NOT DEEP ENOUGH

We started upgrading our boat the very day we bought it. Anyone who knows us well won’t be surprised—if we own it, it’s a project! While most of our early efforts were focused on restoring her to her original state, we soon realized we wanted her to be “better than new.” Then, I retired, and things shifted into high gear. Our plans to move her to the coast became real, and we realized she needed major upgrades to become a proper cruising boat. Lake sailing and living on the hook are totally different worlds. We suddenly needed radar, AIS, solar power, a lithium battery bank, a new chart plotter, a stronger windlass, and a larger, all-chain rode. We also needed a more readable autopilot, davits for the dinghy, a ditch bag, harnesses, jack-lines, personal EPIRBs, and what feels like a million other things. We have been doing as much work as possible up at the lake. This fall, we plan to pull her out and bring her home to finish the list. If all goes well, we will be towing her to Georgia between late spring and mid-summer.