We move out of this house by April 1. No, the boat won’t be ready to put in the water, and no, we’re not looking to move into another house until it is. For one thing, we’re tired of moving (Virginia to Vermont in August, Vermont to Virginia in late November - next time is the last one). For another, when we haul out in the future, it’s very likely that we’ll be living aboard. Might as well get used to it!

A reader reminded me of the need to set both deadline and related priorities. He was concerned that we are doing unnecessary projects instead of focusing on the ones that HAVE to be done before we splash (he thought we were splashing on April 1, not just moving aboard, and he pointed out that the rudder could conceivably be hung when we’re in the water.)

Why a deadline? Because a boat is never done. Ever. Deadlines give you something to shoot for, a hard line in the sand that help you figure out those priorities.

So what ARE those essentials for moving aboard? We need a place to sleep, and we need a place to cook. The end. Plumbing would be nice but not critical; buckets work to haul dishes to the restroom. The head wouldn’t work on the hard anyway, and a land shower has hotter water and more space even if ours was finished. Heck, we don’t even need to have the propane system fully installed to be able to cook; we can reach through a porthole and turn the valve. The fridge works while plugged into shore power which can, for now, be supplied via an extension cord. Even a barebones electrical system for lights can be achieved with that extension cord, so if we don’t get the batteries and all the lighting and wiring done we’ll still be fine.

(For my non-boating readers: “the hard” means “out of the water, stored on land, accessible via a ladder.” Accessible via a ladder. On Calypso, the toilet (head) gets its water from the surrounding ocean, meaning it does not work while we’re on the hard. You can indeed get toilets that work while you’re on land - 2 options are composting toilets and fresh water flush ones - but that is not our reality. We just ripped out the air conditioner/heat pump, but that too would only work if we were in the water. In the boatyard where we are, we’ve got access to water via a hose (once the water is turned back on) and electricity (via extension cords), as well as a restroom and a shower just a short walk away.)

The cushions are waiting patiently for installation, and the bunk has been built - place to sleep, check. The stove has been hung and the propane line purchased. Just need to find the regulator and test the not-completely-installed system for cooking. Counters will be installed for real after painting is done. Cooking requirements - in sight.

Once we move aboard, climbing up and down a ladder a million times a day, we’ll have an added incentive to get the essentials done that enable us to splash. These are anything that requires being out of the water or required to enable us to move. The electrical system, including engine start battery and the alternator wiring from the engine. Plumbing (finish those thru hulls), the rudder, the rig.

In some ways, we have a bit of an extended deadline. Our plan is to splash the boat and quickly get north to a yard just south of Pasadena, Maryland, where we’ll haul out again (!!) to get the years of bottom paint blasted off the boat before starting from scratch, plus get some stainless work done that will enable us to install the solar panels. Why not get those things done here? It comes down to the availability of craftspeople, frankly. The excellent DIY yard where we are would be great to get the bottom painted, but blasting the old layers off is not one of the options and the DIY versions of bottom blasting do not sound like they work all that well. As boat-centric as Deltaville is, it’s a small town with a lack of services (other than a truly excellent sail loft). We had stainless work done locally about 12 years ago and were, shall we say, underwhelmed. Not doing that again. Our friend Johnny Clarke runs the yard in Pasadena and is very familiar with local craftspeople. We’d far rather pay more to have it done right the first time.

Still planning to head to Maine for the summer, so the project list will have to be kept in check!