We did a shakedown cruise along with Skip for the last week, and we are really excited about how the boat is coming together and how she performs. We also got to spend some time with Kathy, and to visit Pig Island (the last few pictures below).
We have had so much fun with Skip Boselli; moving in, solving problems, figuring out how the boat works, eating, meeting people on the dock who have been to Nova Scotia and New Foundland, etc. We took Geraldine out for a spin twice yesterday and they charted RPMs against speed and made a spread sheet with all the glorious data!!!! The sun is up by 4:45 so we all wake up early and go to bed early too.
We made it to the Geraldine at about 1:00 am Thursday night, came aboard and slept like babies!!! We took her out yesterday and didn’t crash the dock into pieces, but instead Walt did a great job bringing us in. We are busy provisioning, stowing, and figuring out how she will work for us. So far we are really pleased with the work that’s been done and just using her though there is still lots to learn. Skip Boselli will join us Tuesday and we will go out until Thursday to check her out. Olive, the dingy, shows up some time today as she is also finished. The dingy is a clam shell design; 11′ overall and she hinges and folds in half and is stored that way. We had her built for us to save space and the pictures we have seen look so great. We think we are getting what we asked for.
We are on wireless internet the marina supplies and it’s fun because we both brought our lap tops and any questions or need for directions can be done on line without yellow pages; it’s a new world! Food prices are so much cheaper in Maine we are stunned. Gas is about the same which was also surprising.
One system we are excited about on the boat is an emergency motor or get home motor. It runs off the generator and uses less than half the diesel of the main engine. It goes at 5.5 knots instead of 10 but the fuel savings may just slow us down! The cost up in the NW Passage can be well over $10 a gallon, so we are talking a REAL savings. The microwave we had installed is perfect and the new mattresses are very comfy. I’m really pleased with how much I can fit in the galley so far and that was a concern I had.