Dominic and I are stoked to be at the point where we are planning for our actual departure. We began seriously boat shopping and preparing for this trip in 2012, so we eagerly anticipate the moment when we stow the dock lines, head out the Golden Gate, and turn left.
Read MoreChances are you've heard, but it has been a little rainy here in the Bay Area these last few days. The high winds coincided with Dominic's plans to install the solar panels on top of the bimini. We figured the storm force winds would be a fine opportunity to check the security of our mount.
Read MoreIt's a special day in any girl's life when she buys her first outboard motor. I had my opportunity a few weeks ago while Dominic was making his final trip to China. Dominic had an idea of the style we needed (manual ignition, four stroke, short shaft, powerful enough to get over surf, light enough to get on and off the boat) and sent a few vendors my way. I did the comparison shopping and made a few attempts at negotiation. Then, during one of the first major down pours this winter, I drove up to San Rafael to pick up the newest motor in the growing Dolci flotilla.
Read MoreLet's talk about sails. When moving upwind, sails act like airplane wings generating lift to propel the boat forward. Downwind they act more like kites pulling the boat through the sea. Sails are pieces of fabric stitched together since the beginning of recorded history so humans could explore, trade, conquer and birth civilizations. Sails are highly complex, continuously changing, and a really personal choice every sailor has to make to fit the needs of their journey. Sails are a lot to talk about!
Read MoreWe ended up getting really lucky with the picture for our business cards: while out sailing last Sunday, a good samaritan took this picture from a ferry as Helios cruised west of Angel Island heading south. He then got ahold of Dominic through Cruiser's Forum and sent the picture along. Many thanks to our new friend, Steven Zawalick!
Read MoreOur Sunday sail this weekend rocked on a few different levels and requires multiple posts to really do it justice. Given the holiday this week, I thought I'd begin with an act of gratitude. Dominic and I have received an incredible amount of support from our family and friends as we've been planning our adventure, without which we probably wouldn't be going anywhere soon.
Read MoreThe areas that are starred on these two images are the typical highlights of the Milk Run, and we'd be ecstatic to see as many as possible...
Read MoreIf I had to pick two words to describe our sail this weekend they would be rigorous and friendtastic. Rigorous because of the weather—we were cruising the tail winds of the warm front that brought the Bay some much needed rain on Friday.
Read MoreDominic and I are enjoying being at the point in our projects where Helios is ready for a day sail anytime. This weekend, despite a drizzly Saturday, Sunday was crystal clear.
Read MoreOn Sunday, Dominic and I had two of our favorite people on board Helios, our good friends Bob and Vanessa.
Read MoreFleet Week always feels a bit like the Fourth of July, like summer has come back to make the middle of October shine. It has the same red, white and blue patriotic fervor, the same stickiness of sun block and picnic lunches, there are are enough boats for a parade, and all is followed by front row seats to a pretty incredible air show.
Read MoreLast weekend, Dominic and I enjoyed one of the fringe benefits of marina life—friends with boats! We spent a killer day on the Bay with Greg and Sujata, our neighbors aboard Taniwha. Taniwha is a sleek, fast, easy to handle Saga 43 and she sailed swiftly from Alameda out past the Golden Gate and back in about three and half hours. We had winds up to 22 knots and hit speeds up to 6.8 knots!
Read MoreA long holiday weekend with gorgeous weather in San Francisco—it would have been an absolute crime to leave Helios tied to the dock this last Sunday. I also had a small, personal milestone to celebrate: this September marks the first time in 25 years that I'm not going back to school right now.
Read MoreAs I'm sure many assumed after our cruise to Raccoon Straits, we have successfully reinstalled the mast and regained our status as a sailing vessel. Yahoo! It was no fun being the least efficient motor vessel on the dock…
Read MoreAs of today, six coats of varnish cover the cockpit teak, and we have two more to go.
Read MoreThere was a moment on Wednesday—in the cockpit, covered in sawdust, steam building in my face mask, sweat pooling in my knee pads, I was cleaning blood from my punctured foot off the deck—when I wondered if I was finding God in the details of this endeavor, or the devil.
Read MoreI'm super excited to show off our recent upgrade, the dodger and bimini! The dodger is the windshield-like structure at the front of the cockpit, the bimini covers the helm, and there is a removable panel that connects the two.
Read MoreThe Fourth is always a highlight of my summer. How are you celebrating? Dominic and I are headed to Weaverville to visit his family and have some small town fun. Pizza partying, patio boating, and parading are all on the agenda, and I couldn't be happier.
Read MoreAs we're without a mast, it seems fitting to give some love to an important part of the motoring system on the boat: the propellor.
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