Boat Maneuvering

We have been playing around on Captain Jack's little tug boat, a Ranger 21, while Lark is having some engine work done. It is a nice first step, as the tug has a similar engine and controls, but it is smaller and lighter. Baby steps. Today Captain Jack told me to stop staring at the pilings I didn't want to hit and watch the dock I was trying to line up with. It instantly clicked. It is advice that is ingrained in me from skiing. Look at the space between the trees!

Me, driving the boat.

tooting the horn under the bridge

catching bouys

Before I had tried it, I wondered what was so tricky about driving a large sailboat.  After all, I learned to drive in my dad's construction van.  Talk about handling like a barge! But the boat really doesn't drive like a car! It is rear steering, so the front of the boat doesn't really go where you turn the wheel, especially when it is not going fast. There is also this thing called prop-walk, which makes the boat back up in a clockwise circle, not a straight line. Very tricky!

In the meantime we have 3 weekends left until we move aboard, and SO SO much still to do. I’m trying to decide if everyone needs a new mattress in addition to new sheets. It looks like Jacob and my mattress has had quite a bit of water damage in the past, and I’m afraid of the mold that might be living in there!

My new pots and pans arrived and I am in love with them. They were recommended by Carolyn at the TheBoatGalley.com, and are the best quality that I have ever owned. Also, they nest so they only take up a half a cubic foot space!  The handles come off but in a not flimsy way.

I also ordered a sample towel that I was considering for the boat, and it seems very nice. Jacob used it after his shower tonight and said it was great. It is a nice version of camping towels that feel fluffy, but are super absorbent and dry really quickly, supposedly with out a dryer. I think we will be ordering the rest of the set now. I'm thinking each person will get their own color. 

Jacob and I still have a list of things that we need to tackle before we move aboard. Now we are just trying to prioritize and decide what we have to handle immediately.