… or 175 days, to be exact., before I sail off and sink somewhere exotic start my circumnavigation, if I still take the 31st of May as my last work day / leaving date.
I’m caught between feeling that’s soooooo far away, which oscillates to ‘oh god I don’t have enough time to do everything’ with alarming rapidity. Depending on how good a day at work I’m having I guess.
175 days and a massive 78% of the way to my savings – at this rate I am ahead of where I need to be, meaning that I can probably leave a month or too earlier or (more likely) do some fancy-pants stuff like build a desalinator (turns seawater to fresh) or something. In the end it probably depends on how miffed I am at my job and what the weather is doing.
Grab-bag list of stuff I still need to do
- Finish building Windvane
- Finish Lithium install
- Build a Dodger
- Switch out chainplates/retune rig
- Get liferaft recertified
- finish installing reefing system (put 3rd reef hardware in, install the bits from rigrite for jam cleats on boom, install winch on mast side)
And then optional bits
- install a water maker
- pull mast and give everything a good going over (last time it was pulled was 2/3 years ago)
- finish making curtains
- better mounting for portabote
It’s a fair amount of stuff. The dodger is the one I am most worried about as
a) it requires a lot of outside work, and most of the time it will be winter, meaning
b) it will be freezing outside and last time I did glasswork in cold temperatures it looked like someone had barfed all over the boat, plus
c) I have literally no idea how to even go about starting this
Anyway. I am sure it will be fine. I will leave you with a couple of ~spooky~ pictures one morning when I woke up for woke in a fog covered harbour. Winter, eh?!
I walk past your slip on my way to work in the mornings, it always cheers me up to think that you’re getting closer to your dream. I’ll follow along a couple years down the line. Keep up the good work, I’d be interested in hearing what you end up doing for a watermaker.
Aww thanks Paul! That’s really nice to hear. I was maybe looking at this https://seawaterpro.com/. Though I can’t find anyone else using one.
Maybe sort your list into what REALLY REALLY needs to be done before you cast off and what can be done while cruising.
Keep it up, look forward to hearing that you are underway!
PS: are you going to join the ranks of the Patreon/sailing video group ; I’m sure a lot of us Gudgeon-trons would pay to watch!
Yeah, I think when it gets a bit closer to crunch time some serious headscratching will be going on! Most of it can probably be done cruising, with the exception of the dodger and the batteries (which I am doing first anyway). As regards Patreon, I’ll probably stick one up when I start actually going places, though it would be strictly optional. I like the IDEA of making videos, but it’s one of those things I never actually seem to get round to…. maybe I will when I have more time.
Hi Matt,
I’ve enjoyed reading your blog for a while a thought it was time to say hello.
We’re a Danish family in Germany, with a similar time line – planning to leave when summer holidays start for our daughter in July. And with a lot still to do on the boat, including buying and installing lithium batteries. But we do at least have a flat to live in while preparing 😉
Hey thanks for reading! Good luck on your trip – looks like a beautiful boat 🙂
So jealous. Hopefully we will be out in May again and can catch you before you go. Are you headed straight south or will you take the time to head north first (you really should).
As for your dodger, have you seen Yahtzee’s? http://www.bwsailing.com/bw/cruising-news/roger-dodger/
I am going North first for the summer – I love the area so much! May see you up there, depending I guess when you are chartering.
I hadn’t seen that dodger, thanks for the link! Will check it out