Becoming a Sailor

Becoming a Sailor

More Than a Decade Afloat • Raising Sailors • Stories from SV Aphrodite

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Category: About our Boat

About our Boat covers our gear, projects, haul-outs, and refits. I share what worked, what didn’t, and how we’ve adapted our St Francis 50 to best suit our needs afloat. It’s about the ongoing work, and equipment that keeps SV Aphrodite safe and seaworthy on bluewater passages.

Escher family and crew of SV Aphrodite at Lunas Shipyard prior to the launch. Paul is away in French Polynesia crewing on another boat temporarily.
May 23, 2026May 23, 2026Lorraine Escher

322 Days on the Hard

Blue tape on a hyalon Zar dinghy to prepare for a leak repair in Lunas Shipyard, Langkawi, Malaysia
May 13, 2026May 13, 2026Lorraine Escher

The Point of the Work

Karen Escher painting the keel in Langkawi, Malaysia.
April 13, 2026July 9, 2026Lorraine Escher

Sailboat Keel Painting: Karen Paints Whale Sharks on SV Aphrodite

Karen painting the underside of our saloon table at Lunas Shipyard in Langkawi, Malaysia.
January 11, 2026January 11, 2026Lorraine Escher

Learning to Paint with Karen Aboard our Sailboat

Hands showing how the curvature of our hull impacts the amount of usable counterspace.
November 27, 2025November 27, 2025Lorraine Escher

How Did I Miss the Skill of Measuring with Accuracy?

A man in a yellow shirt at Brother Lim Cushion in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
November 24, 2025November 24, 2025Lorraine Escher

A Fresh Start for Our Boat’s Upholstery in Malaysia

Eastbay Foreman, Rashid, and another woodworker from Eastbay apply new cherry veneer to a cupboard in our saloon.
October 27, 2025October 27, 2025Lorraine Escher

Teak and Transformation: Refinishing SV Aphrodite’s Woodwork in Malaysia

Diver Michael and Lorraine watch the Mantus anchor retrieval from the bow.
September 18, 2025September 18, 2025Lorraine Escher

Part 3: Diving for a Lost Anchor: A Salty Ballad from Phuket

105-lb Mantus Anchor with anchor chain
September 13, 2025September 13, 2025Lorraine Escher

Part 2: Losing our Ground Tackle: A Continuation of our Malaysian Anchor Chain Debacle

Rick Escher, sailor, skipper, husband amazing human
September 5, 2025September 5, 2025Lorraine Escher

Part 1: Re-galvanizing our anchor chain. What could possibly go wrong? Adventures at Pangkor Marina Malaysia.

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