What does a sailor's to-do-list look like?

So I hear the following question a lot: what's left for you all to do on the boat before you're ready to take off?  A sailor’s boat to-do-list… if not ever growing, is at least never ending:

Here is ours as of today:

1. Changing all the 4 heads (a marine word for toilet) plumbing as all the pipes are permeated… I let you guess what that entails smell wise.
2. Check the issue with one of the holding tank (a holding tank holds waste from the heads when within 3 miles of the US Coast; offshore, you may dump everything in the sea; different countries have different rules, and enforce them more or less).
3. Change the shore power cord set up
4. Fix the bilge pump flap in port hull.
5. Set a rack on the stern for the life raft
6. Have a rain dodger made and installed  (see why here)
7. Waterproof and treat the canvas bimini (probably with Starbrite 303)
8. Fix the range-oven (issue with the thermocouples grounding)
9. New anchor : a Rocna 25 (55lbs) or 33 (73lbs)
10. New chain – at least 250 ft
11. New dinghy (maybe a secondhand one if good deal)
12. Repair trampoline (getting unglued in different parts & chaffed lines)
13. Sanding/painting/repairing the fiberglass/buffing the hulls
14. Bring back all the reefing lines to the helm (so you don’t have to go to the mast to reef in bad weather)
15. New VHF radio + handset needed
16. Change the insulation on top of the starboard engine (coming to pieces)
17. Varnish our beautiful wooden cockpit table and davits
18. Caulking the galley sink (it’s leaking)
19. Lubrication of the steering tie bar.  It seems really stiff.
20. Visual check of both fresh water tanks
21. Figuring the fuel system return and charge for the generator
22. Blinds for hatches
23. Calibrate depth sounder
24. Calibrate our autopilot
25. Remove stanchion net
26. Lubricate all winches and blocks
27. Service the windlass
28. Repairing/changing some ceiling lights in heads
29. Foot pump (optional)

….and I am forgetting a few...

Voilà - Set for the Winter 2012/13

Hauling out of Agave which weighs 40,000 lbs and measures 24 feet 3 inches wide was quite something today after having pumped out the waste tanks and flushed antifreeze in the seawater systems of both engines, generator, and A/C units... beam wise, we barely made it in the haul-out slip as you can see - all remote controlled [ media taken via cell phone so the quality is mediocre]: 

Still on the to-do lists: putting anti-freeze in the fresh water systems and removing the sails.... that's for next time.

From Solomons to Pasadena, MD

Getting ready to haul out the boat at Pleasure Cove Marina, in Pasadena, MD.  So we took the boat up the Chesapeake Bay.  It took about 10.5 hours.

 Last minute preparation for a night time departure: replacing the navigation light.

Morning navigation: feels good to feel the sun rays.

 

 Winterizing a boat starts with changing the oil of the 2 diesel engines, 2 gear boxes and the generator.

Prep for the Hurricane / TS Sandy

Sandy is nicknamed Frankenstorm because it is an unusual combination of hurricane and winter storm - supposedly.   Well since we got gently "kicked out" of our floating dock deemed unsafe to sustain tropical storm force winds, we had to haul out in a hurry... space on the hard is rare and coveted.  Anchoring out and riding the storm at sea was not an option since we have not replaced yet our heavily rusted chain and anchor.  So Avi managed to bring the boat by himself with one engine to the marina where we are now for the next few days in Solomons.

It did not prevent us to keep at it and work on our to-do list; Steve is a BIG help; here he is down below...working on that port bilge... we are learning a lot; it's very satisfying.

The passage: an overview in images...

By good weather...

By bad weather...

VIDEOS:

A Message from Avi: No Disney Cruise

"Hello Arno/Sara/Lisa/Alex:

Am copying everyone on this [message]. Thanks to everyone for the great adventure and a successful passage. Strange – I expected Cape Hatteras to be the worst of the trip and after that – piece of cake. Well – it turned out that pre-Hatteras was the piece of cake and post-Hateras was "adventurous", to say the least. In any case, I had a blast. Hope Sara and Arno did too. I apologize once again for the diesel-smelling quarters but then again I never promised this to be a disney cruise [...] Once again – thanks everyone. I had a blast. - Avi."

At last

Agave made it to Calvert marina in Solomons last night at 9:45pm; the welcoming committee, composed of us 3 and Lisa & Andy (who have been a tremendous help all along this process), were there to help them find their way in the dark and tie up to the floating dock.  They were cold, wet, and happy...   We then went over to Lisa & Andy's house to feed the hungry crew, after a nice hot shower, and have some wine to relax and celebrate.


This morning Avi is taking Capt. Arno to the airport, Sara is heading out to work, and I am going over the boat, figuring out all the things that need fixing and cleaning... There is a long list of to dos that is going to keep us busy the next month.  The boat though looks really good and did very well considering all the head on winds and pounding they had the last 2 days of the passage.  Agave is solid.  Its first adventure is over.  

Departed Norfolk, VA at 07:15 today.  25 kts winds on the nose.  Motoring only for a very uncomfortable and rough ride up the Bay.  Stark difference with the good and fun ride up the East Coast last week!

The weather is not cooperating, therefore the departure from Norfolk is postponed to tomorrow morning at day break.  ETA in Solomons: Tuesday evening/night.  Until further notice...

Agave is safely tucked in in Vinings Landing Marina, in Norfolk, VA.  They will stay there for the night, and head out late Monday to sail through the night and arrive in Solomons during daylight hours on Tuesday.  At least that is the plan.  More later.

It's bad out there, and will get worse tonight.  So a berth has been booked at Vinings Landing Marina, Little Creek, Norfolk.  We're lucky, most marinas are full in light of the weather! Thanks Lisa, for your help with this!

I quote "getting hammered by 25 kts headwinds and big waves" looking for a place to tuck in as they can no longer take much more of this.

The latest update from 02:30am: No wind and flat seas.
ETA at 08:41 for Cape Hatteras is in 12 hours.
---
Motorsailed most of Saturday.

From NOAA Marine:

 
 ANZ088-051500-
 CAPE FEAR TO 31N OUT TO 32N 73W TO 31N 74W
 500 AM EDT FRI OCT 5 2012
 TODAY
 N TO NE WINDS 10 KT BECOMING E TO NE 10 KT OR LESS
 LATE. SEAS 2 TO 3 FT.
 TONIGHT THROUGH SAT NIGHT
 VARIABLE WINDS 10 KT OR LESS. SEAS
 2 TO 3 FT.

After some concerns on Oct 4th around 17:00 regarding the weather as winds were picking up despite a seemingly benign forecast, they are now reporting no winds and motoring at 4:40 this morning.  It turns out, there were many scattered showers and thunderstorms in the mid-atlantic waters, but no gale warning.

Agave, a 2004 Robertson & Caine Leopard 47,  was purchased in September 2012.  Avi, Capt Arno and Sara left Ft. Lauderdale today to sail the cat to Solomons, MD.

Last minute preparations.

Getting ready.

Capt Arno

Capt Arno and Sara

To start with...

The sea does not reward those who are too anxious, too greedy, or too impatient. One should lie empty, open, choiceless as a beach - waiting for a gift from the sea.

--Anne Morrow Lindbergh, 1955