The Big List

Lots of people ask what we’re going to do prior to leaving on our cruise. Of course, we make a list. I’m currently using a Basecamp free account (just google it, it’s cool) to keep track of boat projects. See below for a current todo list. If this is interesting to anyone, I’ll see about doing some kind of live update.

Safety Todo

• re-certify life raft
• new battery for Epirb
• purchase backup gps
• need horn
• need flares
• check equipment against Coast Guard list and against offshore Cat0 list

 

More Cowbell General Work

• refurbish outboard
• stove - fix/replace sparking device
• ssb - attach antennae wire to backstay, test
• troubleshoot vhf radio cockpit mike
• wind generator, repair replace tail piece and output wiring
• troubleshoot/repair diesel heater
• anti-siphon hose should be heat rated
• service engine throttle controls - WD40?
• remark AC and DC electrical panels with new labels
• add placard for discharge of solid waste at sea
• tidy up wiring
• stern light is using the boat’s bonding system - horrible for corrosion, inspect the rest of the boat.
• eliminate all wiring going directly to ship’s batteries (Except for perhaps a bilge pump)
• add a cover to the starting battery bank
• double clamp all raw water hoses and everything under the water line
• clean fuel tanks, service fuel filters
• repair/replace jury rigged fuel line to the diesel heater, the line should be of an approved type for a fuel line
• service and recertify fire extinguishers
• redo securing bolts on cabin steps
• mount forward fire extinguisher on coast guard approved mount
• tension windvane steering lines so as to avoid interference with the steering quadrant or the autopilot
• service winches
• add a piece of line to the all chain anchor rode, so that it may be cut from deck
• repair/remove transom boarding ladder
• new canvas - cost and opportunity
• replace/rig reefing lines
• replace vang, traveller, and mainsheet lines
• learn how to do weather faxes, sailmail
• repair/replace inverter

 

Sort Personal Life

• cancel memberships, subscriptions, etc…
• find home school for Sam and acquire course materials
• catch-up Dana’s resume
• catch-up David’s resume
• make Bethancourt burgee
• cost and acquire health insurance
• Sell Lincoln
• sell BMW
• change mailing address (to Michigan?) 

Make House Ready For Sale/Rental

• paint stairwell and living room
• declutter!
• sign in the front yard?
• contact real-estate agent
• paint side door
• fix dog pen gate

 

A Conversation I Might Have Had With My Beautiful Bride, On a Cold Winter’s Night Some Years Ago

Me: Damn, it’s cold.
My Beautiful Bride: This new J Crew catalog rocks!
Me: Cold.
My Beautiful Bride: And I found this really cute top. It’s red with white.
Me:
My Beautiful Bride: Not white with red; y’know mostly red. It’s got good support. I’ll need to buy some shorts to go with it, of course.
Me:
My Beautiful Bride: Here. Look at this. See. Good support.
Me: Aren’t you cold?
My Beautiful Bride: And this sweater looks way cool. I think I’ll get it too.
Me:
My Beautiful Bride: Oooh! And these flats would match the sweater.
Me:
My Beautiful Bride: Do you think these brown shoes would match?
Me:
My Beautiful Bride:
Me: Wanna go cruising?
My Beautiful Bride: ok.
Me: I don’t mean like for a weekend. I mean for a year or so. Quit our jobs. Caribbean. Rum drinks. Palm trees. Like that.
My Beautiful Bride: I said ok.
Me: You serious?
My Beautiful Bride: Did I stutter?
Me: Ok. Fall of 2008; We are out of here.
My Beautiful Bride: Fine.
Me:
My Beautiful Bride:
Me:
My Beautiful Bride: I know you’re cold. I’m cold too. This house does have a thermostat, lazybones.  So does the brown match?
Me: Nah. Too dark. The peep toe heels look better anyway. Try pairing them with the knit cardigan on page 12.
My Beautiful Bride: I was thinking of that!
Me: Great minds…

Consider Yourself Warned

We’re having a reasonably large gathering (ok, it’s a party) at the boat on Saturday evening for the purpose of denaming the boat. Ceremonially. See John Vigor’s prose in a previous entry on this blog. We’ll also be revealing the new boat name. I’m not saying it’s gonna be a big deal, but we recently ordered a third keg, hired a dj, and arranged for a bartender and a helper for serving cocktails. The word *epic* is being thrown around.

Standard invite rules apply. If you can read this, you’re invited. Email me davidbethancourt[at-sign-goes-here]gmail.com for more information.

If you don’t like loud rock and roll music, you may want to steer clear of our boat on Saturday.

Sailing With Family

I went for a quick sail last weekend with my nieces and nehews. All *four* of them.

 

I got the two cute ones to pose on the bow. In the forground you can see the massive asymetrical that Dana did not let me set. Maybe it had something to do with the four little people running around the boat.

Best quote is from my nephew John, after falling head first down the companionway, “I’m ok!. I’m ok!” Nobody tell his mom though, cool?

Boat Denaming Ceremony

We’re just about ready to apply the new name to the Caliber. As a result of some enhanced skulking about on the interwebs, I learned that you must conduct a boat denaming ceremony prior to re-christening a boat. In this way you avoid incurring the wrath of the sailing gods.

The most popular denaming ceremony seems to be written by some dude named John Vigor. The ceremony reads as follows:

In the name of all who have sailed aboard this ship in the past, and in the name of all who may sail aboard her in the future, we invoke the ancient gods of the wind and the sea to favor us with their blessing today.

Mighty Neptune, king of all that moves in or on the waves; and mighty Aeolus (pronounced EE-oh-lus), guardian of the winds and all that blows before them:

We offer you our thanks for the protection you have afforded this vessel in the past. We voice our gratitude that she has always found shelter from tempest and storm and enjoyed safe passage to port.

Now, wherefore, we submit this supplication, that the name whereby this vessel has hitherto been known (_____), be struck and removed from your records.

Further, we ask that when she is again presented for blessing with another name, she shall be recognized and shall be accorded once again the selfsame privileges she previously enjoyed.

In return for which, we rededicate this vessel to your domain in full knowledge that she shall be subject as always to the immutable laws of the gods of the wind and the sea.

In consequence whereof, and in good faith, we seal this pact with a libation offered according to the hallowed ritual of the sea.

What do you think? Can you do better?

The Logs Have Arrived

We got some logs! Pictures below are of the logs that we will someday use to build a cabin in Michigan, near Dana’s family.

In the woods.

Of Michigan.

With our bare hands.

With minor aid from the occasional piece of construction equipment.

 

We’re Number 1

Texas A&M tops Washington Monthly’s list of top schools: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2007/0709.rankings.html

I could have told you this long ago. In point of fact, I probably did. But I’m glad that the rest of the country is starting to get it. The University of Michigan and Stanford also made the top ten.

Guess Who Got To Go Sailing Today?

The picture pretty much says it all.

Cruising Caviar

We anchored out on the boat last night. I learned that we have some loose wires in the mast. The waves were timed such that the wires only banged around about every 15 minutes. So just as we’re fading off to sleep… BANG. BANG. BANG. Then do it again 15 minutes later. Not a very relaxing way to spend the night.

The best thing about last night is that we discovered a new cuisine. We call it Cruising Caviar; our first cruising recipe.

Cruising Caviar
Step 1) Get some peanut butter and some jam. Home made blueberry jam is best. But smuckers will do in a pinch.
Step 2) Put the peanut butter and jam on a cracker. Not just any old cracker, but one of them fancy crackers. Like maybe a Ritz cracker.
Step 3) Put the whole thing in your mouth at once. Chew. Mmmmmm… instantaneous culinary bliss.

Christmas Letter - 2007

2007 was a banner year for the ol Bethancourt family.

Chelsea is rapidly approaching graduation from LaPorte High School. Her grades are waaaay better than ours were; probably better than yours too. After graduation, Chelsea will likely pursue a Psychology degree with an eye towards law school. She will attend one of four schools: Texas A&M, Rice, the University of Michigan, or the University of Texas. We’re thinking Chelsea added the last school on the list in order to irritate us. Surely she won’t go there… surely.

Sam is doing what Sam does. School, sports, sleep. School, sports, sleep. Rinse. Repeat. What did you do when you were ten years old? Sam is an engaging and attentive child, admired by his teammates and treasured by his family. If we could get him to clean his room and bathe regularly, he would be perfect.

Despite often skipping work to race sailboats, Dana and David both still have jobs. Our respective companies have been good to us. Fair and rewarding. Bet you don’t hear that very often.

We raced more than ever this year, and raced at a higher level. David was heavily involved with three different campaigns, while Dana and Chelsea recently punctuated a year long odyssey by sailing the family J/22 to a 10th place finish at the Rolex International Women’s Keelboat Championship. We are fiercely proud of them.

In February we added a new member to the family; a 1993 Caliber 40 sailboat that we intend to rename “More Cowbell.” The boat is a floating condominium. Not very fast, But all the comforts of home. Some day soon, we will sell our stuff, jump on the boat, and cruise until it’s not fun any more. Or until the money runs out. Whichever comes first. With any luck at all, next year we’ll be typing this letter from some deserted island in the Caribbean.

Rest assured that, even if we didn’t see you much this year, we still tell stories about you. The stories get better with age. And we miss you dearly. So when you have that first glass of egg nog on Christmas Eve, you know the one, with that little nip of Jack Daniels in it; then think of us. Tell one of those old stories.
Let us be the Jack in your Nog.

Merry Christmas,

The Bethancourts

Update, 17-Dec-2007 Dana insisted that I show the picture that went with the letter, above.

 

Just your average family. Obviously. No frivolity here. Move along. There was some talk about naming the new boat Dogpile. Probably because of this picture. However we discovered that many people do not know what a dogpile is. Some 80% of the adult population (in an informal poll) thought that the word, dogpile, was a term for doggy doo doo.

Go figure.

And for those of you that are in that 80% bracket:

Dogpile
1. A rambunctious occurrance in which all people in a group who are rowdy and socially adept enough to perform it all throw themselves onto the ground in a big laughing pile.
2. A less rambunctious occurance in which one unwilling participant is buried in hundreds of pounds of human flesh.
3. A shout which precipitates either 1. or 2.