Achilles LSI-310E dinghy is now all pumped up and ready to go -2018

Our Achilles LSI-310E dinghy is now all pumped up and ready to go.

We are being delayed by weather for rounding  Cabo Corrientes (Cape of Currents) and decided to put the dinghy together now instead of at Tenacatita. We have been using the Ocean Kayak Malibu Two kayak to get around but for provisioning etc. we would like to use the dinghy. 

February 2018 - Currently in Marina Vallarta, Banderas Bay Mexico (Puerto Vallarta Jalisco)

Yelapa in Banderas Bay Mexico by giant catamaran! - Vallarta Adventures. 2018

Yes, another picture of the Yelapa water fall but with me in it. Take notice please as the water was really cold and I suffered for this photo op! Most only went waist deep. 

 The trip to Yelapa finally took place. First I needed a new hip so we could climb to the waterfall. Next we needed to decide how to get there. By s\v Elegant'sea and a mooring ball (we have not heard any good things about that mooring ball way from people who have done that).or we could take a panga water taxi and maybe spend the night. That seemed too complicated for our first trip. Or by tour boat. That seemed corny but it turned out great.
We went with Vallarta Adventures.

February 2018 - Currently in Marina Vallarta, Banderas Bay Mexico (Puerto Vallarta Jalisco)

Costco and new pillows - 2018

In  Marina Mazatlán, we gave our old pillows to a dock guard. 

We have replaced two of them but had about a half dozen to go. These are pillows for the salon, settee and outside cockpit area.

Deck gelcoat dings get some love - 2018

There were some places like this where the gelcoat was chipped right off

and then the area had cracks where more was going to chip out.

Sold our Fortress F-7 anchor, chain and rode - 2018

This Fortress F-7 anchor we tried as a stern anchor but it is just too small for our boat.

110 volt power cord access to cockpit - 2018

There is or was no access to 110 volt (shore power) electricity from anywhere but inside the boat or inside the lazerett.

s\v Elegant'sea gets a dodger visor for shade\breezes - 2018

As you can see the visor lets in the breeze and yet still gives us shade.

Learned double braid line splice with s\v Kitty Toes at Marina Vallarta in Puerto Vallarta - 2018

To make things a easy as possible, creating a line to hold our boom out

from shadowing our solar panes seemed an obvious move.

Overnight lighting while on watch - upgrades - 2018

 Wow what a pain this turned out to be!😕 We decided we really did not have enough comfortable lighting for the galley area when standing watch at night.

We sailed on over from Marina La Cruz to Marina Vallarta, near downtown, Puerto Vallarta - 2018

Today we took a two hour boat ride from Marina La Cruz to our new location at Marina Vallarta near downtown Puerto Vallarta. As usual, we got a whale show along the way!

2\13\2018 - Currently in Marina Vallarta, Banderas Bay Mexico (Puerto Vallarta Jalisco

Anchoring LED bow, stern and amidships lights - tested in the real world - 2018

 As we had posted before about our blue LED strips on the dodger solar panel they are for sail handling at night.

Anchored at Bahia de Jaltemba - about 8 nm South of Chacala -2018

Chip and Debbie at the town square in Bahia de Jaltemba.

February 2018 - Currently in La Cruz Marina, Banderas Bay Mexico (Marina Riviera Nayarit at La Cruz)

Anchored in Chacala - New Starboard Whopper ASP SUP launch for first time - 2018

It took a few spills to get going. Plus I am spoiled as the water seemed a bit cold.

February 3 2018 Anchored in Chacala Mexico

February 2018 - Currently in La Cruz Marina, Banderas Bay Mexico (Marina Riviera Nayarit at La Cruz)

San Blas 2018 - we learned a lesson...HVAC-genset with EasyStart - 2018

Our fall back plan for San Blas and bugs was to be able to use the HVAC. The idea of having the boat closed up to keep out the bugs was to just run the HVAC (A/C in this case) and we would be comfortable. However, when we arrived at the San Blas, we found no electrical power. My fall back plan did not work. Now we did have power for one day and were able to run the HVAC for that afternoon. I got a nice nap and movie.

February 2018 - Currently in La Cruz Marina, Banderas Bay Mexico (Marina Riviera Nayarit at La Cruz)

Anchored in Chacala , Mexico - testing Fortress FX-7 stern anchor on s\v Elegant'sea - 2018

 Here we tested our newer smaller stern anchor. It was a bust. We were here 3-4 days and nights.

February 2 2018 Anchored in Chacala Mexico

February 2018 - Currently in La Cruz Marina, Banderas Bay Mexico (Marina Riviera Nayarit at La Cruz)

San Blas, Nayarit, Mexico - The town 2018

Here we are in San Blas, Nayarit.. 

We are at the "Social Club" which is a gringo hangout in the square. 

It is expensive so we just had a Coke Light and left. We are not here to hang out with gringos in the bar. We did go to a lot of local restaurants in San Blas to eat, like in the little Central Market. 

January 2018  -  Tied up in the  Fonatur Marina San Blas, Mexico

February 2018 - Currently in La Cruz Marina, Banderas Bay Mexico (Marina Riviera Nayarit at La Cruz) 

San Blas Marina aka Fonatur Marina,San Blas, Nayarit, Mexico - 2018

s\v Elegant'sea is outfitted with 

our Breeze Boosters and the no-see-um screens.

January 2018  -  Tied up in the  Fonatur Marina San Blas, Mexico
February 2018 - Currently in La Cruz Marina, Banderas Bay Mexico (Marina Riviera Nayarit at La Cruz)

Sailing Mazatlan to San Blas...an overnight-er - 2018

 Another great passage and this one right out of the gate. After running aground on the way out of the Mazatlan jettie we regrouped and the rest of the passage all day and all night and another half day were great!

January 2018  -  On our way to the Fonatur Marina San Blas, Mexico
February 2018 - Currently in La Cruz Marina, Banderas Bay Mexico (Marina Riviera Nayarit at La Cruz)