Boat build is almost done!

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It has been almost a year since my last post, when we first signed up to build our new Hampton Endurance. On Monday next week, Empty Nest will leave the factory in Shanghai, China. The boat will be loaded onto a large cargo ship that will sail for Miami on February 25. It should take about a month to reach the US, and then Empty Nest will be taken to Ft. Lauderdale where it will be commissioned for about another month. We should be ready to close in mid to late April, if all goes as planned. As soon as Ann and I are able, the plan is to rent a car and drive down to Florida with Gimel, our dog, as well as with lots of our boat stuff, and then to sail the boat home to Annapolis.

Here are some pictures from the factory.


Hull was just polished.





Engine room:



Galley with fridge/freezer drawers, oven, dishwasher, trash compactor

Side view of galley with microwave, stove top and side door


Helm station on flybridge, stairs on the left lead down to galley/dining area

Needless to say, we are getting very excited. We are entering a new phase of our lives. I have decided to retire from my day job at Johns Hopkins effective in August, in part, so that we can spend Winters in Florida on Empty Nest and avoid the cold. We are still planning our year-long trip starting May, 2024, although I might have to testify that month at a trial in Australia, in which case we'll postpone the trip start date by a month. I have started a spreadsheet with the first couple of months of our itinerary for the big boat trip.

We sent our dinghy (Nestling) down to Florida already, and we have a new jet ski that we will send down as well. Both of those will be loaded onto Empty Nest when it arrives from China.

As to the dock at our house, we have completed dredging, and now we have a MLLW of 8' for 70 feet and another 80 feet into the channel. In about a month I will have 11 dock pilings replaced with class B 40 foot pilings, with fixed 9 foot bumper cushions attached inside so that I don't need fenders in my home dock. We have run more power to the dock for the two 50 amp hookups for Empty Nest, as well as the two boat lifts. I'm attaching 12" stainless steel cleats vertically on each of the large pilings, and I've been discussing how I plan to tie up in various weather conditions with Captain Bob. I'm also in the process of renewing my Captain's License, which expires in June.

Lots to take care of, but it's all happening.













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