S/V Passage - Refitting a Classic (& Building Our Skills) Before Cutting the Docklines

We are working toward our dream, one step at a time, and are prepared to make mistakes and learn from them so we become better cruisers every day.

Vessel Name: Passage
Vessel Make/Model: 1980 Pearson 365 Ketch #324
Hailing Port: Chicago, IL
Crew: David Cole & Brodi Cole
About:
We started sailing in 2004 when David's dad bought his first sailboat, a 30' Hunter on Lake Michigan. David spent many hours on Lake Michigan and when his dad upgraded to a 42' Hunter, even made several multi-day crossings between Florida and the Bahamas. [...]
Extra:
In early 2010, we made a 5-year plan to pay off our debt, save money, buy a sailboat and take off for the adventure of a lifetime. One year into that plan, Brodi discovered an amazing deal that resulted in us acquiring "Passage"-a 1980 Pearson 365 Ketch-three years ahead of "schedule." We hope this [...]
Home Page: https://www.ouroffbeatlife.com
Social:
14 March 2019
30 May 2012 | Chicago, IL
19 March 2012 | Chicago, IL
16 February 2012 | Chicago, IL
03 January 2012 | Chicago, IL
13 December 2011
12 December 2011 | Chicago, IL
09 November 2011 | Chicago, IL
02 November 2011
01 November 2011 | Chicago, IL
19 October 2011 | Chicago, IL
13 October 2011 | Chicago, IL
12 October 2011 | Chicago, IL
11 October 2011 | Annapolis, MD
10 October 2011 | Annapolis, MD
02 October 2011 | Chicago, IL
20 September 2011 | Chicago, IL
12 September 2011 | Chicago, IL
11 September 2011 | Chicago, IL
04 September 2011 | Chicago, IL
Recent Blog Posts
14 March 2019

A New Adventure!

It's been a while since we posted anything because kids add an unexpected spice to life and our implementation strategy for leaving the rat race has changed a bit. We still plan to 'cut the docklines' and travel the world, but sadly it won't be with Passage.

30 May 2012 | Chicago, IL

Back on the Lake!

The blog may have been quiet lately but we sure haven’t been slacking! After receiving the spring bridge schedule (we can only put the boat in and take it up river on certain days approved by the city), we had a mad rush in April to cut our [...]

19 March 2012 | Chicago, IL

Big News!

We weren't kidding when we said in the last blog post that March would be full of big news...as you may have guessed from the photo, our crew is officially expanding to three! Baby Cole should be joining us around September 2, 2012...just in time to help us winterize Passage! In case you're wondering, [...]

16 February 2012 | Chicago, IL

Winter Update

We haven't been MIA because we're busy with boat projects...sadly it's been the exact opposite. While winter in Chicago has been a bit more temperate that usual, it still hasn't exactly been ideal for boatwork. So we've been focusing on home projects that were neglected throughout boating season...how [...]

03 January 2012 | Chicago, IL

Too COLD for Cruising

We truly thought more boatwork would get done this winter, but now that the holidays are officially over it's hard to motivate ourselves to willingly spend significant lengths of time outside doing boatwork when it's already skipping the freezing point entirely! It's official, January is NOT a good time [...]

13 December 2011

Cool Website

I just found a cool new website, and wanted to share. Love the pic/quote on his main page, too!

12 December 2011 | Chicago, IL

A Month of Updates

It's been a rather crazy month for us, without really any time to even sit down and log our updates. The weekend after our last (and only) post in November we did head back down to the yacht yard to get some more stuff off the boat, and try to figure out our head/plumbing system. Our biggest challenge [...]

09 November 2011 | Chicago, IL

MOTIVATION

Motivation. That one little word has so much "baggage" associate with it, but in my mind truly defines the doers from the dreamers. Ever since Daylight Saving Time ended over the weekend I've struggled to maintain my level of motivation. Between the [...]

02 November 2011

Hump Day, Quote Day!

Well, he wrote the quote anyway...

01 November 2011 | Chicago, IL

Not MIA!

We went down to the boatyard to see Passage on her cradle last Sunday, and it was amazing that it took just 20 minutes to get there! When we got to the boat, we packed up a few things to bring home for the winter as well as started to look at the holding tank to determine how we will remove it. We also [...]

It's the Small Things in Life...

20 September 2011 | Chicago, IL
Brodi / Chilly & Overcast
There are so many big projects that need to be done before Passage is ready for long-term sailing, but for some odd reason it's the little details that get me excited that our plans can truly become reality. This is why out of all the things we really needed to work on, I first chose to make new curtains instead!

On our way back from Tyler & Liz's wedding in Traverse City, MI this weekend we stopped by the Lighthouse Outlets in Michigan City, IN. This is where we wanted to sail over Labor Day but the weather didn't cooperate. We went to search for dress shirts and pants for David, and stumbled on Sebago and Corelle outlet stores. While the boat shoe selection was pretty poor, the options in the Corelle store included several I've only seen on the website! Why am I so excited about dinnerware? Well, there are basically three options I know of for galley dinnerware.

1) Kitchen Dishes. Some people might choose to save money by bringing dishes from home on the boat. This is rather dangerous because standard stoneware sets can break fairly easily, and with all the heeling a monohull does, breakage seems pretty likely.

2) Melamine Dishes. Plastic dishes are practically unbreakable. However, over time the plastic can start to get scraped off by knives. This is especially true with the plastic designs "painted" onto the melanine. Plus the scrap marks on the plastic just makes the dishes look a bit dumpy. Just look at well-worn kids plates...those are typically melamine.

3) Corelle Dishes. These are "glass" dishes, but are the closest one can get to unbreakable. They are marketed as break-resistant and chip-resistant, but it was the review of these dishes on The Boat Galley that really sold me! Her honesty, even in the review update, helped me decide that the product is marketed accurately...and David's grandmother has owned them for decades and also loves them.

I'd decided a couple months ago that I wanted to buy Corelle because not only are they hardy but they are also stylish. It may seem silly but if we really want to make this lifestyle change happen, I don't want to feel like I'm camping by eating with metal sporks out of tin cups or some other craziness over the long term. We ended up getting the Sand & Sky pattern...
Sand & Sky Pattern
...which I love because the square shape will fit more naturally into our overhead dish storage area in the galley! Even the bowls are square...This will help ensure our new boat dishes don't slide all over the place and cause a noise nuisance!

Having lightweight, sturdy, non-plastic dinnerware just makes this seem more permanent in a way. No, I don't need that built-in hot tub under my bed like we saw at the Michigan City Boat Show, but I do want small, affordable details that just make me happy. I guess I'm just a bit of a classic lady after all. Things like curtains, dishes, and cozy bunk cushions are worth a few extra bucks in our preparation process...they can really make the boat feel more like a home.


***Don't forget to check out Passage's Facebook page for photos and extra updates***
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