Living and traveling aboard their sailboat which will soon be christened LIONS PRIDE, in this exciting new Blog / Pod Cast series!
Introductions:
Charles is 47 and Jacquie 45.
Charles had his own drywall business, and Jacquie was a chef working locally, they both met and fell in love with each other on the Oregon coast in Aug of 87. Less than a year later they both left the Oregon coast and traveled to Stockton California, where they started a yacht detailing business working and living from their 36’ Carver in Village West Marina.
Less than two years later they dissolved the business, and moved to Idaho falls Idaho, where Charles started up his drywall business again and Jacquie went back to the culinary arts working at Runway 21 at the local airport.
What brought them to Idaho was Jacquie’s strong will to save Charles’s life and their relationship. The yacht detailing business was very successful, the income was better than both of their previous careers.
They were actually turning customers away because they couldn't’t keep up with the contracts. This type of atmosphere: boats, yachts, water, marina’s promotes parties and were there’s parties there’s bound to be drinking and drugs, this is what Charles fell victim too.
Therefore, they packed up their belongings in a van and made their new living in eastern Idaho. They became proud parent’s of a daughter whom they named Joleen and for several years lived among the suburban community.
Then a great opportunity came for Jacquie to open a restaurant in Boise Idaho, they both leaped at the opportunity. One year later they were out of the restaurant business, the hours took their toll on both with trying to raise their daughter and manage a restaurant.
Charles with his knowledge in computer hardware that he gathered while pursuing his hobby as a ham radio operator, went to work for a local petroleum service company, and Jacquie became a stay at home mom.
This went on for over 12 years, now that Joleen is 17 and is looking forward to going to college next year, Jacquie and Charles are looking to their future on a sailboat and writing about their day to day experiences.
So that those who have the same dream can perhaps pick up a few tips here and there.
We expect to make mistakes along the way in our pursuit, but we also know that if we research it long enough the learning curve will not be as sharp.
Obviously, our living space will change dramatically, we recall what it was like living on a 36 foot Carver in a marina. Space was limited and this is something we will both have to contend with. I believe it will be very challenging for Jacquie, for she has accumulated a lot of things over the years.
Captains Log: 6/28/08
Today even though we already have a laptop computer and a couple of older desk tops, we went out and compared computers big, small, speed, storage, user friendly and costs. We eventually settled on a new HP.
A very nice 22″ flat screen with 4 gigs of ram 500 gigs of storage and a dual core processor, very sweet. The mainframe is a little large, but I believe we can fit it in the nav station. The LCD screen can also be used for our TV entertainment. This is only one of a few basic items we will require when we take that step to living aboard a sailboat.
First Mates Log: June 29, 2008, 5:34 PM
Today we started the grind, we have to start someplace right? We got a little late start. Though we did post a few items for sale on Craig’s list. The Thomas Oregon, vintage Westinghouse sewing machine, and my china hutch and dinning room set. It scares me to believe that almost everything will go. What the captain doesn’t know is there will be lots that Lucy is taking? Ha Ha.
Anyway, after lunch we started work on our web page.
It’s looking pretty good. We talked about where to store our videos and all that happy stuff. Charles was reading his new magazine the Defender and conceiving about what else we need for the boat, (The wagon before the mount.)
I spent the day Friday with my baby Joleen. We went shopping and had a sincere daughter mother dialogue about everyone moving on.
She was bothered that we were just going to leave without a word or even permitting her to finish school. Yeah we have that option as parents right? Foolish Child.
I will miss what little time we do get together.
Now about the captains bad habit of smoking… We both have smoked for well over 25 plus years. We have possessed every over the counter remedy known to man to quit. Until about 6 months ago Charles came to me and said that Fred Meyer was now going to cover my prescriptions. (They didn’t! They fibbed! You have to verify you have tried to quit smoking! Ok numb nuts I’m over the age of 45 like; I have never tried to quit… Du!)
Anyway, back to the story. Charles came to me and said today is the day we QUIT! Furthermore, I mean it!
Therefore, off to the Dr. we go but there was a mix up on his appointment.
Consequently, I got my pills for Chantex, and he would have to wait another week.
I waited to start mine, so we could do it together. The week soon came and he had his pills.
We took the pills for about a month and still smoked. They tend to amplify your dreams and make you want to throw up, so I went down to a half pill Charles stayed at a whole pill however, I was proud of him. He was doing so well then the fabrication started.
“I only smell like smoke because what’s his name at work smokes,” the guy he worked with today smokes, what do you mean moneys missing from savings? I only had a butt. I’m just gonna run with this person or that (Finding ways to go to smoke), I need to work late. (Again bull)
It doesn’t matter how much toilet water you marinade in Captain you still stink.
I have been a non-smoker for over 5 months now. He still takes his pill and will continue eating away at the cruising kitty and lying about it until he gets it. I love my captain and I want him to quit ASAP.
Now off to watch more videos on sailing.
June 30, 2008, 9:01 PM
We sold our first item that we had posted on Craig list. It was the cherry table and chairs with the china hutch. I don’t genuinely think I will miss them as much as I believed I would. The hutch could never hold all my china on display anyway.
We sold it and put our first 300 into our crushing kitty.
I had a bad day at work. Moreover, cannot wait until I can just play, well, that’s all for now I have to go empty out the China Hutch, so they can haul it off.
Captains log: July 7, 2008, 6:31 PM
We sold a few more of our items the family room furniture large sofa, love seat, foosball table and a 55 gallon fish tank with stand. We have had no hits on Craig lists for the sewing machine and Thomas Organ, but then we have a little over a year to find them homes.
Captains notes:7/25/08
Long anticipated vacation was finally here, after taking care of a few minor projects this morning we were on the highway at 11:00 am, we drove from Boise Idaho to Baker Ore where we stopped for a bite to eat at the Baker truck Corral. Good Wi-Fy but the dinning room reeked of years of tobacco and the exposed timbers in this structure were so coated in fried foods from the years of being in busines
s; they were like presto logs. After eating a late lunch we were back on the road. We kept driving until we were just outside of Seattle Washington in the town called Issaquah.The motel we stayed at was a Motel 6, never again until I inspect the room first will I lay down $100 plus. We were so tired we ignored the fact that the room had a mildewed smell.
Everything was
wet from the swamp cooler being left on for days with no inspection of the room.7/26/08
OK the big day we were getting on a sailboat today. We left the Ihop restaurant after getting our fill of flapjacks um very tasty.
We headed for the waterfront in Seattle, after traveling I-90 west until reaching; I-5, it took us to the Seattle Center and the Space Needle. Jacquie had never visited the space needle so after locating a parking space and waiting in line to purchase our tickets, the line began to move a
t 9:00am, 12 dollars for adults, then up the elevator 520′ to the saucer.Before reaching the saucer Jacquie’s anxiety level was on overload.
What was she thinking? She’s afraid of heights. OK elevator doors open and everyone was off the elevator except Jacquie her eyes were as big as the saucers after coaching here she stepped off, and we were at the top of the needle.
I knew she needed minute to gather her composure, so we sat down to a pair of bistro stools that sat in front of the panorama of windows, and I ordered two cups of star bucks coffee from
the coffee shop in the saucer.After taking a few pictures Jacquie was ready to go. I told her she had to walk around the outside of the saucer starting from the north star emblem that is embedded in the concrete and heading east back to the north star again before we could go down, at about the southeast emblem we had a couple take a picture of us together with the Seattle cityscape in the background.
She made it back to the North Star emblem. 2 hrs later we tried to find a way to the water front.
After reaching Elliott Bay Marina & Yacht Club, we called Chris the Captain of a 48’ Hunter in which we chartered for three days he met us with his first mate who is his wife Jenifer.
We loaded our bags and within 3 hrs we were on our way to
San Juan and Friday Harbor.
We both truly enjoyed our time on this boat, and after three days of sailing we were hooked, now we were on our way to Olympia to look at a few sailboats that were listed with Capital City Yachts Brokers.
After arriving there we walked right up to the offices of Capital City Yacht Brokers which is located at the fiddle head marina, where we met John and Jim.
We asked if he had any hunter sailboats available that we could look at, their answer was no, but they had a 38′ CT on the dock we could check out, less than 10 min's later we were inside. Sitting at the settee we both looked at each other and without saying a word, I could see on her face, we were without doubt buying a sailboat.
At this point Jacquie and I knew we were doing the right thing even though this was not the sailboat for us, we knew she was floating out there somewhere just waiting for us!
We left Olympia feeling rejuvenated, we drove from there along 101 and headed to Garibaldi where we had planned to camp at the Bar view Jetty state park.
While crossing the Astoria-Megler bridge just before reaching the Oregon side we could both see a stick farm “sailboat mast’s” below us, we had to stop perhaps we would get lucky and see a hunter sailboat up close.
After parking we walked to the marina docks and found they were not gated, a few guys “their names were Mike and Bob” were talking to each other at the top of the ramp, we asked if we could go down to look at the sailboats on the docks, they said sure it’s not a private community, Bob asked are you two here to purchase a boat? We both replied smiling, a Hunter and just looking. Bob said you’re in luck there happen to be two in this marina not for sale, but we could get close. Mike suggested we should take a look at an Island Packet that was also on these docks it belongs to John a friend of his.
After walking down on the ramp we began looking up, you know the famous B&R rigs they are so distinctive you can’t miss them. We found both the first was a 35.5 and the second was a 37,
They were both beautiful sailboats, although we could not believe the owners were neglecting them, they were dirty and the canvas and SS needed attention what little teak there was on the deck was weather worn no treatment of any kind. Never the less we did stop by and check out Johns Island Packet, he happened to be on the dock cleaning a tuna he had caught, we introduced ourselves and told him Mike had suggested we take a look at his sailboat, John was very friendly and even invited both of us to look inside I decline not wanting to intrude, but it was so tempting. Jacquie did not hesitate she climb aboard and looked inside the main hatch his wife Jessica was on board but was obviously not expecting company, so we graciously thanked them both. Before leaving John asked if we were searching for anything in particular after telling him he suggested we stop in Portland and checkout the sailing life yacht sales. “I recalled seeing them on the web” he also asked what kind of sailing, we planned on doing. After telling him are dream was to be live boards and sailing around the world where possible, he then suggested we should seriously look at a full keel boat they are much more stable in the open.
We left this marina with high hopes we would get into a Hunter sailboat.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
First Mates Notes:
We woke up at 7:00am and found it was raining, our backs were killing us. Sleeping on the ground is a thing of the past. However, just as soon as we realized, we were going to the hunter dealer today we both sprang to life again. Had breakfast finished packing the camp with showers taken, we then stopped long enough to grab a cup of starbucks and put Petro in the car.
We drove right to the dealer as if the car was on an auto pilot. We met with Kevin who works for The Sailing Life Yacht Sales, he said he had 2 boats there for us to look at in our price range.
The first was a 1994 37′ Legend. Oh my goodness it was a lot larger, inside then imagined from the pictures I had seen on the Internet, thinking to myself, I can do this. I looked at Charles filming all this, and he just smiled like he knew his old’ lady would be at home here. Moreover, we would be fine.
I discovered some of the deck windows were cracked. So, I asked Kevin why? “Well little miss that’s what these boats do when they twist and turn“. Are you for real I was thinking, But then he said he had sold that boat 3 times and the deals had fallen through? I will have to ask hunter manufacturer about those windows when we get home.
Then we went on a 36″ 2004 That was a great boat as well but the aft cabin had a low ceiling, and I knew I just couldn’t do it. I would be bumping my head day and night, not enough room for me to be comfortable, therefore, Charles and I went back to the 37’to take pictures.
We stopped and talked to a man that had been selling Yachts for 53 years, and then he called Charles “a Green horn” lol. You could just tell that was well not making him smile. He did say the same thing the man at Astoria said we need a full keel boat. Hmm I will need to ask the Hunter manufacture why everyone tells us we can’t do the open blue water with the hunters and a wing keel.
Now we have the 48′ North magazine and some web addresses and have also been placed on several mailing lists. We hope to take lessons and things like that, as soon as they coincide with our schedule Sadly, we are now on our way home.
We have missed our little baby Joleen, and we have so much to get done when we get home. I have a new respect for what will truly fit on a boat and have to get rid of more than first thought. Damn that’s not going to be easy. World I am a pack rat. Well, that’s all for now must stop for food.
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