Some have asked for an update on our boat, plans and experiences as we come closer to pulling the plug. First a quick status: a. The house went on the market last Thursday. Like any house sale this one is surrounded by a thousand action items that have eroded time allocated to boat preparation. The biggest news on the house sale is neighbors on both sides of us decided to put their houses on the market as well, so I'm a bit less optimistic about a quick sale. I shouldn't complain as the Seattle housing market is not reeling like many across the nation. b. One daughter was married last month and next month the other ties the knot. With a truly empty nest we are convinced this course of action we put in place more than a year ago is exactly where we want (and need) to be! At the time we started discussing this neither daughter was engaged, but both were out of college. Both sets of in-laws are healthy and there are no grand children to keep us shore bound. So, we continue to marvel at how this is working out. c. My 3 year old Camano still hasn't sold. I guess I'm pretty surprised that it's taken so long, but I'm being as patient as I can be. It's a great little boat and one of the latest models available on the used market. I'm sure it will sell eventually. d. Alanui is completely torn apart. Marian visited the boat for the first time in two months yesterday and almost fainted. All the ceiling panels are down, the helm is completely torn apart, there are wires dangling everywhere. She looked at me and asked: You know how to put all this back together? I confidently replied, yep, I tore it all apart didn't I? In all seriousness, I have removed every instrument and redone 70% of the wiring. The reason is I'm integrating a complete set of redundant systems. Computer, communications, autopilot, safety equipment, entertainment, everything we need to make this our transport and home for the next three years. I started putting things back together yesterday. With the house now on the market I can focus almost 100% on the boat, so within a few weeks it should be back in business. It better be, it's being hauled out for bottom paint and zincs in two weeks. So, where we are now is I'm focused on transitioning life aboard the boat. I already have a sense that we are going to start moving aboard and will find that we exhaust our storage space before the boxes on the dock are empty of our shore side belongings. I need to find a way to better estimate what will fit on the boat? I also need a better strategy for spares management. I'm concerned about having enough space to keep a dozen fuel filters and other supplies. Anyway, as we get out there we will figure this all out. Oh, one thing that helped my state of mind is realizing I don't need to complete every task before leaving for the FUBAR event in Sept. I can do some things on the way, for instance mounting the dinghy chocks. If I don't get it done here, I'll do it in a quiet anchorage someplace. I better be able to do things like this or I'm not ready for the trip. A few critical things I still need to do are complete our shots and try a scuba dive in a local pool. I still have not determined if I can breathe under water, so I need to either answer that question or sign the wife up for scuba classes. I'd also like a more comprehensive course in first aid. One of the surprising things that has worked is setting up all our bills to take care of themselves. By using a combination of bill paying services and linkage to various accounts I think I have a fairly secure system with good checks and balances. We are planning on a cruising budget of 4 grand a month. My sense is this may be a bit low, but it's what we are setting up for at first, we can change it later if necessary. Yesterday I saw Hal Wyman and Que Linda heading out into Puget Sound via the locks. I'm looking forward to staying at his resort in Roatan, www.barefootcay.com . It seems like a thousand days from now, but I'm sure the time will pass in the blink of an eye. My dad has made a web site, it's www.alanui.talkspot.com. It's still a work in progress but we will try to get some stuff up there soon. Thanks to all those that have sent their wishes for a safe and enjoyable journey. Scott and Marian Alanui, Seattle WA

Scott, I'm worried about your comment "...and try a scuba dive in a local pool. I still have not determined if I can breathe > under water, so I need to either answer that question or sign the wife up > for scuba classes." If you're not a certified scuba diver, please don't try strapping on the equipment and doing it. I know, I know... I've heard it a million times. "I'm only going to check my gear and barely get under the water". The reality is that the most dangerous place in scuba diving is from 30' to the surface, and I can almost guarantee you'll want to go explore other than just checking your running gear. Besides, you won't be able to buy air without a C card of some type, and anyone who is certified that will supply you with a tank should be cursed for life. Please take a proper course and be safe! As for the Camano not being sold, it's a buyer's market. I know it hurts, but you may want to adopt a policy of lowering the price $X per month until it sells. Almost every boat owner thinks their boat is worth more than it actually is... we love them! Truth is, it's only worth what someone is willing to pay for it. Moving aboard? I can tell you it's not a one time event! You will continually get rid of more stuff as you realize what you actually use vs. what you thought you'd use. You'll probably need a lot less clothes and shoes than you think you need. Don't bring any single-taskers into the galley, e.g., bread makers, rice cookers, waffle irons, etc. My only exception to this rule is my coffee grinder and maker. You will find that you use a few glasses over and over. Keep maybe 4 for you and the SO, and a couple extra in case of guests. Ask yourself when stowing something... "will I really use this every single week?" If not, I probably wouldn't bring it aboard. Your cooking and eating will get much simpler, so you won't need a lot of fancy cookware and specialty stuff. Just a good basic set of cookware. A pressure cooker is invaluable. As far as spares, carry lots, know what you have and where they're at. I made up a table in Word (you can use Excel) and print it out. It stays on a clipboard hanging in the companionway. While the computer is nice, it just works better to have a piece of paper you can look at and write on. Transfer it to the computer later. One of the best pieces of advice I ever got was: If you have spares, install 'em. That way, you know: 1. They fit 2. You know how to install them 3. You have the right tools to do so 4. Assuming the old one was good, you still have a spare. Keith _____ "Outside of the killings, Washington has one of the lowest crime rates in the country," --Mayor Marion Barry, Washington, DC. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Scott E. Bulger" <scottebulger@comcast.net> > > c. My 3 year old Camano still hasn't sold. I guess I'm pretty surprised > that it's taken so long, but I'm being as patient as I can be. It's a > great > little boat and one of the latest models available on the used market. > I'm > sure it will sell eventually. > > So, where we are now is I'm focused on transitioning life aboard the boat. > I already have a sense that we are going to start moving aboard and will > find that we exhaust our storage space before the boxes on the dock are > empty of our shore side belongings. I need to find a way to better > estimate > what will fit on the boat? I also need a better strategy for spares > management. I'm concerned about having enough space to keep a dozen fuel > filters and other supplies. > > A few critical things I still need to do are complete our shots and try a > scuba dive in a local pool. I still have not determined if I can breathe > under water, so I need to either answer that question or sign the wife up > for scuba classes. I'd also like a more comprehensive course in first > aid.