5 Amazing gadgets to make your life easier on board

We have done quite a bit of travelling around the world so have got pretty good at knowing what travel gear works and what doesn’t. Now a lot of our travelling has been done by airplane, ship, boat and road and over that time have found our favourite bits of stuff that in our opinion and travels have become invaluable.
Can our favourite travel items turn into must have boat gadgets for our sailing adventures? We think so.

Travel gadgets now sailing gadgets

So as you know we have started our new adventure. Last November we sold up in England and moved to Crete for the winter, where we now live aboard our sailboat, Dream. We soon realised that some of our favourite gadgets became useful items on board our boat, especially for when we start cruising in a few weeks.
Storage on a sailboat is a premium, one of the hardest things for us was weeding out what we were keeping and what had to go. It was tempting to try and take as much as we could and cram it all in using every nook and cranny. However, we have had to stick to must haves.
Here’s our take on some of the gadgets we think are invaluable for not only travellers but for a life on board.

1. iBeani iPad and Tablet standThe iBeani was actually designed by a friend of ours so we have been using one of these for quite a while. They are so comfortable and make reading a Kindle, using an iPad so much easier. They are great to use anywhere.iBeani is a UK Made, Gift of The Year award winning tablet stand – Well known for its style, comfort, versatility and premium quality; the must have lifestyle tablet accessory for every home.

   This iBeani tablet bean bag securely holds all iPad, tablet and eReader devices currently on the market, from the smallest Kindle to the largest iPad Pro. Prefer a book? iBeani will hold that too!

   Thanks to its unique design, your iBeani tablet cushion will hold your device securely on any surface, at any viewing angle, portrait or landscape, with or without a tablet case. The perfect tablet accessory to use on your lap whilst relaxing & browsing on the sofa. It’s also a great iPad stand for your bed when catching up on the latest box set or movie. If you’re looking for an excellent iPad and tablet or book stand for the kitchen, iBeani is also fully washable allowing you to follow recipes hands free… It really can be used anywhere!

   iBeani tablet bean bag cushions are also multi-functional and can double up as a book stand, steady camera mount or a travel pillow / camping pillow.

   Want to get your hands on one of these? Follow this link to GET YOURS!

    

2. 12 Volt Mac chargerWe use our MacBook Pro for all of our social media stuff. The battery life on the Mac is quite good and whilst we are in a marina we are hooked up to the mains so there’s no issue recharging. However, when we are on the road or sailing 12 volt power, courtesy of our solar panels and wind generator becomes our main power source. That is where this piece of kit comes into its own. Simply plug into a 12 volt outlet and you can charge up your Mac. There is a choice depending on which model you have. Even if you don’t need one for sailing, its ideal to keep in your bag so you can use it in a car/van etc.Want to add one to your bag? Get yours HERE!

    

3. Kindle
   Where would we be without our Kindles? We absolutely can’t be without ours. Ours get used everyday!
   Originally, we started reading e-books using the iPad but once we used a Kindle there was no going back. These come into their own for travellers, sailors etc. We had literally over a thousand books when we sold up so obviously we weren’t going to be able to take all of those with us. Enter the Kindle. Now we can carry all of those books in our pocket. We even have on the computer on the boat a piece of software that has a collection of 12000 books which we can just download to our Kindle to read.

   We have Kindle Paperwhites.  In our opinion, these are so much better than the Kindle Fire if you want an e-reader.    The light-up screen allows you to read both in the dark and in glaring sunlight, so they are awesome for overnight travel, lounging on the beach, or swinging in a hammock on the foredeck.  And the battery lasts for weeks on one charge. 

   
   If you like reading and want to have books at your fingertips get one HERE!

    

4. Canon Powershot G7X mark 11
   We have a few cameras in our arsenal of photography equipment but this is our go-to camera for everyday stuff. This is one of the most popular vlogging cameras used by thousands of You-Tubers all over the world so you can be assured when buying one of these that you are getting a proven camera. The video footage is really good and not forgetting it also takes great pictures. We have had ours now for around a year and still love it as much today as the day we bought it, it comes with us everywhere.Want a good camera for photos and/or video? Get it HERE! 
5. Waterproof dry bag
   We love a good waterproof dry bag. We carry small dry-bags with important documents and money safely tucked away in them.  And even better, we have a couple of  10 litre waterproof dry-bags with shoulder straps.  They roll up neatly when not being used. If we take a trip to the beach or in the dinghy we pull it out. Great for diving and snorkelling trips, boat trips, or just when we you are somewhere wet or raining and need to keep stuff dry.Keep your gear dry by getting yours HERE!
   

So that’s our list of must have travel gadgets….

These are the things we know and love for travelling and now sailing, but we’re sure you know of more.  If you can think of anything that you think should be essential for every traveller, add it to the comments below, and we’ll  add it to the list.

We hope you have found our list useful and find time to visit the links and hopefully grab yourself something useful.

Have a great day.

Carl & Jenny

This coming Saturday – We are interviewed live on Saturday Hours Live

A few weeks ago whilst we were on the boat in Crete, totally out of the blue, we received an email from the web radio station Elastic FM asking if we could appear on a Saturday Hours Live.

They are based near Chesterfield, our home town, and asked us if we could appear live on their radio station for an interview about our journey so far into our experience of selling upend moving aboard a yacht.

After a few emails we finally agreed on a date when we were back in the UK visiting.

Well the time is close. We will be live on Saturday 7th April. We will be on from 5pm – 6pm so if you can, tune in online and join in.

The show is live between 3pm-6pm and can be listened to through the elasticfm.co.uk website or by downloading the Tunein app and search for “ElasticFM”. Also follow them on their Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @thesaturdayhours

We are really looking forward to this so let us know after the show what you think. Please share this post, its a fairly new radio station and the more listeners they can get the better for everyone.

See you Saturday.

Carl & Jenny

 The Boaters Checklist – Preparing your boat for summer!

Our boaters checklist.

Well today is the first day of Spring. The snow is melting away by the hour, the daffodil heads are starting to push through, the sky has turned blue again with hardly a cloud in sight. For those of you who are still landlubbers no doubt you will be getting odours of freshly cut grass this coming weekend as people start to get ready for the better weather. For those of you on the water, it will be the sound of a boat engine, maybe even the smell of 2 stroke as outboard engines are brought out of hibernation and given their first bouts of life this year. We thought we would share our boaters checklist with you.

It doesn’t matter whether your boat sports the latest engine or an old favourite, the Volvo Penta. One thing to remember is that they all need a bit of TLC to keep them in optimum condition and to preserve their reliability. Not forgetting though, it’s not just about the engine, the whole boat needs its regular maintenance program which mist cover all off the crucial areas including the deck, the hull and safety gear.

We put this checklist together after speaking to other boaters, researching online and from our own experience and want to share it with you. It’s something everyone should have to hand when getting their boat ready for the forthcoming season. To ensure that your boat is safe for you, your crew and your guests, complete each of the points covered in the list. It will also help to extend the value and life of your boat and avoid any unnecessary and unexpected costs in the future.

So where do we begin?  Well seeing what day it is today, how about a Spring clean?

We know, cleaning isn’t the most exciting of things, but, in our opinion its the one to get out of the way first (eat a frog for breakfast!)

Mark Twain once said “if the first thing you do each morning is to eat a live frog, you can go through the day with the satisfaction of knowing that that is probably the worst thing that is going to happen to you all day long!”

A good clean and polish will not only make your boat stand out from the rest but will make the remaining steps a bit easier and certainly less messy.

Okay, so its time to get out the hosepipe and buckets, if you have a jet wash you can use that but go carefully, especially if you have teak decks. Start off by giving the hull, deck and topsides a clean. Use a mild detergent and don’t be afraid of getting on your hands and knees and giving it a scrub with a soft sponge. Read the label if using detergent to make sure its compatible with the material of your boat, we don’t want any loss of colour now do we?

Once all that winter muck and grime that has built up over the last few months has been washed away it’s time to apply a loving coat of wax. If you choose carefully you will be able to find one that helps to prevent the damage caused by UV light which can fade your graphics and hull. There has been many a pub discussion over whether waxing the hull will make your boat faster by reducing drag in the water. Maybe some of the racers out there can comment!

While we are in the cleaning mood, don’t forget to give the Bimini, spray hood and any other canvas and cushions a good wash. Take time to check the stitching and re-apply one of the solutions which re-waterproofs and UV protects the material. If there are any minor repairs that need doing, now’s the time to get them re-stitched.

Has there any damage been caused over the winter?

It breaks your heart to find that there are scratches or gouges in the gelcoat. That weekend away when someone came and moored up next to you, not paying attention, or maybe the strong winds over the winter, all take their toll. So although it may have been unavoidable and however deeply pained you may feel, the thing to do is get it fixed asap.

Whilst we are looking for any signs of damage, don’t forget to check for any unseen damage, or wear and tear. Deck joints, stanchion mounts, winches, lines etc are all vulnerable to damage, either accidental or through general usage. Make sure you check them all. Giving the winches a service is always a good idea at the beginning of each season, replacing the grease.

If you are lifting your boat out of the water then now is the time to re-apply your antifouling and at the same time check your sacrificial anodes and if required change them.

One final thing on our boaters checklist is safety equipment.

Again it is easy to become complacent and think, “oh it will be okay” but these are probably the most important items you have on board your boat, and the ones that can mean the difference between life and death.

Life raft – Make sure its in date. Its difficult to check the condition of it with it being in a sealed unit, but you can check its still within the recommended service time, it’s secure to the deck and there doesn’t appear to be any damage to the casing.

Life jackets – Make sure the gas cartridge is still in date, if not get new cartridges and rather than waste the old ones give them a try, just make sure you can repack your lifejacket afterwards once you have fixed in the new gas cartridge. Make sure the lights work, the whistles are attached and the reflective patches are clean, also check the straps for abrasion damage.

Fire extinguishers – These will have a date stamped on when they must be either changed by or recharged. If you have a gauge on the top make sure it read in the green, if not get them serviced or changed.

Flares and EPIRB – These will also need checking to make sure they are still in date. Expired flares must be disposed of carefully. Marina’s and some chandlers will have a way of disposing of them. It has been know for people to keep them for bonfire night just to test them! One of the places we have bought safety equipment from is Force 4 Chandlery.

So thats about it. We hope you have found our boaters checklist useful. If you have please leave a comment below. You should now be ready for your summer sailing season. Your boat will be looking top dollar and you should be confident you are safe. Now go out there and enjoy your time on the water.

Don’t forget to watch our latest video

Have a great week
Carl & Jenny

We decided a few weeks ago, well probably a bit more than that, that this year we would get into the sport of stand up paddleboarding.

We tried it out on a friend of ours paddleboard in the marina. Jen took to it really quickly. I was a bit disappointed as I was big into windurfing a few years ago and to be honest found it not as easy as I thought. Maybe due to a long term ankle injury I have which affects my balancing skills now. However not being deterred we decided we would get a couple of boards.

We obviously needed inflatables as storage space on the boat is somewhat restricted. We actually researched them when we were at the boat show in Sept 2017 just before we went out to the boat. After looking at what was on offer we made our minds up that we would buy the RED brand when we were ready.

Now the time is here we researched again and found that the RED paddleboards, although one of the best, were probably too much money bearing in mind we were buying two. So after a lot of reading reviews etc we found that Decathlon had a few boards in their line up and one of them had reviews where owners had put them on a level with RED but at only a third of the cost. Well we’re not naive enough to think they will be quite as good but as beginners in the sport the cheaper ones would suffice, so a couple of days ago we went to Decathlon in Sheffield to pick two up.

We have already booked them in to our flight back at a cost of £28.00 each so not too bad.

Today we gave them a test run!

 

A post shared by Carl And Jenny (@carlandjennysailing) on Mar 18, 2018 at 7:35am PDT

 

Morning meditation on the paddleboard. Don’t matter what the weather – free your mind! #SUP #mindfulness #meditation #yoga #carlandjenny

A post shared by Carl And Jenny (@carlandjennysailing) on Mar 18, 2018 at 8:02am PDT

Let us know what you think, and if you don’t already follow us on instagram you can follow directly from this page.

We are looking forward to getting them out on the water.
Love & Peace,
Carl & Jenny

Ahoy there,

Well the weather this morning in Agios Nikolaos is beautiful..again! The sun is shining, the sky is blue. Days like this make you sit back and wonder why you took retirement instead of staying at work and live in a not so great climate….NOT!

If you follow our other social media outlets you will know that we are now settling in to this new lifestyle, we are loving it. Yes we are missing our kids, (well both adults now, but they will always be our kids), and yes we are missing family, but in all honesty thats it.

We have been moored up in the marina since we put Dream back in the water, but have a shake down sail planned pretty soon. We have been getting the boat ready for the sailing season. Dream is a beautiful boat and is a credit to her previous owner, but she has not been sailed much in the last few years so we have been spending our time getting her back to shipshape and giving her the once over, and making small changes to make her ours.

We still have a few jobs to do before the end of April. We are replacing the service batteries, all 4 of them. Two were on their way out and we are not too sure how old the other two are, but its best to have all new ones. The two good ones we have remaining will be fitted to our van to give us more available power in there. Also we have a spare solar panel on the boat which is also being utilised in the van. No waste here 🙂

Some of you who are Patrons, may not be aware but Patron has updated its mobile app. A nice little feature they’ve added is the “Lens” feature. Basically it allows us to post 30 second video clips via our mobile app. It then shows up in your app and is available for 24hrs. It’s a cool little feature that we will be using to put up regular short behind the scene/what we are up to clips. We will try to put one up each day while ever we have internet connection.

As you may have seen we have also introduced a “Fix It Friday” video which goes out, yes you’ve guessed it, on a Friday. From the feedback we have received it is quite popular so we will continue with it until we run out of jobs, but as we are on a boat that won’t be soon lol!

Don’t forget you can get regular updates to whats happening by our email newsletter which you can subscribe to using the form on this site.

Enjoy the day.

Carl and Jenny

A couple of days ago the weather forecast for the sea of Crete wasn’t looking too good. We use several different weather apps but find “Windy” is quite accurate for this area. According to Windy the wind on Thursday night was going to pick up to the late 40’s knots.

We spent the day sorting out our AIS system. When we moved aboard Dream we found an AIS receiver wrapped up in bubble wrap with a letter from the manufacturers saying it had been tested and was working okay. It just required re-connecting…or so we thought! It was re-connected and although power was showing on the unit, the channel lights were not flashing and the display on the Raymarine chart plotter was saying “no AIS”!
A neighbour of ours is quite a whizz with electrical stuff and after a thorough examination and exploration we deduced it was a fault with the antenna, either the cable or the antenna itself. So we had to lower down the aluminium mast pole that supports the radar and our antennas to investigate further. We made up a bit of a temporary antenna using just wire and after fiddling with the connector that sends the signal to the plotter we finally got boats showing up on the display..success!
The next thing was to put new cable to the existing antenna. Once done it was then the job of raising the pole, which I must add was straddled now between the rear deck of the boat and the pontoon. This is easier to talk about than actually do because of the angles it had to be lifted at and the leverage we had. We had Paeter on the pontoon, Jenny was at the rear of the boat pulling on a rope and I was on the rear deck supporting the full weight at the bottom of the pole. Jenny pulled on the rope, I lifted and Paeter lost his balance and was flapping his arms around trying not to fall into the water. It was funny, but could have had ended quite differently.
By now the wind had started to increase and the sky had started going really dark with rain clouds. It was as though someone had switched off the lights. No sooner had we got the top bolt into the retaining bracket on the pole than the rain started after a massive clap of thunder and a lightning bolt. A metal pole is the last thing to be hanging onto in a thunder storm so the fastening was expedited and we went below whilst the thunderstorm blew over.
We had a break in the rain and finished making the pole secure. By now the swell had increased and so had the wind, the rain was starting to get heavy again.
Paeter made a dash for his boat and we battened down the hatches in readiness for what was about to come.

Around 10.30pm the boat was rolling about a bit, but we were quite happy the boat was safe and we were safe. All of sudden we felt the boat roll to starboard and things on the side were sliding about. We knew we couldn’t go anywhere as we were securely tied up, I went up into the cockpit and looked at the wind monitor, we were getting winds of 46-48 knots constant. I checked the highest recording and we had just recorded 50.6 Knots! We were rolling around quite a bit but decided it was time to go to bed and sleep through it. We woke up the following morning at 10.30am!

Facebook the following morning had pictures from around the town and there had been structural damage to some of the restaurant fronts and seating areas, luckily everyone in the marina came out unscathed.

This morning, we have rolled up all the sides on the winter cockpit tent, sat here again in T-shirts and shorts, the sun is on my back and its warm with blue skies again. There is just about enough breeze to move the Greek courtesy flag we have flying. Jen has just got back from washing som clothes and now hanging them out around the boat to dry.

Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel. We are now a few weeks behind real time but catching up.

Have a great day,
Carl & Jenny