We're practicing the social distancing, oh hell.... we always did. :D
Working around the house, waiting for a good day to get in a bike ride and playing outside.
Yesterday I watered the solar batteries, and cleaned the chimney. Crystal did our taxes. We also went for a middling walk, too windy to go out for too dang long. We also drank some beer and made some food. Really? This isn't much different than our normal lives.
Today I did a bunch of research on watermakers for Contigo (our 41.5' boat) and found some web sites by folks that have the same boat. It's good to see what other people have done and how they did it with the same volume constraints. I'm working through the paperwork on getting stuff done on the boat as well as I can manage through the online method, though that would have been how I did that anyway.
Mostly just checking in a bit. We'll all see what happens next.
Monday, March 23, 2020
Saturday, March 21, 2020
Contigo is now our boat
The closing on the boat happened on Thursday around noon and the paperwork was sent out on Friday. It hasn't gotten here yet, of course. And there are still things to finish setting up. The U.S. Coast Guard paperwork got submitted but will take at least a couple of months to process. Then we can use that to apply for our Ship Station License for all the electronic stuff on the boat. WE already got our online FCC radio license. We'll also have to register all the emergency radio buoy stuff with yet another U.S. govt organization. Then we also have to process the paperwork in Colorado for buying the boat, our home port is listed as Del Norte, Colorado...... I think we'd need a MUCH deeper river to sail the boat up to the house. :D
We still have to set up for dry storage and work on the boat while we move forward from home with no way to get there to work on it. :D So I'll contact the sales guy at the Marina so I can get properly hooked up with the folks that own the boatyard where Contigo currently sits. And we have to work with the Marina down in San Carlos for the Temporary Import Permit that lets us keep the boat in Mexico for 10 years for the whopping sum of about $75.
We have to purchase insurance for it, required by Mexico to be on the water, it's liability insurance and not too expensive each year. And we have to get started working on our Temporary Mexican Citizenship application. Yes, there is such a thing.
There are several things we want to do to the boat for cruising and comfort there in the Sea of Cortez: Air conditioning, a blizzard of choices for that. We might go with something a little more expensive that uses half the energy so we can still use it judiciously while "on the hook"; I want a bow thruster on it for better/easier parking and that'll have to be done in the boat yard; and the boat needs an antifouling "bottom job" to keep the marine growth off it while sailing. We've found a place that does a copper treatment of the hull that has reliably lasted 10 years as opposed to the usual 2 years you get from ablative paint; I have to replace the house battery bank and perhaps upgrade the solar; and we'll have to install the fancy "MacPack" sail storage system that the previous owner (Chris) bought but didn't have time to install yet.
Of course, virtually none of that can get done while we're all on "lock down". So we'll get stuff in place and prepare. I'm taking an at home navigation class, we're both working on a Spanish class and there's a docking class we're studying for in May that we'll take on the water.
So we're sitting home but not sitting still.
How Y'all?
Saturday, March 14, 2020
Much ado about not so much
We're chilling at home. No big panic here. We've always joked that the phone and power go out here all the time so it's all the same. So we're not going into a big panic. I think the only thing we've gotten that's out of the ordinary is some extra Jamisons.
Our time today was spent cleaning up outside and making a dump run. We stopped at the grocery store for a few things we were out of and laughed at the empty isles where the toilet paper and paper towels and hand sanitizer should have been. At least the hand sanitizer makes sense.......
We're still working through all the stuff on the boat purchase. Yesterday I got the Radio Operator licenses for Crystal and I. Today I'm finding online options for ships logs and cruising apps. There's even a cool one that'll tell you if your drifting at anchor.
We're nearly at the end of our 6 week diet with few carbs, no alcohol, no sugar, no caffeine.... basically no food that isn't boring. :D In truth, Crystal does a great job of cooking up delicious food even given the restrictions.
So we're chilling, watching the stock market crash, watching idiots buy all the toilet paper, and glad we live a long way from all the craziness.
Hope all is well with every one else.
Our time today was spent cleaning up outside and making a dump run. We stopped at the grocery store for a few things we were out of and laughed at the empty isles where the toilet paper and paper towels and hand sanitizer should have been. At least the hand sanitizer makes sense.......
We're still working through all the stuff on the boat purchase. Yesterday I got the Radio Operator licenses for Crystal and I. Today I'm finding online options for ships logs and cruising apps. There's even a cool one that'll tell you if your drifting at anchor.
We're nearly at the end of our 6 week diet with few carbs, no alcohol, no sugar, no caffeine.... basically no food that isn't boring. :D In truth, Crystal does a great job of cooking up delicious food even given the restrictions.
So we're chilling, watching the stock market crash, watching idiots buy all the toilet paper, and glad we live a long way from all the craziness.
Hope all is well with every one else.
Wednesday, March 4, 2020
A little about buying a used boat
I think it must be time to tell the tale of working to buy a boat. A used boat certainly, since we choose to not afford a new one.
I've been looking at boats for at least a year and a half now. Doing my research, checking out the ins and outs and such. Trying to figure out what we're most likely to be happy with since we're in the middle of a largish country and there aren't many blue water sail boats around here.
Everyone says to try out lots of boats before you buy one. We're not built that way. So this is how the current deal is going......
Started talking to the owner last November (It's now March) about this boat he has that looks like something that will work well for us. Understand that there is no perfect boat, each one is a compromise of features, price and location. I have good conversations with the fella, then family stuff happens on both sides and we can't get down to look at it.
Flash forward to February of 2020 and the owner emails me to let me know he's dropped the price by 17K. I think about it for about 3 seconds and write, then call the broker in Mexico to make a full price offer. Not usually what you do but when a 75K boat is now 32K you jump. 2 days later Crystal and I are headed to Mexico to look Contigo over. Oh, during that time neither the owner nor I was hearing back from the broker so the owner stepped up and pledged the boat to me even if it got him in trouble :D. Turns out that was fine with the broker.
So we've looked at the boat. No one actually asks for the 10% down they're supposed to. This is OK with everyone. Odd. I get with the broker and schedule an inspection (Survey) and set up to have a mechanic (apparently THE mechanic) look over the motor. Motors cost about 25K to replace, it's worth a bit to check them out.
The survey comes back, with a crack in the fiberglass on the keel and rudder. I freak out a little, and contact the broker, the surveyor and the owner. All say fiberglass repair is easy and relatively inexpensive. The owner notes that the Marina cracked the keel and pledged to repair it and the owner also had paid to have the rudder re-glasses. We're still waiting to see how that turns out.
The motor was supposed to get looked at yesterday. Looks like Friday is more realistic. It seems the storage yard and work yard have decided you can no longer start an engine on the hard and it'll take $250 to move the boat over and back. The owner has decided to pay for that (I already paid for the survey and the mechanic) and that's really cool since he doesn't have to. So we'll find that out on Friday.
The boat papers (crucially important) got lost in transit but then found again. It's kinda nutty.
Updates as conditions warrant.
I've been looking at boats for at least a year and a half now. Doing my research, checking out the ins and outs and such. Trying to figure out what we're most likely to be happy with since we're in the middle of a largish country and there aren't many blue water sail boats around here.
Everyone says to try out lots of boats before you buy one. We're not built that way. So this is how the current deal is going......
Started talking to the owner last November (It's now March) about this boat he has that looks like something that will work well for us. Understand that there is no perfect boat, each one is a compromise of features, price and location. I have good conversations with the fella, then family stuff happens on both sides and we can't get down to look at it.
Flash forward to February of 2020 and the owner emails me to let me know he's dropped the price by 17K. I think about it for about 3 seconds and write, then call the broker in Mexico to make a full price offer. Not usually what you do but when a 75K boat is now 32K you jump. 2 days later Crystal and I are headed to Mexico to look Contigo over. Oh, during that time neither the owner nor I was hearing back from the broker so the owner stepped up and pledged the boat to me even if it got him in trouble :D. Turns out that was fine with the broker.
So we've looked at the boat. No one actually asks for the 10% down they're supposed to. This is OK with everyone. Odd. I get with the broker and schedule an inspection (Survey) and set up to have a mechanic (apparently THE mechanic) look over the motor. Motors cost about 25K to replace, it's worth a bit to check them out.
The survey comes back, with a crack in the fiberglass on the keel and rudder. I freak out a little, and contact the broker, the surveyor and the owner. All say fiberglass repair is easy and relatively inexpensive. The owner notes that the Marina cracked the keel and pledged to repair it and the owner also had paid to have the rudder re-glasses. We're still waiting to see how that turns out.
The motor was supposed to get looked at yesterday. Looks like Friday is more realistic. It seems the storage yard and work yard have decided you can no longer start an engine on the hard and it'll take $250 to move the boat over and back. The owner has decided to pay for that (I already paid for the survey and the mechanic) and that's really cool since he doesn't have to. So we'll find that out on Friday.
The boat papers (crucially important) got lost in transit but then found again. It's kinda nutty.
Updates as conditions warrant.
Moving done, for at least a minute and a half
We're back home, what seems like at last. Left Charleston, SC Tuesday morning a little before 10 AM and got home at around 10:15 AM on Wednesday. It was a quick trip out, a lot of work and then a quick trip back. Well worth it though, since Glen is all settled in now and we can relax at home.
Sunday, March 1, 2020
Next......
So we got home pretty late on a Tuesday night and crashed. Then we got, like, a day and a half at home before heading out to South Carolina to help Crys' dad get settled before he leaves town for a job. Poor guy, he'd just closed on the first home in his life he ever owned a week before having to leave.
Glen had put lots away and there was still an uphill battle to go. So we got in the car on a Thursday afternoon and pulled into Charleston, SC at around 6 PM on Friday evening. Glen took us to a nice Olive Garden dinner. We visited and chilled a bit and went to bed.
Saturday Glen went to work, and I woke up and started wrestling boxes. Crys got up a short time later and we got some done, then went to the bank for a little business. After that was all you can eat sushi which was great, a grocery store and ACE hardware stop and then back at it.
By Saturday evening we'd gone through all the boxes, worn ourselves out, and went to a well deserved sleep.
Sunday (today) was more of the same. A little shopping for stuff the house needed. A meeting with the house sitters, more work, then a nice dinner by Crystal and now we're chilling before sleep. Glen leaves tomorrow in the afternoon, we'll probably grab a nice dinner then sleep before figuring out our travel plan for getting home.
Glen had put lots away and there was still an uphill battle to go. So we got in the car on a Thursday afternoon and pulled into Charleston, SC at around 6 PM on Friday evening. Glen took us to a nice Olive Garden dinner. We visited and chilled a bit and went to bed.
Saturday Glen went to work, and I woke up and started wrestling boxes. Crys got up a short time later and we got some done, then went to the bank for a little business. After that was all you can eat sushi which was great, a grocery store and ACE hardware stop and then back at it.
By Saturday evening we'd gone through all the boxes, worn ourselves out, and went to a well deserved sleep.
Sunday (today) was more of the same. A little shopping for stuff the house needed. A meeting with the house sitters, more work, then a nice dinner by Crystal and now we're chilling before sleep. Glen leaves tomorrow in the afternoon, we'll probably grab a nice dinner then sleep before figuring out our travel plan for getting home.
Driving home.
We drove home on Tuesday. Had to. We have to get to South Carolina to help Crys' dad get settled before he leaves the country for work.
We left the room at about 5:45 AM and hit the road in the dark. Not too bad really. I'll copy in the notes I took down on the way home. That's probably the most representative way to do it.
"Left Guaymas at 5:45 AM
We left the room at about 5:45 AM and hit the road in the dark. Not too bad really. I'll copy in the notes I took down on the way home. That's probably the most representative way to do it.
"Left Guaymas at 5:45 AM
Tolls: Hermosillo bypass 113 Pj (only one toll going back)
Military check point between Hermosillo and Nogales. Around 112 KM mile marker. Just asked if we had guns.
Free bathroom at travel plaza right before Santa Anna. Crystal says it might be gross.
Turn in visitor visa at the same office at KM21. You have to cross the highway
Got to border in Nogales at 11:15. That town is a clusterfuck. Border check was fine, just looked through the trunk.
Got through border at 11:40
Headed out through the Arizona hinterland. Got stopped at a random border patrol check point. Funny, the Mexicans don’t want us to have guns and the Arizonans don’t want us to have Mexicans.
Home at 11:32 PM
Total miles 957"
IT was a pretty good drive really. Took around 18 hours and we were home. I only did one General Lee off the side of an on ramp to make the proper turn in Nogales. We were pretty wiped when we got home.
Some boat pics and some catch up
It's been a few, rather busy, days and those details will shine in another post. For now, the catch up on the road back to Colorado.
First a few boat pics.
That's Contigo there in the middle. We've decided to keep the name
This is the battery bank that may or may not be shot. Shame, they were new in the last year or two. I'll try to bring them back, we'll see.
Crystal was trying on the main cabin for size, looks perfect to me.
The galley isn't the biggest one we've seen on a boat but it seems quite workable.
This is the pilothouse you walk down into from the cockpit. Lots of good room and storage in here. The wheel isn't connected to the rudder in this room, but is in the cockpit. We might change that.
Obligatory shot of the bow.
And we took a walk on the beach.
First a few boat pics.
That's Contigo there in the middle. We've decided to keep the name
This is the battery bank that may or may not be shot. Shame, they were new in the last year or two. I'll try to bring them back, we'll see.
Crystal was trying on the main cabin for size, looks perfect to me.
The galley isn't the biggest one we've seen on a boat but it seems quite workable.
This is the pilothouse you walk down into from the cockpit. Lots of good room and storage in here. The wheel isn't connected to the rudder in this room, but is in the cockpit. We might change that.
Obligatory shot of the bow.
And we took a walk on the beach.
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