New member

[Rondo]

Greetings. We are Ron and Charma Owens. We recently adopted a 2007, hull #271, 35 Command Bridge. She came with a Cummins QSB, and a Northern Lights generator. We are long term boat owners, both sail and power, and have "downsized" to what we think is the ideal small couples boat. Her name is "Journey to...", which only means we are headed somewhere, just not sure, yet. She lives at the dock behind our home in Apollo Beach, FL. We have lived next to the dock for more than 30 years, so this is home for us, as well. While little was really required, we have been busy doing little projects to acommodate our cruising plans, which we expect will be the West coats of Florida, from about Key West to Cedar Key.

We originally hail from the upper midwest, where we cruised all 5 of the Great Lakes, before moving south. After sailing days, we had DeFever trawlers for a number of years, and cruised them happily as far and wide as we could. In addition to the lakes and rivers, we have done the loop on the installment plan, and have logged somewhere over 50 Bahama excursions lasting anywhere from days to months. After a corporate career in engineering/ manufacturing, I worked on other folks boats for some years, trying to adjust to retiring - which I don't seem to do well. Charma retired as a corporate administrator, and continues to be the most avid boat girl I have ever known. Together we have logged tens of thousands of sea miles, in several countries. Not done yet.
See you out there, somewhere.
R&C

[WillieC]

Welcome aboard, Rondo and Charma!

We look forward to your contributions to the forum. Nothing beats actual time on the water.

[Mark Deeser]

Welcome to the form, sounds like you have both been there and done that in the boating world. I can only imagine downsizing to 35 feet, we are into our fourth month of our cruise in our 27 FC. If you get a chance how about a picture or two of your boat, thanks.

[Rondo]

Attempting to attach a photo or 2.
First is just a pic as she sits at the dock behind the house. Second and third are of the space beneath the writing desk I converted to a locker with shelves.
Rondo

[catalina_mike]

Nice and welcome to the group.

[Rondo]

Thanks to all. We were delayed a few weeks, but are just heading out for our first overnighter - a couple nights down to Sarasota to get back on the water and probably overeat while we're there. Working through minor issues for the "getting to know you" tour.
This boat arrived with a Vitrifrigo ice maker in the forecabin. We turned it on a couple weeks ago, and it made ice like a Scotsman at a Holiday Inn. Yesterday - nothing after several tries, checking water, power, etc. I called my old friend in the refrigeration bus and he agreed that we likely just shut down in the middle of a cycle. He reminded me how to jump the cycle motor and get back to making ice. I prepped the jumper, got down on my knees, pried open the access and pressed the "start" switch. It started up like nothing ever happened. Now we are absolutely certain that "it's a boat".
Ron and Charma
Journey to...

[Nancy]

Great story on the ice maker! So typical. And if the problem isn't "it's a boat", it's "it's electrical".