Blessed is She

Saoirse ~ pronounced sear-sha                    

In Irish we say Saoirse for “freedom”.

“I believe in the ocean curing all bad moods. I believe in the waves wiping away worries. I believe in seashells bringing good luck. I believe in toes in the sand grounding my soul” 

Mike and I have embarked on our next great adventure in this beautiful life we have created together. Some of you may recall while living on Cape Cod for 5 years, we purchased a 1979 -33′ Hunter Sailboat. We had absolutely no sailing experience whatsoever. I just have a love for the water & Mike for fishing. The ocean for me is everything. The tranquil sounds, the stars above, and the serenity only found on the ocean. I grew up enjoying the 3 boats my parents had. Their last was a brand new 42′ Marine Trader Trawler that we had docked at Brant Rock in Marshfield, Ma. I have awesome memories of our travels from Boston Harbor up the coast of Maine during the summer months. My Grampa (mom’s dad) was in the Navy and he truly enjoyed time out on the boat with us. Anytime he could join us, he did. When Grampa was with us we always felt a bit more content and safe. Like, really safe lol and we wouldn’t end up being thrown overboard. My dad was an excellent Captain, however, he was a bit high-strung and anyone who knows my dad will know what I mean lol.

Mike and I have kept our eyes out looking for a Trawler for years now. The sailboat was great while we had it on the Cape. We would actually stay on it for weekends and sometimes a week at a time in the summer. What we found was we needed more room and a Trawler seemed to be what we both wanted. Especially for me having had such awesome memories on ours.

We had looked at a Trawler before we went to Italy. It was a 36′ Albin. I really wanted a Marine Trader like the one we had. To us, it was overpriced and still needed some major work to address a leaking deck.  We kept in touch with the seller and he was unwilling to come down on the price. His name was Bob and “Wishes” was docked in Sebastian at Cay Marine. We looked at a few more and all seemed to need significant work.  Even a brand new boat requires constant maintenance and upkeep. To purchase an older boat (in our price range) will require significant elbow grease!! Let the games begin!

I was sitting on the couch on August 25th at midnight crying my eyes out thinking about my dad. The tears were just flowing and nothing seemed to stop them. His 2-year passing anniversary was here and I was making a video of all the photos, reminiscing on all the memories through the years. I went to bed crying and feeling so sad and truly heartbroken over missing him. I picked up my phone and decided to look for a Trawler. The entire time in Italy I frequently looked online, and nothing was new on the market (in our price range). All of a sudden on 8/26 at 1:00 am, I see a new Trawler on the market. It was literally listed that day.
A 36′ Marine Trader Trawler. Ok daddy…..I feel you. I know you want Mike and me to go look at this trawler! My dad and I always talked about us getting a trawler. Before we moved back to Florida in 2020, he and I would talk about us purchasing a boat. He felt very confident Mike would be able to handle any upkeep and repairs it may need. Repairs it WILL need. My dad loved Mike so much, was always so proud of him, and knew he was capable of anything! Including loving a 1979 trawler!

We made arrangements to go see the boat 2 hours south of us in Stuart, Florida. We were so excited, knowing the price would be reflective of a “project boat”. We arrive and the owners are inside the boat. They inform us their 32-year-old son is just waking up as he is living aboard. Are you freaking kidding me? We just drove 2 hours and the boat is not ready to be shown? They finally allow us onboard, their son is sitting there and the boat is beyond TRASHED. Food, clothes, and personal items are everywhere. It was actually disgusting.

Kerri puts on her designer eyeglasses and can see past the “shit” excuse my language. I’ll pull the black curtain strung sideways off of the windows and add some beautiful cafe curtains. I’ll take off the nasty grose shower curtain and put up a pretty crisp white one….I’ll do this and I’ll do that…all the things are going through my head. OMG, I just want to decorate this beautifully grose boat lol. However, it was so awkward walking through it with now 3 people onboard, that we could barely get a good look.

We leave definitely irritated. We just drove 4 hours for literally nothing. We message the lady that the showing was really unfortunate and we requested she clean it up and we would return for a 2nd showing without anyone onboard.  Like if you want to sell your boat, clean it for crying out loud. You know it’s not like gas is expensive right now or anything!

We make plans to go back the next weekend and they had cleaned it up a bit. Like a little bit. There were still personal items everywhere. 2 AC units they vented out the windows and the galley cushions were literally soaked. There apparently is a leak in that area.  After the 2nd viewing, we make an offer. She responds late that night with a counteroffer.  We reply immediately that in the condition it is in and given Mike’s professional experience, we estimate repairs will be “x”…..and so we know our bottom line.  A week goes by and we hear nothing. Crickets.

During the week we speak to 2 other owners, but their boats are in Miami & the keys. We really didn’t want to travel that far to just view the boat.

In the meantime, once you buy a boat, you need a marina and insurance. I start calling marinas from Titusville to Sebastian. I hear from some with a 2-3 year wait list. OMG, are you kidding me? All week I am trying to secure a marina and insurance and waiting on this seller to message us back. The stress was high and we were getting very annoyed at her nonchalant attitude. She clearly was not as eager to sell as we were to buy.

It’s now Friday night at 8:00 pm and we get a text from “Kris” the seller. “OK”. Literally a week of nothing and now on a holiday weekend (labor day is Monday) she wants to know when we can take the boat. First of all lady, the banks are closed. Insurance agents are closed. Marina offices are closed……so frustrating. Everything will need to wait until Tuesday now. We go back for hours with her over this and that. Mike and I ask to come back down to view the boat for the 3rd time to go over important safety features.  We had reached out to a local captain in Sebastian, Florida who would help us transport the boat from Stuart to Sebastian. It’s an hour car ride, but would be an all-day 6-8 hour boat ride going 6-8 knots. She agrees and tells us the key is on the boat.

We drive back the 2 hours (trip #3) and get there and it had just poured out! We notice even more “leaks” than we were informed of. We immediately send a video of this ongoing leak and requested if we are going to purchase, she was not forthcoming and we need to come down on our agreed-upon price by $1000.00. She flips the flip out, telling us “it seems like you don’t want to buy the boat” and “she’s tired of playing games with us”……Insert Kerri’s WTF face. Mike and I have now driven 12 hours to view this boat 3 times. I’ve spent the week with insurance companies and marinas trying to secure a slip….what are you talking about crazy lady.  Your boat is neglected, you trashed it, and you want top dollar? Not from us…..but we really want the boat!! So cut your crap already.

She literally texts us back saying the boat is going back on the market tomorrow. I first want to tell her off, really bad, but I don’t. I sent a heartfelt “we are all exhausted and you’re trying to sell, and we are trying to buy” text…..she agrees to meet us 1/2 way at $500.00 off asking. Great! We agree to meet her Friday, September 9th at 5:30 at the marina. I had emailed specifically what we requested to be removed from the boat.  She agreed. Just like a walkthrough for a home purchase, we requested one for the boat.

Mike and I got screwed in Italy when we purchased our home. They left everything! We had nowhere to get rid of all their crap! And we didn’t want the same mistake this purchase.  So I was specific and detailed in my email.  We informed the sellers we would do the walk-through and exchange the title and check.

Friday, I had a scheduled endoscopy here in Orlando. Mike took the day off of work to take me. Once I was released, we had the car packed and headed back to Stuart (2-hour drive) to meet her by 5:30 pm.  She texts us “can you meet me at Winn-Dixie”….I looked at Mike and said, they don’t want to do the walk-through.  Here we go…..We say NO. Meet us on the boat.  She says she’ll send her husband. We arrive first and go on the boat to realize nothing was removed. When I say it was trashed and a pigsty, believe me. There was still a bowl of dog food on the counter. GROSE. I grab a marina buggy and start pulling all their “shit” off the boat. All the stuff we specifically asked them to remove. The nasty grose wet galley cushions that were full of mold, the sneakers and sandals, the dog food….throw pillows….I fill 2 carts up. I look up as I’m sweating my arse off, not feeling great …..I see the husband coming. He’s walking down the dock. We are in a very expensive million-dollar Marina in Stuart by the way. Kerri, deep breath …..In through the nose & out through the mouth. As my son Michael says “don’t fall off your mountain mom.” I tried!

Carey approaches and I very calmly say “this should have all been done already” as I point to the 2 marina carts overflowing with crap. He says to me “we are tired of your games, it seems like you don’t want to buy the boat”. I’m trying my hardest now to not look like white trash and lose my shit! I’m like are you freeeeeeeeeking kidding me? I just had a surgical procedure today, Mike just worked all day (I lied, he had the day off) we just drove 2 hours in the pouring rain to get here and you think we are playing games. I said I’m literally holding a check in my hand for you. He turns around and walks away. He literally walked off the dock like a 5-year-old little boy taking his ball and going home. Below is a sample of the crap left. He tried to say it all goes with the boat.

Now I’m beyond pissed. What the heck just happened? He was butt hurt that his boat was a POS and trashed and we didn’t want his crap. So we start texting Kris telling her she has 5 minutes to come back or we are driving home.  In the meantime we meet 2 couples walking on the dock, they both strike up conversations with me (because I must have looked all different shades of annoyed). I explain the situation to them and they are both shocked.  One couple was from Massachusetts, and we ended up exchanging phone numbers lol.

1.5 hours go by and we are literally just sitting on the back of the boat waiting for Kris to reply. Mike and I are just looking at each other like “only us”. Only freaking us. I finally sent a text saying “I am now begging you to respond and buy your boat” I said “you don’t even need to get rid of your crap, we will get rid of it, just please give us the damn title and take the check. We have a captain meeting us at 6 am, we paid for a marina and insurance….please.”

She finally texts back to meet her at Winn-Dixie parking lot. OMG, it was like a bad drug deal. It’s now 7:00 pm. Daylight is going and Mike had so much to do before we were headed out at 7:00 am the next day.  We meet her and exchange everything and she tries to tell us about the women’s sneakers left on the boat. Now she’s our bff and wants to chit chat. Mike was over her! We were so done at this point, trying to remain civil and not piss off crazy lady again. We literally on the ride back to the marina opened the windows to release the negative energy out the windows. It was awful. It had been 2 weeks of just complete nonsense and childish games with these people.

We get back to the boat, our boat! Daddy….we bought a boat!! I’m now excited, yet anxious. What in God’s name did we just do. Everything is running through my head. Maybe all of that nonsense was a sign to walk away? Maybe this & maybe that. Why isn’t my dad here to call and talk to. Insert tears. My dad could talk me off the cliff & tell me “Kerri Lee it will be ok”. I know he’s close, I feel him near. I just really wish he were here to share this excitement with.

Mike and I have keys to a 1979 36′ Marine Trader Trawler and I’m in love with it!! It’s now pouring and lightning and it’s hot and humid and muggy. We are plugged into shore power and had 2 fans going so I wouldn’t die of heat. We stayed up until 2:00 am cleaning. I scrubbed the grose off of everything I could. Mike was doing maintenance checks and preparing for departure the next am.

We set the alarm for 4:20 am….a whole 2 hours of sleep. We left Stuart and drove the hour back to Sebastian to pick up the captain who was helping us move the boat. Captain Dave. He’s captained board all around the USA. He’s a wealth of knowledge, funny stories and that sound opinion I was desperately needing from my dad. Mike is capable of transporting the boat, but we’re not familiar with the inter coastal. We were only on a mooring with the sailboat and this will be docked on a slip. It’s just better to have someone knowledgeable with us. Money very well spent.

We get back to the boat at 7:00 am and Mike goes to start the engine and all 4 batteries were DEAD. WTF are you absolutely kidding me? I’m praying to my dad, nana, and grampa….Jesus….someone take the wheel please for the love of Kerri’s sanity lol. I’m about to jump in the ocean at this point.

Apparently, though we were hooked up to shore power (meaning, we were plugged in on the dock to electricity) the wiring on the boat was wrong. So the fans we ran all night were running off the batteries and they died.  The captain gave us until 11:00 and called it a day. We drove him back an hour to Sebastian and he’s so great… he did not accept payment for his day. He took $20 for a bottle of vodka lol. hell, I was ready to buy myself a bottle of vodka, and I don’t drink! We then drove back the hour to Stuart. By the time we got back, the batteries had charged.

So the plan now is to wait until the next day, Sunday to do it all over again. It was our first night sleeping on the boat and it was a very exhausting and trying day. The kind you just look at each other and say is this really happening. The double rainbow over the boat was a beautiful reminder that it will be worth it! It was worth it!! Better days are ahead. Beautiful memories will be made on Saoirse! I’m leaving all the negativity behind.

Let the games begin! Sunday morning comes and Mike ensured the batteries were good, the engine started and we were up again at 4:30 to pick up Captain Dave. For the 2nd time. We grab him at 6:00 am and get back to the boat at 7:00 am and were pulling out at 7:30 am. We had a beautiful day and excellent weather, thank God! The engine ran perfectly! Actually better than both Mike and Captain Dave expected. We had a nice ride through the intercoastal from Stuart to Sebastian. We pulled in just as the storm was starting at 5:00 pm.  We got her docked and cleaned up and then Mike and I had to uber back to Stuart to pick up our car AND then drive back to the marina in Sebastian to grab our bags. We finally got home at 9:30 pm Sunday night. What a whirlwind of a weekend.

So, we are now the proud owners of a boat that I know we can restore to her former beauty! The teak work is going to look amazing once sanded, stained, and varnished. The decks will require some maintenance and the leaks addressed. That will be Mike’s first job to stop the leaks! But, on Sunday as we were making our way north on the intercoastal, Mike caught his first fish on board!! A ladyfish. He was just a little excited. This will be his relaxation. After a long exhausting week at work, he looks forward to sitting on the boat and fishing until his heart is content. I look forward to watching him relax. We both are in this together!

We are docking the boat in Sebastian at Cay Marine. Formerly known as Sebastian Marina and Boatyard.  My dad actually lived in Sebastian at one point. When Mike and I were driving to Sebastian one day after looking at the boat (we had to go to the Marina to talk to the dock master about a slip), when we put in the address from Stuart to Sebastian it showed the arrival time was “12:26” pm.  I looked at Mike and said look at our arrival time, it’s my childhood address 1226 Central Street, Stoughton, Ma.  I just looked at Mike and said “it’s my dad”…..My dad loved boating. He loved his trawler and loved being on the water.  He and I talked so much about Mike and I getting a trawler one day.  From finding this one on the day of his passing anniversary 8/26 to seeing 1226 arrival time at our new marina, the signs were all around of his approval. His approval all the way from heaven.

I know my dad would be so very proud of Mike and I for following our dreams again. Boating is not for everyone. It is maintenance on top of maintenance and one thing after another. It is like home ownership, but even more. But, the enjoyment is never-ending. The relaxation on the water is worth the difficult days. The peace and serenity found on the water is like nothing else.  It will be a project and we are well aware of that. We just purchased a very neglected 1979 boat. The previous owner to this past owner cared for it, it’s unfortunate the owners we purchased from did nothing to it. It just sat and their 32 yr old son did nothing but live aboard. Thankfully they only owned the boat for less than a year! So, we have some catch-up to do with maintenance and lots of never-ending projects….but we are ready!

So, stay along for the ride with us as we transform “KNOT YOUR WIFE” to “Saoirse”. The boat’s name is Irish Gaelic; meaning “freedom”. I wanted something that would be connected to my dad. This was something very special to him and I and I think I found the perfect name. This is both patriotic and our Irish heritage. Not to mention, it sounds beautiful. I plan on having a special emblem of the Irish shamrock, American flag, Marine Corp. eagle symbol, and the words “Semper Fidelis” all in one design. It will be my tribute to my dad, he will be out on the water with us everywhere we go. I only wish he had been able to come aboard our trawler just one time. I do know he is with us always and he was in this from the beginning.

So, stay tuned for some renovation pictures and stories from the high seas!! We are excited and we can’t wait to have friends and family aboard Saoirse!! I have such incredible vivid memories of having my best friends both Kim and Aubrey on our Trawler and my cousin Jarrod. Except the one time Jarrod blew off the boat into the deep dark ocean. Luckily for him, he was wearing his life jacket, my mom was doing her routine “head count” and my dad responded with a quick “man overboard procedure”. I can’t imagine the fear Jarrod had in those moments in the ocean, but I know ist gave us all a good scare. It confirmed why my Grampa (a WW2 Navy Veteran) always ensured we were properly wearing life jackets.

The good old days consisted of trips to beautiful places like Martha’s Vineyard, Cuttyhunk Island, Nantucket, Boothbay Harbour, Bar Harbor, Camden, and Vinalhaven Maine. Vinalhaven is my absolute favorite memory. The solace and serenity of the island and little anchorage spots I can still vividly recall. That will be a trip Mike and I will hopefully make one year up the coast all the way to Maine.

I know our kids and their friends will enjoy this boat as much as I recall enjoying ours. If you need Mike and I and can’t reach us, we will be chasing sunsets on the intercoastal. Oh, and Saoirse is now docked literally across from Bob’s trawler – wishes! Sorry Bob you just wanted too much! Update: our boat was moved after th hurricane directly next to Bob’s trawler! Oh hey Bob!! lol.

Update: It’s been a month since I started this post and so much has happened. First, we survived our first hurricane as boat owners in Florida.  Hurrican Ian was a beast and caused tremendous catastropic damage on the west coast of southern Florida. Ft. Myers, Naples, Captiva, Sanibel and Cape Coral were devastated. My heart goes out to all impacted.  Our Marina hurricane policy is actually great. Anytime there is a named storm and we are in the “cone”, the boats will be pulled out of the water.  We showed up the Saturday before the storm and the Marina was in high gear! They pulled some 90+ boats and tied each down like I’ve never seen before.  According to our dockmaster, they’ve never lost a boat yet! The attention to detail and their precision in stacking the boats is a work of art.  We were so thankful and grateful for their procedures.

Mike and I have spent each weekend at the boat doing endless projects.  The boat is 43 years old and unfortunately was very neglect with the owners we purchased from. Her idea of teak work was applying and reapplying varnish. I’ve been sanding and resanding and finally revealed the beautiful teak layers below. A fresh coat of teak oil, finally followed by varnish has show the natural beauty of this old beauty.

Most boat owners get in over their heads. Mike and I are most likely those boat owners:). However, the saving grace is Mike is capable of doing 9/10 projects. So while Mike tends to the nasty old plumbing and putting in new heads, I have become the teak expert. I’m reminding myself that Rome was NOT build in a day, nor a weekend.  So, when I start to feel overwhelmed and go to call my dad……he would say “Kerri Lee, it will be ok” and I remind myself that Mike can and will fix it! The trawler will be beautiful, it already is.  There is something to be said for restoration work. Work that you yourself put time into.  Mike and I could never afford a new boat, so that is not even on my mind. I think the joy in this will be the time spent together while bringing “Saoirse” back to life!! I can’t wait to share the before and the after pictures. So stay tuned!!

b

“To some, it’s just water. To me, it’s where I regain my sanity”