GTFOplan #113: Sailing to Dominica | Daggerboard Tips, Customs, Island Tour! #Dominica #daggerboards

IN THIS VIDEO: Join us aboard our Balance catamaran GoTFO?? as we sail to Dominica and overtake other boats with style ?. In this episode, we explain how to use daggerboards for optimal performance-raise the daggerboard to the sky with the blue line, and send it to hell with the red line! ?? As we pass Dominica's mountainous terrain, we go from 20+ knots of wind to a total wind shadow-classic island effect! We show how to adjust daggerboards in these shifting conditions to maintain speed and control. ? We grab a mooring ball in Roseau, and Ann navigates solo by dinghy to check us into Dominica customs-with a little help from a local legend named Ken. Meanwhile, Dennis and Schatzi explore ashore and meet fellow YouTubers: ? Green Room Pythons? D?v Kaufman Eats the World ?? Then we tour Dominica with THE Rick James-no, not that Rick James (but yes, that riff of "Super Freak" makes an appearance ?). Our incredible highlights: - Real vanilla extract from a roadside stand - Dominica's upcoming aerial tramway - Twin Trafalgar Waterfalls ? - Sulfur springs & hot springs - Freshwater Lake and hydroelectric pipes - Hummingbirds, bamboo homes, sausage trees & a parrot sanctuary - Titou Gorge - where Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest was filmed ???? - And much more? ? After releasing our mooring, we sail 20 miles north to Portsmouth, Dominica, reefing along the way-Ann explains our easy zip tie reefing system. Once there, we enjoy:? Lobster at Waterfront Reggae Spot (call ahead!)? Steak dinner (compliments of the Captain!)? Party on the bow under the stars Next stop: Guadeloupe! CURRENT LOCATION: https://forecast.predictwind.com/tracking/display/SV-GTFO/ CREDITS: Marcus Mooring Buoys, Portsmouth, Dominica VHF Channel 16 or 1 767 285 3793 Position 15 17N, 61 22W Best Tour Guide Rick James WhatsApp - Justin +17672850695 Green Room Pythons https://www.youtube.com/@GreenRoomPythons D?v Kaufman Eats the World https://www.youtube.com/@davkaufmaneatstheworld Easy Guitar Riffs - Super Freak (TAB) - Rick James https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pu2vIBvUss8&ab_channel=OnlineGuitarLessonsUK 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