FIESTA!

This is a story about a dream come true.

Once upon a time, there was a little landlocked girl who fell in love with sailing and vowed to someday live on a boat on the big blue ocean.  She met a handsome young Navy man along the way who vowed to help make that happen and that time has finally come (it only took 43 years, but timing is everything). Meet our new boat... a 1991 Island Packet 35 ft full-keel vessel.  

About two weeks ago, the current owner made us a great deal. The boat was docked at his private dock in front of his "Funky Fish House" in Cape Harbor Marina in Cape Coral, FL.  We had a survey done, which is a thorough inspection of all systems and includes a haul-out (very exciting!) and a sea trial. Except for a typical list of minor repairs, she checked out "above average".

For those interested and knowledgeable on sailboats, here are some details:

Island Packets are made in Largo, FL; beam 12'....draft 4'6".....LOA 38'....

displacement 17,500lb....Yanmar 35hp diesel (we're gonna have to go to diesel engine school on this one).

She has a roller-furling genoa 130% (brand new), cutter-rigged, though her stay sail is de-rigged right now, two cabins, one head, full galley, salon, swim platform, hot tub (ha! just kidding), radar, Garmin GPS and chart plotter, auto helm, rack-and-pinion steering attached to top of rudder shaft, VHF.

Galley

Salon 

Nav station

Popeye, my sailor man :)

Her current name is "Grateful", and though we are EXTREMELY grateful for everything in our life, we will rename her "Fiesta" with a hailing port of Taos, NM. I know what you're thinking-----Taos?  a port?  huh? Legally, the "hailing port" is a just a place where you reside and though we don't actually "reside" anywhere at this point in our journey, we are proud to be from Taos :). And this should bring some interesting conversations out on the ocean, besides, we like diversity.  For several years, I wanted to name her "Lorelei", one of my favorite black diamond runs up in the Taos Ski Valley.  But it was brought to my attention that the legend of Lorelei is not favorable for sailors. She was a mythological Siren that lured passing ships to her rocky shore for an ultimate demise. Naw, no bueno. Fiesta is much more fun :) Si si!

Now, in sailor lore, renaming a boat is not to be taken lightly. There is a variety of age-old salty protocols and ceremonies to be observed for good luck, all of which include imbibing alcohol of some sort----surprised?  Well.....ok, if we have to. Luck is a good thing.

Neptune

To keep the sea Gods, Poseidon and/or Neptune, happy and updated with the vessels on the "Ledger of the Deep" in their kingdom, and to appease them to "guard her with a mighty arm and ensure safe and rapid passage through her journeys within their realm", we will follow this advice:

The new name is not to be introduced anywhere onboard until all evidence of the old name is removed. AND you have to sail (?) backwards, backing over the old name on the transom and then fling champagne to the four wind directions: north, south, east, west. All of it now---no cheating (dang) and finish up with:  

"May she bring fair winds, safe passages and good fortune to all who sail on her!"

Home sweet home :)