Varnishing

The yard is hard at work painstakingly varnishing the boat's interior, hence no pictures.

Tom B. assures me that pictures will be forthcoming as soon as this labor-intensive process is completed.

I'm heading to Stuart in August to do "boat stuff".   Folks, it is getting real, more real by the day in fact.

Thank you for your patience during this dry spell and for hanging in there with me.

Happy Birthday

Happy first birthday in heaven Tom.

As our dream unfolds, I want everyone to know the great man behind it.  Your continued presence in my life is making our dream a reality.  In a few short months, our beautiful new boat will be here.  Though your physical presence will be absent from one of our helm seats, your spiritual presence will forever be beside me, guiding me safely through every passage.

Each time the engines come to life and I switch on the generator, I'll remember the countless discussions we had about them, the fun conversations we had about where we would take this boat and the future we envisioned as liveaboards.  Were it not for your vision, I would never have come to love boating, and specifically boating on a Kadey Krogen yacht.

My continuing on with our dream will forever be testimony to my love for you, for the life we shared for over 42 years - all this made possible because of your role in shaping me into the person I am today.

Rest peacefully my love.  Forever may you know fair winds and following seas.

OMG!!!

That's putting it mildly!

During a what I thought was a routine KKY conference call, Tom B. asked if I wanted to hear good news once our discussion was concluded.  Always up for good news, I said, "sure".

Wait for it.....

"Well it looks like your boat will be ready a little ahead of schedule", Tom B. casually said.  Dead silence at my end while I took my heart out of my mouth.  After what seemed like a lifetime, I managed to croak, "how much ahead of schedule?"  "About 3 weeks" came the reply.  I will swear I could see and hear the smile in Tom B.'s voice!  OMG and OMG!!!  It seems a freighter is heading for Ft. Lauderdale around August 25th.  The yard thinks they can have the boat ready to go then, so........................

If things work according to plan, my girl could be here in early October!  Now tell me, is that a way to start the week, or is it the way to start a week????????  So many things to do between now and then, not to mention planning a move to another place on November 10th.  Typical of the way things happen in my world, nothing is done without excitement, or in a boring, expected manner.  This upheaval just so happens to coincide with the busiest time of the year at work when we all work at least 10 hour days to get ready for September and the crushing need for our nursing services.

Never mind all that, my long awaited, dream come true, beginning of a new life boat will soon be on her way home to me.  Of course this major happening is so very bittersweet - Tom should be here with me jumping up and down with unbridled joy.  So while one part of me rejoices, the other part misses Tom with an intensity not easily described.  I keep imagining the expression on his face as he heard Tom B.'s wonderful news and in my mind's eye, I picture what that expression would be when he first sees our new boat that was a dream for so long.  Seeing her for the first time alone is something I am preparing myself for.  My wonderful KKY friends will be there to support me, of that I'm so grateful.

So friends, the time is drawing near to celebrate the arrival of this newest member of my little family.  I've asked Tom B. to have the yard send some recent pictures.  It's been a couple of weeks since I've had any; this dry spell is making me crazy.

Obviously absent from all my postings is the mention of a name.  Not yet.  For some reason, this is a very personal thing for me.  The name I have in mind has such deep meaning for me, I'm just not ready to share it.  I also have a plan for her christening that shakes me up when I try to think about it.  So in addition to the arrival of this very special boat will come news about her name, christening and welcoming activities planned for her.

Who knows - I may welcome 2015 aboard my dream!

Master Stateroom

Hope everyone had a great weekend!  I spent part of Saturday night on a friend's FourWinns, a go fast boat that indeed went fast.  12 of us were on board to enjoy a beautiful summer evening and to see the rare "blood moon" from a perfect vantage point.  The ride, combined with great food, excellent company and a lot of summer still to go made for a perfect summer night!

It was perfect that is, until we were within a boat hook's distance from her slip - both engines died leaving us in a very tough spot. We weren't quite near the dock, but we were quite near a lot of other boats.  The quick thinking of our captain combined with the ready availability of 2 boat hooks saved the day.  Aside from a few bumps on the pilings, disaster was averted.  Once we all caught our breath, there was a long sigh of relief from all on board -especially the owner.

Though I know boats are capricious and things are always going wrong, I'm looking forward to the arrival of my new girl with similar anticipation to that experienced for my baby girl 32 years ago.  The captain thought there might be a problem with the alternator since the battery power seemed low.  Whatever the problem, it will cost money, but we're raring to go out again!

I just realized in the bunch of pictures Tom B. sent from his Taiwan trip, there were a few shots of the master stateroom which I apparently overlooked.  Interesting the way our Krogens are so alike, regardless of the model or size.  We can walk into any stateroom and feel right at home.

I did make a small change in the master shower.  Instead of having the shower windows trimmed in wood, I elected to use epoxy or whatever they use that is not wood.  Over time, it would be too hard to keep the trim looking perfect.  I'm a stickler for perfection, so a lot of time would have been spent in the master shower - most definitely where I don't want to spend any more time than necessary.  It's a much neater, sleek look in any case.

The hanging lockers are more spacious than they look.  Even for a New York girl like me, I wasn't crammed in.  Granted I wasn't living on the boat then, but part of my new boating life will be to pare down my rather (ahem) extensive wardrobe.  Working on advice from my treasured seasoned boater friend Betty, I invested in a few pairs of Bimini Bay shorts.  Not only are they great on a boat, but they're perfect for my morning walks too!  The shelves are deep enough to hold folded sweaters and other things that might take up too much drawer space.  I had a chat with another KKY friend about the cherry slats on the wall versus all white formica.  I chose the cherry slats since I love a cozy master.  Because the cherry is lighter than teak, I think it will impart a lovely warm glow to the room.

Another view looking to port.  It's as pleasing as all the other views of this lovely space.  If my life ever slows down a bit, I picture lying in bed a few extra minutes each day, looking up at the sky through the innovative Ocean Shades being installed on this boat.  Even the smaller hanging locker is spacious enough for raingear, fleeces and other substantial clothing.  I just love the way everything flows and nestles!

The bed will have a new mattress at some point.  Unless the suppliers have changed the firmness, I will probably replace the standard mattress when the boat gets to New York.  I had a fabulous organic cotton covered mattress on Serenity made by a Connecticut-based company.  The mattress was a cross between marshmellows and whipped cream, with just the right amount of firmness thrown in.  Instead of the standard chrome reading lights on each side of the bed, I opted for the lamps I had on Serenity.  They were lovely wall sconces on a small arm with parchment-colored shades.  The room actually glowed when those lights were on.  Those same sconces will be scattered around on the boat to create inviting reading and visiting spaces.  You can see plenty of storage in this room, even for someone who
will eventually live aboard.
  


So that's it for pictures for now folks.  Tom B. will be sending more.  In the meantime, I'm working on the electronics list, with a lot of ideas from Jeff of ActiveCaptain.  I'm reading his latest information about WiFi devices with great interest as are the electronics folks.  Technology is literally changing by the day.

I'm making plans to attend the Krogen Rendezvous in October - this time with notebook in hand.  Last year was a tough one; a boat couldn't have been farther from my conscious thoughts at that time.   Now that all things boat occupy all the available spaces in my mind, I'll be sitting on the edge of my chair throughout the entire week of activities.

I thought you'd like to see what occasionally keeps me from my postings -

                                          Sweet Tucker and my beloved daughter, Christina!

No recounting of favorites would be complete without mentioning the other love of my life - who happened to have a visit from a very special little person today...

All's well that ends well.  Have a great week everyone!!!

You say saloon, I say salon....

Doesn't matter how you say that very important boat space - salon or saloon - it all translates into a special place where family and friends gather to share a meal, watch TV or a movie or listen to music when being outside isn't an option.

The salon on the 55 is comparable to the "great room" of a thoughtfully built home.  Since this space takes advantage of the full 18 foot beam, the room is bright, spacious and calls out for parties.  The spacious galley is adjacent and open to the salon so preparing a meal doesn't preclude the chef from participating in the fun.  Not one to miss a moment of anything, this boat is perfect for me and my hurry up and have fun lifestyle.

This is view of the salon to port with a bit of the aft bulkhead wall visible.  The L-shaped settee will be covered in a neutral Ultraleather with plenty of fluffy pillows to add comfort and pops of color and style.  The wall that you see tilting into the room is actually the steps to the boat deck.  We came up with a clever way to add a wall sconce so that I don't need lamps all over the place.  You can also see in the middle of the right side of the photo the lovely space that will be the 50+ bottle wine fridge.  That space is as important to me as the engine room!  The TV on its lift will be behind the settee, built into the port cabinet.  Don't know if I already mentioned it, but I've decided on a 46" Samsung Smart TV.  In fact, it's already in the KKY office so that the yard could build the cabinet to the TV's exact specifications and not discover that the model unavailable when the time came to install it.  I understand that was an issue with some earlier boats.

Hopefully you're not tired of seeing the steps, but in this photo, you can see how beautifully they are integrated into the salon.   It's surprisingly house-like, right?  The space between the steps and cabinet/bookcase will nicely fit 2 comfortable chairs.  I had 2 brick red leather club chairs on Serenity that I may duplicate on this boat.  Those were the chairs everyone plopped into the minute they came aboard.  Problem with those chairs is that they didn't face the TV.  That problem was rectified on this boat.

 This is a great view of the salon, galley and steps looking forward.  Everything flows and creates an inviting and stylish space for entertaining and just enjoying life.  The galley counter top will extend into the salon to accommodate 2 small barstools for additional seating for casual meals or overflow crowds.  The tall end galley cabinet will have lit glass shelves that will be visible behind glass-fronted doors that will also light the companionway.

 Though not finished, the handrail is "undressed" here so you can see how gracefully it curves and creates a sturdy means of support while moving up and down the steps.  There will be lots of soft lighting in this boat since there are lights in many of the steps.  I'm crazy about how the steps and handrail were crafted!  It will be such a lovely focal point as one enters the boat.  To the left of the steps in the companionway, you can just about see a cabinet that will house the entertainment components.  On Serenity, it was awkward to put CDs or movies into the player or set an iPod into the dock - I had to always move a heavy chair.  After much discussion, we came up with this cabinet that would be very easy to access.

Looking aft through the salon into the cockpit, the nicely sized doorway is framed by 2 watertight doors that sound like a bank vault door closing when they are closed.  One thoughtful feature that is standard on this boat is a very sturdy screen door that zips across the opening and attaches by magnet to the other side.  The screen allows sea breezes to waft in sans annoying insects.  Though some inevitably do get in, it's not a free for all with us as the meal!
You can see space on the port side where the movable hi-lo table will go.  It will nestle nicely into that space and serve the very useful function of providing a surface for meals, cocktails, working or just casual conversation.

 I have a rug that I insisted on using in the loft of this apartment that is very special to me - it will go under this table.  It's a 5' x 7' certified Isfahan-style oriental rug in shades of navy, green and ivory that Tom and I gave to each other as an anniversary gift.   That rug will go under that table if I have to re-build the boat.  Get the idea?  LOL


 I'm an outdoor person, so I'll be spending lots of time in the roomy, covered cockpit.  I have a stack of patio furniture catalogs on my desk all tabbed with the pieces I like.  I plan to live without anything until I know what will look (and work) best.  On Serenity, the purchases we made were all perfect for her since we carefully considered our options relative to the boat before leaping.  Without meaning to sound boastful, I think those who were aboard Serenity would agree that she was a beautifully decorated boat.  Oh Serenity, I will love you forever!


I hope you enjoyed these pictures.  I was going to wait until tomorrow since I just got back from my Thursday golf game, but looked at my calendar and see I'm out to dinner with some friends.  Then it's the busy weekend, and before you know it, I'm back with excuses.

G'nite!

Staircase!

It's 11:11 pm after a grueling day, a fun evening with Tucker and a lovely few hours with Wiggles.  How does she do it all you ask?  I ask too.  It must be the 3.25 mile walk I start the day with nearly every morning, even in the rain.  Or...maybe it's the glass of luscious wine I just poured to enjoy with the blog posting.  In any case, here I am, and here is one set of the pictures I promised Monday.  I have to stop with these promises - gets me in trouble every time.

You have to stop to realize that these steps and handrail are brand new for the 55.  In fact, these steps have never been done on any boat.  There was a leap of faith involved here, mostly on my part since Tom B. was confident in the ability of the yard to carry this off.  He and I chatted Monday and we both agreed that the yard has done an awesome job.

It was so clever to make the steps open to the salon - the design added quite a visual to the already spacious beam to beam salon.  The handrail itself is close to 3" wide, quite substantial both in utility and aesthetics.  The top of the cabinet adjacent to the steps will be a lovely place to display something special (secured with Museum Putty of course).  We'll get a better look at the handrail once the protective sleeve comes off - you'll have to come visit!

The idea of creating a landing instead of a continuous "wind" is another stroke of genius.  There's enough depth in the curving steps to actually put a foot down flat - a real bonus while underway in "lumpy" seas.

One almost expects a bride to descend this staircase!  It will be a great spot for anyone aboard to make a dramatic entrance.  These steps really are "house like", including the height of the risers.  Right now, we're trying to decide on how to best position access to the storage under a few of the steps - probably by lifting up the top of the step so as not to mar the curved piece of wood we're looking at head on.

The level of detail involved in planning out this boat is mind boggling.  I give the KKY staff so much credit since mine is not the only boat being built at this time.  Each time I get pictures or we chat on the phone, I feel as if mine is the only boat in the production line right now and they have all the time in the world to make sure I'm always in the loop and completely happy with whatever is on the table for discussion at that point in time.   Who could ask for more?  Since I always do, it's amazing to me that I'm more than satisfied with all that is going on.

Anyway folks, I wanted to keep my word and share this beautiful staircase with you.  Still to come are pictures of the master stateroom and more of the salon and galley.  The galley is really taking shape; I may actually learn to love cooking again.

I hope you're enjoying the show.  Would love to hear your comments.  Thanks John for always being there with a great comment!  I always look forward to hearing from you.

What's to come...

Just got home, but have pictures of the most beautiful handrail and new steps to the pilot house, some salon and master stateroom pictures to come later this week.  The boat is really starting to look very much like a beautiful boat.

I had a conference call with Tom B and Laura today regarding the layout of the helm.  I'll share the 2 views that served as the basis for the discussion.  Most of the instrument placement is intuitive, some placements will be like Serenity and others will conform to the huge helm space and personal preferences.  It's great to know that nothing needs to be decided now.  My August visit to Stuart will be a great starting point for the helm layout discussions, but even then no big decisions will need to be made.

Had the first conversation about the final documentation that will be needed before the boat ships in a couple of months.  It's getting very real now.

Hang in there with me folks!

The Engine Room (I think)

I'm trusting that all of you who are reading this blog will not laugh too hard while reading this particular post.  I mentioned before that pictures of the engine room - I think it's also referred to as "machinery space" - strikes terror into my heart while producing cold sweats.

I am only taking this very bold step in sharing these pictures because some of you have specifically asked me to.  By taking advantage of my courage here, you'll also have the benefit of seeing the Expedition's "heart" at a very early stage.

So here goes.  I'm not even sure what I'm looking at, so I'm going to post these and keep my mouth shut (well I'll do my best)....

See what I mean?  I was giving Tom B. a chance to catch his breath after his recent trip to the yard before pummeling him with questions.  Those of you with Krogens can feel free to comment anytime, but be nice.

I admire the folks putting this engine room together.  This picture reminds me of my early days in anatomy class - we had to identify inside body parts never before seen.

Oh I know, I know!!!!  It's one of the watertight doors leading to somewhere.  I think those are the bow thruster compartments on either side in the foreground.  Wow, talk about taking a leap of faith!

Clueless here, but they better do a good job cleaning up.

Anyone??

Hot water heater????

Another of those watertight doors, but it looks like one should do something before entering.  Bio hazard area, maybe?  Just kidding.

Had to go back to be sure this wasn't a duplicate.  Don't want anyone falling over laughing.

So lest you think I'm out of my mind taking on this boat, I should tell you that I learn very fast.  I have the confidence, passion, intuition and intelligence it takes to run a boat like this safely and skillfully once I get enough helm hours in my topsiders.  KKY tutorials are second to none, I have some folks lined up eager to help; so at this time next year, I'll offer a guided tour of this engine room to anyone who wants one.  So there!

Guest Stateroom Pics

After a pretty good golf game tonight, just ahead of a ridiculous rain storm, including some awesome rumbles of thunder as I'm teeing off on the 9th hole, I'm feeling energetic.  So, never mind it's after 11 pm, I'm still going strong.  That combined with 3 glorious days off jam packed with fun things to do with friends, I'm rarin' to go.

On with it then!

The following pictures are guest stateroom pictures.  Not as exciting as the engine room pictures I have for you (those freak me out), but beautiful pictures nonetheless.  I'm amazed at the handiwork of these master craftspeople.  No wonder the KKY boats are built abroad - to get this type of work done here would put these boats into the stratosphere!  They appear to have a process and schedule for everything, so nothing is rushed or left to chance.  If you're thinking of ordering a new KKY in the not too distant future, I'd say get on with it now.  These boats are not built overnight (nor would you want one that was).

Anyway, I digress.  Here we go...

In this picture, you can clearly see the new steps going up to the pilothouse on the right side of the pic.  Adjacent to the steps is a bookcase.  The bookcase balances out the room, besides being a welcome addition for guest reading material.  I can't imagine any guest of mine spending time in that room reading, but you never know.  I like to be prepared to entertain my guests in style and comfort.

I was initially concerned about the 3 small doors in the wall above the berths, but they look wonderful.  I can't remember why they had to be there, but there is some storage in them, so it turned out well.  There's only so much one can micromanage and try to visualize.  At some point, I realized that some things are best left to the pros.  They've built many boats before mine, after all.

This is a nice view of the guest stateroom wall looking forward.  The louvered doors house a Bosch front loading, stacked washer and dryer that I understand is a regular size.  I've never minded doing laundry - it's a mindless task that I usually sandwich among more interesting chores - but I do mind having to use the marina's facilities for big items.  The locker opening may look small, but I remember from my friend's 55 that the space is more than adequate for guest's clothing.  Shelves nicely accommodate extra blankets and pillows too.  Don't forget there are 3 huge drawers under each berth in addition to several desk drawers and the space in the night table.  The desk will be a great spot for folding laundry.  I love to fold - it appeals to my sense of order to stack neatly folded towels or polo shirts.  Nuts, I know.

I just wanted you to see how nicely the window trim is finished.  Everything blends, no sharp edges or awkward angles.

The guest head is a bit bigger than on older Expeditions.  Since there is no longer a hatch for engine room access directly in front of the door, and since a door to the engine room is now located in the guest head, the space was pulled forward into the companionway to create the extra room needed.  I actually spent a week aboard an Expedition in 2012 and found the space to be comfortable, spacious and very attractive. 

The following picture is a shot of the "varnish room" where all the moveable pieces are taken to be varnished - that is, after they leave the sanding room.   Here we can see the various doors waiting for their coat of varnish to be applied.  I don't think I'd sign up for that job.

Everything has its place in a KKY operation.  The drawers patiently wait their turn to be varnished but in a different location than the doors.  Sure are a ton of them too!  Love their length and depth.  A lot of things can get lost in there!

So though not the most exciting pictures I've shared, it's a more manageable way to share all the pictures Tom B. takes and sends.  There are many more, but we'd be here all night if I posted each and every one.  I can also make the best use of my limited time by posting in small doses.  Plus, let's face it, it keeps you coming back for more!

And more you shall get!  Stay tuned.