Welcome aboard Tangaroa — Blaine & Janis' legendary aluminum trawler-style liveaboard, also known as The Never Ending Sea Trial. We spent the day exploring every corner of this boat: • the extended aft deck packed with fuel, water & storage • their winter-ready enclosed back deck and wood stove • the remodeled galley and pilot house • crew quarters, workshops, and hidden spaces • and finally… one of the wildest DIY engine rooms we’ve ever seen Blaine replaced the original Detroit Diesels with two Cummins truck engines, engineered custom systems, built his own charging setup, installed a huge lithium bank, and created a mechanical masterpiece below deck. If you’re into boats, engines, creative problem-solving, or long-range liveaboard life, this tour is pure inspiration. Go give their channels some love: • Onboard Tangaroa Exploring • The Never Ending Sea Trial Thanks for joining us aboard. – Audrey & Scott Alaskan Gypsy Life Chapters: 00:00 Boarding Tangaroa 00:20 Aft deck tour: storage, gear & layout 00:45 Upper deck freezer, BBQ & winter enclosure 01:20 Wood stove & enclosed back deck 01:40 Galley remodel & opening up the space 02:20 Original 1969 nameplate 03:00 Wheelhouse tour & leak stories 03:40 Navigation system & screens 04:50 Captain’s cabin & crew quarters 05:40 Corrosion issues & forward lockers 06:30 Forward berth & family layout 07:30 Water tanks, storage & long wiring runs 08:45 Laundry room & mechanical spaces 09:40 DC generator & charging systems 10:40 Lithium battery bank overview 11:53 Lower lounge & new reading nook 12:30 Hallway, bunks & storage layout 13:00 More crew spaces & closets 13:40 Workshop areas & electrical planning 15:12 Engine room reveal 15:25 Cummins truck engines installed in a boat 16:00 Original mufflers & custom mounts 16:45 Fuel economy, RPM & performance 17:30 Transmission choices & torque matching 18:20 3,000-mile fuel test results 19:00 Electric drive discussion 20:00 Efficiency, upgrades & future plans 22:56 Inverters, voltage & system strategy 27:18 Turbo & intercooler changes 32:37 Peak efficiency talk 33:34 Considering electric propulsion 42:24 Throttle wiring & shielding 53:21 Starting system & 24V upgrades 54:21 Engine room wrap-up 55:00 Challenge coin gift & closing thanks 56:00 Farewell from Tangaroa

This video is a winter harbor walk through the second half of Heritage Harbor in Wrangell, Alaska, as snow moves in fast and daylight disappears early in Southeast Alaska. We take you dock-to-dock through the Wrangell harbor, sharing working boats, liveaboard life in Alaska, commercial fishing vessels, abandoned boats, and the quiet rhythm of winter settling in along the docks. Along the way, we also share a relaxed Day 18 update on our plan to head north—where things stand with our Alaska boat journey, how winter weather and short daylight are influencing the timeline, and why we’re letting the season lead instead of forcing a Gulf of Alaska crossing. We also run into our friend, a commercial fisherman, processing stripe shrimp on his fishing boat—one of those classic harbor moments that reminds us why we love Alaska harbor life and working waterfronts. There’s no rush here today, other than Scott’s hands nearly going numb and wanting to go grab some professional commercial fishing photos for our friend. We enjoyed the squid (free calamari!), some unexpected dockside conversations, and a peaceful winter walk through Wrangell. If you enjoy liveaboard boat life, winter boating in Alaska, harbor walks, commercial fishing boats, and real-time updates from life aboard in Southeast Alaska, you’re in the right place. Thanks for walking the harbor with us. – Audrey & Scott

Day 5 of getting ready to head north aboard Alaska Gypsy — and this one lives squarely in the in-between. Not a lot of projects are “finished,” but a lot is happening. Small fixes, troubleshooting, electronics decisions, hydraulics gremlins, and the slow realization that the timeline may be tighter than expected. In this update, we talk honestly about: • Why the push north is feeling rushed • Autopilot and hydraulic troubleshooting • Electronics upgrades coming together • Weather windows, winter timing, and Christmas with the kids • Letting go of pressure and forming a stronger Plan B This is boat life as it really happens — progress that isn’t always measurable, but still matters. Thanks for following along, for the comments, and for being part of the process. If you’re new here, we’re living aboard and refitting a steel schooner in Alaska. Some days are big. Some days are messy. All of them are real. CHAPTERS 00:00 – Day 5 introduction 01:00 – Why the timeline north feels tight 02:10 – What’s been worked on (even if it doesn’t feel big) 03:40 – Engine & fuel solenoid issue explained 06:30 – Autopilot hydraulics & coupling problem 09:40 – Troubleshooting electronics & control head 12:00 – AI, hammers, and stuck hydraulic components 15:00 – Why walking away sometimes fixes things 17:45 – Hydraulics back online (for now) 20:00 – New navigation, radar & autopilot upgrades 23:30 – Starlink, wiring, and testing systems 24:10 – Mini sea trial & generator surprise 25:45 – Diesel leak discovery & fix 27:00 – Where things actually stand 28:30 – Letting go of pressure & forming Plan B

DAY 3 — and the emotional weather might be stronger than the Gulf of Alaska. Today we sat down in the wheelhouse to give you a real update… and things got real real. Between Scott wiring up Autopilot 2.0 (and now 3.0), the new Simrad radar system, a wheelhouse full of black boxes and broken wires, and Audrey trying to figure out if Christmas in Prince William Sound is actually possible… let’s just say the “18 Day Challenge” is officially in plot-twist territory. Are we making it north? Is Plan A still Plan A? Did Plan B just become the favorite?? …And why do we accidentally keep talking when the camera is “off”? 😅 This video includes: • Raw honesty about the crossing • Real conversations about safety, timing, weather, and family • The hilarious tension of two people who REALLY want the same thing… but not in the same way • Updates on the new navigation system, radar, and autopilot • Big questions about winter storms, kids, Christmas, and timelines • A growing mountain of boat projects • And YOU GUYS voting in the comments on which plan makes sense This is boat life. Not curated. Not polished. Just two humans trying to pull off something big with an 80ft steel motor sailor, five kids, winter weather, and a deadline that’s coming fast. Stick around. Things are getting interesting. 📍 CHAPTERS 00:00 Welcome to Day 3 — Wheelhouse chaos 00:39 The beard, the boat, and the tension 01:20 Autopilot 2.0 & the new Simrad system 02:30 Radar upgrades + Dave’s Welding shoutout 03:40 Autopilot 3.0 arrives 04:15 Talking about crossing the Gulf in December 05:20 Audrey’s love for Prince William Sound 06:40 Did we tell EVERYONE the plan already? 07:30 Realizing the timeline might be impossible 09:00 Emotional updates + nervous system truths 10:30 What’s more important: the crossing or Christmas with kids? 12:20 Safety, weather windows, and the growing list 13:40 Is Plan B actually… better? 15:00 Forecasting, miracles, and the 18-day pressure 17:00 Plan A vs Plan B — which one even is which? 20:00 The emotional storm intensifies 22:00 Boat life vs boat stress 24:00 Why the heart wants certainty 26:00 Could the universe still open the window? 27:00 Supporting each other through the stress 28:30 Reading your comments + kid updates 29:40 Wrapping up — and what we still don’t know

Day, one of our 18 day countdown to get the Alaskan gypsy north before Christmas. We are still in the port of Wrangell, still working on the boat, and starting to watch the weather closely. Tonight we are talking about what needs to happen, what today looks like, and whether we think we can actually make this run in time. Grab a mug and hang out with us as we kick off this real time, adventure across the Gulf of Alaska in the deep dark middle of 🥶 winter.

Day 1 of our 18-day countdown begins. It’s December 1st, and we’re still in Wrangell, Alaska, working nonstop to get the Alaskan Gypsy—our steel-hulled schooner—ready for a winter journey north. Our deadline? December 18th, when we pick up all five kids for Christmas break. We’re trying to get this boat from Southeast Alaska to Prince William Sound, which means traveling the entire Inside Passage and crossing the Gulf of Alaska in winter, one of the most notorious stretches of water known. The systems list is long: • Hydraulics acting up (no anchor without it) • Heater struggles in freezing weather • Water tank repairs • Minimal fuel on board • Deck still cluttered from shipyard • Radar issues • Autopilot not working • Endless little projects stacking up And yet… we’re moving forward. Sea trials, repairs, late nights, early mornings — whatever it takes. This trip isn’t just about the boat. It’s about family, Christmas, grief, healing, and starting a new chapter aboard a vessel that can finally fit all of us. It’s our first Christmas without Audrey’s brother, and getting to Prince William Sound matters in ways beyond words. Will we make it north in time? Will the weather cooperate? Can the Alaskan Gypsy handle a winter crossing? We’re sharing this 18-day journey in real time — mini updates, long-form videos, and regular live streams as we work toward Whittier and the family waiting on the other side. Subscribe and hit the notification bell if you want to follow along. And join us tonight for our LIVE update from the wheelhouse — we’ll answer questions and talk honestly about what Day 1 has felt like. Thank you for being here. ❤️ — Audrey & Scott Alaskan Gypsy Life ⭐️ CHAPTERS 00:00 — Rolling live in the wheelhouse 00:14 — Day 1: December 1st 00:55 — Sea trials + mixed results 01:38 — Hydraulics + anchor issues 02:07 — Heater, water tank, fuel 02:23 — Deck chaos + shipyard leftovers 02:30 — Autopilot + radar problems 02:41 — Why the deadline matters 02:54 — The December 18 pickup 03:10 — The route: Wrangell to Whittier 03:45 — Winter Gulf of Alaska realities 04:10 — Kids, family, and Christmas 05:00 — Emotional weight of this year 05:45 — Can we make it in time? 06:00 — Sea trials + shrimp boat friend 06:50 — Endless tasks + flow mindset 07:20 — This journey begins…

This week we are so excited to share something totally new for the Alaskan Gypsy Life channel! It's our very first YouTube collaboration, filmed right here in Wrangell, Alaska, with our new friends Blaine and Janis from Onboard Tangaroa (The Never Ending Sea Trial). A lot of you have told us over the months, “You need to meet Tangaroa!” ......and you were right! It was so clear that their channel, their story, their boat, and their approach to this lifestyle all carry the same soul, grit, curiosity, and love for old vessels that brought us to the Alaskan Gypsy. The second we stepped aboard Tangaroa, we understood why their community loves following them. These two are the real deal with so much experience. They are sailors, longtime liveaboards, thoughtful craftspeople, and hosts with giant hearts (and a badass silver battleship-looking boat). What’s in this conversation? This isn’t a tour video or a tech breakdown (that's to come later...;).... this is a conversation mostly between Scott and Blaine sharing the simliar stories of how we ended up with old boats for very different reasons… yet ended up with surprisingly similar stories. We talk about: Was buying an old boat actually worth it? How each of us found our boats (and what almost happened instead…) Why Tangaroa chose aluminum and why we ended up with steel Pros and cons of refitting older hulls Their incredible backstory working on yachts in New Zealand and beyond How Blaine transformed two Cummins 6.7 truck engines into marine powerplants Living aboard full-time + the reality of “the never-ending sea trial” Leaving the shipyard before everything is finished… and why that’s okay This collab was such a gift. There’s something special about sitting down with people who get the creative chaos of refitting a boat, filming the process, and trying to stay warm in the middle of a cold November in Alaska. Please go show Blaine & Janis some love, subscribe to their channel, and watch their video of visiting the Alaskan Gypsy: 👉 Onboard Tangaroa – The Never Ending Sea Trial https://www.youtube.com/@OnboardTangaroa Tell them Audrey and Scott sent you! Thanks for being part of this journey with us. We're just getting started. :) — Audrey & Scott Alaskan Gypsy Life CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro — Meeting Tangaroa 01:10 Walking to the Dock in Wrangell 02:00 First Look at Tangaroa (the “silver battleship”) 03:00 Warm Welcome Onboard 04:30 Sitting Down for the Conversation 05:10 The Story Behind the Name “Tangaroa” 07:20 Their Sailing + Yachting History 09:40 Why They Chose an Older Boat 13:10 Aluminum vs Steel vs Fiberglass 14:50 The Boat They Almost Bought 17:00 Finding Tangaroa in Alaska 18:30 Climate Differences & Refitting for the North 20:10 Blaine’s Engine Innovation (Truck Engines → Boat Engines) 23:00 The Never Ending Sea Trial 24:00 What Cruising While Rebuilding Actually Looks Like 26:10 Advice for Anyone Leaving the Shipyard Unfinished 28:00 Closing Thoughts

First morning waking up on the water aboard our steel schooner, the Alaskan Gypsy — tied up in Wrangell’s Heritage Harbor after launch. We decided to stretch our legs, walk the docks, and bring you along on a casual harbor tour for our YouTube fam. No script. No plan. Just gulls singing, boats of every flavor (commercial fishing vessels, gillnetters, sailboats, liveaboards, working craft), some boat-for-sale gems, and a few rain squalls in true Southeast Alaska fashion. Somewhere along the way, we met kind strangers turned friends. Tim and Donna are kind souls with an incredibly unique unstayed, freestanding carbon-fiber-masted schooner (a Freedom-style rig you rarely see, especially in small Alaska harbors). One of those unexpected “harbor magic” moments was connecting with them and hearing stories of the sea! Soon after we left them, we met up with another friend who has a pretty amazing float house, used as a hunting platform! One of the charms of small, Alaska towns. We didn’t finish the whole harbor (the weather and talking deterred us), but we covered a lot — and we hope to be back for Part Two. Thanks for walking the docks with us ❤️ — Audrey + Scott @TheAlaskanGypsyLife Chapters: 00:00 Welcome to Wrangell, Alaska 00:24 Starting the harbor walk 01:08 Harbor overview & duck greetings 02:22 Unique steel sailboat 03:28 Classic SE Alaska troll boats 04:47 Fiberglass sailboat under cover 05:24 Tug-style liveaboard boats 05:58 Kingfishers & charter boats 06:56 Beautiful aluminum build 08:01 Gillnetters & off-season setups 09:53 Little Darling & liveaboard style 10:49 Sailboat for sale 11:55 Svensson Marine landing craft 12:46 Working fiberglass boats 14:05 Modern gillnetters 15:23 Floating cabin surprise 16:33 More aluminum builds & trawlers 17:38 Famous Homer “Jewel” connection 18:08 Clementine’s big cabin 19:01 Boats for sale 19:28 Tongue Point visitors 20:15 Wild aluminum/steel sailboat 20:57 More commercial boats 21:17 Rain squalls hit 22:07 Classic steel boats 24:18 Wooden schooner 24:47 Gillnetter for sale 25:42 More commercial boats 26:21 Unusual hybrid troller 27:21 More fingers to walk 28:01 Meeting Donna & Tim 29:28 Touring the Archangel schooner 31:26 Inside the carbon-fiber-mast boat 37:05 Winter stories & storms 42:04 Wrapping up the tour 44:15 Back to the harbor walk 45:07 Houseboat hunting cabin reveal 46:12 Seeing friends & family connections 47:42 Final stretch of the harbor 49:40 Thank you for joining us

After months living in the Wrangell Shipyard, working nonstop on the Alaskan Gypsy, we finally launched — and woke up to our very first morning back on the water. The shift from concrete to harbor hit us in ways we didn’t expect: relief, pride, burnout, gratitude, and finally… inspiration again. This video is our full shipyard review, a reflection on what we learned, what we endured, and what it feels like to step into this next chapter aboard the Gypsy. From new prop and shaft installs, to plumbing chaos, to long days sanding under the hull — this is the raw behind-the-scenes of the months that shaped us. And now… we’re floating. We’re home. And the dream we saw from across the Ketchikan harbor is finally beginning. Thank you for being part of this story and for supporting The Alaskan Gypsy Life. More videos — and adventures — are coming fast now that we're FREE from the yard. Love, Audrey + Scott Chapters: 00:00 First Morning on the Water 00:17 Paroled from the Shipyard 00:44 The Final Push Before Launch 01:20 The Mess, the Magic, and Mental Burnout 02:06 The First Moments Floating Again 03:35 All the Projects Still Ahead 04:40 Harbor vs. Shipyard (Huge Difference) 05:44 Looking at the Gypsy with New Eyes 06:14 Our Friend's WWII Power Scow 06:31 Remembering Why We Started This 07:02 Audrey’s Reflections on the Transition 08:00 The Dream That Started in Ketchikan 09:02 Seeing the Gypsy in the Harbor Again 10:06 Wrapping Up the Shipyard Chapter 11:00 What We Learned & What’s Next 11:50 The Beginning of Our New Life Aboard 12:28 Thank You for Supporting Our Journey

EDITORS NOTE: This is a relaunch of our video from Thursday, the day we officially launched the Alaskan Gypsy. I tried hard to get it out before the launch but ended up with some tech issues and had take it offline for a couple of days to clean it up, and add some richness from Scott about his projects with voiceovers. So enjoy! Thanks for your patience as we transition from shipyard to live aboard restoration and cruising ;) -Audrey These are the last few days before getting the Alaskan Gypsy back in the water - and it’s a mix of chaos, excitement, and nonstop work. This video isn’t a polished build update… it’s me grabbing the camera in real life moments — after dinner, before sunrise, while chasing Scott around the yard, and letting you in on what the final push actually feels like. From picking up the new prop shaft and coupling, to checking alignment, to doing a hundred tiny jobs that don’t make the list but matter just as much — it’s the reality of shipyard life in Wrangell, Alaska. I also share a bit about what this little town has meant to us. The community here has been unreal. Wrangell is becoming home for us in ways we never expected. If you’ve been following this restoration journey, thank you for being here. Launch time is coming fast — let’s see if we make it! Thank you for joining us. — Audrey & Scott The Alaskan Gypsy 📌 CHAPTERS / TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 — Back in the Wrangell Shipyard 00:10 — Cleaning up after months on the hard 00:13 — Hull repairs + bottom work 00:17 — “Take a look at this mess” 00:25 — Storm season creeping in 00:30 — Gratitude + taking down the tent 00:52 — On the way to pick up the new prop shaft 01:27 — Hoping everything fits in the tiny car 01:40 — Possible alignment issues 01:53 — Snow dropping on the mountains 02:07 — Winter arrives 02:38 — Back to work 02:54 — Why this shipment was a big deal 03:15 — Getting parts flown into Wrangell 03:31 — Huge sigh of relief 03:49 — Wrangell community love 04:11 — Why we want to come back 04:30 — Driving through town 05:05 — Blue skies + small town magic 05:32 — Back into the shipyard 06:20 — A look at the Alaskan Gypsy 06:28 — What’s been done so far 07:15 — (Song segment) 10:29 — New shaft coupling + hardware 11:17 — Thanksgiving timeline talk 11:52 — What’s left on the list 12:20 — (Song continuation) 13:09 — Dinner update + engine alignment success 13:43 — Can we launch by Thanksgiving? 14:52 — What’s realistic & what’s not 15:24 — Weather windows + decisions 16:22 — End-of-day thoughts 17:05 — (Song segment) 18:33 — (Song continues) 19:22 — More late-night work 20:26 — Nothing left on me… (song moment) 21:21 — Grinding, sanding, painting, repeat 22:10 — (Song segment) 23:14 — Launch day morning 23:45 — Scott’s final prep list 24:50 — Reality check on progress 26:01 — Grocery + provisioning 26:41 — After-dinner shipyard update 27:37 — What’s done vs. what’s not 29:29 — What can wait until we’re afloat 31:00 — Revising the list 32:20 — Another late-night work push 33:28 — Grinding on the ladder 33:45 — Last thru-hull 34:31 — Zinc install + spurs 34:53 — Final morning in the yard 35:35 — One last part to scavenge 35:42 — Final countdown

Moral is sinking, but the ship is about to float!? We hope. So many little, and big, things to sort out before we can launch Alaskan Gypsy back into the ocean. Join us for a live update, peeling masking tape, putting on zincs, working on the rudder and other punch list items that need addressed.