Welcome, Sailors... and Landlubbers, too!

Hi! Capt'n Ricko here!

 

The S/V Second Wind is a beautiful and seaworthy 1984 Cal 35 MkII, which was bought in April 2011.

 

We completely refurbished her interior, replacing all of the Headliner and Upholstery (not cushions - but all wall Upholstery - and some retrofitting of the Quarter Berth area).  

 

Last year (2012), most of the Electronics have been replaced, all lighting to LED, a new rewire of all electrical systems, a 440 amp hour house battery system, as well as the new Arch installed, and one of two solar panels...  and on and on!

 

I had the help of my cousin Bobby with alot of the stuff I did this past year, and/or I did it myself...  And I still have alot more to do! 

 

My friend Chet, on his 35 foot wood Ketch, "SIOUXZIE" http://www.facebook.com/chester.salisbury has been hanging out in Catalina, most recently in Avalon, having postponed his departure to Mexico, (and after that, the South Pacific), to take care of some damage to his vessel.  This, after an incident at the Isthmus, when some other boats got loose and hit his boat, doing some damage. Oh well, now we'll get to hookup for some cruising of Catalina and the outlying Channel Islands, after all...  :^)

 

Diana (SugarBabe) has taken a high-level position in the DC area...  so I will have to postpone my departure date one year to accomodate her - that means leaving November 2014.  But all is well with all of us, and since SugarBabe passed her Sea Trial with flying colors...  Capt'n Ricko is now Engaged to his Chief Welfare Officer...!

 

Actually, postponing a year will hopefully give me some time to do some serious SoCal & Channel Islands Sailing in 2013, which I look forward to.  

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channel_Islands_of_California  It also means I have more time to do some major stuff like pulling the mast and replacing all standing rigging (and possibly Chainplates etc) to be done by SeaTek of Wilmington, CA, http://seatek.info/services  (pull the mast and redo, repaint, rewire, & rerig!).

 

I left Virginia, April 2nd and headed back to SoCal and met up with Eric Sicotte from the Montreal, Quebec-based Cape Horn Marine,  http://www.capehorn.com/ who installed SV Second Wind's new self-steering Windvane (see "The Refit" page) - A big deal for getting ready for World-Cruising... 

 

So, I am now back at work in SoCal, on S/V Second Wind, until June 2013, and my plans are to work on finishing the Arch completely, with the install of wiring through the Arch tubing, the Solar Panels & Wind Generator & Control Panel, spot lights, cameras, Radar hookup, etc... 

 

I still have a "laundry list" of things to do before departure, such as, the install of the Spectra Watermaker  http://www.spectrawatermakers.com/products/ventura-200T.html   just before my departure of November 1, 2014 (needs to be actively and regularly used to be maintained), and the Life Raft in a soft valise (must be repacked and recertified every so many years).

 

I'll be getting back to Northern Virginia (DC), for the month of June, only to return to SoCal by July 2013 for additional Refitting.  If I can move quickly through these install & refit items... hopefully I'll be able to get "back out to Sea", to get busy "shakin' her down" - getting to know her - to get her ready for her World Cruise!

 

Also... check out our new Facebook Blog Page at: 

http://www.facebook.com/CaptainRickoAndTheSvSecondWind and give us a "Like", Mate!

 

So, come back from time to time, for new info & entries, as we prepare to change our Latitudes and Attitudes, and follow our dreams...

 

Fair Winds & Following Seas!

 

Captain Ricko 

 

 

 

ps: SAILOR TAKE WARNING !!!

Worst, er West Marine... no longer does any price matching... why I wonder? If I had to buy all from them I would too soon be broke...

Example: Seaward S700 Water Heater - West Marine price: $459.99
DEFENDER $312.79 (Shows "Reg" $339 - MSRP?)
SureMarineService.com - $290.82

REALLY ?? WEST MARINE ??
Bought out all their local competitors so they could stick it to us?!!

VOTE WITH YOUR FEET - SAILORS!

Leave us an "Ahoy!" Buckos! (on the left here...)

but... Watch out for Drunken Sailors...

Sea Life in the Gulf of California, Baja, Mexico...

One man's trip in a gorgeous sailboat - Fiji to New Zealand...