the opportunity to talk with this life-long boater to pick his brain about navigating these areas as well as his fishing tips. Below are two lures David was suggesting as well a pneumatic spear gun in lieu of a gaff.

David spent many years in Rio Dulce, Guatemala where it cost him $125/month for a slip. Not a bad deal to live in paradise.

Living on a boat we often spend time staring at the night sky. When you look around boat the sailboat anchor lights sway to and fro like dancing stars.

On one particular night I was staring up at the stars when I saw a meteorite or possibly a piece of “space junk” come flaming down to Earth. It only lasted about 2-3 seconds but it was an amazing sight to see. I was moved enough that I submitted an online “Fireball Report” at amsmeteors.org

While we were in the harbor there was a salvage operation going on that included an old sport-fisher with a bar and block on it’s bow being used to raise up a sunken vessel (possible Hurricane Irma victim).

Yes, that is an outboard mounted to the back of that sport fisher. You’ll see all kinds of things like this moment where boaters just dropped a full-size fridge on the bow of their runabout to deliver to a larger boat in the harbor. The community here donates items to fellow boaters in need. Many of the boaters here live life on a shoestring budget and donations are used when the budget is dry.

While listening to the net you’ll hear requests like the one from a family of 4 living aboard a 28’ sailboat bound for Guatemala that were looking for play dates for their children as well as home-school lesson plan swapping. I look up to these cruisers for their self-sufficient life style.

Each night we join in blowing our conch horn to announce that the sun has set.