Inch by Inch, Step by Step

Inch by Inch, Step by Step, we're getting closer to the cruising life.  Last week we had an offer and acceptance on the property in Sequim WA.  Closing date in about a month. That should help the cruising kitty.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, we visited the Seattle Boat show.  Four times for me, two for Connie. The first Saturday I had my list of freebies to go after. Various drawings and what not.  The Mustang booth had a promotion where you trade your drivers license in for the privilege of wearing an auto-inflatable PFD as you cruise the show. They have spotters roaming and if you get spotted and selected then you win the PFD.  As luck would have it, Connie was spotted and within on hour of arriving at the boat show had won a new personal flotation device, at $240 value!


The next weekend we attended again and while Connie was buying some new fenders at West Marine, I proudly displayed my bright red Mustang PFD by standing at the intersection of various walkways.  Sure enough, they called my name and I won one for myself.  Now we have two new PFDs, one with a spare arming cylinder.

The last time we took PFDs to San Diego we had to remove the CO2 cartridges for the flight.  Then we had to visit Downwind Marine on Canon St and buy new cartridges .   This time we've figured it out how to avoid wasting the cartridges.  The plan is to take the PFDs with cartridges installed to the local Fed Ex World Service Center.  There I can ship the hazardous material via ground labeled as ORM-D_AIR.  Other Regulated Materials for Domestic transport.  We will ship by ground to Downwind Marine in San Diego and just let the good folks there know to expect the package. They will hold it for us.

 The next time we travel to Ensenada we'll stop off at Downwind, grab the PFDs and buy some assorted line and supplies. Then we'll swing by West Marine to pick up the four fenders that Connie bought at the boat show.  You can buy things at a boat show and pick them up at the dealer almost anywhere in the US where they have an office. We'll be totally loaded down on that Trolley!  Might have to use the services of one of those two-wheeled cart guys at the border.

Also at the boat show I got a good deal on a discontinued Garmin GPSMAP 76Cx handheld GPS and a GPSMAP 421 chart plotter with Mexico maps on a chip.   The 421 will interface with a new Standard Horizon Matrix GX2000 VHF Radio & AIS Display.  The radio will use the GPS function from the chart plotter and the chart plotter will receive and display the AIS information from the VHF.  That's IF I can figure out how to wire all this stuff up.  The handheld GPS is the backup and for taking along in the dinghy.

The Boats Afloat show at South Lake Union wasn't too bad.  Overwhelmed by power boats as usual.  However there were a couple of sailboats we enjoyed seeing.  The 1995 Valiant 42 cutter was my favorite.  We liked the Island Packet Estero and the Hallberg-Rassy 40 also. Big dollars. Looking at the workmanship and seamanship qualities of these boats and comparing that to what we saw on the Jeanneau and Beneteau models was a stark comparison. The woodwork detail differences, the use of available storage space, hand holds down below, overall craftsmanship. If you've seen these boats, you know what I'm saying.

I learned a lot at the boat show, through seminars and conversations: 
What to keep in the sewing kit for sail repairs
How Radar works and does not work
How to inspect the rigging
How to get the watermaker back on line and how to maintain it once underway.
What sail inventory to use for long distance cruising
How to dock the boat
How to order a new Hydrovane and install it on the stern of Traveler
How, as a couple, to get along and share the load
How to win free PFDs.
How to spend $9.00 on one beer.