Ixneigh wrote: ↑Tue Dec 09, 2025 8:27 am
Re: port captains for different locales, I like that idea. Even without a boat, if you were traveling somewhere new.
Ix
We should make a list of Mac owners with local knowledge. Ix know the keys like nobody else.
It would be nice for us trailer sailors to visit new areas and call on local knowledge that is specific to our boats.
We should make a list and ask for volunteers for regions.
We booked a slip at Marlin Bay Marina on the Gulf side of Boot Key (Marathon). Moved it back a couple weeks due to some family medical surprises and will now be there for all of February.
With the big winter storm coming to Texas, we took the opportunity to flee early. (Turns out that windy.com is also super helpful for identifying safe trailering weather windows.)
Taking our time and enjoying the trip. Stopped at Lake Charles (Sam Houston Jones), Mobile (Meaher) and Lake City (Stephen Foster) so far. Tomorrow is Melbourne and then we lay up in Everglades near Homestead for a week. That gives us plenty of time and warm weather to polish, fix a little bottom paint, shape some new rudders and knock down the endless list of Mac projects before arriving in the keys.
We repowered just last week with a new Suzuki DF60AVTL5 and didn't have opportunity to splash test because of the weather front. Right now we have an ugly boat with a shiny motor, trailered by our EV. Getting a lot of odd looks for a lot of different reasons.
Marlin Bay says no problem with parking the trailer and truck for our stay.
No grand ambitions. We will likely do mostly day sailing since the admiral needs to get a little more experience. Hoping the wind stays manageable and that the water is warm enough to snorkel. I do want to spend a night or 2 on anchor since that is a big part of our future plans for another boat we intend to purchase in the Med this summer. I figure it is important for her to experience what that is like.
