All posts by : Jessica

WE’VE LEFT THE DOCK!, Which means, we are full time cruisers again!!

To get here we did have to do a full provisioning of the boat as we do plan to spend a month or two in the Bahamas and we know how hard it can be to get your favorite things there sometimes. But, we’re fully loaded now and ready to go!

We also get back into our new headsail from Precision Sails, taking you through the steps where we have a consultation with Sales, take all the necessary measurements to make sure the new sail fits our boat perfectly, and talk with the head designer after he has received our measurements so he can show us what the new sail will look like on our boat, as well as bring up an issue with our old sail we didn’t even know we had.

Then it is time. We shove off the dock and say goodbye to Indiantown Marina for good. Not to mention, we get to celebrate another occasion, so a twofer day for us!

Precision Sails: www.precisionsailloft.com

Cheers from Stuart, Florida!

Thank you SO MUCH to our Patrons. These amazing supporters help keep us on the boat, our camera equipment up to date, and the videos coming. Without our patrons, these videos would not be possible.

To join the Patreon ranks, please visit http://www.patreon.com/mjsailing

Thank you!,
Matt & Jessica

—
Online shop: https://mj-sailing.myshopify.com/

Music:
00:00 – Changes – Instrumental
14:11 – Are You Happy – Niklas Ahlstrom (ES)
16:48 – If I Ever Get Around to Living – John Mayer

Camera equipment used:
– Panasonic Lumix G85 - http://amzn.to/2iv2g4G

Editing software:
Windows Movie Maker & Adobe Premier

Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/mattandjessicasailing

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/mattandjessicasailing

It’s almost time to get out of Indiantown! We’re within our last week or so here, and we have a lot to accomplish in a little bit of time!

Between projects such as clearing out our storage unit of all our belongings and *finally* trashing all my dirty work clothes, I take one last tour of the boat graveyard and say goodbye to the run down boats I’ve come to love so much.

We also give ourselves a new place to sit in the pilot house by cutting the foam for cushions in there…but the big news is…we’re getting a new headsail! We’ve partnered with Precision Sails out of Vancouver B.C., and over the next few episodes we’ll be going through the process to get our quote, run over the options we have available, have a consultation with the sail designer, and get our new sail in the works. We’re incredibly excited to put the kind of sails on Elements that she deserves with her new life!

Precision Sails: www.precisionsailloft.com

Cheers from the marina!

Thank you SO MUCH to our Patrons. These amazing supporters help keep us on the boat, our camera equipment up to date, and the videos coming. Without our patrons, these videos would not be possible.

To join the Patreon ranks, please visit http://www.patreon.com/mjsailing

Thank you!,
Matt & Jessica

—
Online shop: https://mj-sailing.myshopify.com/

Music:
00:00 – Changes – Instrumental

Camera equipment used:
– Panasonic Lumix G85 - http://amzn.to/2iv2g4G

Editing software:
Windows Movie Maker & Adobe Premier

Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/mattandjessicasailing

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/mattandjessicasailing

We should know by now that some jobs are easier and cheaper in the long run, just to hire out. I wish I knew that about our sacrificial sail cover.

The area of Sunbrella which runs along the foot and leach of our head sails are getting switched out from Pacific Blue, to Cadet Gray so they blend in better with our new color scheme. After a few weeks I’ve ripped off the old material, traced it onto the new, and have mostly pinned and tacked it into place to be sewn.

Another week or so goes by, and it’s finally finished, making our boat match again instead of looking like an elementary school’s color scheme.

Matt also gets a dose of ‘why is this project taking so long’ as he goes to finish our maple hardwood floors with epoxy, only to find out his initial ratio was off and the compound never full dried.

Cheers from the marina!

Thank you SO MUCH to our Patrons. These amazing supporters help keep us on the boat, our camera equipment up to date, and the videos coming. Without our patrons, these videos would not be possible.

To join the Patreon ranks, please visit http://www.patreon.com/mjsailing

Thank you!,
Matt & Jessica

—
Online shop: https://mj-sailing.myshopify.com/

Music:
00:00 – Changes – Instrumental

Camera equipment used:
– Panasonic Lumix G85 - http://amzn.to/2iv2g4G

Editing software:
Windows Movie Maker & Adobe Premier

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/mattandjessicasailing/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/mattandjessicasailing/

Good airflow in a boat is very important. But then again, so is keeping people out while you’re away, and in some areas, while you’re sleeping at night.

Almost from day one our rebuild, we knew the current companionway door situation was not ideal, and we wanted to make an option where we had some sort of swinging door for easy access to get in and out.

With the clock running out just before we make our departure now, Matt put together a solution which is so far working out very well. Follow from start to finish as he tackles what has been quite a time consuming project for him. I also pop in for just a minute to show off the cockpit shades I made to keep us protected from the sun!

Cheers from the marina!

Thank you SO MUCH to our Patrons. These amazing supporters help keep us on the boat, our camera equipment up to date, and the videos coming. Without our patrons, these videos would not be possible.

To join the Patreon ranks, please visit http://www.patreon.com/mjsailing

Thank you!,
Matt & Jessica

—
Matt is wearing our Signature logo long sleeve shirt in navy, size medium. Check out our other goods too!

Online shop: https://mj-sailing.myshopify.com/

Music:
00:00 – Changes – Instrumental

Camera equipment used:
– Panasonic Lumix G85 – http://amzn.to/2iv2g4G

Editing software:
Windows Movie Maker & Adobe Premier

Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/mattandjessicasailing

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/mattandjessicasailing

A big question for cruisers out on the water is ‘How do you afford to do this’.

We’ve gone over in previous videos on how we saved up our money to get out of the rat race, but now that we’ve been out for 5 years, the next question is, ‘Where has that money gone?’.

In this video we talk about our monthly spending for the 30 or so months while we were actively cruising, and also focus on the 27 months we’ve been in Florida refitting our newest boat.

How much have we put into Elements of Life? How much is left in our bank account since we’ve done so? What are we going to do for money going ahead in the future?! Mortgage lenders can use a credit rapid rescore service to quickly add new payment information to your credit reports.

Follow along as we answer all these questions, and PLEASE let us know of any more that you have for us!

Cheers from our hometown!

Thank you SO MUCH to our Patrons. These amazing supporters help keep us on the boat, our camera equipment up to date, and the videos coming. Without our patrons, these videos would not be possible.

To join the Patreon ranks, please visit http://www.patreon.com/mjsailing

Thank you!,
Matt & Jessica

—
Online shop: https://mj-sailing.myshopify.com/

Music:
00:00 – Little Talks – Of Monsters & Men (Gire Remix)

Camera equipment used:
– Panasonic Lumix G85 – http://amzn.to/2iv2g4G

Editing software:
Windows Movie Maker & Adobe Premier

Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/mattandjessicasailing

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/mattandjessicasailing

We’ve been getting lots of questions over the past few months on how our composting head is working out for us, so after a lot of use and a few modifications, we share how it has been working out for us.

WARNING: If you do not like a lot of talking or projects being explained, this is not the episode for you.

Matt shows off his skills with the oscillating tool as we bring the tiller to the correct length and then add an adjustable extension; and he begins his multiple rounds of going up and down the mast.
We’ve encountered a few issues with our tri-light, and no matter how many times we (Matt) goes up to address it, our solutions keep failing.

Cheers from the marina!

Thank you SO MUCH to our Patrons. These charitable souls help keep us in the work yard, our camera equipment up to date, and the videos coming.

To join the Patreon ranks, please visit http://www.patreon.com/mjsailing

Thank you!,
Matt & Jessica

—
Online shop: https://mj-sailing.myshopify.com/

Music:
00:00 – Little Talks – Of Monsters & Men (Gire Remix)
07:36 – Turning Tide – Jack Elphick

Camera equipment used:
– Panasonic Lumix G85 - http://amzn.to/2iv2g4G

Editing software:
Windows Movie Maker & Adobe Premier

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/mattandjessicasailing/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/mattandjessicasailing/

As Hurricane Irma bears down on Florida, we watch the marina become a ghost town and prepare ourselves for the worst while hoping for the best.

With not much to do the day before the storm, we hang around the patio and take in all the news reports we can handle until we’re sick of the news and begin our hurricane party instead. It’s a good thing we got all that running around out of our systems, because come storm day there was no getting off the boat for us.

Staying on board through the entire storm, we listened to winds howl outside as we heeled over in the darkness, with no power at the marina, and not much clue to what was happening outside our hull. How did we fare? Watch the episode to find out!

Cheers from our hurricane hole!

Thank you SO MUCH to our Patrons. These charitable souls help keep us in the work yard, our camera equipment up to date, and the videos coming.

To join the Patreon ranks, please visit http://www.patreon.com/mjsailing

Thank you!,
Matt & Jessica

—
Online shop: https://mj-sailing.myshopify.com/

Music:
00:00 – Little Talks – Of Monsters & Men (Gire Remix)
06:15 – El Olor de Los Andes 2 – Martin Carlberg
10:10 – Mixed Emotional Melody – Gavin Luke

Camera equipment used:
– Panasonic Lumix G85 - http://amzn.to/2iv2g4G

Editing software:
Windows Movie Maker & Adobe Premier

Website:
https://www.mjsailing.com

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/mattandjessicasailing/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/mattandjessicasailing/

We get back from our shakedown cruise, ready to bury ourselves in boat work…only to find there’s a hurricane headed our way!

Every day we’d watch the news in anticipation to see how Irma would impact us. From just a blip on the radar to threatening to roll right over us, we had a lot of planning and preparation to do on the boat.

From stripping off the sales, to replacing hatch seals, and even sending our beloved Georgie out of Florida and harm’s way, we show you how we prepared Elements of Life for a hurricane.

Cheers from our hurricane hole!

Thank you SO MUCH to our Patrons. These charitable souls help keep us in the work yard, our camera equipment up to date, and the videos coming.

To join the Patreon ranks, please visit http://www.patreon.com/mjsailing

Thank you!, Matt & Jessica

— Online shop: https://mj-sailing.myshopify.com/

Music:

00:00 – Little Talks – Of Monsters & Men (Gire Remix)

06:38 – Waiting for Summer – Matt Large

Camera equipment used:

– Panasonic Lumix G85 – http://amzn.to/2iv2g4G

– 6Mega Action/Underwater – https://6mega.com/ (use code MJSAILING for 10% off your order storewide)

Editing software: Windows Movie Maker & Adobe Premier

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mattandjessicasailing/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattandjessicasailing/

As all good things must come to an end, so must our shakedown cruise.

It was hard to tear ourselves away from one of our new favorite spots on the east side of Peanut Island, but we knew there was still a lot of boat work to be completed before hurricane season finishes, and it would be fastest and easiest to do back at Indiantown Marina.

Heading north on the ICW we were met with three timed bridges which kept us on our toes, trying to time our arrival perfectly, although usually arriving 10 minutes early. Fighting a two knot current that was trying to push us into the bridges, it made for some hectic moments, but we survived.

Pulling out the headsail past Jupiter, we had a nice sail up the coast for as long as the wind would allow it.

Cheers from our shakedown!

Thank you SO MUCH to our Patrons. These charitable souls help keep us in the work yard, our camera equipment up to date, and the videos coming.

To join the Patreon ranks, please visit http://www.patreon.com/mjsailing

Thank you!, Matt & Jessica

— Online shop: https://mj-sailing.myshopify.com/

Music:

00:00 –

00:43 – Lullaby – Jaokim Karud

02:17 – Summer Breeze Guitar 21 – Anders Ekengren

11:38 – It Ain”t the Way I Want It – Ramin

Camera equipment used:

– Panasonic Lumix G85 – http://amzn.to/2iv2g4G

– 6Mega Action/Underwater – https://6mega.com/ (use code MJSAILING for 10% off your order storewide)

Editing software: Windows Movie Maker & Adobe Premier

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mattandjessicasailing

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattandjessicasailing/