The house is finally listed for sale and we’re just weeks away from moving on to the boat! We found a cute little apartment in downtown West Palm Beach that we will rent starting March 1st. We’ll begin moving our stuff into the apartment, as well as the cats until the boat is 100% done for them to join us. But at least this way they will be closer to us, and we can ride our bikes the 5 miles to the apartment to check on them more often. Plus it will be a good test of how they do in a new environment.
The wind generator is all hooked up (getting it up is another story but there’s a few photos below!) and making power along side the solar panels, yeah! We also have a refrigerator! It’s so nice to not be living out of a cooler! Ben did a great job hooking up the fridge – I have to say I’m impressed with what he has learned these past few months! Next up is another haul out so we can finish hooking up the water maker. Then it will be time to organize the boat and figure out where everything is going to go so we can move on it! But we’re making great progress. We bought new pots and pans and dishes, which will take up less room than what is currently on the boat. Soon we’ll be meeting with the cushion peeps to get me my new cushions and curtains! Yeah!!!! So, one step at a time, we’re starting to live the dream! 
We went sailing twice this week, that is a first for us…2 days in a row! Tuesday afternoon we headed out to the 3 mile mark so we could dump our holding tanks and get the smell out of the bathroom! Another first – I raised the sails while Ben was at the helm. I’ve never raised the sails on Buckeye before and OMG that alone is an amazing workout. It took about 5 solid minutes of cranking and cranking to get the main set, but finally I got it (or at least enough). We sailed for a few hours, then decided to try out another first….setting reefs in the main – which we accomplished, yeah! It was a beautiful day, perfect for sailing. Wednesday the winds and seas were a smidge stronger (by my wimpy standards) but out we went for another sail. We practiced reefing again and sailed on some new points of sail. So while we are by no means experts (yet) we are learning new things and becoming more and more comfortable sailing the boat. I think we’re ready to plan our first trip to the Keys! Now to find the time.
Did I previously mention we’re having more outboard issues (the engine on the dinghy)? We are outboard cursed, I swear! A few weeks ago it starting running hard and not starting right, but it was still running. Thursday we loaded up after a nice 2 days on Buckeye, got settled in the dinghy and it wouldn’t start! 5 minutes and a worn out Ben later, it still didn’t start so we had to row across the ICW to get back to the dock. Fortunately, the winds were light and the tides were pretty slack so we made it back in only about 20 minutes…another great workout! Holy moly, maybe if we keep up this sailing and rowing thing I can finally lose those 10 pounds!!! Poor Ben does not share my rowing enthusiasm though, so he’s off to take the outboard in for servicing and see what is wrong with it! Welcome to boat life, there’s always something that needs fixed. 
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Hi Ben and Katie
nice to read your story! The pics are great, and hope that you get the dingy problems worked out.
Did you see the HGTV show about a woman who went to France to buy her 43 foot boat (looked just like yours) and then lived on it in St. Thomas for a year, (I think she did chartering) and then found she needed a little larger space for her two sons. One must have been in the business with her. It was a wonderful show!
talk to you later
By: Gail Summerhill on February 28, 2011
at 1:07 pm