This should have been posted two weeks ago, but we didn't have a name for the boat and wanted the name to be in the blog name so here is an old post first.

April 10, 2013
Some time before the new year began, Tom O'Dell and I began thinking that we needed to have a great adventure while we are able:  I'm 67 and he's 66 and we are beginning to have some of the aches and pains of old age. 

A boating trip up the east coast rose to the top of the heap of ideas of "what should we do first."   Tom has owned and operated fishing boats and houseboats while I've owned and operated a couple of small sailboats. And we both love to travel.  The idea of traveling up the intracoastal waterway from Florida to perhaps Maine would take us to places where we can fish, sail, and relax while enjoying natural surroundings. Between these activities we can make stops at towns and cities that offer opportunities for sampling local foods, bicycling, and as many "must see" attractions as we will take the time for.
 
When we learned that sailboats are the most economical way to do tours by water, whether we put up the sails or not, we began learning about the sizes and sorts of sailboats that would be affordable and suitable.   About a month ago, we came across a lovely and well-cared for Catalina 34 owned by a couple in Fort Lauderdale.   You can see her here:

 

 

 

We have bought her, but haven't seen her!   We have been corresponding with the owners, who we feel are fast becoming friends. They have owned the boat since 1994 and have sailed her several months a year over to the Bahamas from their home.  During their ownership they have outfitted her with every convenience:  solar panels and wind generator so she has power for most needs short of air conditioning (she has A/C when we will be at a dock and plugged in), an extra-protective cockpit cover (bimini) that lowers the temperature there by 10 degrees over being in the sun, a hand-crafted-galley (kitchen) shelf that holds dishes and glasses firmly while under way but makes them readily available when needed, and a dinghy and strong motor (15 hp) on a davit (apparatus that lets us lower dinghy into the water) so that we can easily explore our surroundings, fish, or run errands.

They are being helpful in answering our most specific questions about what to have shipped to us and have volunteered to take us on a short cruise (two or three days) down to Key Biscayne or the upper keys) so we can learn as much as possible.