Back in 2014 I bought a new dinghy and engine for the Guiding Light. I got a Caribe 12″ RIB dinghy and a 25 HP Tohatsu to push it. You…
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Three years ago, Sam Train, a naval officer stationed in Newport, Rhode Island, asked his wife, Francesca Spidalieri, if she’d be willing to live on a boat. “She said ‘Sure,’”…
Living on a boat sounds cool, but is it right for your lifestyle? With real estate rocketing in cities like London, San Francisco, Vancouver, more and more millennials have a…
I had an old style sun screen in each cabin. They were ok, but all they were was a blind you pulled and hooked around two tabs. Replacing these will…
A bridle on a catamaran is a line that goes from a secure spot on each bow to a single point in front of the boat and attached to either…
During the summer I had the boatyard in Fajardo, Puerto Rico install two hatches I had bought to replace the almost 20 year old ones on the boat. These were…
Shane wrote about our engine problem that stopped working half way to Barbuda during our Antigua blogs. Well this time as we while we were in Nevis and motoring towards…
Melek and I wanted to see Barbuda as part of our cruise around the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean and instead of sailing to Antigua and then up to Barbuda…
A couple weeks ago, my fresh water pump was cycling every half hour or so with a quick half second growl, GGGRRRRR, so I knew I had a small leak…
During the first week of the season I looked up and saw that the mooring light (you turn it on when you are anchored or moored for the night) at…
When I got back to the boat to start the new season one of the projects I wanted to do was make the frig and freezer run better and more…
Let me start with the fact that there was nothing wrong with the old seat. The fabric was just worn out. The seat itself was a white vinyl with textured lines…
Every year I fly a different pirate flag from my mast (the USA flag flies on the topping lift in the back of the boat over the cockpit) and last…
Last season I was working in the starboard engine compartment changing the oil or something when I found a part I did not recognize. Of course I became concerned and…
A new set of cushions will run you $4000 – $6000 dollars, so it makes sense that you will want to keep that investment in the best condition possible for…
After I spent five days in Puerto Rico making sure the Guiding Light was ready after her four month stay on the hard in Puerto Del Rey, I had it…
With two weeks left in my season I had a propane tank run out of gas. Now I carry 10 pound bottles, so running out of gas happens about once…
This year I ended my charters the second week of July instead of waiting until the end of July. So last week my friend Leala, you might remember her as…
Who says FaceBook isn’t good for more than seeing videos of cats and how perfect everyone’s life is? A few months ago I saw a post shared by a friend…
Since I replaced the old mattresses, three years ago, my boat came with I have had so many people state how comfortable my beds from mattressnextday are. Some people go…
Let me introduce myself- I’m Leala- aka Mermaid-Pirate McGee. I visit and work with Shane on occasion, and sometimes write blogs for SV Guiding light. Recently Shane had some time…
The anchor windlass is a wonderful piece of equipment that makes it much easier to get your rode and anchor back on the boat. It makes cruising easier and more…
I do not own a lot of stuff. A side from boat equipment and kitchen utensils I probable have 15 t-shirts, 15 shorts, 4 pairs of footwear (I have no…
When I first bought my boat everything was rigged to the base of the mast including the main halyard. It took two people up there to raise it while someone…
When you visit a boat there are things you must learn and get accustomed to like having a cabin consist of only a bunk, small closet, and just enough room…
You must sing the title to the tune of “London Bridges” to get the humor in this potentially catastrophic situation. You see I was sailing close hauled in 25+ knots…
The last upgrade I did this off season was to replace both of my sails. Gone are the worn out, stained, and stretched out sheets of fabric I had before….
I have now had my new cushions for an entire year and in order to get the most life out of them I want to take care of them. That…
I have to admit that I did not know that until I was looking up other ways to say that I raised the flags on the boat and they are…
For a couple years I had a faucet at the galley sink that I loved, because it had a pull out handle and was positioned above the dishes instead of…
