Becoming a Sailor

Becoming a Sailor

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

Menu Skip to content
  • About the Crew
  • About Our Boat
  • Family Dictionary: Life Afloat A to Z
  • Subscribe
  • Search

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, 2026July 20, 2026Lorraine Escher

Catamaran Haul-Out in Malaysia: 322 Days for a Refit

Blue tape on a hyalon Zar dinghy flag leaks to prepare for a hypalon dinghy repair in Lunas Shipyard, Langkawi, Malaysia
May 13, 2026July 20, 2026Lorraine Escher

Hypalon Dinghy Repair — the Real Reason for Boat Work

Karen Escher painting the keel in Langkawi, Malaysia.
April 13, 2026July 23, 2026Lorraine Escher

Keel Art: Whale Sharks on a Moving Canvas by a Teen Artist

Karen painting the underside of our saloon table at Lunas Shipyard in Langkawi, Malaysia.
January 11, 2026July 21, 2026Lorraine Escher

Boat Interior Painting: Teaching My Teen A Useful Skill

Hands showing how the curvature of our hull impacts the amount of usable counterspace.
November 27, 2025July 21, 2026Lorraine Escher

Measuring with Accuracy: The Skill I Never Learned

A man in a yellow shirt at Brother Lim Cushion in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
November 24, 2025July 21, 2026Lorraine Escher

Brother Lim Cushion: A Fresh Start for our Marine Upholstery

Eastbay Foreman, Rashid, and another woodworker from Eastbay apply new cherry veneer to a cupboard in our saloon.
October 27, 2025July 21, 2026Lorraine Escher

Boat Woodwork Refit in Malaysia: A Full-On Transformation

Diver Michael and Lorraine watch the Mantus anchor retrieval from the bow.
September 18, 2025July 19, 2026Lorraine Escher

Saved! Anchor Retrieval: 2 Technical Divers, 1 Lift Bag (Poem)

105-lb Mantus Anchor with anchor chain
September 13, 2025July 19, 2026Lorraine Escher

Damn Chain! Losing an Anchor in Deep Water in Thailand

Rick Escher, sailor, skipper, husband amazing human
September 5, 2025July 19, 2026Lorraine Escher

Re-galvanizing Anchor Chain in Malaysia: Trust Broken

Posts navigation

1 2 … 5 →

Word of the Hour

Black Handled Knife New word in …

Black Handled Knife

This Week in Years Past

  • 10 years ago this weekLuperón Long Reads — Designing and Building a Mooring for Our 50-foot Catamaran
  • 11 years ago this weekMedical Provisioning for Cruising: A Year’s Supply of Medication—Then What?

Worth Reading

Managing Food Allergies at Sea
Checklist for the Big Move

From the Archives

  • Boat Projects
  • Homeschooling Four Kids
  • Early Years of Cruising
Subscribe