Chicken Coops, Dog Beaches and Miami Boat Show!

It has been over 2 weeks since we laid eyes on Off Leash and 10 days since our last post.  We had hoped we would have been able to move aboard 10 days ago but, unfortunately, there were a few issues that showed up on our survey that needed to be taken care of before she could be “splashed” back into the water for us to take delivery. We are getting a taste of how frustrating it can be to have a boat in the yard. Like everything these days, with supply chain issues and labor shortages, nothing happens quickly. So the motto for the past 2 weeks…. “Hurry-up and wait!”

So what do you do while waiting? Our daughter, Ali, took us and her three doodles to the most fantastic dog beach I have seen. Located on Bonita Beach, near Naples, this was a long narrow stretch of beach with a very gradual slope into shallow water. There were over 50 dogs happily frolicking in the water, splashing and chasing balls and each other. I know Ali’s dogs were happy and you could not help but have a smile on your face while watching the action. Tuckered out, they slept well on the way home.

Our daughter’s new house is located on 2.5 acres in a rural area just east of Fort Myers. She brought a couple of her chickens from Oregon with her and over the past 3 weeks has hatched 6 more chicks and purchased 2 more.  Ten Chickens!  They obviously need a proper place to live and protection from the raccoons, bobcats and even the occasional panther that lurk in her rural neighborhood.  But, how to design the coop? That became the question. We could start from scratch but, with the cost of plywood these days, we thought we would look at other options. Ali is the queen of selling and shopping on Facebook marketplace. We looked for a used coop but they were either too worn out or too small. Karen came up with the idea to look for a children’s playhouse. We found one, rented a trailer to pick it up, and for the past few days we have been modifying it for chickens! I hope they will be happy (and safe) in it.

We also spent one day at the Miami Boat Show. Wow…. Some magnificent boats and lots of toys. We even got a picture with you tube personalities the Gayle Force Twins!

But, what about the boat? We were told the boat was scheduled to splash this coming Monday and we could move aboard at that time. Then I got a surprise call this afternoon that Off Leash splashed today and was back at the dealer dock waiting for us! There are still a few days’ worth of commissioning work to be done, but we will be able to start moving our gear aboard on Saturday! So, if all goes well, our next post should be from Off Leash. Fingers crossed!

OFF LEASH IS HERE!

 

She’s here! We got our first look and we’ve had her surveyed.  A few minor issues to tweak and we should be ready to move on board next week!  So, as promised in our first blog… the story of "Off Leash."

When Karen and I decided we were going to do the loop we started making up our initial list of features we would like in our boat. We both wanted a 4-8 year old boat, approximately 40’ long with twin diesels and 2 staterooms with a walk around bed so we would not have to climb over each other. We also wanted the galley and salon to be “up” with plenty of windows and an open feel. We both liked aft galleys that opened to the cockpit but they were only found on newer boats which were, most likely, not in our budget. We recognized the inherent comfort in a salon with free-standing furniture but we preferred the more modern style yachts with built in furniture.  I wanted a boat approximately 40’ long with a flybridge and stern cockpit and preferred it to also have an inside helm as well.  Karen wanted 2 heads and stairs to the flybridge rather than a ladder.

We started our search on the west coast but the pickings were slim. One boat we did see was a new Greenline 40. We were very attracted to the hybrid drive train which would allow slow speed operation on electric power without diesel fumes. It also had built in solar panels enabling more time at anchor without running a generator. As much as we loved the boat it was new so a bit above our budget and had only one head (Sorry Karen) and no flybridge (Sorry Rob). We took a brochure and drove home.  On the way home Karen thumbed through the brochure and spotted the Greenline 45 Fly and a love affair was started. That led to her binge watching YouTube reviews and the 45 Fly became her dream boat…… my reply “keep dreaming.”

Last spring we traveled to Florida to do a 4-day “Taste of the Loop” trip with Capable Cruising.  We stayed a few days after that to look at boats. The first boat we looked at – you guessed it – a Greenline 45 Fly.  Beautiful, mid-ship, master stateroom with a king size bed. Aft galley.  Inside pilothouse with a pilot house door, and a flybridge. And, more importantly, wide, flat side decks with tall gunnels and high stanchions that helped Karen feel much safer and more secure when walking to the bow. As much as we both loved the boat, my response was still “keep dreaming.”

Over the next few days we looked at boats more in our budget. Unfortunately, we compared every one of them to the Greenline and they all came up short. Some were dark and dreary. Few had an inside helm and none had pilot house door. There was one newer Carver that had much of the galley replaced by a huge glass liquor cabinet which may be a big selling point to some but did not really fit our lifestyle. And, every one of them had narrow or slanted side decks requiring the balance and skills of a ballerina to scamper from stern to bow…..skills Karen and I have lost long ago.

At this point I have to interject…..  I grew up around boats and have many long passages under my belt. Karen’s boating has been mostly a few bareboat trips in the BVI's, including our honeymoon. I am still somewhat in shock that she has been so enthusiastically behind us doing the loop. I very much want her to feel comfortable moving around her boat. So, despite the fact that we would be blowing up our budget, I agreed to move forward with ordering a 2022 Greenline 45 Fly. We did have to make a few concessions….. our boat is standard diesel drives, not hybrid, we have gel batteries instead of lithium and  a galvanized anchor instead of stainless steel. I may have to go back to work again some day, but hey… “Happy Wife, Happy Life!”