GTFOplan #112: Daggerboard and Asym Drama!

IN THIS VIDEO: In keeping with our preference for shorter daytime sails, a quick five-hour hop from Saint Lucia brought us back to the lush shores of Martinique. Our first stop: Anse Dufour-a charming little anchorage known for its calm waters and decent snorkeling. Though picturesque, it was a brief visit, with limited exploration beyond the reef. After just one night, we continued northward to the historic town of Saint Pierre. Once the cultural heart and capital of Martinique, Saint Pierre was tragically reduced to ashes over a century ago when Mount Pelée erupted in 1902. Walking through its rebuilt streets, it's humbling to reflect on the town's history and resilience.Meanwhile, life aboard carried on. Ann continues to amaze with her sewing talents, seamlessly patching a cushion that mysteriously developed a tear. Dennis took on a handful of minor maintenance jobs as we steadily make our way toward Guadeloupe to rendezvous with family, and then onward to Sint Maarten for some needed repairs before our Atlantic crossing to Europe. On the technical front, our hull is protected with CopperCoat, a durable ablative epoxy that does a fantastic job of keeping marine growth at bay. Not only does it help us maintain speed by keeping the hull smooth and streamlined, but it also guards against potential damage from barnacles and other sea life. One of its biggest perks? With proper upkeep, it can last up to ten years-far outpacing traditional bottom paint. To our relief, this round of bottom cleaning was straightforward: a plastic scraper and a green scrubbie did the trick. However, not all maintenance news was good. While inspecting the underside, we discovered damage to our port daggerboard. Our best guess is that it occurred back in Ilet Pigeon, Guadeloupe, where a local fisherman's trap may have been set too close to our boat and got snagged. A frustrating find, but part of the ongoing rhythm of life at sea. 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