Our new margarita seat, added 2017
We had a custom shelf built in the Galley, and we hang store-bought bamboo holders to the shelf edge; it really expands our storage space
We adore our new hot/cold cockpit shower! 2017
Taking apart the binnacle to replace the throttle cable after it was damaged during steering cable replacement, 2017
New solar panels and a wind generator added in 2017
Iridium Go and solar controller, 2018
Some of our 8 individual solar controllers
Some of the Active Marine employees who worked so hard on Cool Change in November, 2017
New covers for our cockpit cushions in 2017
Our new margarita seat, all decked out in her new cushion, 2017
We had a custom shelf built in the Galley, and we hang store-bought bamboo holders to the shelf edge; it really expands our storage space
Our new preventer system, shown here attached to the staysail fairlead track to stow it, but while underway, it is attached to the base of the shroud
New solar panels and a wind generator added in 2017
In her slip before name change, 2011
Starboard side in slip, 2011
Sea Hood/Companionway hatch – solid teak
Galley and aft cabin, 2011
Cool Change moored in Ayala Cove
Cool Change all polished and ready to be splashed
At slip, port side
Modified Fin Keel
Hi there,
I am the proud new owner of a 2006 PSC 31. I am on this adventure alone so any and all advice would be greatly appreciated. We had a difficult start because I bought her in Hawaii and planned on sailing her home. After living on her in Honolulu for a month prepping her for her voyage I had to dismiss my crew. I found suitable replacement crew but the season was changing and my dogs were in a kennel and I decided to ship her. She just arrived in Seattle and is in the yard awaiting rigging and bottom paint. I am planning on putting in a heater (chilly up here) and having a Bimini top made for her. I was horrified when I got on her and noticed a couple of bugs (my worst nightmare). She must have had some interesting neighbors on the barge I guess. Anyway, I bought her because my dream is to sail far away someday and my relationship status makes it so I will be doing that alone for awhile. Any singlehanding tips would be great too – I’m not a fan of my current reefing and perhaps a windlass would make anchoring easier for me?
Hi Tara. Congratulations on your new boat! You will absolutely love her. We love ours. They are so easy to sail compared to a bigger boat. We double hand so I don’t have a lot of advice for single handing, but frankly each of us do single hand, in a sense, when the other is resting or something, and pretty much everything can be done from our cockpit alone except anchoring, deploying and dousing the spinnaker, and setting up the whisker pole. So all of our lines are lead back into the cockpit. And we even have a remote control for the windlass but we haven’t set it up yet – if we did then we could anchor single handed too. We bought a Lofranz Tigress windlass and we love it; it has never skipped or caused us any problems. Feel free to ask us anything you want. And do read through our blog, especially the entry for the 2017 year cruising recap -it may give you some good ideas. Cindy
Hello Rick & Cindy!
This blue water sailing thing is quite amazing. I read today, that overall long distance cruising (in terms of numbers of boats @ sea) peaked around 2010. Yet having binged on sailors’ YouTube videos for 2+ years I find it hard to believe?!
I stumbled onto your site via Sailing Aquarius’ interview aboard Cool Change in the South Pacific. Such a great video and your story is wonderful. (finally found the correct issue of Latitude 38).
The boat size discussion is so interesting to me. I have sailed since childhood, beginning on a sunfish and up through the various classes. A friend and I had a 28′ 1940 Oxford 400 sloop, The Mrs. X, designed by Robert G. Henry Jr. (wooden – loved her but most likely never wood again) . She sailed like a dream but it was definitely camping when we cruised. Since then I’ve had a 1974 Rhodes 19 “The Brain of Pooh” (Ask Pooh where that name originated!) which i love but no plans to go blue water with her. 😉
Having read/watched the journeys of the Pardeys, The Hiscocks, and Yves Gélinas on “Jean Du Sud” his Alberg 30 (that’s a great movie btw – shot on 16mm film while underway, even overhead shots with camera flown from a kite!) the small simple boat has so much appeal. Go Small, Go Simple, Go Now rings true to me. James Baldwin, another intrepid voyager is also very inspiring. https://www.atomvoyages.com/ with his Triton 28 Atom.
I’ve been looking at a lot of boats but the older plastic classics keep calling me back. The Alberg 30, the Luder 33 (perhaps my favorite), 32′ Pearson Vanguard and just today I saw a beautiful S&S Yankee 30. Buying an older boat means lots of work and I am not sure I’m up to the task or the time involved. Yet newer boats (unless I could buy a Morris or something) don’t scratch the itch. Did you ever look at an Island Packet 31? Quite similar to a Pacific Seacraft although beamier I think.
Love that you followed your “weird” as my niece’s Vermont t-shirt says and went sailing. The refit and photos of the boat are great! Thank you for taking the time to share all your experiences with us, greatly appreciated. Looking forward to more of your adventures or better yet, hailing to you from across a deserted anchorage!!
Go well,
Rob
Thank you, Rob, for your kind words. Small boats definitely have their advantages! Stay in touch!