mvalwayshome

We have attended our first DeFever Rendezvous.  We had narrowed our search of boat manufacture to the DeFevers due to reputation, cabin height, and quality.

Wonderful time was had by one and all.  Very generous folks helped introduce us to the DeFever group.  Another “Trawler Crawl” at this Rendezvous.  We walked on board all sizes of DeFever trawlers from the 44 ft to the very esteem 53 ft motor yacht.  Of course, Wayne loved the 52 footer.  There are maybe less than 6 in the whole world.  Beautiful boat.  H-U-G-E.  He can’t have that one!!  Someone else is enjoying it!!

It has already been 1.5 years since the idea of doing the loop came into our lives.  Wow.  Time as moved so fast and so slow all at the same time.  Now I know why it takes so long for others to “dream”, “work”, and scheme before they jump into buying a boat and starting a new life.  The dreaming is the easiest part.  Trying to read, study, and do more reading while WORKING a full-time job is really more difficult.   We have narrowed our boat selection.  We think.

We attended Marine Electrical Systems class for 7 weeks taught by the local Phoenix Power Squadron members. It was great. My husband constantly schooling me “the boat is primarily DC!!” “No hair dryers allowed!!”

This is the second class we have taken together. My husband showing tons of patience when my brain should couldn’t easily wrap around Volts – Amps – Watts. Current…don’t even go there!

We passed our exam. Where did I put my volt meter? Gotta start testing stuff to really understand what we may find on a boat!

May 3-10, 2013

Attended our first America’s Great Loop Cruiser’s Association (AGLCA) Rendezvous in Norfolk, VA. http://www.greatloop.org

Lots of interesting things. We met some interesting folks. More enthused than ever in our quest for a boat. Took lots of notes.

The special event during the Rendezvous is the “Trawler Crawl”. This is when boat owners open their boat to visitors to look at their wonderful homes. I climbed aboard a dozen different boats and boat sizes. If I felt claustrophobic, it was a NO. If my hat touched the header inside the boat, the men in the family wouldn’t be able to stand up straight. That was a No Certainly was helpful in determining a minimum size and height requirements. The son, should he ever visit, is at least 6’5″ tall. That definitely limits us to only a handful of boat manufacturers.

February 28 2013

We passed our Coast Guard Power Squadron ABC safety class!! The most important one under our belt. We both enjoyed learning together. Studying together.

What is nuns and cans? Red right returning? Stern? Aft? All a new foreign language to us. When the experts give advice to newly retired folks they always say “learn a new language”. Well, we are and we aren’t even retired yet!!

Lines? ropes?
Starboard – Right
Port – left.

That is all I know for now…