New Fuel Tanks

Once we finally took ownership of Viridian she had to be sailed from the marina in the Manatee River, across Tampa Bay and into Salt Creek to Embree Marine.  We rigged up a navigation station using an iPad with free SeaIQ nav software, mounted it to a make shift support on the fly bridge, rigged a power cable and plotted our course.  This was the first time we had sailed our boat with just the two of us aboard.  The weather was perfect and we had our charts and electronic nav station and an appointment at Embree Marine.  I can remember the feeling when Meg threw off the last line and Viridian was in my hands - "High-Anxiety".  We idled out of Rivera Dunes Marina, into the Manatee River and headed due west into Tampa Bay.  Three hours later we arrived at the mouth of Salt Creek where the Coast Guard Auxiliary Station is.  Salt Creek wound around and got really narrow as we approached the dock at Embree.   I pulled Viridian along the dock wall and two deck hands were there to help tie off.

That's the news and here's the views:

We are here:

Today's Route from Riviera Dunes Marina to Embree Marine

 Meg preparing for departure

Leaving Manatee River

Crossing Tampa Bay

Tampa Bay Bridge

If I had hair I could feel the wind blowing through it too!

Time to Rename

We hired two surveyors, one for the hull and the other one for the engine.  We boarded and cruised over to Snead Island Boat Works to have Kaleidoscope hauled for a hull inspection.  Coming back she was put through several tests to check engine parameters and inspect all systems while underway to make sure everything was in working order.  The engine surveyor spent two hours that morning taking oil samples and started with a cold engine.  His assistant photographed every nook and cranny for the final survey report.  Kaleidoscope passed with only a few minor fixes and one major fix, new fuel tanks.  The owners had a new bottom job done on Kaleidoscope so it passed with flying colors.  Now all we need to do is come up with a new name.


Our boat was named Kaleidoscope from the original owner.  This is not a name we want to be remembered by.  They say that people on the Loop don't always remember names of people but they do tend to remember the names of boats.  If you have never tried to come up with a name for a boat then you can't appreciate the struggle we had coming up with "the name".  After several weeks of tossing out names, phrases, and silly stuff, we hit on a name that would sit right with both of us.  We blended my favorite color and Meg's favorite color (green/blue) and came up with the color name "Viridian".  Also, viridian is the color of the water along the Alabama and Florida Gulf Coast.  Perfect.  Now we have a name for our boat that is part of our journey and us.

That's the news and here's the views:

We are here

Snead Island Boat Works

Snead Island Boat Works for Survey of Hull

Bottom completely refurbished

Riding along on the sea trial during the survey

Temporary Quarter Board

Finding Miss Banks

After years of searching, studying and dreaming we have finally found the boat to take on the adventure of a lifetime - America's Great Loop.  This is a Grand Banks 36 Classic trawler.  It is docked in the Manatee River in Bradenton, FL close to St. Petersburg.  She needs a few "fixes" before we bring her home to North Alabama on the Tennessee River.  The journey around the "Loop" will begin in October 2017 when we sail out of Ditto Landing in Huntsville, AL for a 6000 mile trip around the "Great Loop".

That's the news and here's the views:

We are here

Riviera Dunes Marina in Bradenton, FL

Grand Banks 36 Classic "Kaleidoscope"

 

 We Believe this boat is "The One"

  

Yes, I think this will do :)

Great Loop Route