Our new life on… Land?
In 24 days the crane operator will be lifting Katana out of the water and depositing her somewhere on land (we’re not exactly sure where, and I don’t think they are either). For the winter months we will be renting an apartment in our friend’s house and we received the key from her last night for that. At least we won’t be living on the street!
We still have a lot to figure out and do before the 23rd rolls around (haul-out day). We still even haven’t come to terms with the shrink wrapping issue. Most of the companies in our area don’t even want to tackle the job due to Katana’s size. I guess there are some advantages to living in a larger city like Toronto (where Katana was prior to this).
Although we are not really looking forward to leaving our boat for the winter, we will have some land-based conveniences back. No more lugging big loads of dirty clothes to the laundromat (our friend has laundry facilities in her house). “Hollywood” showers and unlimited electricity will also be nice. We’re pretty conservative in both of these areas now though so I doubt we’ll change our ways all that much.
Off to the Laundromat. Notice I am back taking pictures while Rebecca has to carry the big bag!
Being somewhat transient now, we will be really transient once we depart. This brings up the issue of how to get our mail. We have been looking at commercial options for PO Boxes and mail forwarding services. There are even ones which specialize in dealing with cruisers! We think at this point though the most frugal, and flexible option is to have a relative look after this for us. My sister in Ottawa has kindly agreed to help us out with this. Thanks Edna!
Hey, just found your blog and have to laugh because it seems you’re the other ones out there that jumped right in. We bought our sailboat, knowing only that we wanted a sailboat to live on, and decided to let the rest take care of itself. Three years later, we are full time live aboarders, still working on our “dream boat” and still dreaming of our eventual escape. Anyway glad to have found your blog…
Hi guys. Thanks for the comment! I actually just stumbled across your blog the other day. You now have two boats?
Ha! Moving back onto land is cheating! 😉 Seriously, if you have to be in Canada through the winter then I’m sure it will be a whole lot warmer than being on your boat. But you do realise how much you’re going to miss being on the boat, right? No, no, you’ll miss it much more than that 😉
With regard to your haul-out – try to get a position on the hard next to other cats first, motorboats second, and monohull sailboats last. Monos occasionally fall over and you don’t want to be next to one if it does. Nasty things those monos 😉
On the subject of shrink wrapping – although it’s not unheard of over here, very few people get their boats shrinkwrapped through the winter. If you do decide to part with $$$ to get it done, make sure you can still get on, and in your boat. Somehow I’m sure you’ll want to visit before spring.
Mail forwarding – sounds like you have a good handle on this already. I’m planning to use http://www.shiptoshore.co.uk who I’ve heard good things about over a number of years. UK based so maybe not a good fit but thought I’d post the link anyway.
On a completely different note, is there anyway you could include an option to receive email notification if someone posts a new comment? The way blogger does it is good, or this website, for example: http://onkudu.com I find RSS a pain! (Sorry)
I will look into the email notification thing. I am sure it can be done somehow.
Check out the new “Subscribe” option and let me know if that’s what you meant.
Hey guys
Love the blog. Follow it daily. I know you probably will not need a cover like this heading down south next season, but it is something nice to have if the Katana ever comes back North to live. Solves the shrink wrap problem also. I am not sure if they make covers for cats, but I can tell you first hand these are VERY nice covers.
http://www.fairclough.com/
Hi Dan. Thanks for the link and the comment! There are some boats in our marina which have really nice covers like those too. I asked Katana if she wanted to ever come back to Canada in the winter and she said no, that one more 6-month stint of crazy cold weather would be enough. Who am I to argue?
🙂
WHAT?! Yer bailing and not spending a winter on-board your boat?
Pansies.
Nah, really it can suck even out here on the Wet Coast where it doesn’t generally freeze around us, last. At least this year we’ve got shore power. Perhaps the forecast for a winter of La Nina/El Nino will be kinder than this:
http://mvbowie.blogspot.com/2008/12/ice-ice-baby.html
and then this:
http://mvbowie.blogspot.com/2008/12/were-frozen-againala-its-raining-again.html
Cheers, Tana
Yes, we’re pansies. I actually turned on the heater this morning when it was still a balmy 50 degrees F 🙂
(that was inside the boat, not outside!)
Hi Mike
The Subscribe option at the top of the page is for new posts. I’m talking about when I make a comment, it would be great to receive an email notification when someone makes another comment for the same post. The subscribe via RSS option is a PITA!
PS Sorry to be a PITA 😉
Did you try to subscribe where it says: SUBSCRIBE AND YOU’LL BE THE FIRST TO HEAR WHAT’S NEW!
I “think” that might have an option for that.
OK I subscribed although I think that will send me an email when either you (Mike) or Rebecca make a new post, rather than if someone comes along and makes a new comment after this one, which is what I’m referring to.
Yes, I understand what you want to have occur. The trick is finding the right plugin that will do that job.
Is it working? Inquiring minds want to know. 🙂
I’m sorry you have had to go back to dirt living. Not to worry, it will only be a few months, then you can be reunited with your boat! And you will visit during the winter so she won’t be lonesome.
Yup, we’re sick that way