The Gifford Family Odyssey
Lessons Learned While Cruising
by
Jamie and Behan Gifford
Are We Ready Yet?
Preparing to go cruising takes rather than delay our departure. weren’t essential to departure.
monumental effort. Actually leaving Is any cruising boat ever really The answer for us has been to
is the hardest part as the drive to go finished? Totem is a 1982 Stevens 47, simply continue getting ready as we
is often eclipsed by the reasons to well traveled by a handful of prior go. We installed a watermaker in
delay. These reasons pile higher as the owners. New to us in 2007, she was Alameda, finished overhauling the
intended cast-off date approaches. With arguably “cruise ready.” Her systems outboard in San Diego, and replaced
some time and distance since our own and gear were in line with the lengthy the tattered mainsail cover in Mazatlan.
departure, Jamie and I reflected on our passages and five years recently spent From our snug berth in La Cruz de
experience. in low-latitude waters. It is a little Huanacaxle, I can hear Jamie clamping
About eight months ago we cut comical in hindsight to think of the bamboo panels into place as our aft
the dock lines and pointed south to cosmetic upgrades we expected to berth slowly transforms from a cavern
commence our cruising life. We weren’t complete before departure. I dreamed with exposed fiberglass and tankage
ready. A year before, we set the departure of replacing the yellowed and cracked into an inviting “master cabin”. Next
date and worked backwards to focus headliner and the stained galley on the to-do list is an easy to setup/
on the essentials. Our priorities were counters, but neither of these counted take-down awning to give shade in the
culled from a combination of books, when held to the test of improving Sea of Cortez this summer. In addition,
mentors, and late night discussions. We safety or functional life aboard for every cruising boat requires constant
had lists! A big problem became clear as our family. We kept these nice-to-have work, particularly those beaten by
we approached the set departure date; projects outside our critical path toward salt and tropical sun. The cruiser’s
there was no possible way to complete departure. Instead of Corian®, we have adage describing this lifestyle as one
all of our preparations. To even the new chainplates. Instead of a crisp, of “routine maintenance in exotic
casual visitor, it was plain that we had clean headliner, we have replaced all locations” is underscored for us daily.
big, ongoing projects; not to mention of the below waterline hoses and hose Beyond the boat, there was a
the numerous shore-side loose ends. We clamps. It’s not that the other projects complex life ashore to unwind in
chose to focus on getting ready enough, won’t get completed; they simply order to be ready. In many ways this
Main salon
before and after.
48° No r t h , Ap r i l 2009 pA g e 38
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