What's been going on?

Besides a serious case of the f***-its.  We've been rather busy with various events in our life.

But one that matters for this blog is:  WE BOUGHT A BOAT.

Yes, yes we did.

We had been looking, and deliberating, and thinking and budgeting.  We initially talked ourselves into getting another cheaper boat, but still packed with newer amenities, so that immediately put us into the category of -- production boat with up to date electronics and systems.

And we came close to a Jeanneau 45DS that was fully loaded.

Then we decided to wander over to Annapolis, well, because, they have a few boats.  In fact, every other one of them is for sale. Maybe not, but it sure seemed like it.

So we check out a few more, started scratching certain things off our list (for me, the new Beneteaus and Jeanneaus are too stark for my liking).

Some older boats--too many things to upgrade.

Then, even though my spouse had declared NO CENTER COCKPITS. We looked at a Southerly 135, or should I say the Southerly 135, since Southerly's are scarcer than hen's teeth in the US.

And it was a lock.  We bought her.  Blew our budget all to hell.

Of course, to keep up with tradition, because we sailors must have tradition. Northshore/Southerly went belly up (finally) between offer and close. (last time when we bought the Hunter, Hunter Marine declared bankruptcy soon after).

So, we are now in the process of giving her some TLC that she needed, nothing heart stopping, just some maintenance that has been belayed by the previous two owners.  The living quarters are in impeccable condition, but some systems things we want in better shape for our liking….or maybe because the spouse likes to buy shit for his boats.

So the latest dinner time conversations is about the 'list' of maintenance and upgrades.  There's the have to do, the should do, and the wanna do.  It's funny how the things on the spouse's wanna do list got moved to the have to do column.

I will post pics soon.  We hope to move her the first week in November, we have our slip waiting for her in Key West.  Can hardly wait to put that retractable keel to use!  We can put her in 4ft water, she'll still be floating with plenty to spare and we can scrub the hull our own damn selves…or not, so says the spouse.

In the meantime, here's a glamour shot from when she was known as Thistle and
featured in a couple of sail magazines. We have a copy of the SAIL magazine from 2003.