How Do You Watch TV?

"How do you watch TV"? is a question we are often asked. One of the requirements we had when we bought our boat was a TV. We're now on our 5th and 6th TV! Originally we recorded shows to our DirecTV receiver and brought it on board when we cruised. Plus we used a DVD player for movies. That worked until DirecTV put a stop to that and you had to be connected to your home network. So we bought a Vulkano (similar to a Sling Box). That worked OK too but neither allowed us to watch live TV. Well... we could remotely turn on our DirecTV receiver using the Vulkano and stream live TV from our home to anywhere in the world but it just didn't work well. Sharon would always plan our Fall cruises around our football teams' schedule. Almost three years ago, we helped deliver a 50' catamaran from Annapolis to Key West. We were a few miles offshore and watching live TV! The boat had a SeaWatch omni-directional HDTV antenna and a smart TV that had a guide. By the time our boat was launched April 2017, Ka'Why Knot had a 3019 SeaWatch HDTV antenna (19") installed on the mast. 

The project was relatively simple and I had to run coax cable down the mast and into the saloon. I also had to run power to the antenna's power adapter. It can use AC or DC -- I chose DC. The antenna power adapter supports two TV connections. We were so impressed with the reception that I installed a second smart TV in our stateroom. Currently we get about 70 channels from Washington, DC and Baltimore -- many of them HD channels. All free and the HD quality superior to DirecTV and Xfinity because the signal isn't compressed! And now that we have smart TVs, we also have Prime, Netflix and Hulu. And there's always our old DVD collection if we get really desperate. I also installed a bluetooth adapter to connect our Bose SoundLink Mini II speaker. It's about as close to surround sound as you can get at a fraction of the cost and headache. 

For boat wifi and streaming, we use the discount cellular carrier, Visible. Visible offers unlimited talk, text and DATA!) with no data throttling for only $40/month. And Visible uses Verizon's 4G LTE network. They also offer an unlimited data hotspot but it's limited to 5 Mbps (more than enough for streaming) and only one connection per device. Our workaround for that is a TP-Link N300 wireless router. Once you tether your router to your phone, you can connect other devices just like your home wifi.

If your existing phone is compatible, you can use it keeping your same number. If not, they sell one for $19 including a SIM card! We purchased a phone and use it exclusively as a dedicated hot spot. Our other two phones are still with Verizon but that may change soon.

If you use promo code BSpRs, you'll get a 50% ($20) discount on your first month's bill and we'll get a $20 credit. Edit: Visible seems to have changed to "Party Pay" so I'm not sure if the promo code works any longer. If not, try https://www.visible.com/p/RobCrow.

Sh*tter's Full!

Our holding tank had no gauge so we never knew exactly when we needed a pumpout. All we knew is if we anchor out for four days straight, come day five, we needed a pump out. This 'guessing game' had been fine for the last nine years of Chesapeake Bay cruising but I felt it wise to get a gauge installed. I contacted Zimmerman Marine at Herrington Harbour North to get a price quote to get a gauge installed. I had looked at the SCAD tank monitoring system and although the installation looked straight forward, I just didn't feel like doing it myself (I think I'm getting lazy). The technician who did the site survey wasn't sure if our holding tank was deep enough for a SCAD gauge and both he and I didn't think an internal one with a float was a long term practical idea. He did some looking around and discovered we could relocate the gray water holding tank (way oversized) and use that space to more than double our holding tank capacity! Naturally, our generator sits right on top of the holding tank but, "All it would take would be to have our generator removed". So the project took on a life of it's own. We plan on going to the Bahamas but have no way to discharge overboard (pump out facilities aren't available in the Bahamas like they are in the U.S.). So we added that to the project. We also added a Vacu-flush system but decided against it as the price tag was getting too costly.

The project began August 2019 with removing the generator. Glad I wasn't lifting that thing! It will get power washed, primed and freshly painted.

With the generator out, the techs came back and took measurements for a new custom made tank.

Above is the holding tank (on top) with gray water tank in front. Red and black wires are for the generator. I did a little trapezoidal prism volume math and discovered the old holding tank only holds about 20 gallons! I guess a small holding tank in 1987 wasn't a big deal when discharging overboard was a common practice. Our boat originally had the ability to discharge overboard but that thru-hole had been glassed over years ago and all that remained was a Y-valve with a plug in one end. I had ran new sanitation hose a few years ago to remove the Y-valve.

Our boat got hauled mid-September and we were really homeless for two weeks. Thanks to friends, family and a trip to the Keys, we survived. We wanted the project to be completed 27 Sep but apparently two weeks wasn't enough time for ZMI to complete the project. It took over three weeks to complete!

Cleaned and repainted Westerbeke genset. Looks like new!!!

The genset was reinstalled and load tested and looks like new. Our new holding tank is now holds 50 gallons and has a SCAD tank monitor so we know when we need to pump out. The shower sump was relocated and all new Raritan Saniflex Sanitation hoses were installed. And, our dock friends/neighbors will appreciate, a vent filter. We also have the ability to discharge overboard when not in US/Can waters. A Y-valve, macerator and seacock were installed to give us this ability.

New shower sump. Would have been nice to have a fresh coat of paint but no one will ever see it.

We've Gone Electric!

We were in Washington, DC last March for the weekend. Two seconds on an electric scooter and we were hooked! We have had bicycles, both mountain bikes and fold-up bikes. They were a pain to get in the dinghy and we rarely rode them when we cruised. Not to mention, Sharon isn't much of a bike rider. Soooo... after a little research, we settled on the Xiaomi (pronounced 'show-me') Mi scooter. They go up to 15 mph and the battery can last up to 18 miles. And the price point was perfect for us. The scooters will allow us to quickly tour new areas and have fun doing it.

Assateague Island

We also bought an electric outboard motor. The Torqeedo 1003 CS seemed like a nice replacement to our Yamaha 4 HP outboard.. No more maintenance, ethanol problems, oil changes, etc. It comes apart in three pieces and weighs no more than 30 pounds. Sharon can easily hand me the pieces for me to assemble on the dinghy transom. It is equivalent to a 3 HP motor and has plenty of range for us (so far).

We "Moved" to St. Brendan's Isle

One of the first questions we are asked is, "How do you get your mail?" We use a mail forwarding service, St. Brendan's Isle. We have an actual street address: 411 Walnut St. #nnnnn, Green Cove Springs, FL 32043. SBI scans the envelopes and we decide whether to have them 'hold', 'shred' or 'open'. If we select 'open', they will scan the contents and send via PDF. Every 30-60 days, we have all the 'held' mail packaged and sent to wherever we want (normally a marina that will be on our way). You will also need a 'physical address' for most banks, credit card companies and financial institutions. We use a relative's address for our physical address.

Another advantage of using SBI is establishing Florida residency. SBI has step-by-step instructions on their website. Another great link for establishing residency is on The Boat Galley website.

I will add the following to the above two links based on our experience:

It was worth the trip to Green Cove Springs, FL to file our Declaration of Domiciles (you need one form for each of you), register to vote, register our boats (boat and dinghy) and get a Real ID compliant driver's license.

First:Get your SBI account and address a month or two in advance. Make sure you both have at least two pieces of mail when you take your trip to FL! Everything is pretty much in my name so I had plenty. Sharon managed to get a few pieces of mail with her name on it. Wait to open your mail until after you get your driver's license. I don't know if this is a requirement but it worked for us.

Clay County Courthouse

Go to the Clay County courthouse, 825 N Orange Ave, Room 101. We got there at 8:25 and filed our Declarations of Domicile at 8:30 when their doors opened. Print out the form ahead of time but don't bother getting it notarized -- they will do that for you. Total cost $30. Total time: 5 minutes.

Register to vote at the Clay County Supervisor of Elections, 500 N Orange Ave. You can do this online after you get your driver's license but we did this in person immediately after our courthouse visit. The woman who helped us was very helpful and pleasant. She immediately identified us as, "4-Eleven Walnutters". Total time: 5 minutes.

Visit your new 'home' and get your mail at St. Brendan's Isle. Directions are on their website and they open at 9:00. If you open your mail, save your envelopes to get your driver's license!

Our new 'home', St. Brendan's Isle

Register your boat(s) and get your driver's license at DMV, 477 Houston St (next building south of the courthouse). You will need an appointment (online) to get your driver's license! You will need to make this appointment well in advance of your arrival at DMV. Go to the counter and let them know you need to register your boat. Do this before your DL appointment. You will receive a number. We were seen immediately. The best time to go to ANY DMV is the middle of the month. NOTE: We were NOT able to use the Bulkhead Rd address as our physical address to register our boats. We had to use the physical address we use for financial institutions. You will receive boat and dinghy stickers and FL registration cards. Cost: $105 (cost will vary based on boat length).

Next get your number for your DL appointment. Again, we were seen right away. Cost: $102.25 (I received a military discount!). Total time for boat and DL: 1 hour and we were headed back to Maryland in our rental vehicle via Hilton Head, Myrtle Beach and Surf City!

The address on our driver's license is our documented vessel's "Official Number": DOnnnnnn, Green Cove Springs, FL.

We have used a free 'virtual' phone number from Google Voice for years. This has been our 'home' phone for a long time. You can set it up to ring as many phones as you want. For example, someone calls our Google Voice number and both our cell phones ring. It has voicemail, SMS, call blocking, etc.

So we didn't actually move to Florida. We own no property anywhere. We 'live' wherever our boat is and currently that is in Maryland for the summer. After hurricane season, we will cast off for good and start heading south.

Jobless, Homeless and Clueless

Post is a bit late but I RETIRED!!! 30 April 2019. I won the "retirement lottery" and was offered an early retirement. It was a no brainer. 

Work in the rear view mirror - FOREVER!

Prior to retiring a friend offered to remodel our basement all for the cost of a first class round trip ticket from Phoenix to BWI. Can't beat friends like that! We listed it right before Memorial Day weekend, got an immediate offer and settled 28 June. Wow! That was quick!!! With the selling of our home, we paid off our boat loan and are now 100% debt free.

Good-bye Chesapeake Beach home!

We moved onto our boat the day our house went on the market (23 May). Everything we own is on our boat. Sharon spent a year and a half downsizing us but we still feel like we have so much stuff. Our forward V-berth has been nicknamed the "garage". We have been asked several times if we have a storage unit. The answer is, "No".

The "Garage"

Overall, owning next to nothing and having virtually no bills is very liberating. Owning no pets helps as well and we are free to do anything we want whenever we want.