GTFOplan #88: Sailrite Woes, Tips, Tricks and Must-have Spares, Office to Cozy Cabin, and sad news

IN THIS VIDEO: We finally made it to Annapolis for some much-needed warranty work on our boat! After M Yacht had it on the hard for two months with hardly any issues addressed, we were definitely disappointed. We could have been sailing around the Chesapeake, but that downtime led us to a life-changing experience that we never would have pursued otherwise. So, in the end, I guess all the frustration was worth it. While in Annapolis, we attended the Boat Show for what must be the tenth time. It felt a bit nostalgic because next year, we'll break our streak of attending every year - but for good reason. We're planning to travel to Europe after we tour the Caribbean, so we're not too upset to miss it. We also picked up a practical inflatable passerelle, which will be perfect for Mediterranean moorings. It's a great piece of gear, and we love how easy it is to stow away when not in use. Another highlight was a much-needed lesson with Chris Harkai on how to repair Ann's Sailrite Ultrafeed LS-Z1 sewing machine. Honestly, if you own a Sailrite, this is one of the best investments you can make. Ann wishes she'd done this years ago! Chris recommended several spare parts, which we stocked up on since we'll be out of the U.S. for an extended period. Even if we weren't, having these spares on hand is a must-especially with how slow and costly it can be to get shipments from Sailrite. AMAZING SAILRITE REPAIR LESSON: Chris Harkai Anchor & Stitch canvas@anchorandstich.com Facebook.com/anchorandstitch 1343 Old Water Oak Point Road Pasadena, MD 21122 +1-443-336-1404 SAILRITE SPARES LIST: 1 × Sailrite® Monster® II Balance Wheel 1 × Posi-Pin® Safety Shear (10 Pack) 1 × Upper Tension Assembly for Ultrafeed® & Leatherwork® 1 × Bobbin Case for Ultrafeed®, Leatherwork® & Home Machines 1 × Shuttle Gib Hook for Ultrafeed® & Leatherwork® 2 × Needle Plate Screw for Ultrafeed® & Leatherwork® 4 × Needle Screw for Ultrafeed®, Fabricator®, Leatherwork®, 111 & Big-N-Tall 3 × Retaining Ring Cap Spring for Ultrafeed® & Leatherwork® PASERELLE: (aka Gang Plank) TikiFactory.com 100% inflatable - inflates in 2 minutes! Aluminum Hand Rail 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