Taking a break from the “You Live on a Boat?!” series this week to write about our favorite honorary crew: Cody and Matthew.
I’m large in terms of the average cruising boat. I’m 42 ft long, and a reasonable size for typical cruisers is 36 ft. Of course, many have gone cruising in both smaller and larger boats. Aaron specifically looked for a boat in the 40 ft range, knowing that the majority of time they are sailing, it is just the two of them.
My raised cabin top and wide girth add to the spaciousness below, while the small, fully enclosed cockpit doesn’t invite sloppy waves or confused seas onboard. With only one full stateroom, the aft quarterberth is cozy for visitors but a bit tough for long-term living aboard. (Ask Heidi’s son … he lived part-time with us during his pre- and early teens, but wanted far more privacy when he got older.)
I’ve been told that I’m the perfect boat for double-handed circumnavigating, which we’ll put to the test next year. For now, Heidi and Aaron have found that my overall living space is perfect for dockside life for the two of them and Tiki.
“Heidi, my wee love! I was just thinking about you,” she’d sing out in her Irish lilt as I walked through her front door. Taking my face in her hands she’d kiss my cheeks and lips and forehead.
The little boat skipped across the water, her sails filled with warm summer wind and her owner standing proudly at the helm. Today was the first day they had ventured beyond the bay into the ocean together and she quivered with anticipation, surging forward with all her might.
Vivo O Sonho 