Getting Ready...

Since my last post, the boat has spent the winter all wrapped up in a blue plastic cocoon. During that time, Todd and our electricians have disassembled and rewired Ocean Breeze for all new navigational electronics. Once the plastic is removed in a few weeks, they will complete the installation.

We have upgraded the radar (Raymarine RD424HD), upper station GPS/chartplotter (Raymarine C90W Chartplotter housed in a NavPod), pilothouse GPS/chartplotter (Raymarine C120W Chartplotter GPS), SR100 Sirus Weather Receiver, AIS500 Class B Transceiver, Ray49 VHF Radios for upper and lower stations, upgraded Raymarine Autopilot, DSM30 digital sounder, Raymarine Satellite Dome (TV), Cam 100 reverse image video for monitoring the stern and a Cam 50 for the engine room. Still on the list is: getting a new matress made for the master suite (the old one goes to Shea's Sleep Shop in Toledo Friday!), upgrade the TV in the salon, rectify an ongoing problem in the bilge with our VacuFlush system, replace all of our bilge pumps, water pump impellers, 8D batteries (3) and generator battery, add 2 small inverters (for 2 computers and the TV), replace oil sending units, replace windowshield wiper arms and blades, new horns (really loud and big ones so everyone will think we're a ship), repair the Glendenning synchronizer, clean the AirSeps, replace Raycor filters and engine filters, add Hurly Davits and replace our upperstation canvas. New software for the entire course of travel as well as a myriad of charts and books will be purchased in the next few months. Of course, there's the usual prepping to commission the boat before it goes in the water (waxing, bottom paint, etc.).

Some of the work can be done after the boat is in the water and hopefully we won't be too delayed going in because of what has to be done before launch. As we click tasks off our list, I'll update our blog. It's going to be a busy summer with a departure date in early August.

Todd and I did attend the Fall Rendezvous of the AGLCA (Great Loopers) in October at Joe Wheeler State Park, Alabama. We came away with a huge amount of information and very excited about the adventure that is before us. We met wonderful people that had just started the adventure, well seasoned veterans doing the Loop again and people that haven't even bought boats yet but are thinking about doing the Loop (amazing!).

We spent February and early March in the Lower Florida Keys. We were fortunate to find a Boating Seamanship and Handling course offered by the US Auxillary Coastguard in Big Pine Key, FL. We last took this course in 1985 and found a lot of new material being covered now. Besides a great renewal of skills, we learned a good deal about navigating Florida waters which we look forward to doing in January, February and March of 2011! We also checked out many marinas on the Gulfside of Florida as well as the Keys.

Our excitement is growing. Every conversation with ANYONE is dotted with talk about the Great Loop and where our adventure will take us. The one aspect that seems odd to most folks is TIME. Time is to our advantage and we will take plenty of it as we move along the waterways. Looping is NOT for those in a hurry. We don't plan to run any faster than 7 to 8 knots and look forward to no more than 5 or 6 hours underway when we travel. The only exception will be the Big Bend in Florida's Gulf. That crossing will take about 8 hours.

These next posts will be mostly about what we are doing to get ready. I'm sure changes will occur and I will bring those to light as well. We, like so many, are dealing with some unknowns as we prepare. I hope you enjoy our voyage and the trials and tribulations ahead.