Why S/V Daruma?

Daruma is a traditional, handmade wishing doll that keeps us focused on achieving our goals. Success comes from setting goals. Daruma physically represents an objective you are committed to make happen! Daruma is a tough but caring reminder to STAY ON TRACK OF YOUR GOALS! 

Daruma is closely associated with a beloved Japanese proverb, Nana korobi yaoki, which states, “Fall down seven times, get up eight”. The Daruma doll's unique rounded shape allows it to return to its original position even if knocked over, representing such persistence. (Also, not a bad trait for a sailboat.)

Our main dream is to liveaboard and travel. We would specifically like to live in Europe / the Med. Hoping you can join us.

 

http://www.welovedaruma.com/en/about_daruma.html

Recent projects on the boat - 27 Jun 2014

Our forward "crash lockers"/storage compartments needed a little organizing. First, a place to hang all the lines that we have - mooring lines, spinnaker sheets and guys, hanging fenders,etc.

Then we also wanted to have most the stuff stored up off the bottom of the hull...at least the lighter stuff, so shelves had to be made. Attached are the before and after pics of the line handling boards and shelves I made and installed. 

Progress on the hardtop (HT) is going well. Chuck O'Malley, the owner of Chesapeake Sailmakers, graciously offered some space in his loft to construct the HT. Justin Allan, a Journeyman/Shipwright from NZ, first built a tent inside the loft to keep the dust and fumes from entering the loft. A true professional, Justin's work as a cabinet maker and finish carpenter is beautiful. Not a slouch with fiberglass, either.

This is a pic of the port side of the HT. The big hole is for the 28"x30" Lewmar pilot hatch we bought from Mauriprosailing.com. We hope it will arrive next week. We demoed the tent today, as Chuck need the space. Justin will do the finish painting of the HT at his home shop.

Chuck is in the process of rearranging his loft. In preparation for the move, he is painting the concrete floor with epoxy garage paint. Joelle and I are helping him with the painting, moving equip and tables, and what ever else he needs done.

Chuck is a great sailor/racer/coach, a super sailmaker, and all around great guy.

He is our sailmaker for new sails, or sail and canvas repairs. (Photos of our new jib to follow.)

Chesapeake Sailmakers, 7366 Edgewood Rd, Annapolis, MD 443-994-5547.

The Search for Our Home Afloat

For the past 15 years, or so, we had a rough plan:

2008 - Buy a condo with a slip.  CHECK

2012 - Sell the house, sell the powerboat and the Lightning sailboat, renovate our condo, downsize, and move in.  CHECK.

2013 - Find the Liveaboard Boat.  CHECK

2014 - Retire. Move aboard.

We had casually been looking for The Boat for years; boats shows, charters, deliveries. The Serious Search began in January 2013 and by June we had found her in Ft Lauderdale. We colored in one eye of our Daruma doll in Jan and colored in the second eye once we were boat owners! More on that later.

We looked from Boston to Miami. Three trips to FL alone.  Joelle really felt like a jet-setter when she flew to FtL for 3 hrs to see a boat; no bags, just a cellphone camera.

Our brokers, Dave and Erin Townley of Integrity Yacht Sales were AWESOME.  http://www.integrityyachtsales.com/about.html

One time we left Naptown on a Thursday night in Dave's car, to see a boat in GA on Friday morning, and then were home by Friday night! Mark was driving, Dave was in the back seat writing contracts, emailing them to me in the front seat so I could docusign them, email them back to Dave, so he could send them to the seller! Quite an operation.

So here she is...

Our dear friend, Cardie, graciously offered us her floatplane slip, as our slip is too narrow.

Top/port is the guest wing with 2 staterooms and a shared head.

On the bridge deck is the salon, galley, NavSta, cockpit, and helm.

Bottom/stbd wing holds our stateroom, office, and head.

The cockpit, aka living and dining room. We will replace the canvas cover with a hardtop and then and an all-weather enclosure.

The salon.

The NavSta.

The fwd half of the galley with fridge, freezer, convection/MW oven, and stove.

Galley sink looking aft. The ice maker doesn't work.

Looking down into the starboard "owners'" hull. We have an office, stateroom, and head.

Looking aft past our desk, aka the office, to our stateroom.

Looking forward to our head and shower.

Looking down into the port hull or "guest wing."

Aft guest room.

P-way to fwd guest room. Head through the door on the left.

Mark's first ride in the dink. Started on the first pull!

Drivin' bahamanian style in Balmer harbor.

Our first trip was to Balmer to join our friends in HSA1. Each year we sail to Balmer to watch the Os play. Always a good time.

Created a blog. At Duns Cove

At night in Duns cove.  Eric Epstein created this blog for me. Joelle sitting

inside the cabin.