SPEAKING MY HEART
A Peek Inside the Big Boat
Posted by: shoreacres, 2:32 AM GMT on April 26, 2012 +3
Since I spent so much time muttering here about The Big Boat, I thought it might be fun to post some photos of my most recent project. She's up for sale, so if you have a few (!) thousand burning a hole in your pocket, I can give you directions to her berth.



The vessel is 60' 5" in length, with a beam of 17' 3". The draft of her modified V hull is 4' 8", and she displaces 68,500 pounds. Filling up her 1,260 gallon fuel tanks will only cost you $2,500, give or take. After all, those twin Detroit Diesels (12V71 TI) don't run on air, and you want to be able to maintain that nice, 17 knot cruising speed!

The electrical system includes two Onan 15 kw generators, two GE transformers and all the accessories you'd want, including a 25 amp charger and complete circuit protection.







For those of you less enamoured of the mechanical side of things, The Big Boat has other delights to offer. There is, for example, a lovely salon, bar and dining area.







The galley is pretty spiffy, too. It includes a refrigerator/freezer, stainless steel sinks, a GE range, microwave and diswasher and a Whirlpool washer/dryer. Oh - and it has granite countertops.



After all of this, it should be no surprise to you that the current owners lived aboard for three years. I lived aboard for a year, too - but the differences between life aboard a Catalina 31' sailboat and a 60' Chris Craft shouldn't need much imagination or explanation!



After a hard day in paradise, the Captain can retire to a luxurious stateroom with en suite bath.



Guests and crew don't exactly suffer, of course. They have their own little get-aways, for those times when cocktails on the flying bridge or dingy trips to shore have left them in need of a restorative rest.











A boat is meant to go places, of course, and the best place to be while underway to a new destination is on the bridge deck. There's a breeze, a view, and entertainment at night, especially if you're first at the anchorage and can sit back with a drink and watch latecomers trying to anchor.



Most of my own cruising has been by sailboat, but not all. Here, the marvelous DeFever that carried me on my last trip through the Exumas is shown lounging at anchor at Norman's Cay.














New post at The Task at Hand: "Sharing a Taste of American Pie"

"Forecasters in the north still are posting occasional frost warnings and it’s not yet time for Alaska to be awash in wildflowers, but the thawing’s nearly complete. Winter’s gone. Folks are out and about and, in the South, we’ve arrived at the very heart of festival season..." (Click here to continue reading about the Iowa, Louisiana Rabbit Festival)
Updated: 12:06 PM GMT on May 13, 2012   Permalink | A A A
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Little Goat on the Prairie
Posted by: shoreacres, 2:31 PM GMT on April 11, 2012 +4
The guy running the front loader couldn’t have been nicer. “Look at this,” he said to his wife as she wandered up, shovel in hand, trying to shush the dogs. “She’s got the same danged map as that other guy.” Handing the map to the woman, he gave me a look generally reserved for well-intentioned but slightly dim folk. “Around here, we don’t call it a prairie. We call it a hay field.” “Well,” I said, “whatever you call it, I can’t find it. Th...
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Easter Greetings from the Crew!
Posted by: shoreacres, 2:56 PM GMT on March 31, 2012 +6
Yes, indeedy, I've been off on a tiny adventure. More about that later, and about the role the goat played in getting me to my destination!For now, it's a glorious day and I'm so interested in getting my photos processed and posted I don't even care about finding a chocolate bunny so I can bite off its ears! Happy Easter to every one - enjoy whatever gifts the day has to offer!
Updated: 2:18 PM GMT on April 08, 2012   Permalink | A A A
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Earl Scruggs Dead at 88 - #38
Posted by: shoreacres, 12:02 PM GMT on March 23, 2012 +2
I know, I know. There are rabbits out there, waiting to be shared with the world. But I recently was made aware of a great new "Citizen Scientist" project called, appropriately enough, "Project Squirrel", and I decided to post this first for those who might be interested.Some people share my love of squirrels. Others hate them, and use every means possible to rid themselves of the critters. But love them or hate them, they're a part of life, and the University of Il...
Updated: 1:54 AM GMT on March 29, 2012   Permalink | A A A
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How 'Bout Rabbit for Lunch?
Posted by: shoreacres, 4:26 AM GMT on March 11, 2012 +1
No, I don't mean the Statue of Liberty. I'm not talking about the Grand Canyon, nor Woody Woodpecker, nor Woody Allen. I don't even mean a good pair of worn Levis. The American Icon I'm thinking of embedded itself first in our kitchens and then, by a strange twist of fate, re-embedded itself in our mailboxes. The icon, of course, is SPAM®I grew up eating SPAM®. Sliced thin and fried crisp, it made a fine sandwich for a kid. As an adult, I discovered it had the add...
Updated: 5:31 PM GMT on March 19, 2012   Permalink | A A A
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"Call on God, but row away from the rocks." ~ Hunter S. Thompson

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