Kamaloha says hi

[Kamaloha]

Hi there, we just ran across this forum and joined. My wife and I own Kamaloha, a 1988 Tayana 37 cutter, currently on the hard for the winter in Rockport, ME. We bought her on 9/11/01 in Tortola, where she had been a Caribbean liveaboard for most of her life before the PO had medical problems and had to sell her. We sailed her up and down the Windwards and Leewards until last year when we made the hop back up to Maine via Bermuda. We are presently based in the Penobscot Bay area of mid-coast Maine. We've got a three-year plan to cut loose and cruise again once our kids (now 2 & 4) are ready for it. I'm angling for the Med as a first stop, but Ireland may be in there too since we have lots of family there. In the meanwhile we'll bareboat in the Carib in the winters and sail the Maine coast in the summers.

We absolutely love our Tayana and have spent a lot of time customizing it to our liking. (It seems like the definition of "cruising" is "working on your boat in exotic places"). We thoroughly enjoyed our time in the Caribbean, especially the Windwards: Martinique and along the south coast of Grenada were where we spent most of our time. Hurricane seasons were spent in Grenada (two), Sint Maarten (one), and West End BVI (one). Kamaloha floated though the eye of Ivan on its hooks at Hog Island Bay on Grenada (we were back in the states at the time). She is a sturdy boat.

We're looking forward to hearing from other cruisers, especially those with young children on board.

Fair Winds,

Charlie & Maureen
s/v Kamaloha

[delmarrey]

It's Good to have another Cruiser aboard. Were looking forward to hearing about your experiences and adventures!

......................................_/)

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha Kamaloha,
Welcome aboard!! Would like to hear your sailing opinions and experiences in the future.
Kind Regards,
JohnL

[salvor111]

My wife and I have been researching children living at sea for two years. we dicovered two trains of thought on the matter! first we discovered the younger they start the better off they are,and it seems to become a way of life for them. meaning they gain the tools to cope with the world beon what land bound children have to gage the world for what it is.
second: we found that in general, many cases where teens of whom have the land social based awareness , tend to not use the sailing gift to their best intrest. we have a five year old.she helps with the build. she has already planted her space on the center hull. she is learning Thai , and ask at least three time a week when are we going yet.we feel the age you are taking these children to sea , will only empower them beon what other children dream and read about in a book

[Hud3]

Hello, Charlie and Maureen.

I missed you intro post the first time around (I was off sailing at the time), so a belated "Welcome"! Glad to have you on the Forum.

I recall exchanging a couple of emails with you after Ivan went through Grenada in 2004. Some friends of ours were on their boat down there in the middle of all that. Lynne and I spent a week anchored at Hog Island in January, 2005, just a few months after Ivan. Some of the boats there still showed the scars of the mangroves on their hulls.

All the best,

Hud

p.s. what kind of anchor(s) did you have set to withstand 140 knots, with the direction reversing after the eye passed directly over your boat?

[Kamaloha]

Hi Hud, thanks for writing. Yep, Kamaloha survived Ivan hanging on a 20 kg Bruce with 10:1 all-chain rode. The boat wasn't exactly where I left it when I got back, but boy that Bruce was stuck deep in the mud - pulling it out dipped the bow about six inches and took all the pulling the SL 555 was worth. We sustained about $7K worth of damage; the rode tore the bow platform off the bowsprit (luckily leaving the bowsprit and whiskers intact) and the gallows was shattered (Being in "safe" Grenada I had not stripped the boat for a hurricane, and the boom was lashed to the gallows). The silliest but most annoying damage was caused by three gallons of Micron 44 stored in a locker below; they shattered the louvers on the locker door and one burst in the cabin, painting much of our lovely teak brick-red. I just got around to stripping and refinishing most of the cabin sole last winter, but all you need to do is lift a bilge cover to see plenty of red splatter. I guess I did some good manufacturer's testing for the Four Winds II genny which was still turning with minimal damage on the stern (the hub bolt was a little worn.)

[Hud3]

Ha! At least you don't have to worry about barnacles in your bilge! You were sure lucky, compared to many others in Grenada.