recklesslogic.com

“And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music.” — Nietzsche

Life goes by so fast

hardin45I hate that I’m not diligent about documenting our journey, but the truth is that life has been tough lately. My job continues to increase in demands, and stress is getting to me. I think part of the reason I’m so driven for this goal of leaving it all is because of my work. Regina and I have never been more committed to getting on a boat as soon as possible.

Jaxon is the cutest little bundle of joy we could have ever expected. He is growing well and eating solid food now. As much as I love him at this size, I can’t wait for him to get bigger. We already see his independence and stubborn attitude. He is going to be just like mom and dad!

Jordan went to live with his mother over Christmas break. It was a mutual decision between the four of us that he needed a different program – regime – whatever. He just wasn’t doing well at school, and this year is critical. I’ve ran out of ways to help him, so I think this is the best chance he has. I think he is happy – and our stress is down.

Sailing! I’ve gone a few more times with our neighbor on his boat. He let’s me do all the work – which I’m happy to do. Learning every time I go out. Regina still needs to go. Since we started this adventure last year (Happy new year!) she has been either pregnant or occupied with Jaxon.

We’ve decided to buy some more property in Jacksonville. Since we already own a condo there, it just makes sense to keep everything localized. The market is good right now – and we believe this is the best way to get some passive income to keep the cruising kitty fueled once we pull the trigger.

I’ve also really started to fall in love with monos as opposed to cats. Having never sailed a cat, maybe I just don’t see the problem with a good mono. I’m also increasingly convinced that a mono is the best choice if we do anything outside of the Caribbean. However, there are clear advantages to having a cat in the Caribbean. Namely the access. You can get right up on a beach with a cat – even all the way on it during low tide! With a mono, you’ll be out a ways and have to take your dinghy or swim to get to shore – and that can be quite a ways away. Regina and I both don’t want to sail the Caribbean exclusively though – and a mono seems the best of both worlds if we can get the space to be comfortable living.

I’m also a little concerned with the safety in big water. Cats seem to be coastal cruisers much more than blue water boats, and lots of things I’ve read indicate complications in weather that monos just don’t worry about. Sure, seas get rough once in a while and there will be an element of danger with any platform, but I think there is something to be said for a boat that isn’t going to go somersaulting because it got going too fast down a wave.

It’s also the price. We want to be free, and that means we need to be able to do what we want without being tied down to big payments that make us come home sooner. We’re going for cash, and most cats are out of our cash price range.

Finally – I don’t think cruising cats are sexy. They don’t get me going when I look at their lines. I think it’s a blondes vs. brunettes thing. I feel something when I look at a beautiful mono that I don’t when I look at most catamarans. Oh well, everybody has their own taste right?

…I think I fell in love with the Hardin 45 this morning – but I’ll have another mistress soon I’m sure.

 

Step 1 – Go sailing

mickshunterYesterday morning I woke up and my neighbor had just texted me asking if I wanted to go sailing. I said “Yes!” Jordan and I crammed down some food and we went out on his boat, Carina, an 88(?) Hunter. First time out on the water was a little tame at the beginning, but that gave me a chance to ask some questions and get some first hand experience working the lines and learning how to tack. We finally got some great wind and as the boat leaned in and I could feel the feedback on the rudder and the sound of the waves and nothing more, I knew I was hooked. This is something I need to do allot more of. I was also happily impressed that I didn’t find it that complicated. I think a few hours of guidance and some more experience in higher wind,  will give me quite a bit of confidence for sailing Lake Travis. Jordan also had a great time; I only wish I’d taken a few pictures. I was just soaking in so much and I’m glad I didn’t have my phone in the cockpit. We spilled more than a couple beers, but totally worth it! Can’t wait to go again!

Ok – That’s over

jaxon and meThe past couple of months since Jaxon was born has been extremely hectic. Regina and I have been doing everything we can to keep things together while she has been at the hospital every single day, and many nights, helping to nurse Jaxon to the point where he can come home. The great news is that he did come home last Monday! We haven’t had him here for a week yet, and already life has changed. Sleep is now a luxury and can’t be seen as a requirement. Baby has to eat. My job continues on. I think it’s going well, and I’m excited for the future here as we make this company kick up. I wonder how I will feel looking back on these posts in a few years though.

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Oceanis 43

Sailing has still been on both our minds, even through all the work we’ve had with Jaxon and my job. I found myself looking at boats yesterday and really think I might be swaying off the thought of a catamaran for a “regular” boat. The reasons are fairly simple: Money. We really don’t want to be in debt to go sailing. The boat needs to be paid for, and while I know there are lots of options if we put $600k down now for a cat through Moorings and had the charters pay it off, I don’t think that is something we can commit too. Regina and I agreed the other day that we fit a boat to our budget, so that is what we are doing.

Yesterday I came across the Oceanis 43. As a dreamer, I really like this boat. It has plenty of configurations and it is beautiful inside and out. The price is reasonable, and it’s a sloop – which based on what I’ve been reading, is really easy to sail. I’m probably going to use this blog as a scratch pad for some other boats too. Pictures and notes. It will be good to look at when we are seriously shopping in a few years. Found the Hunter 460 this morning as an example. Similar configuration and pricing to the Beneteau.

Hunter 460

 

 

The adventure has started, early

The reason I haven’t put any updates is because of the events since 5/25 when Jaxon Travis was born early. Regina and I have been doing our best just to keep the wheels on the bus since then. He was born at one hospital and transferred to another, where he has been staying in the NICU since then. As of today, he is doing well. Gaining weight, holding temperature, eating now 39ml of milk 8 times a day, and breathing on his own. Our biggest hurdle seems to be with his breathing, but we’re told that will get better after his brain stem completes development at 37 weeks. That’s next week.

All immediate plans for boating haven’t been discussed in a month now, but when we have a chance to come up for air I’m sure we will start planning again.

One thing I’m still trying to figure out is how to buy an investment property now that can give me another income stream to help.

The focus really is on Jaxon though. That and work. That and work and dogs. That and work, and dogs, and the house, and our health, and our sanity. Going to need to come up for air soon. Can’t wait for Jaxon to come home.

Jaxon36w

 

I wonder if Jaxon will be old enough to travel by October?

Progressing

vancoverMy trip to Vancouver was great, but I wasn’t able to go out sailing. Oh well, maybe next time.

I did get a great feel for what types of boats end up in the Pacific NW, and the answer is a ton of monohulls! There looked to be a couple of cats in Coal harbour, but many more power boats and hundreds of monohull sailboats. Absolutely beautiful country and after seeing the potential for yet another great place to go, this just reinforces my feeling that we are doing the right thing by making this plan move forward.

We also found a sailing school in Corpus Christi, but it will be many months before we will be able to attend. This isn’t something I want to take without Regina there to learn with me. If there is one thing I’m sure of, we have to do this as a team or it won’t happen at all.

Regina’s pregnancy is going well and we’re both starting to get excited about meeting our new little boy. I can’t wait to take him on the adventure of a lifetime with us.

Our older boy expressed interest in going today. He is only 13, and by the time we go he will be 18 or 19, so we’ll see if that changes. I hope he does decide to go – even if only for a short while.

We also decided that we really want to find a good boat show to go too. We’re going to be in Wilmington N.C. next weekend and I wish I knew somebody there with any boat so we can both get a better feel for the size and type of boat that we want to look for over the next couple of years.

So you are saying there’s a chance?

lloydI have a business trip I leave for on Sunday to Vancouver where I’ll be gone all week. Really hoping I have a chance to get on a sailboat for a couple hours. Finding one that does that with a captain seems to be a bit of a challenge, but I’m not giving up yet. Google don’t fail me now!

We are also continuing to work on our passive income strategy. Meeting with a friend who runs a business investing in distressed property for long term investments. That will be after I get back from Vancouver.

…still totally obsessed with ZTC. Started from the beginning and now I’m reading through 2011. Four more years to catch up.

 

 

Where to begin?

We have been talking constantly about how we are going to make this dream happen, and what steps we need to take. I have been reading so much, and am completely fascinated reading Zero To Cruising from the beginning, and this new blog I found last night called This Rat Sailed looks to be a great one as well. All of the people, and many more have made this happen. It is clearly a very involved process that requires total commitment. We are committed too, and I’m really looking forward to meeting these people I’m following in the future.

We went to look at campers yesterday. I’m not sure that we will move into one, but a key part of making this dream happen is cutting our expenses down now. We need to save for the things we’ll need to pull the trigger. We found a couple of campers that were nice, but nothing really felt like we would be comfortable. Still going to keep looking, but we’re also considering renting out our current home that is way bigger than we need, and buying a duplex. Rent one side and we can live in the other?

Ultimately, it’s that passive income that we’re trying to figure out how to generate. I’ve always worked a salaried job – that won’t be happening anymore once we are on the water.

Looks like ZTC is getting some help from LTD Sailing in Grenada, and man, that type of experience is exactly what we need. It’s going to have to wait though. Maybe there is a good sailing school on the Texas Gulf Coast? Something we could drive too would be great.

Is a 36′ fifth wheel the same size as one side of a Lagoon 380?camper

Reckless Logic

I’ve owned this domain for more than a decade. Originally I thought it was a way to describe my sense of humor, but now I think it might be coming into its own.

This blog is now the chronicle of the greatest adventure of my family’s life.

We have decided to live aboard a sailboat and cruise. We haven’t settled on how long, and I prefer it that way. We are going to take the next several years preparing, and intend on casting off sometime in 2019 or 2020.

Need to build this site up a little more so I can link and keep track of all the stuff I’m reading and consuming. Have so much to learn!

Youtube series of the ‘La Vagabonde’ and its adventures that I watched this morning:

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