Boating Journey Blog about boating for the first time

August 2, 2020August 2, 2020

Could a Navigator yacht be our next live-aboard?

A few weeks ago, Scott and I headed up north to view two Navigator yachts as a possible live-aboard. The weather forecast was sunny and warm, so why not take a road trip and spend the day near the water and boats? A few years ago, I commented in our blog about liking Navigator yachts after we toured one at the Boats Afloat Show. However, that was also four years ago, so perhaps what we liked then is different than today.

First stop, Navigator on the hard

Scott and I headed up to Blaine, WA to view a 53′ Navigator that was on the hard. The price was very low compared to the other similar year and models. We could see by the photos that it was missing some of the salon furniture and we wondered why. This is a 1999 Navigator 5300 and the asking price is $199,999.

The salesperson was very friendly and let us tour the boat on our own. As soon as we got on the boat, she asked us if we “knew the story?” We told her we had not talked to anyone, other than a few emails back and forth about viewing it. While were were admiring the size of the cockpit, she began to tell us the story.

Turns out the boat sank at the Anacortes Marina a year ago ! (great). Wish we would have known that before we drove all the way up to the border. Luckily, we had another viewing the following day in Anacortes, so it wasn’t a big deal.

We’re here, might as well tour it

As the story goes, the boat sank at the marina after a thru hull plug failed and it sank up to about a foot into the salon. Well, that can’t be good! They did get life it out immediately. Surprisingly, we didn’t notice too much damage on the woodwork except for a few spots, but the interior did smell musty. Older boats smell as it is, and it didn’t help that this one had been in the water. They did replace the carpet and that was about it. They said they “Neutra-salted” the engine (yet the listing said they rebuilt the engines) and didn’t replace any of the electronics or wiring. Yikes. She did say, they have put the boat back in the water since and everything runs fine. Could be a fun project for someone, but when it comes to sinking and electrical – I’ll pass.

Since we’re here, might as well take a tour. The galley is one of my favorite things about the Navigator. It has plenty of counter space, a huge sink and a nice big fridge. Check out the pantry in the floor board!

The interior bridge offered plenty of space for an office.

As we toured down below, it was difficult to see, as they didn’t turn on the power, so everything was in the dark. In the main stateroom, they did have a washer and dryer. However, it was right next to the bed and I don’t know how you would get your laundry out. We also wondered how you would service the washer?

The forward VIP berth had tons of storage including closet space.

Question for other boaters: Have you ever bought a really stinky boat and made it work? We watch YouTube videos of folks buying derelict boats and we wonder if they ever get the smell out? Please let us know.

When we got to the upper fly bridge, it was obvious this boat needs some work. It did have a huge u-shaped seat, but with no table, it seemed like strange set up. Then the bridge panel was missing an instrument indicator, the instrument panel was starting to show signs of wear & salt corrosion, plus it had a serious off shore freezer that took up a huge chunk of the bridge.

If someone wanted to invest at least $50,000 to $80,000, this could be a really cool boat. Scott and I are not looking for a serious fixer upper. We did love the bottom paint – this made the boat very stylish and stunning. In the end, this was not our thing and so we moved on to the next one.

Who doesn’t love a surprise?

While we were cruising the docks of the Blaine Marina, we stumbled across this cool old tug boat. We talked to the captain and found out they use this tug boat to shuttle people from the marina to the Semiahmoo marina.

This tug was built in 1944 and was used to carry cannery workers back and forth across the channel between Blaine and the former APA salmon cannery on Semiahmoo Spit. The ferry was restored by volunteers from the Whatcom Maritime Historical Society, The Friends of the Plover, (now known as Drayton Harbor Maritime) and The Plover Beach Gang. For more information, be sure to check out the Drayton Harbor webpage here.

My surprise for the day, was finding out that our friends were just across the bay and they have a golden retriever named Tiller. I first met Tiller at the Union Marine Rendezvous last summer and I fell in love with her. She is so much like our old golden Mac, that I swear he is channeling through her. So Lauren and Marshall, made the trek across the bay from Semiahmoo and we got to visit with them for a bit before we headed to Anacortes. What a fun surprise!

A beautiful day at Cap Sante Marina

This was our first trip overnight since the covid-19 pandemic and I was a bit anxious about staying in a hotel. Scott and I have stayed at the Sunrise Inn for the past few years and this year, they didn’t disappoint. Our room was fantastic and very clean. We brought our own pillows and didn’t use any of their shower amenities – just to be safe.

We grabbed a quick appetizer at the beach cafe at Anthony’s while we enjoyed the view and the sunshine. It was the perfect setting for a Saturday afternoon.

We decided to walk the docks and enjoy the scenery. The marina had plenty of signage reminding folks to keep their social distancing. As we walked down the guests docks, it was fun to see a couple of Elliott Bay Marina yachts there and we stopped to chat with them for a bit.

A sneak peak before our tour

Scott and I had a scheduled tour for the following day to see the other Navigator, a 1995 Sundance 5300, but as we walked the docks we stumbled upon it. Low and behold, someone was on it and he invited us up. It was the canvas company (working on the boat) and he gave us the full story and tour. One thing to note, is the Sundance model is set up differently than the classic 5300 (the first boat we toured). The main stateroom entrance is located mid salon. (See below in the tour.)

He was in the process of installing a BRAND NEW waterproof Sunbrella enclosure for the flybridge. It was awesome and we were envious. Turns out the owners live in California and they were just not using the boat that much, so they decided to sell it. They were the second owners and have put the boat in charter for one year. However, they use a boutique small charter company, so it only got chartered about twice a year.

It was great getting some insight on the boat, before our appointment the next day. Plus who wouldn’t want that brand new canvas enclosure?! Wow, amazing work. He did tell us that they only work in Anacortes. So if you need canvas work done, call Canvas Outfitters in Anacortes.

The full tour of the Navigator Sundance 5300

Scott and I met the broker first thing in the morning and he was super helpful. Of course, we didn’t tell him we had been on the boat the night before. The owner of the boat has taken impeccable care and it really showed. For a 25 year old boat, this boat looked new. It did have a very expensive lounge chair in the salon (a Thomas Payne) – which I would get rid of and instead, add a coffee table. In addition, there is tons of storage throughout the salon.

While the galley was dated with white cupboards, it actually looked great. The dining table was huge and you could easily use that for entertaining and a buffet. There was just as much storage in this galley as we have in our current condo.

Unlike the previous Navigator, the galley table is the only option for an office – but it’s big enough for four people! The bridge was a bit tight looking at the seat and the wheel, that was our biggest disappointment. Even a skinny person couldn’t fit in there.

Sleeping arrangements

The main stateroom and head are accessed by a staircase, mid salon. It was actually pretty cool and this offered a full beam stateroom, as it’s located under the salon.

With huge closets and plenty of drawers, this main stateroom easily offered the comforts of home. Plus you can easily walk around all sides of the bed!!

Moving through the galley and flybridge, you enter another staircase down to the guest spaces. I like that they are separate from the owner’s section. Down below they had a room with bunk beds and a large VIP forward berth with a shared head.

The washer and dryer were easily accessible and located in the room with the bunk beds.

Cavernous Engine Room

Scott originally wasn’t going to check out the engine room, but the salesman convinced him to go check it out. Once down there, he kept awing and saying “Wow, this place is cavernous! It goes on and on and on.”. While it’s hard to tell the size by the photos, you can see how many large tubs are stored down there. Be sure to watch the YouTube video for the full tour.

While we do contract out some of our engine maintenance on our boats, we also do a lot of it ourselves. The biggest challenge Scott has had, is being able to easily access the engine. On this boat, he felt he had plenty of room to maneuver around.

Where’s the dinghy?

I thought it was odd that the boat didn’t have a dinghy. That was until we got upstairs (yes, I didn’t notice it the day before), that we found the dinghy up on the flybridge. The flybridge also has a barbecue and wet bar. With the dinghy stored up top, it does get pretty tight. You would want to be careful moving around.

Curious about what type of dinghy it was, I took off the cover and was happy to see it was a center console 12′ Caribe with a 40hp engine! Wow! The flybridge has a crane davit for the dinghy, which would be new to us to use.

What a great live-aboard! Did we make an offer?

As we were sharing our story on Instagram and Facebook during the tour, everyone kept asking us if we made an offer? We also found more information on the boat, also called “Simbalaut”, that he has traveled to Alaska and there’s a great blog out there about that trip! How cool is that?!

Back to the question – did we make an offer? Scott and I talked it over on our way home. We know this is a perfect live-aboard and within our price range. The issue still remains – we have no where to put it. The broker did offer temporary moorage for it, but that’s not our solution. We don’t want to pay for a 60′ slip AND our condo that we live in. The whole purpose for downsizing and living aboard, is to get rid of our condo. Back to square one.

Scott and I have no regrets on taking the trip and spending time on both Navigators. We feel this is probably the model we are looking for, but we are still open to other types (trawler, yachts, etc). We’ll continue looking at different types of boats and hope when February comes along, that we’ll find something. Our best bet is probably to find a boat that comes with a live-aboard slip already. We are on the wait list for Shilshole and Delin, but without a boat, we won’t be able to take it if our name comes up.

In the meantime, we’ll keep searching and stay positive that all of our efforts to make this happen will come to fruition. Stay tuned.

As always, thank you for following our story! Next week, we share a “Whaler Story” and life on a Boston Whaler 170 Montauk.

Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter @BoatingJourney and use the hashtag #boatingjourney. Thank you for subscribing to our blog and our YouTube Channel. We’ll see you on water soon! Cheers, Scott and Ally (See the full tour below)

July 19, 2020July 19, 2020

The Cost of Owning our 2002 Bayliner 4087

For this blog, we wanted to break down the cost of owning our 2002 Bayliner we recently sold after just fourteen months. Many of you have asked us, why we sold and that’s explained here in our previous blog. The question also has been asked, how much did that cost you and was it worth it?

Scott and I have broken down the costs into several different categories. Keep in mind your costs may be higher or lower depending on many variables. We’ll go through those as we review our costs.

Pre-Purchase Costs

These are any costs you incur prior to purchasing your boat. These include things like surveys and mechanical inspections. Note, that you may incur these costs multiple times depending on how many boats you place an offer on. We spent $1500 on a survey and mechanical inspection including oil samples for our boat.

We went with an individual who was certified to do both inspections. This saved us time and money by not having to schedule multiple inspections. In addition, we saved $600 for a haul-out for the survey because we won a free haul out at the Seattle Boat Show.

Included in this category is also the purchase of the boat. We financed this boat and we put down 15%. This amount will vary on the purchase price, lender and age of the boat. Some lenders require 20%, so better to plan on the high side just in case.

Accessories & Supplies

In this category we have included items to provision the galleys, heads, staterooms and miscellaneous items like fender hooks, cleaning supplies, LED lights, etc. Again, your budget for this expense depends on how you provision your boat. When we bought our Bayliner 4087, it didn’t come with much and the bedding was original from 2002.

We bought everything we needed, including the items above plus a new TV, barbecue, cockpit carpet, salon carpet and bathroom linens. In total, we spent about $2525, of which $900 was for the custom cockpit carpet.

Routine Maintenance

Routine maintenance (by our definition) is service & parts that you need regularly throughout the year. This includes items like watermaker service, filters, hull cleaning, replacement zincs (which includes divers), engine zincs, dinghy maintenance and minor repairs .

This is a pretty variable category. The more routine maintenance you can do yourself, the more money you will save. There were things we did ourselves like changing the oil, but we had divers check and clean the hull, intakes and zincs. Before we sold the boat, we replaced our broken spotlight and that cost alone was $850.

In total, we spent $2567 on routine maintenance in fourteen months. The next two categories are the two most expensive. Some of the costs you can control, others are just the cost of ownership.

Major Maintenance

Scott and I want to emphasize these costs are based on our decisions and may not reflect directly on your next boat purchase. We break major maintenance into two categories.

Post Purchase

The first is post purchase. What maintenance do you have to do to the boat to make it safe and seaworthy per your survey & mechanical inspections? This doesn’t mean you bought a boat with a hole in the hull, but rather what mechanical maintenance and improvements do you need to make? In our case, the previous owners had kept pretty good maintenance records, but our survey showed there were a few items we should take care of. Now, we could have looked past these suggestions, but we like to error on the side of caution. As a result, we had Union Marine do a full engine tune-up, replace all of the original batteries, upgrade the fuel filters and more for a total of $6400. Keep in mind we had dual Cummins 270hp engines, whereas you may only have a single engine.

Haul Outs & Painting

Our second major maintenance item was to haul out for bottom paint. We knew when we bought the boat in March, that it hadn’t been hauled out in years. In our research we found that the best time to haul out and do bottom paint, was after the boating season. So we hauled out in the Fall to complete the following: clean and scrape the hull, bottom paint, clean running gear and inspect sea cocks and rudders. Scott and I had intended on completing a lot of the work ourselves.

We had already purchased all of the bottom paint and accessories, but just before we hauled out, we both got called out of town for business. In addition, we were shocked to see 2″ of barnacles on the prop, shaft and rudders and we knew there was no way we could tackle this project.

As a result, in order to reduce the time on the hard and costs, we decided to have Pacific Fiberglass at the shipyard take care of it. They also introduced us to PropSpeed and showed us some work they were currently doing. This was an application to the props, shaft and rudders to keep growth off them and not something we could have easily done ourselves, given the amount of work to be done and the environmental considerations.

The haul out and work was completed for $6022 (The roundtrip haul-out and yard fee was $2060 and the actual work and parts cost $3962). So if you’re keeping track, the total for major maintenance category costs were $12,422.

Fixed & Variable Costs

The second major category and final category overall is our fixed & variable costs. These costs include moorage, insurance and fuel. Obviously you’ll have a lot of control over these costs. These costs will vary greatly based upon what type of boat you have, where you moor your boat, who you insure it with and the type of propulsion you have.

In regards to moorage fees, our boat was a 2002 Bayliner 4087 Motor Yacht with an LOA (length overall) of 47’. We moored it at Elliott Bay Marina (which is one of the nicest marinas in the Seattle area) because it was only 5 minutes from our home. We could have chosen a less expensive marina, but we didn’t want to spend so much time commuting to the boat. Traffic in the Seattle area is some of the worse in the country. Spending an hour or two on a Friday afternoon to get to the boat is not exciting. Plus we love everything about Elliott Bay Marina.

motor yachts sailing marina seattle — View of DT Seattle

We did save on fuel costs compared to our previous cruiser, as this boat had diesel engines and cruised at 10-12kts rather than the 25kts we cruised in our gas powered cruiser. As a result of the corona virus, we delivered the boat with full fuel tanks since we couldn’t really go out after our last fill-up. Overall, this category cost us $14,310.

Drum Roll Please

Now for those of you keeping up with us, we spent a total of $33,324 or about $2380 per month, plus boat payment for the 14 months we owned the boat.

Things to consider. While this may seem to be a large amount of money (and it is), we’ve also prepped ourselves to be able to afford this. Scott and I sold our business and our home, in order to downsize our living expenses (saving us over $26,000/year. ) Like most families, we would typically take one big vacation a year ($6500/year) and then multiple weekend getaways ($3000/year. ) Our investment in the boat, is part of our lifestyle or hobby, if you will.

Unlike a vacation or getaway, we get to enjoy the boat all year round. Some people invest in collectibles and never use them; other people buy brand new cars every year (ours is 14 years old and paid for). By buying our second boat, it gave us time on the water and experiences that you can’t put a value on. In the end, it’s all relative to what you want in life.

What would we do differently?

What would we do differently next time? Emerald Harbor Marine has some great advice, which perhaps we should have gotten before we invested – who knows? They suggest that before you buy a boat, have a 3^rd party (like them) check the boat out. (Note, they are not a replacement for a survey or mechanical inspection). What they’ll do , is give you an estimate on what the costs will be for replacement parts and yearly maintenance. Keep in mind, some parts might not even be available for older boats. They also suggest to use the boat before investing in (new batteries, filters, etc), because it may not need them. Use the boat first and find out how it feels.

No Regrets

In the end, we are happy with how everything turned out. The experience we gained during these past fourteen months was amazing and not something we could “buy.” This pandemic has made us focus more on what we really want to do in life and we’re excited about our search to find that. Now we’re onto the next big thing – not sure what that is yet, but we know it will be fun and on the water!

As always, a big thank you to everyone who follows us! Be sure to follow us on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram @BoatingJourney, so you can see our stories and get current updates on our progress. Also, check out our YouTube channel at @BoatingJourney and subscribe for future episodes. Cheers, Scott & Ally

Check out our YouTube Episode Below!!

July 3, 2020July 3, 2020

Once again, we’re without a boat

That Was Quick!!

Sadly, we’re once again without a boat. Our 2002 Bayliner 4087 went on the market the first of May and we had a few offers the first week it was listed. Not that we’re biased, but we knew it would be a hot commodity – it’s in fantastic shape, low hours for a diesel and it was the newest Bayliner 4087 out of eleven (11) for sale in the entire US.

We accepted a cash offer from an out of state customer. He lived in Arizona, but arranged for his son to go on the sea trial and do an oil sample. Right off the bat, the customer had a ton of questions about the work we had done on the boat. Being detailed, I gave them the maintenance log and an itemized list of improvements. (In our next blog, we’ll review the costs of ownership for Our Happy Day).

This list was just the maintenance on the boat. It did not include the Snap-In custom carpet, new bbq, new flat screen tv, bed topper, linens and accessories. Keep in mind, that these items should never be considered when you price your boat as they are added on accessory items.

The customer had chosen not to do a survey, as we had just had one done and we were happy to share the report (with a deposit of course). In addition, we just had Double J Diving check out all of the intakes and replace the zincs, so we shared the underwater photos as well.

Drone footage from land

The sea trial was set for Saturday, May 23rd. One great thing about having someone else operate your boat, is we got some fun drone footage of them leaving and coming back to the marina. Our broker, Steve Thoreson with Union Marine, was their captain for the sea trial, and they couldn’t have asked for better weather. The winds were dead calm and he moved like a sloth back into the slip.

Scott and I felt a little weird, hanging out by the parking lot filming them as if we were spying on them. In reality, they had no idea who we were! The sea trial was short as was their visit. His son used FaceTime to give his father a tour and send some photos. They got the oil sample, which their broker sent down to NC Machinery in Tukwila.

The following Monday, the buyer came back to us and asked us for a $1,500 concession because he wanted to make some improvements. We said no and that our original sale agreement was the agreed upon price.

Closing date

Our closing date was set for June 1st (approximately) and the oil sample came back fine. Knowing we only had one last weekend left on the boat, we invited our friends Ben and Maria down on Friday night to hang out one last time on Our Happy Day.

The four of us were having a great time, when I got a phone call that the buyer was sending us a revised offer. HUH? What?! We had a signed agreement. Not only was he still asking for the $1,500 concession, but he also wanted to keep the boat in our slip for a month for free. We stayed firm, as we were in no rush to sell the boat. Scott and I love the boat and if it hadn’t sold, we planned on using it this summer. We simply put it on the market at the beginning of the season to see what would happen.

Not surprisingly, the guy bailed. The good news is, there was another party interested and they put an offer in the same day, which we accepted. Our broker Steve, was thrilled as they are a really great family and the boat is a perfect fit for them. They are from Wisconsin and plan on exploring the Northwest with their two daughters this summer.

Saying Goodbye

Scott and I headed down to the boat last weekend to take care of some final tasks, including flushing the water maker, cleaning the toilets and dusting. Those are chores we do every week, whether we use the boat or not. That part, I won’t miss. But it was a somber day as we filmed for the last time on Our Happy Day, knowing we wouldn’t be back. Plus, we do not like being boatless. We love being part of the boating community.

We had so much fun with family and friends during the past year and half. That will be the hardest part of saying goodbye and being without a boat.

What’s Next?

Scott and I are already searching for another boat, but ideally we want to wait a few months. We have a full schedule this summer and we’re excited to share that with you. We’ll be crabbing next weekend on our nephew’s Boston Whaler 170 Montauk and kayaking around Port Susan. Stay tuned for more big plans!

Be sure to follow us on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram @BoatingJourney, so you can see our stories and get current updates on our progress. Also, check out our YouTube channel at @BoatingJourney and subscribe for future episodes. Cheers, Scott & Ally

June 20, 2020June 20, 2020

Time for a Change – Big Announcement

For those of you who have followed our journey since 2013, you know our goal has always been to find a liveaboard boat. We sold our business, our home and our first boat in order to downsize and prepare ourselves.

In the Fall of 2018, we began searching marinas for liveaboard space, only to find out the wait lists are long and a few years down the road. As much as we love Elliott Bay Marina, they don’t allow liveaboards. So we put our names on the lists and now we just wait. We hadn’t planned on buying another boat anytime soon – in fact, we were waiting until we found the liveaboard. But Scott and I had never spent much time on a larger boat and wondered if we would like it?

Along came “Our Happy Day” – Bayliner 4087 Aft Cabin Motoryacht

In December 2018, Scott found a listing for a 2002 Bayliner 4087 Aft Cabin MY and asked the broker to give us a tour one Saturday. We look at boats all time and we didn’t expect to like it, but we were curious what it looked like. Low and behold, we actually thought it was great! Uh ho. Yep, you know what that means? Next thing I know Scott transferred money and put a deposit on it.

Seattle was in the middle of snow storm and we scheduled the sea trial in the middle of February! What were we thinking? By mid March, we were the proud owners of Our Happy Day. (I know, you’re wondering where am I going with this, right?)

Time to Learn & Explore

Scott and I wanted to spend as much of our free time on the boat, as possible. This included blustery, rainy & windy nights, to get a feeling of what it’s like to live on a boat. We visited new and familiar ports, we anchored for the first time and we worked on a lot of boat projects.

Looking back at everything we did last year, I’m amazed! In the last three years, we’ve learned more about boating than we ever expected. Who knew we would haul out two boats within two years? While it’s an expensive project, you certainly learn a lot in the process.

Now We Need a Plan

The past three months have certainly brought us focus. Back in March we had no idea what would happen in the world and still today in June, things are uncertain. All of us want things to be back the way they used to be – socializing, traveling with groups and visiting new places. But how long until that happens? No one knows.

With the shelter order in place until May 4, 2020, Scott and I did a lot of soul searching. Here we own a boat that we won’t live on and now we can’t venture out anywhere. After a few months of discussion, we made a bitter sweet decision to sell the boat.

Sell the Boat?!

Why would we sell the boat? At the first of the year, we set boating resolutions, that included visiting new ports and going up to Canada. Plus we were going to do some remodeling in the galley. Then came COVID-19. Who invited IT to the party?

Our decision to sell is based on many factors. One, we are bummed that there are still restrictions on where we can go and visit. Yes, things are finally opening up, but back in May when we made our decision, we didn’t know for sure when the restrictions would be lifted. Once you get to your destination, things are still limited. Of course we can anchor, but we like to visit new towns and stay at a dock. Our generator is not hard wired and we’re more comfortable in a marina.

Secondly, why are we spending money on a large boat and a 48′ slip, that we don’t plan to live on? The reality is, Scott and I should be saving our money for the 50’+ boat we’re looking for. Our quarantine was a wake up call. We certainly love the boating life and we miss it already (even though we haven’t closed yet).

Thirdly, we wanted to sell the boat at the beginning of the season, so someone else can enjoy her during the summer.

Now What?

Well, as you know this blog is called Boating Journey, as is our YouTube channel. It will always be about our love for boating. So as we look for our liveaboard boat, we’ll continue to bring you boating stories. We have lots of content coming up including the cost of ownership, buying & selling process, liveaboard boat tours, interviews with other liveaboards and boating adventures.

Knowing us, we’ll find another boat right away and we could be on it before this blog publishes. Who knows? Be sure to continue to follow us here and on our YouTube channel. We promise to try and not disappoint you. If there’s anything you would like us to share, please comment below.

As we say every week, thank you so much for following our journey. There’s just a few of us, who have sold everything to live on a boat, and this has certainly been a journey. No matter what happens, Scott and I will be sure to have fun and share with you our adventures.

June 12, 2020June 12, 2020

Boating these days

These are certainly different times right now and boating these days, isn’t quite the same as it used to be. It was a year ago this week, that we took our first big trip to Dock Street Marina in Tacoma. The weather was horrible and we had three foot seas. At 9 knots, it took us just over three hours. Definitely not my favorite in the books.

Once we got there, we had a blast and that’s what boating is all about. Spending time with fellow boaters on the water and docks. Even though things are starting to open up, we still aren’t there yet and we miss those times.

Adjusting to the new norm

When boating opened up in Washington State on May 4, 2020, many of the marinas were still closed as were the towns they are in. Some boaters chose to head out and anchor, but we like the amenities of a marina (especially since our generator is only a portable one). As a result, we’ve been hanging out at home working on boat projects.

Last weekend, we finally gave in and invited our good friends Ben & Maria down for the night for cocktails and a dinghy ride. We hadn’t seen them since we took off to Port Orchard and we needed to talk about rescheduling our trip to the BVIs.

They have been following our struggles with getting the dinghy started, so it was a celebration of its’ own. Ironically, I have never taken the dinghy out by myself. After Ben and Scott got back from their tour, Maria and I climbed in for the big adventure. We had a ball cruising the marina, saying hi to fellow boaters and enjoying the sunshine.

What’s next on YouTube?

Before they arrived, we filmed a YouTube episode about our electronics on board (see video below). A few followers asked us how our boat was outfitted and we decided to share in a tour. We have the basic necessities for cruising around Puget Sound and they work great for us. Be sure to watch the video at the end for the full episode.

Our weekend was short with Ben and Maria, but fun. It doesn’t matter if you are at a marina, at anchor or out cruising – if you are on the water with friends, life is more fun. Summer is just two weeks away and normally we’d have big plans for cruising. This pandemic has changed that for all of us, as we are living day to day. Instead of making huge cruising plans in two months (we did that back when….remember how that turned out?), we’re looking short-term at what we can do as the weekends arrive. We love the summer evenings at the marina and we can’t wait for more warm weather.

In the meantime, we’re enjoying being on the boat with friends and family. As I said in our “whale on our stern” video; if you open yourself up to the world, you never know what might be waiting for you. Stay tuned and see what happens for us this summer.

As always, thank you for following us! Be sure to follow us on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram @BoatingJourney, so you can see our stories and get current updates on our progress. Also, check out our YouTube channel at @BoatingJourney and subscribe for future episodes. Cheers, Scott & Ally

June 2, 2020June 3, 2020

Ally learns how to fly our drone

Scott bought me a new drone for Christmas last year and believe it or not, I’ve never flown it. Time to learn! To be honest, I wasn’t nearly as nervous about flying the drone as I was learning to dock our boat.

We picked a small park at our marina to practice the basic maneuvers, then I flew it slightly over the water and marina. Though it can fly out of range a mile, I would never do that. One hundred yards is far enough for me. LOL!

What kind of drone to we have?

This isn’t our first drone, in fact eight years ago I bought Scott a drone which I thought was high quality and expensive at $500! But drones and cameras have come a long ways in the past eight years. Knowing we needed to have better quality videos, Scott decided it was time to invest in a good drone (plus our DJI Action and Pocket cameras). He spent hours researching and talking to other YouTubers and he decided on the DJI Mavic Air Fly More Combo. It came with tons of accessories and I’m still learning what they all are. (This page does include affiliate links).

The hardest part of learning to fly the drone, was that the screen is hard to see in the sunlight. If anyone knows of screen guards, etc that we should be using, please let us know. The controls were pretty easy – forward, backward, side to side, up and down, turn left, turn right. There’s a small dial on the front and that controls the angle of the camera. Our camera has a setting that won’t allow it to crash into anything.

When we took the drone out to film me docking, Scott couldn’t land the drone back into the boat, because we had the wrong setting on and it refused to land on a moving object. As a result, he had to land it on the dock and go fetch it. Over all, I think I did great – be sure to watch our YouTube channel / video (link below) and see how I did.

Family visit on Camano Island & a sad goodbye

The next weekend, we headed up to Camano Island to my family’s place at Tyee Beach since we hadn’t seen them in person since Thanksgiving! We stayed outside on the beach and practiced our 6′ apart distancing.

It was a somber day, as we finally decided to finally spread some of Mac’s ashes in Port Susan, where he loved to swim. Scott could throw the stick for hours and he would be in heaven. The funny thing is, he wasn’t a very good swimmer.

Since my family didn’t have the boat out on the water yet, we decided to spread his ashes at the shore line. It’s been three years since we said goodbye and it was still gut wrenching. Everyone raised their Corona beer (how ironic) as we toasted to our fur baby and shed a few tears.

Birds eye view of the beach – LITERALLY!

They have a family of bald eagles that live up in the trees behind the house. They are always looking for fish or crabs on the beach. Imagine our surprise when we were all hanging out talking about Mac, when an Eagle swooped down and grabbed (something?!). It was pretty cool and for the full footage, be sure to check out our YouTube video at the end.

I then flew the drone over the beach to practice my skills and check things out. It’s really beautiful up at Camano and especially on a calm sunny day! I only took video, so the images below are snippets from the footage. I’m still learning how to go back and forth from photo to video on the camera while flying.

Hoping for good times ahead this summer

These past few months have been so surreal and we’re all still trying to figure things out. We’re in the process of re-booking our bare-boat charter to the BVI’s this week and we’re also looking at other boating adventures. That’s why this blog and channel have always been about. To share our love for being on the water with all of you. As marinas slowly open up, along with popular destinations, we’ll see where the water takes us. Until then, stay tuned.

March 27, 2020March 29, 2020

Our Catamaran Charter to the BVIs is Cancelled

In our last blog, we were somewhat confident that our bareboat charter trip to the BVIs next month would still happen. Who knew then, how drastically things would change over the next seven days as we dealt with the COVID-19 virus. While it has been the topic of the world, Seattle was not shut down yet. In fact, my office was still open and working as normal.

Then we got the notice from The Moorings, that the trip was officially cancelled. The four of us were definitely sad and disappointed, but it is the only solution to keep the islands safe. Being down and out about the cancelled trip, Scott and I decided to spend it on the boat and enjoy the sunny weekend.

Once again the sunset was amazing. Watching it and enjoying our cocktails, our worries seem to disappear, if only for a moment. We called Ben and Maria to talk about the cancelled trip and figure out what’s next. That’s when we decided that the four of us should head out of town on the boat for Saturday night to get away from it all.

Scott and I made a nice dinner on the boat and relaxed the rest of the evening (again, who knew then that there will be plenty of relaxing coming up?!)

Off to Port Orchard

I called Port Orchard and they had plenty of space. We left Seattle about 11am and I navigated us the entire way (until it came time to make the narrow entrance into the marina).

When we approached the narrow opening, another boat was leaving!

It was a perfect trip through Rich Passage and as we arrived, the fog lifted, blue skies appeared and sun came out to greet us! The marina wasn’t kidding about dock space – it was just us and two other boats.

We’re here, now what do we do?

The four of us headed into town and decided to get some take out at The Brickhouse to support them. This is normally a bustling restaurant and bar with live music. It was a bit surreal to have no one in there. I love this sign that hangs outside the bathroom door – it’s perfect for what’s going on right now.

We headed to the north end of town and walked along the shoreline. There we discovered a memorial dedicated to the US Navy and an actual torpedo!

The walking pathway runs along the main shoreline of Port Orchard, offering plenty to see along the way. We lucked out enjoying warm sunny weather.

All alone in Port Orchard

We pretty much had the marina all to ourselves.

The boat in front of us, appeared to be vacant and had an eviction notice on it. We weren’t sure what it was? Half sail, half power. Part metal, part wood. Strange.

The tall ship was beautiful and the crew were all busy working on the mast. Be sure to watch our upcoming video for the up close drone footage.

While it was only a short getaway, it was nice to be away from it all. Just a week later, the state issued a 14 day shelter order. Here in Washington, many of our boating friends and followers, actually headed out of town during the order. The question now remains, is that considered a quarantine? Can they go to the marinas? Cruisers around the world are also in limbo or stuck and can’t get into countries they’ve traveled to. No one knows the answer or what the future holds; all we can do is take this day by day.

I am now temporarily laid off and working on projects around the house, while Scott is working from home. Let’s just pray that this will end soon and life can go back to normal. The four of us hope to reschedule our cancelled trip before the end of this year. We have a lot of things going on with us, but with the current pandemic nothing is happening yet. Until then, stay tuned.

As always, thank you for following us! Be sure to follow us on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram @BoatingJourney, so you can see our stories and get current updates on our progress. Also, check out our YouTube channel at @BoatingJourney and subscribe for future episodes. Cheers, Ally & Scott

March 17, 2020March 18, 2020

Trying to stay positive amidst the chaos of the world

Everywhere you turn these days, you run into “the virus.” It follows you and you can’t escape it. How do we stay positive and not get stressed or depressed? That’s the question for all of us. We’re all worried about getting sick, about the economy and what the future holds. My solution is to try not to play into it as best as possible.

A year ago this month, Scott and I took an amazing trip through the Leeward Islands aboard the Star Flyer with our close friends Ben and Maria. It was on that trip that we decided to book a bare boat charter and visit the British Virgin Islands. None of us had ever done such a trip, nor visited the Virgin Islands. To say we’ve been planning this trip for a year, is an understatement. But it’s very possible, for health and safety reasons, it might be cancelled.

When the four of us met last month to talk about the trip, we had no idea what lie ahead for us. I was busy training for the Big Climb, Maria was learning to pack so she can carry on and we were trying to figure out how to provision our groceries. How ironic that we can’t even find toilet paper, hand sanitizer or paper towels here in Seattle right now.

I remember hearing about some guy coming from China who might have the Covid-19 virus a few weeks ago – but I didn’t think too much about it. That was, until the news broke that the virus was killing people here in our own backyard. Scott and I are not the type to panic or freak out. We understand the severity of the situation and seeing how fast it spreads, it makes sense to shut things down.

Feeling hopeful

All we can do is stay positive amidst this chaos and look for the light at the end of the tunnel. I do believe that our trip will happen and it will be epic. It’s unproductive to worry about what we can’t control; we can only do our best to stay healthy and follow the CDC protocol. It can be difficult to not worry every day, when all you see on the news, social media, in your in-box, television, etc. is “Coronavirus UPDATE”.

The Moorings has kept us updated regularly and so far, the trip is still on. I’m a believer that everything happens for a reason, so if it gets postponed, then it was to keep us safe. The question still remains, “how do you stay positive and not let this virus news get you down?” I will admit, it’s difficult and some days it’s hard to shake it. Then I go back and reminisce about past Caribbean trips and I feel better! Scott and I live for trips like this and we’d move to the Caribbean in a heart beat if we could!

Positive Vibes

I’ve always loved the term “positive vibes” and it has more power than you realize. It actually means the feeling that someone or something gives you. So, positive vibes means the positive feelings that you get from someone or something. A person should be always concerned about the positive vibes of something , while the negative side gives you nothing in return (per quora.com).

Imagining the four of us on our catamaran, in turquoise blue waters, cocktail in hand and Caribbean music playing makes my worries disappear. So I keep envisioning this as often as I can. It’s one of the ways I stay positive these days.

Don’t get caught up in the media

That’s my motto today and one of the reasons I decided to write this blog. We’ve all been inundated with emails from every company talking about the virus. I really am not worried about catching it from Wayfair, so I’m not sure the reason for sending me three emails this week? LOL! Instead, what did resonate with me, was a beautiful email I received from Star Clippers yesterday. As a professional marketer, they are doing things right. Looking at this inspiring email, makes me want to explore the world, not sit in fear.

What are you doing to stay inspired and not feel depressed about the world today? We’d love to hear from you!

If you look back on history, we’ve tackled other serious medical situations (Zirka, SARS, H1 N1) and we came out okay. Yes, this one is much worse. But with all of the precautions in place, I feel comfortable that this will soon pass. I keep envisioning the four of us cruising the beautiful blue waters around Tortola soon!

In the meantime, stay positive and share your inspirations with others. You never know how many people you can lift up by doing so!

#BoatingJourney

March 11, 2020March 11, 2020

Finally boating after two months at dock!

Scott and I spent last weekend on the boat, so we could go boating after being landlocked for two months at the dock. Seattle has been experiencing some crazy, wild weather and Friday was one of those days. Not in the mood to deal with another wind storm, we opted to wait until Saturday to head to the boat. We had plans to go out and practice anchoring with our friends (who we’re chartering a bareboat with in BVIs) Ben and Maria on Sunday.

The weather was nice and dry at the marina when we arrived. But if you look closely at the photo above, you see a huge squall right in front of Scott. Wanting to catch the sunset, we quickly unloaded our gear and made a sunset cocktail. We were not sure if we would be able to see anything, because of the high tide, but we lucked out!

Crazy wild weather in Seattle

As we watched the amazing sunset, we couldn’t help but notice the darkness that was coming over West Seattle into DT Seattle.

Yet, it remained perfectly dry at the marina the entire time.

They had so much hail in West Seattle, it was still there the next day. My co-worker sent me this photo while we were watching the sunset!

Keto on a boat?

Since Scott and I both need to lose weight, we decided to try the Keto diet and we’ve been on it for a whopping week. Surprisingly, we’ve done pretty good eliminating carbs (with the exception of wine…LOL). I wanted to make something easy to cook on the boat, but also Keto friendly and I came up with Zucchini Lasagna. I used jarred marinara (look for one with low carbs and sugar) and then it just had a few ingredients. Slicing the zucchini was easy – be sure to follow my recipe and try to dry out the zucchini before you bake it.

We’ve only used the oven twice before and every time it FREAKS me out. The fact that you have to turn on the gas on the propane tank, then turn on the LPG in two places, then light a burner to bleed gas into the solenoid to the oven so that you can then use a lighter to light the oven, IS CRAZY. Obviously, I didn’t do it. LOL! This is a dumb question for cruisers – but do you actually use your oven when you are out crossing the ocean?

The lasagna tasted great. The only issue I had was it was a bit watery. Zucchini is mostly water, so you really have to be patient to release any moisture before cooking.

Good morning Elliott Bay Marina!

The weather forecast for Sunday was perfect. Winds were SSW 5mph, sunny and dry. We planned on leaving the marina around 11am and head to Port Madison to practice anchoring. While waiting for Ben and Maria to arrive, we decided to check on our anodes using our waterproof OSMO Action camera. We’ll have to go back and try again to get better footage, as we weren’t sure where we were under the boat. But by the quick check, all looks good.

Props still look shiny thanks to Prop Speed

While we were down there, we also got some close ups of the kelp crab hanging out on the piling.

After we played around with the OSMO Action camera, we then decided to fly the drone over the marina. The first flight didn’t record, so we sent it back up again. This was only our 2nd time flying it, so I think we did pretty good. Scott said, he was getting some disturbance from either airlines or another drone and was having some difficulty controlling the direction. At one point, it spins too fast in circles. LOL We’ll include the footage in our next YouTube episode, or you can check it out on our Facebook page.

Heading out to anchor on our own!

Since we have never anchored overnight and only anchored once last Fall, we needed to head out to practice anchoring with Ben and Maria. We’ll be completely on the hook in the BVI’s, but we haven’t ever moored or anchor, so we need all the practice we can get. In some ways, anchoring in the PNW can be harder (I think), because we can’t see to the bottom of the sea bed, it is muddy and full of kelp. At least in the BVI’s we can dive down and check the anchor if we have to.

Scott and I were trying to decided where to go and he suggested Blake Island so we can practice mooring and anchoring.

Then I reminded Scott that we don’t have a mooring line, nor do we have any idea how to catch a mooring ball. Better brush up on that on YouTube. So we headed off to Port Madison again for lunch.

The weather was perfect and we cruised over in about 40 minutes going about 9.8 knots. When we arrived, we headed north of the barge buoy which had about fifteen sea lions on it. The last thing we needed was for them to come over for lunch!

We anchored in about 30′ of water, which was actually tricky where we were. There’s a slight shelf off of Port Madison and as you approach the shore, it gets very shallow, then suddenly deep again. So you have to find the right spot to anchor. We noticed right away that the winds were blowing us towards shore and into deeper waters.

Ben and I were on the bow and using the foot windlass I started to lower the anchor, giving Scott arm signals as to the direction of the chain. Once it caught, we could tell right away, because the chain went taught. We then let out about a total of 120′ – we were the only ones in the bay, so we didn’t need to let out our full 5 to 1 or 7 to 1. Another successful anchor!

Time for lunch!

Once we knew the anchor was holding and secure, we headed down to the salon for lunch. You would have thought we had another party joining us with all of the food we brought!

The entire time we were eating, I kept looking behind us to the transom to see if one of the sea lions had jumped aboard. A guy in Olympia had his small sail boat destroyed by them!

The hardest thing I think I will need to get used to, is the swinging and swaying. I’m constantly looking around the entire time. Perhaps when we’re surrounded by crystal blue turquoise waters and not a bunch of noisy sea lions, I’ll be okay with it!

After a nice lunch, we headed back. We could see the weather was starting to turn over Seattle and we didn’t want to get stuck in it. So we kicked the engines into full (almost) throttle and headed back at over 18 knots!

The four of us still have a few things left to tackle for our trip to the BVIs including provisioning on-line with The Moorings. Hard to believe we only have 51 days until we leave! This has been a year in the making and we couldn’t be more lucky to being doing this epic trip with such great friends. We’re hoping to get together for one more review before we leave – stay tuned!

Be sure to follow us on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram @BoatingJourney, so you can see our stories and get current updates on our progress. Also, check out our YouTube channel at @BoatingJourney and subscribe for future episodes.

As always, thank you for following us! We have some exciting things planned for this summer, so stay tuned! Cheers, Scott and Ally (Watch our full episode on YouTube – see below)

#BoatingJourney #BoatingLife

December 31, 2019January 2, 2020

Our Boating Resolutions for 2020

Everyone sets resolutions for the new year and this time, Scott and I decided to set “boating resolutions” for 2020. Of course, losing weight will always be on the list, but our boating resolutions might be easier to achieve.

We also want to give a shout out to Northwest Yachting Magazine who included us in their boating resolutions article. That is going to help us be accountable and stick to our plan! As the year begins, we’ll share with you our progress on this blog and our YouTube channel. Here’s our list for 2020:

Save Money

Most of us have saving money on our list of resolutions and so far, we’ve done an “okay” job at it. Just our living situation is saving us money – we sold our big house and downsized to an apartment, cutting our living expenses by almost $2300! But Scott and I still have a long ways to go. We watch other cruisers and they are able to live on $15/day! That’s surely not possible here in the city – but we’re going to make a go of it and share it. Groceries alone in Seattle cost a fortune and we don’t shop at the fancy stores! Follow us and see how we do!

Some of the things we’ll do better at are:

Dine at home more often on the weekends (this is a big one)
Drink less wine (save calories!)
Make simple dishes – using less costly ingredients
Watch our personal spending for clothing, toiletries, etc – we’re not big spenders here, but every bit helps
Do boat maintenance ourselves instead of hiring out

What’s interesting about looking at our list is that we’re aren’t big spenders – yet we do like to go out to dinner and have drinks on the weekend – that adds up! Time to hunker down and watch movies at home.

Anchor Overnight

Scott and I have never anchored overnight or stayed on a mooring ball. With all of the great anchorages around Puget Sound, we are committed to anchoring at least a few times next year – especially before our trip to the BVI’s. We have to confess. We love the luxury of power and the ability to walk down the dock to go site seeing. Yes, we have a generator, but interestingly enough it is a portable Honda generator. That means it’s pretty loud and not the way we want to relax on the boat.

Visit British Columbia

Victoria B.C. is about 70 nautical miles from Elliott Bay Marina. At 10 knots, we think we could get there in about 8 – 8 1/2 hours. We’re certainly not going to run up there for a weekend, but our plan for next summer is to go up north for about 9-10 days. We’d visit Roche Harbor, then probably Sucia Island and then B.C. We’ve never ventured past Deer Harbor, so that’s why one of our boating resolutions is to venture out farther.

marina san juan islands — Roche Harbor Marina

Travel to at least three new ports

Every summer, Scott and I go back and visit the same ports we visited the year before. Probably because we’re familiar with them and the fear factor of the unknown is missing. At the same time, boating is all about visiting new places – especially ones that you can only get to by boat.

These ports will have to be somewhat close to Seattle, so we can get there over a weekend. Some places on our list (which would also fulfill our other boating resolutions) are:

Olympia
Port Townsend
Everett / Camano Island (where my family lives)
Edmonds
Port Ludlow

If you have a favorite spot we should visit over a weekend (near Seattle), please share your comments below.

Find a liveaboard slip

This boating resolution should be at the very top of our list, but we’re feeling a bit defeated here. It’s been four years since we decided to downsize to move onto a boat and we accomplished a lot! We got rid of our stuff, sold our home, sold our first boat and moved into an apartment. I was more worried about if I could actually live on a boat, not that I couldn’t because we can’t find a slip.

Scott and I love Elliott Bay Marina, but they have very strict rules against liveaboards. The only exception to that rule is the condo dock at EBM, but we don’t know anyone to contact. We’ve come to a road block there. We’ve put our name on the waiting list at Shilshole,, but that could take years. There are a few openings in Tacoma and possibly north, but we both work in downtown Seattle and making a two hour commute each way every day would make me miserable.

Our only hope is perhaps we find a private slip or find an available slip at EBM on the condo dock. If you hear of anything, please keep us in mind.

Remodeling Projects

One of our major boating resolutions is do tackle a few remodeling projects. In trying to save money, we certainly have no plans to invest a ton of money on remodeling the boat. But there are a few key items that we hope to address in 2020:

Get a bid for new carpet – our carpet is 17 years old and gross. Perhaps this is something we can do ourselves? But we don’t think so. Here’s photo of another Bayliner 4087 after their remodel – compared to us. They put hardwood floors under the dinette, added new carpet and some other finishing touches.

Replace the kitchen faucet. This is happening soon! Our faucet is way too big for our tiny kitchen sink. In fact, we can barely fit a skillet, let alone a pot under it.

Replace the double sink with a single bowl sink. Easier said than done! Our sink is 22″ x 14″ x 6″ and we cannot find an under-mount single bowl sink with these dimensions. If you know where we can find one, please let us know!

Replace the Bimini canvas top. While we would love to replace the entire canvas, our Isinglass is actually in pretty good shape. There are a few snaps that need to be repaired, which we can do ourselves. Our main issue is the bimini top leaks and after next summer we have no choice but to replace it. Here’s why! We have tubs all over up on the bridge collecting rain water.

One last resolution

Finally, our last boating resolution is to produce better quality & informative videos, along with improving our blog. In order to do that, we had to invest in better equipment (beyond my Android phone), which included the following. Santa was good to me this year! Now we just have to learn how to use everything!

Here’s to a great year in 2020!

After watching our last video of 2019, we know we have to up our game! Not only in video production, but in boating. Time to venture out and explore. As the saying goes, “You cannot discover new oceans, unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore. ” That’s our plan for 2020!

As always, thank you for following our blog and journey! You can also find us on YouTube, Facebook , Twitter and Instagram @BoatingJourney.

Happy New Year to you and your family! Cheers, Scott and Ally

This page may contain affiliate links for products I mention.