45-60 watt solar unit on my bimini

[DaveB]

Sum,
Thats a liveaboard boat made to Cruise! (Who you kidding)
Friend of mine had one back years ago and loved it. Expensive to operate in Cruiseing but as a live aboard Marina
Any Sailboat that is lived on has to Cruise all the time.
Living in a Marina on a Sailboat can get old very quickly and most Adventures want to explore and seek ...What is next to seeing a Island moutain peek that pops in front of you from (Carribean) 40 miles at sea.
You Sail to it all day long and at the end late hrs you anchor in Cristal clear waters.
What is better than that in life?
Dave

Sum,
Is your Endeavour a 32 ft early 1980's. If so I know the boat inside/ out as in 1980 I had to chose of buying a new Endeavour 32 or a 1965 Pearson Alberg 35 and equip. for a World Cruise.
The Endeavor 32 was not considered as a World Cruiser at the time.
It now is considered a Semi offshore Blue water cruiser with upgrades.
Back than it was a diffrent Story were Navigation was Celetial and to do 1500 mile passages thru Blue waters and 40 ft. Seas I Thought at the time the Endeavour 32 wasn't strong enough tho I liked interor arrangements cured was a boat untested and unfounded.It was also stated as a Coastal Cruiser.
The Endeavour 32 actually proved itself for short distant Blue water Sailing.
I still consider it a great boat for Bahamas Cruise and do a proper refit, to Cruise the leeward and Windward Islands.
Dave

We looked at a 32, but bought a 37. Quite a bit bigger boat (displacement 20,000 lb, 8000 lb of ballast and 4'6" draft. I have read about one guy if I remember right that did sailed a 32 from Australia through the Panama Canal and on to Florida. There are some 37's scattered around the world. We have no intentions of any trips like that or what you have accomplished. We just wanted a good strong, steady boat the we, Ruth especially, would feel safe on under most conditions. We hope to explore the Gulf, Keys, maybe the Bahamas and up the East Coast while we own her.

I finally got some pictures and what have you up on the new boat....

http://www.macgregor26x.com/forum/viewt ... 03e3aa969a

Take care and keep the info coming and think about writing about your trip at some point. I'll bet it would be interesting reading,

Sum and Ruth

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Our MacGregor S Pages

Mac-Venture Links

Our Endeavour 37 Pages

[Sumner]

Sum,
Thats a liveaboard boat made to Cruise! (Who you kidding)
Friend of mine had one back years ago and loved it. Expensive to operate in Cruiseing but as a live aboard Marina
Any Sailboat that is lived on has to Cruise all the time.
Living in a Marina on a Sailboat can get old very quickly and most Adventures want to explore and seek ...What is next to seeing a Island moutain peek that pops in front of you from (Carribean) 40 miles at sea.
You Sail to it all day long and at the end late hrs you anchor in Cristal clear waters.
What is better than that in life?
Dave.....

We hope to really enjoy doing kind of what you did on your 3 year trip, not as far as South America, and probably in 2-6 month hunks, but one never knows, as you said, where things will take you. Heck 4 years ago neither of us had ever set foot on a sailboat or really any boat of any size, except the carrier I was on in the Navy. Now we have 2 boats and love them both and they are as different as 2 kids you might have.

As in the past on our trips there will be no hard fast set of plans on where we will go or when we have to be there. There will be few nights spent at marinas as we love the solitude of being on anchor. With the new boat we might even just let the wind dictate where we go for a while. We will still be cautious like we are on the Mac, but will have a lot more latitude considering what we can undertake and where we go.

I guess a defining moment came on our last trip when we pulled out of Little Shark River in the Everglades a little before sunrise as the smallest boat leaving. I thought we might be the first boat out, but there were 3 or 4 boats further down that were leaving right ahead of us and another 3-4 leaving right behind us that were a little further in.

Once out into the Gulf about 3-4 boats turned to starboard and headed north towards Everglades City and Naples and other points to the north. The remainder along with Ruth and I on the Kera Jane turned to port and headed south. By the time we were about 13 miles south and abeam of Cape Sable we had fallen back to the back of the southbound boats, but not by as far as I thought we would. At that point we and a couple boats turned slightly to port and headed towards Marathon while the other couple boats turned to starboard slightly and headed towards probably Key West or the Dry Tortugas. I know others have taken their Macs on down across that open water to Key West and beyond, but still a little intimidating for us. Marathon 26 miles still ahead under the horizon was enough of a challenge for us, but still seeing those larger boats, 35-45 feet in length, sail off in the distance like they were on rails while we bounced up and down made an impression on us. We started to envision life aboard a boat for extended periods where we could head out in different directions with a lot of confidence, more comfort and safety as something we could embrace. Now I guess we will just have to see where the winds take us and how we like that life.

Our biggest problem if you can call it a problem is that we also love our home and where we live and our hobbies there. It will be easier though to enjoy them, most likely, for more years than we will be able to keep boating. Boating can be a lot of work at times and demands strength, agility, endurance and knowledge to make it work safely if you are out for long periods of time. We have most of that to some degree still, but with our 70's right around the corner we had better go while we can.

Reading your short trip version on the other post I sure hope you expand on it in the future. If nothing else and if you are interested write it in segments and e-mail them to me and I'd be more than happy to put up a section on my site with your trip report,

Sum

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Our MacGregor S Pages

Mac-Venture Links

Our Endeavour 37

[Crikey]

Awesome boat Sum!

Dave, huge story there! As Sumner said, could be a good book in the works! I'd soitanley buy a copy if you'd sign it ......
Ah yes, the circumnav dream. Went there very many years ago with a 42' trimaran that never got built, but if I was to dream it over again .... I'd go there! As you seem to say, sometimes the dream makes all the other things happen (eventually).

Regards both .... Ross

[DaveB]

Sum,
Next time you are down here give me a call (Email me for phone number). I will hole you up on my guest bedroom and we can do the slides Cruiseing the Carribean.
Looked at your web site and looks like you got a nice B Plan Endeaver 37 ( my favorite from the 3 plans).
If you are looking for a low cost slip , the Roslin Park at $7 a ft. is lowest and protected.
http://www.capecoral.net/Government/Par ... fault.aspx
I have many slides and pictures of my 3 year trip.
In todays Navigation the story would involve Celetial Navigation, getting caught in the Cuban crisis 2 weeks before the US invasion of Granada and Venenzuala trips to Angel Falls (under hired protection,(Body Guard) and cruiseing the coast and out Islands .
Back than there was no GPS, Electronics except RDF (that was very unreliable) and Dead reconing.
You Sail by the seat of your pants , your knowledge is what guides you.
Dave

Reading your short trip version on the other post I sure hope you expand on it in the future. If nothing else and if you are interested write it in segments and e-mail them to me and I'd be more than happy to put up a section on my site with your trip report,

Sum