People ask us all the time — how do you fly a spinnaker on a Balance catamaran? In this video, Phil from Zoom Sails (who designed every sail for SV GoTFO) walks us through step-by-step: ⚓ Rigging with color-coded sheets & guys (Port sheet = red, Starboard sheet = green, Guys = black) ⚓ Hoist sequence — halyard + sock deployment ⚓ Trimming — sheets side-to-side, guys control foot height ⚓ Flying angles — best between the 120s°, can fly as high as 90° relative ⚓ The douse — comms, shackle release, sock down, halyard down We’ve flown “Big Purple” before, but this lesson was about balance and confidence. Even though Dennis wasn’t aboard, Phil was in Greece as we passed south — and I had to step in. My Love Bug 💜🐞 reflection? Sailing teaches us to own our triggers, protect each other when we’re flooded, and always return to the calm at the helm. 📧 Want our wind-angle PDF? Email us at gtfoplan@gmail.com. #GTFOplan #SVGTFO #ZoomSails #SpinnakerLesson Phil of ZoomSails.com CURRENT LOCATION: https://forecast.predictwind.com/tracking/display/SV-GTFO/ ABOUT OUR CATAMARAN: We love our new Balance 482 - it's a perfect size for a cruising couple to handle and is a great "balance" of performance and comfort. One of our favorite features is the excellent ventilation since we mostly live as "hookers" (aka at anchor) where the boat automatically turns into the wind so we stay cool and we don't need to battle mold. We also have starlink for easy off-grid life. Our 2400 watt solar panel array also means we rarely need to run an engine to charge our batteries. ABOUT US: We saved for a our future boat, sold everything that we owned, and shipped the rest in a container to Cape Town, South Africa. We then flew there and explored South Africa by way of a safari and touring Cape Town before moving aboard our boat. We then sailed to Saint Helena, Ascension Island, Fernando de Naronha (Brazil), Martinique, Sint Maarten (Dutch and French side), the US Virgin Islands (Saint Croix, Saint John, and Saint Thomas), the British Virgin Islands (Anegada, Norman Island, Jost van Dyke, and Anegada), The Bahamas (Inagua, Crooked Island, Long Island, George Town, Staniel Cay, the Exumas, and Eleuthera). We then sailed back to the United States, making landfall in Cape Canaveral, Florida. From there our destinations are endless! Both Dennis and Ann grew up military brats with Army fathers. Dennis (the Colonel) served 30 years in the US Army and his retirement pension helped us retire in our 50s. Ann (the ship's Captain) wrote Test Automation in Python and Java. Dennis and Ann met on Match.com where Ann had in her profile "Do you want to sail the world with me?" Ann easily brought Dennis into sailing, and he loved the GTFOplan of retiring early and sailing the world. After many years of saving, living on one income but earning two, and cutting back on everything possible, they saved enough to buy a Balance 482. Follow them as they get real about boat life and all the hassles of buying a new boat because we all know N.E.W. means Not Everything Works. Kisses, Ann & Dennis Twitter: @GTFOplan Facebook: https://facebook.com/anndennis.snellikin.3 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gtfoplan/ YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/gtfoplan Email: gtfoplan@gmail.com

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🌴 Discover the Caribbean on Catamaran MIRAS – 39ft of Pure Freedom! ⛵ 👉 Book now at experienciascancun.com Set sail from Cancun aboard MIRAS, a beautiful 39-foot sailing catamaran equipped with two powerful engines, two full bathrooms, and an elegant sail for a smooth and unforgettable ride. 🛥️✨ ✅ Private rentals available from 4 to 8 hours ✅ Unlimited drinks included 🍹🍻🥤 ✅ Optional:  • Snorkeling adventure in vibrant reefs 🤿🐠  • Beach time at Playa Norte, Isla Mujeres 🏖️  • Lunch onboard or at a beach club in Isla Mujeres 🍽️🐟🌮 Whether you’re planning a romantic sunset cruise, a family day trip, or a celebration with friends — MIRAS is your gateway to paradise. 📍 Departs from Cancun – customizable private experience. 📆 Book now and let the Caribbean breeze do the rest! 🔗 www.experienciascancun.com 🌊🌞

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Boat life in JUNE 2023 by the numbers🧾 The most exciting number is our overall engine hours — we’ve hit the magic number for things to have melded together 🙃 never mind Shane has been trying to solve a new problem with the engine 😋 We’ve been living aboard full time for one year and after two years of owning our boat, we’ve renamed her to Shorleave - Shane is the fourth generation of Donogh men to have a Shorleave vessel. We were able to visit with a relative of his while off Spencer Spit who has also had a Shorleave. We stayed on the mooring ball at Rosario for a couple nights so the kids could get some swim time in — a couple nights on the DNR ball at Cypress and a couple on the dock at Jones Island. Our marina stay was to replace our water pump 💵 🚰 Anchorages are $0 and only possible because of the money 💰 put into upgrading batteries and adding solar over the past year. The kids have been paddling, playing in the water, hiking (begrudgingly), working on math and grammar, reading, doing boat chores, helping with land runs, and still playing Fortnite. Groceries are 🍌 🍌🍌 shopping at Safeway saved me money when we were anchored off Anacortes. We’ve officially been on the Friday Harbor waitlist for a slip for two years. I bet our number is going to be called any day! 😉 until then there’s no complaints over here!! Incredible sunsets, different paddle locations, stargazing, and all the comforts of land (almost 😋) - and of course work. #boatlife #liveaboardlife #liveaboard #seafinn411 #sanjuanislands

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