BoatU.S. - May/June 2012

Family Affair: The Zartmans (left) and Stones (right).

Wiggly, grocery bags in hand.

Introducing
myself, I
offered the
use of the air-
conditioned
guest room
over our
garage, washing machine, showers, etc. They spent three days with
us and what a treat! Our kids, Eric and Cailin, played nonstop with
Antigone, Emily, and Damaris. My wife, Gayle, and Danielle got in
some girl talk between supervising the antics of five kids playing
together, all under the age of 11. Ben and I talked boats and cruis-
ing late into the evenings, and spent time on my Cape Dory 36, Far
Reach, land-locked in a shed in my backyard. I’d gutted her about
two years ago as part of a major rebuild, and was interested to get
Ben’s input on various modifications. His insightful advice reassured
me that I was on the right track.

Ben and Danielle gave us a tour of Ganymede, their 31-foot Cape George cutter with drop-dead gorgeous lines, which Ben built from a bare hull. The ruggedly built seagoing interior maximizes storage capacity while preserving the living space necessary to support two adults and three kids living aboard. Ben invited me to sail Ganymede up the ICW to Beaufort with him on what happened to be my birthday, and there meet up with Gayle and the rest of the Zartman clan.

We sailed the 30 miles to Morehead City on a beam reach. Ganymede raced along like a locomotive with the soothing sound of water whooshing along her hull. Ben let me steer and climb part way up the gaff mast hoops to gaze out across the sun-dazzled sound. Once we reached the Beaufort waterfront, we anchored across from the town dinghy dock, and dropped the hook pretty as you please. After diving the anchor to make sure it was set, we rowed ashore where our wives and children waited.

We took pictures of our two families together and sadly made our farewells. The Zartmans would continue their journey north. I’ll tackle my boat projects with renewed vigor, hoping next time we meet the Zartmans, we’ll be able to invite them over to our anchored boat.

John Stone

CORRECTION In our April issue, on page 80, we mistakenly printed that a battery should be warmed to 160 degrees Centigrade before charging. Yikes! Thanks to Karl Steuve of Kingston, WA, for catching that an extra zero somehow got into our copy. Sorry about that. It should have read 16 degrees.

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THE BIG ADVENTURE

Do you harbor a secret desire to take a major life-trip aboard your boat? Whatever your dream destination, chances are the boaters who write our BoatU.S. cruising logs have already been there, and dealt with the same joys — and challenges! — you might encounter. Log on to www.BoatUS.com/Cruising, and travel along on some extraordinary journeys.

Power Couple Tom and Mel Neale (Not!)

Have you ever needed to know how make an electric oven rotis-
serie turn a chicken evenly on a rolling boat in the Atlantic? Or
the best way to run an inlet? Or how to rebuild your transmis-
sion? Tom Neale is your guy. In fact, if you want to know how to
fix anything aboard your boat, from outboards to diesels, from
broken oars to torn sails,
there isn’t a more experi-
enced cruiser out there, or
a more entertaining writer
and teacher. Tom and Mel
have been cruising the
East Coast and Bahamas
since 1979; they raised a
family aboard, and average
3,000 to 5,000 cruising
miles per year.

Lisa and Jim Favors, Trailer Warriors!

After their three sons headed off to
college and careers, Jim and Lisa
began exploring the Great Lakes,
and then set off on the 6,000-mile
Great American Loop. That voyage
turned into a life-changing five-year
liveaboard experience. Today they
continue their adventures on a trail-
erable 27-foot Ranger Tug trawler,
visiting inland lakes and rivers not
always accessable with a larger
boat, as well as returning to some
favorite cruising grounds. Find out
about invaluable towing advice, and their firsthand experiences in
some of the greatest boating destinations in the U.S.

Tom Morkin and Liz Tosoni Live the Dream

Back in 1985, Tom and Liz left secure jobs in Vancouver and boarded their ketch for what Liz called “a little 18-month cruise,” before settling down to home-ownership, mortgages, and family. A quarter-century later, they’re still cruising! They’ve sailed to 45 countries, found meaningful professional work in six of them, and have had many extraordinary tales to tell and tips to share. Now, they’re aboard their 51-footer Feel Free in Central America, slowly making their way to Vancouver, and the close of their circumnavigation.