There are two things that I do in the winter that give me great satisfaction. The first is boat projects. There is always a list of things that I wish I had that emerges from the summer season. By the last fall I have usually given these some priorities and even ordered some supplies. The trick that I have found for this is to take apart everything that you intend to repair by christmas. This way you are under the gun to get it put back together! This year I am rebuilding the center board as it was damaged during haul out. It is already in the shop and it has had the once over with the grinder and I have a good idea of what I need to do. I have also removed everything from the boat as it was the year to do a great “reset”. After a few years the “stuff “builds up and it is time to bring it all home and then only return what is absolutly nessassary in the spring. Can we save 1000 pounds? Another project is to pick up a number of sensors in the engine and tanks and convert them to NMEA 2000 so they can be displayed on the chart plotter. The engine panel has never been in a really accessable location and the alarms are not functiong properly. With all the data going to N2000 I can create the alarms that I need. Two more projects that I have intentions on is to produce the hard top version of my bimini and attach points for the side curtains. Other work would be to lead the main halyard to the cockpit and build a stack pack. All of this might be a bit ambitious but I will report back and let you know how it is all going.

The other thing that gives me satisfaction is listening and watching sailing youtube videos. I have some that I actually sponsor on Patreon because I think they are worthy of support and some others that I just visit on Youtube. The ones that I sponsor are as follows

1. Sailing Uma This is the adventures of Dan and Kika. We actually met Kika briefly one morning in the Bahamas. Someone had left their dinghy tied to their boat and they were going out for a sail so she asked if we could hang on to it. Turned out to be the guy that did the tatoos for Val and I. Dan is from Vancouver and Kika is from Haiti. They bought a boat for next to nothing and have done some of the most imagative design and reno work that I have seen. They are both architects and give cruising a very fresh perspective. Currently they are in Malta doing a really big rebuild.
2. SV Delos This is one of the top producing YouTube sailing channels that there is. Currenly the crew has been reductd to Mom and Dad and a baby after doing a circumnavigaion with many very free spirited individuals. They are now on their second lap!
3. MJ Sailing Matt and Jessica are on their third boat now. This time a new build of a Catamaran from pieces shipped from Vietnam. This build is taking place in the Chesapeak Bay area.
4. Project Atticus “Know Your World” Another small family sailing now in the Greek Islands after stoping mid Med to have a baby. The work on refitting this boat has been amazing, leaving nothing to chance.
5. Sailboat Story We passed this couple on the ICW while heading south in florida in 2018. I hailed them on the Radio and let them know that it was partly because of them that I was doing this trip now. I continue to follow them as they are in their next boat and doing losts of upgrades.
6. RAN sailing Another couple with a child, on their third boat. This time a build from scratch 50 footer in a barn in Sweeden!
7. Tally Ho Here is an amazing rebuild story with shiprite Leo Golden. He purchased the boat for $1 and moved it to the north west and has been rebuilding it completly from the keel up. It is near completion now but the video series is a treasure trove of ship building knowledge.

All of these publish on Youtube and also give added value if you sponsor them for a couple of dollars per video on Patreon.