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Update After Tropical Storm Isaac Unlike what the folks in the northern Gulf around Louisiana and Mississippi are experiencing from hurricane Issac, tropical storm Isaac was pretty much a non-event for Beach House and her crew. This did bring our total named storms we have had to deal with to 17. By previous standards, this one was no worse than many afternoon thunderstorms we have encountered in south Florida and elsewhere. The difference being, it lasted for a few days rather than a few hours. But don't get me wrong, we are always extremely happy when conditions are less than anticipated, and nothing pleases us more than having to do all of the preparations and then not need them. As a matter of fact, we prefer that scenario to most any other. We did, however, have some wind and rain for a couple of days. Riding The Storm Out, Waiting For Isaac We knew it would be too good to be true. Spending a hurricane season in Florida without dealing with a tropical system. And along comes tropical storm, soon to be hurricane, Isaac. This will make for 17 named storms we have had to deal with living on our two most recent boats - 16 on Sea Trek and now our first on Beach House. To say we're practiced at preparation is an understatement. Much of what we did to prepare Sea Trek (read about it here.), we have also done to prepare Beach House for Issac as it approaches us. You can see the projected path of Issac and all other storms in our storm tracking widget in the left column of the blog. As of 11 A.M. this morning, the outermost bands are hitting us and the rain and winds are picking up.

Posted by Chuck and Susan; 6 Share Your Thoughts And Comments Care And Feeding Of The Ford Lehman Diesel The time is finally growing short for our departure on our next great adventure. Since we sold our dear friend Sea Trek, our Mariner 40 ketch, we have been preparing Beach House for our Bahamas/Great Loop adventure. The first thing we did was join the AGLCA, America's Great Loop Cruisers' Association, to glean as much knowledge and information as we can from others that have done the Loop in the past or are in the process now. The number one thing we learned was that the engine and transmission would be our top priority and the most important equipment on the boat. With that in mind, we've spent many hours and dollars preparing our Ford Lehman 120 and the Paragon transmission for the 6,000 to 8,000 mile journey. If you have followed us here, you are probably well aware of the upgrades and repairs we have made. We found some minor problems when we bought the boat, added some important safety equipment we wanted, and corrected some deficiencies inherent to the engine.

Posted by Chuck and Susan; 5 Share Your Thoughts And Comments Midseason Maintenance Can Increase the Life of Your Boat

You have been told over and over that pre-season maintenance and service will ensure a trouble-free boating season. But will it really? A safe and happy boating season is a combination of preparation and prevention. It's so easy to hit the water as often as possible during the boating season and not want to spend time in the bilges or engine compartment. That's what spring commissioning is for. But a regular maintenance and service program during the season will go a long way to make the time we spend on the water truly enjoyable and safe. A little time on a regular basis will keep the breakdowns, failed equipment and need for towing to a minimum rather than a spoiled weekend while fishing or spending time with family and friends.