Prep

Hey loyal followers and people who found this blog by accident!

I come with an exciting update. Oceanus is here and we've actually been working on her pretty steady for the past 2 weeks or so. So far we have cleaned, scrubbed, sanded, and cleaned again. This morning we spent a few hours on cleaning and taping in preparation for painting the grip on the deck. We figure we will start with putting the deck back together which means painting and re-attaching all the hardware.

^^Sanding!^^

^^Taping!^^

We've actually made quite a bit of progress. Grip painting starts tomorrow at first light.

On another note, we spent an hour or so on labour day sailing with Ian, a friend of Alistair's on his Tanzer 26. 

Believe it or not, this was actually my first time sailing with sails and not bouncing around chop using the motor. It was a great moment for me, very peaceful without the buzzing of an engine... And it was a gloriously beautiful day. 

We are so broke it's not even funny. Paints and other boat supplies were expensive but we expected it I suppose. I know in the end it will be worth it though!

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more photos after we finish painting !

Samantha

Making Progress & Canada Day

Hey everybody.

We haven't updated in a while! We have been busy with work, life, and all the rest. I do have some exciting news though! The storage for Oceanus is completely paid off. That was one of the things holding us back from getting her down here. The P.O. (Previous Owner) had not paid off the storage like we were led to believe and obviously the marina was holding Oceanus hostage. So we scrounged up our pennies and set her free! Now the only thing left to do is get her shipped down to St Catharines so we can finally start working on her. Shipping is looking like it might cost us around $1000. Even after shipping costs, storage fees, etc, so far she is still worth it. I once heard that buying and working on a sailboat is like throwing your money into the ocean, literally. I am trying to look at it more like I am funding a life experience, not just a boat. I am investing in my home. I am getting into a new hobby. All of these things are true!

So I will update when we actually get her shipped down here!

On  another note, Alistair and I spent Canada day at Dock 6 with our pirate friend Brian! Hilarity and good times ensued.  Check out the video I made of the day.




Music in order:

Constant Surprises by Little Dragon
The City by Patrick Wolf
Night Air by Jamie Woon

Responsibility and Reason and Snow.

So, life changes constantly. That's what makes it so exciting and that's how we learn and grow. Once again our plans have changed. Due to unforeseen circumstances ( it's the snow btw.) we will not have enough time to get the boat ready for this season. So the tentative new plan, is that we stay land-locked for another year-ish while working on the boat all summer/winter.. and have it ready by next spring. This seems like the much more responsible and reasonable plan. In fact, I couldn't tell you the last time I made such a reasonable decision. Decisiveness is usually somewhat elusive to me. Anyway, this takes a tonne of pressure off of us. We won't need to rush this project and we can use the time to do more research and save more money.

Frankly, I am excited for this year. Spring is here, summer is close behind, and I can manage to suffer through another winter if it means there is light at the end of that snowy, dark, cold tunnel.
So the blog might continue to be a bit slow until we actually have shipped Oceanus down here.. which should be in the next couple of months or so.

In the meantime, I don't know about you but I will be spending a lot more time on Pinterest.

See you soon!

Wanderlust Update #1

Hey y'all!

So recently we took a drive up north to visit our beloved Oceanus ( Soon-to-be- Wanderlust) to figure out what she needed, and to do a little cleaning and taking of pictures. We (I) recorded some video to let you clean and work vicariously through us.

Some common phrases as we worked: "Oh Shit", " What have we gotten ourselves into?" , "What the hell is that?", "Where does this tube lead?" , "well, that needs to be replaced", and "What is this hole for?" .

It was a truly eye-opening and toe-numbing time. I recorded a few hours of video and edited it down into a 20 minute clip. Then I asked myself and others, "Is that too long?" . So if I think it is too long, I guess it probably is. So we decided to break it up into smaller updates to keep you folks interested and coming back for more!

On a side note, through this experience I have learned a few things. I say "umm" quite a bit. I'm working on breaking that habit. Please bear with us these first few updates as I practice my filming/editing/speech skills.

On a side-side note, I was going to apologize for my un made-up face, greasy hair, and ugly winter clothes. And then I realized that there is no reason for me to apologize. TAKE THAT PATRIARCHAL SOCIETY.

If you have any comments, tips, tricks, anecdotes, tales, myths, advice, or words-of-wisdom for us on this day, in the year of our boat, please share.

Thank you!

This is how we learn.

Hey guys..

I love my mom. I love her because she is honest with me. After speaking with her about this whole documentary/funding project I have come to a few realizations I would like to share.

1) We don't know the first think about making a documentary.  We don't know anything about filming or interviewing or anything. If I were to make a movie, it would probably be really shitty. No one wants to watch a shitty documentary... let alone PAY for it.

2) I wanted to make a film about taking control of your life and following your passion. And then I asked other people to do it for me. While I appreciate the fact that this technology exists, I also think that taking responsibility for my own project/dream is the essence of what I want to convey. If I work really hard, I can do it on my own. I am not saying that there isn't a place for websites like gofundme.com, indiegogo.com, or kickstarter.com.. but maybe my project can be achieved in a different way.

3)All we need from our friends and family is love, support, and a helping hand in the form of tips, uplifting anecdotes, elbow grease if they want to share that, and good vibes.

4)If I fail at this project I have no one else to blame but myself. It makes me feel more motivated. I know what I need. I know what I want to do in the end. I can make it happen.

If anyone wants to give us money, we won't say no! Haha! But more than that, we would just love you to follow our adventure, and send us your love.

I will still be filming, and I still want to do this project... but maybe smaller videos published in blog posts overtime is more achievable. So stay tuned!

- Samantha

Nov 24 2013: In the beginning...

There was a boat. Named Oceanus....

So Alistair and I bought a boat. We have been dreaming of this moment for years, saving all our pennies, reading all the books and blogs and resources we could get our eager hands on. All of that leads up to this very moment.

The boat is in great condition, really. Her name is Oceanus and she was built in 1972. She is a Pearson 30, the 30 meaning 30 feet from the tip of the bow to the end of the stern.

The hull (the actual boat part, the main frame of the boat) is in perfect condition. She has recently been painted by her previous owner so there's not too much structural work to be done. The inside of the boat, called the Cabin, needs a lot of TLC and elbow grease.. as you can see by the photos we took of her below.

 This is the galley, or the kitchen. There is a two burner alcohol stove, a small sink, and an icebox. We plan to install a cabinet for storage being the stove, and possibly a small fridge or second icebox to the left where that black bucket now sits. You can see the engine in the lower right of the frame here.

This is the single berth (bed) on the starboard (right) side of the boat. Normally there would be a cushion here with some cabinets/lockers and a book shelf behind. We intend to restore this to the way it is meant to be, aside from perhaps installing a fridge by the galley.

This is looking down towards the stern of the boat, where the engine is. The door/hatch leading to the cockpit is just ahead, to the left is the galley, and to the right is the quarter berth that is partially under the cockpit. We will probably end up converting this quarter berth into a nav (navigation) station, with all of our electronics and charts and maps.

This is the engine. The engine is an Atomic 4, built several decades ago, and runs on gas. With a gas engine in a boat you must be careful that fumes don't build up in the bilge ( the inside of the hull near the bottom, under the cabin) . To prevent this you use a bilge blower to force the fumes out before you start the engine. Otherwise... BOOM!

This is the quarter berth that goes under the cockpit/beside the engine. In that area on the left we will be fitting the hot water tank most likely, as well as our nag station. To the right, on the  port (left-hand) side of the boat is a seat/couch/berth that converts to a double. This is where we plan on having our bed area.

This is a photo of the hatch leading to the cockpit.

This is the switchboard for all the current wiring and lighting on the boat.

This is the head (bathroom/toilet). This toilet connects to a holding tank which we must pump out at pump stations at the docks/marinas. This is the port side of the boat.

This is the head again, the sink above which we will install a toiletries/medicine cabinet. You can also see spaces for drawers int he bottom of the frame. This is on the starboard side of the boat.

Just behind the head is the double V berth. ( V just represents the shape as it is at the bow of the boat where the hull forms a "V" shape.) We were going to use this as a"bedroom" of sorts, but we are thinking that since there is a double berth already in the cabin, this space may prove more useful as storage. Right now it's filled with cushions just screaming to be reupholstered! 

This is what the floor of the head looks like... sails!

And finally, the outside of the boat. She has a scrape on the bottom of the keel that will be repaired.

All the parts are there! She just needs to be put back together. Right now Oceanus is cradled in Penetanguishene ... about an hour and 45 minutes north of Toronto, a total of almost 3 hours drive from our house in St Catharines. Here is the tentative plan:

December-Feburary : Visit Oceanus several times to get her cleared out. We need to remove all the debris and parts from the cabin in order to inventory and clean them. We then would like to spend about a week there to start refitting all her pieces back together, including all the wooden cabinets, drawers, and panelings. We will probably end up refinishing all of the wooden pieces and maybe even designing some of our own. We need to service and clean the engine (Atomic 4 gasoline ) . It is a really old engine but they tend to last a long time, and will will replace worn out components as necessary. We would love to fit her with a hot water tank and a shower in the head (bathroom) . We also need to replace the existing battery and add another one, along with an inverter and new outlets so we can use our appliances and electronics.

March- April: We hope to have the cabin completed, along with all necessary plumbing and wiring. We need to put another coat of paint on the hull, another coat on the deck, and apply some special grip paint to the deck and cockpit as well. Once the weather is good we will also be able to start fitting all the actual sailing components back on deck. All the winches, sheets, handles, etc.. We also hope to fit her with a new solar panel so we can keep those batteries topped up. We will also install some electronics such as a depth finder and VHF radio. I also plan on taking sailing lessons in the spring here in St Catharines. Once we have the boat in sailable condition we are hoping to be able to motor her, mast down, through the canals that lead from the Georgian Bay to Lake Ontario, and then over to St Catharines Marina where she will be docked for the season. We plan on hosting a renaming party/ceremony at this time so we can officially start calling her Wanderlust.

May-June: During this time we hope to start downsizing in our apartment. By the end of may we want to be moved from our apartment to the boat. June will be spent perfecting our home and making final touches.  We will be doing a lot of weekend and day trips to get a good feel for her.

July-October: For the rest of the season it will be about completing necessary repairs, making Wanderlust feel like home, practicing sailing, and getting together all the gear we need to start a new adventure. By the end of October, before the season officially ends, we will be sailing into the blue. :)

Keep checking back for updates as we rebuild, move into, and sail away on Wanderlust.