While we have had wonderful adventures touring America's national parks in our motor home, we miss being on the water. Terribly. We started looking at trawlers shortly after new years when we arrived in Florida. As with looking for our sailboat, criteria kept changing. Lengths varied from a darling 30 foot Willard Vega Nomad to a roomy 40 foot Marine Trader.


Did I mention in all this boat shopping that we acquired a pirate dog? DeeO'gee is a shih tzu with a patch over one eye just begging for a boat.

So, we obliged.


Next week we close on a Kong & Halvorsen 32' Island Gypsy. The exterior was repainted 6 months ago from top to bottom. The interior needs to be sanded and vanished, but she is a sound and good running boat.

More pics in Photo Gallery on the left.

The plan is to take ownership and slowly move the boat through the Okeechobee waterway. The W.P. Franklin campground near Ft Meyers has RV spots on the water as well as boat slips and will be the perfect place to spend a few weeks entertaining company. In May we will make our way back to Indiantown to have the boat hauled.

This summer we plan to travel the east coast in SLOTH, returning to the boat in September. Hmm, SLOTH, Sailors Living On The Highway, do we need to change the name of our motor home? Anyway,
Steve will install electronics, solar panels and a hard bimini over the aft deck before splashing.

The next few years will be split between water and land with America's Great Loop in our future. Next winter though we will store the motor home and cruise through the keys and possibly the Bahamas as an extended sea trial.

Our plans are still written in the sand at low tide as they have been for years so.....