Mature, retired couple looking to crew cruise & deliveries.

[JDBlackwell]

Hi.
We are CJ&JD Blackwell

JD grew up on Balls Neck, Northumberland county, Virginia on the Chesapeake Bay. I have been sailing and boating all of my life. My father taught me how to work on all types of gas and diesel engines, outboards and inboards. Rig, mast, stays, shrouds and standing and running rigging, I know basic brightwork, both fiberglass and stainless fabrication and repair and I am competent, repeat "competent", with a wife variety of marine repair and maintenance work.

CJ is from deep in the 'burbs of Chicago and had never met a sailboat in person until she met JD 4 years ago... 'nough said there. =]

Together we have spent the last 4 years crewing in races, deliveries & cruises during the southern Chesapeake Bay regatta season. We have sailed under the burgee's of the Annapolis Yacht Club, Annapolis MD., Hampton Yacht Club & Broad Bay Sailing Association, Little Creek Va., Fishing Bay Yacht Club, Deltaville Va. and for our home club, Old Point Comfort Yacht Club, out of Old Point Comfort Marina, Ft. Monroe, Hampton Va.

- I owned and sailed a 1981 Catalina 22, s/v Serenity, hull# 10493.
(Bought in 2010, stolen in 2020)
- 2018 I crewed for 8 skippers on 8 different boats in 36 races & deliveries.
- 2019 we raced the Leukemia Cup Regatta and 42 series races & deliveries. We competed in the Down the Bay Race and raced 2 days of the Annapolis to Newport 2019 Race. We had to retire when a crewman came down sick and was non-responsive (ended OK).
- 2020 was mostly lost to Covid.
- 2021 We have been racing nearly as normal.

JD has primarily crewed as Mainsheet Trimmer and CJ has primarily crewed as Mizzen Trimmer aboard S/V Luna Blu, a 1966 Bristol 39 yawl, owner/skipper, Wm. "Keith" Midgette, out of Old Point Comfort Yacht Club (and Marina) at Ft. Monroe, Hampton VA.

CJ retired in June 2020 after 30 years as a HS Spanish Teacher. JD retired in April 2021 after 30 years as an IT/VDI Tech. Now that we are both retired, we are actively in the process of selling our Townhouse in Romeoville Il. and our waterfront and woodland in Northumberland County VA. to purchase an Island Packet 420 and begin our liveaboard traveling life.

We are actively seeking any and all (safe and well planned) cruising and delivery opportunities and we strongly wish to build sea time and coastal and offshore experience.

CJ&JD Blackwell =/|)=
US Sailing: JD Member ID: 788281R
Cell: 804.400.5433
Email: jayblack69 at Yahoo
YT: "JD Blackwell Sailing"

[Nauticus]

Hi and welcome from Ontario Canada

That's quite and adventure already. Enjoy your Packet!

Fair winds

[JDBlackwell]

Thanx! And yes, it has been an adventure so far!

We left home 8/17 for Nags Head NC for 2 nights (fantastic!), then on to Savannah GA for 2 nights visiting my son (yea!), then to Indian Rocks Beach/Largo/Tampa FL for 4 nights (AMAZING!).

On the 24st we toured the Island Packet Yachts boatyard in Largo which was the genesis of this trip.

Then up to Atlanta GA for 2 nights (meh), then on to Odenville AL for 2 nights (with a close friend!)... then we cancelled the 4 nights in New Orleans cause Ida said so... so backtrack to Jacksonville Beach FL for 2 nights (BRILLIANT!) and then back to Nags Head NC for 2 nights to wrap things up... And back home now. =]

Yes'sir, a helluva trip!

Really hoping to get into deliveries and cruise crew as soon as we can. Here's hoping!

CJ&JD =/|)=

[Wilyum]

subscribed, whats your guys long term plans? we need an around the world Island Packet YT channel

[JDBlackwell]

Well, The Plan (written in confused water) is to 1. after whatever it takes to get her in the water, List #1 EBW (everything below the waterline) gets done FIRST then. 2. once at anchor, List #2 ERS (everything required for sea) gets done SECOND. 3. Once we can safely plot a course and set sail, List #'infinity' EE (everything else) gets done as the skipper/time/parts/weather/mood/food n rum allows.

The main idea being not to fix everything in the boat here in the land of plenty... but to fix the boat in romantic, exotic, far away locations as soon as is humanly possible.

OK, so 1st year here in the Southern Chesapeake Bay, sail out of Mill Creek near Ft. Monroe in Hampton, and other safe anchorages, where we have friends and know the area and have "support". Where we know the boatyards and marinas. We will race some, cruise more. Stay on the anchor as much as we might need to in less metropolitan areas... say, Sandy Cay, Abacos, Bahamas.

Then, 2nd year, head south... Gunkhole or ICW down to the Keys. Taking our time, no real set destinations, keep southerly but follow the advice of the weather. Hole up somewhere over Hurricane Season, rest and repair.

3rd year... Bahamas? or maybe north til we can jump off for Bermuda?

Future... we do want to cross the Atlantic. Her folks are from Ireland and mine were Welsh, so we want to do Europe before they start taking American heads. If we do cross and come back, I KNOW I will want to do the Caribbean and the Canal... then?

We have set our goal to circumnavigate... but we plan on wandering and more really kinda "blundering around the world" than... well, doing it the other way. =]