We went on a little shopping trip to Phuket just to demonstrate how easy it is to spend money on a boat with little to show for it. But stumbling across a bargain Fortress anchor was too difficult to resist.
SAILBOAT REFIT Pt 5: CONCLUSION & COSTS
In the conclusion to our series of articles about SY Esper’s complete refit in Thailand for Sailing Today, we set out the costs for the whole project. Was it worth it? When we limped into Malaysia, SY Esper was in pretty bad shape. Equipment needed replacing and she leaked like a sieve. We had three options…
HOW TO USE BUTYL TAPE TO SEAL DECK FITTINGS ON A SAILBOAT
Do you use Sikaflex or 3M 5200 adhesives for sealing fittings around your sailboat deck? Find out why Jamie believes butyl is best…
WOULD YOU BUY AN OLD SAILBOAT AND DO IT UP?
If you’re looking for a boat project and are not shy about boat maintenance, you will enjoy our tour. A “do-er upper”, for sure, which could be the perfect sailboat for someone looking to become a liveaboard cruiser.
FITTING A RAIN CATCHER & DODGER UPDATE!
Preparations for the passage east to Alaska continue in the yard. This blogging and video channel malarkey is a real two-way street… we took your advice to retro-fit that rain-catcher onto the dodger roof. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience with us, you are an amazing bunch of supporters!
SAILBOAT REFIT Pt 4: ELECTRICS & ELECTRONICS
The refit of SY Esper in Satun, Thailand, was extensive but perhaps the most complex aspect was the rewiring, which included the installation of a new navigation system, new lighting and additional circuits.
4K MAVIC PRO FLY-BY IN THE MANGROVES AT KRABI BOAT LAGOON MARINA
A one-minute experiment in 4K – make sure you view in full 4K mode for all the glorious detail! We would love to hear from anyone with a 4K TV or projector. TBH we should have waited a couple of hours because we’ve just had the most stunning sunset, but it was too late and we were in the swimming pool by then… and the drone’s not waterproof!
WE’VE EXTENDED THE SHOP DISCOUNT FOR ANOTHER MONTH!
We want to celebrate FTB’s recent growth on YouTube here with you by extending the discount code for another month… Thanks so much for all your support. Without your encouragement we would not be producing regular blogs and videos or be able to continue to push and stretch our imaginations, both in terms of creativity and sailing to new destinations.
SAILBOAT REFIT Pt 3: HULL & MACHINE SHOP
One of the reasons for our visit to PSS boatyard in Satun, Thailand, was to determine what course of action we needed to take to tackle osmosis in our Oyster 435. We had dealt with the biggest blisters in the Maldives, but knew there was more work to do…
WE’RE GROWING ON YOUTUBE!
This week we hit 30,000 subscribers to our YouTube channel! We were so thrilled to reach such a milestone, and it’s all because of the fantastic support we receive from you guys here, as well as our Patreons, Facebookers and Instagrammers.
WOODEN CLASSIC OR ULTRA MODERN SUPERYACHT? WHICH WOULD YOU CHOOSE?
Today we are talking about Marmite…two boats at the opposite end of the spectrum, and we’d like your opinion on them. We’ve already received feedback on one of the boats on our Facebook page, which ranges from ‘fugly’ to ‘carbuncle’. But what is it?
HAULING OUT OUR SAILBOAT IN A THAI HEATWAVE!
Finally, the time has come for us to haul out. But man oh man, was it a hot day!
The hard-standing at Krabi Boat Lagoon is immaculate, comfortable and spacious. And ever mindful of his partner’s needs, Jamie was clever enough to find us a place not too far from the wash rooms…
SAILBOAT REFIT Pt 2: DECK
While waiting two months for a place in the boatyard, we began to question whether we were making the right decision to replace the wooden deck. No-one we met regretted getting rid of their teak, and the marinas were full of gleaming teak-less yachts. We watched owners make short work of scrubbing their decks without worrying about damaging the grain.
PREPARING TO SAIL TO ALASKA VIA JAPAN – Q&A
We have a whole lot of work to do before we head to Japan and the PNW. This week we answered some of your comments about the changes we’re making to SY Esper. We’ve received tons of suggestions, questions and advice! If you have a comment please don’t hesitate to write it here on Patreon, Facebook or YouTube.
IT HASN’T ALL BEEN PLAIN SAILING
During the 12 years we’ve been liveaboards we’ve dodged pirates, survived gales and sustained injuries to boat and body. Neither of us had owned any kind of boat before we bought SY Esper, and it was a steep learning curve. The biggest lesson to date was when we tried crossing the equator in the Maldives. The gale that hit us wasn’t predicted, and we hadn’t prepared properly.
EMERGENCY TRIP TO KL!
This is the story of our eleventh hour escape from Thailand to KL, Malaysia… While the painters continued to make fast work of the hard dodger roof, Liz woke up remembering that it was about time to renew our visas in Thailand. For just 1900 THB we would extend our stay a further 30 days. Sweet.
SAILBOAT REFIT Pt 1: INTERIOR
This is the second in our series of articles about SY Esper’s complete refit in Thailand for Sailing Today magazine. The interior of SY Esper, our Oyster 435, took a beating when the saloon hatch broke open during a storm in the Indian Ocean, but the veneer had been steadily deteriorating for some time before that.
CAN YOU WORK OUT WHERE WE’VE BEEN SHOPPING?
What do you do when the painters are spraying the top coat in the cockpit? Get off the boat, of course! For the duration of our time hauled out, we are staying on SY Esper. Uncomfortable at the best of times, it can become downright impossible sometimes.
“WHAT ABOUT THE BIRD POO”? – DODGER Q&A 2
What will you do with the bird shit? Who cares what you call it, why not a “Boaty Brolly?” We answer your questions…
What does a job like this cost in Thailand? And how long did it take? Where do you put your removable dodger? Will we have windows, and if so where should they go? Why is the helmsman still not under cover?
RABIES – PIRATES – DODGER Pt 3
RABIES! A word guaranteed to strike terror into the hearts of everyone. So when Millie got bitten and fell ill, and in turn bit Jamie, we let the full horror of the situation sink in, then shot off to the hospital…
