Highs and Lows Sailing Our Ticon 30 on Lake Superior

Hubby and I launched our new-to-us Ticon 30 sailboat a lot later than we expected, largely because there was so much work to do!  A sailboat is a lot like a house: there's always something to repair or tinker with, and so we spent much of the summer in our boat on land, which made us laugh.  It still had a waterfront view, I guess.  The reason we finally did launch was not because we felt ready, but because the boat launch was getting a new concrete pad poured.  Because it would be unusable for the rest of the summer, it was either launch when we did or not at all.  Secretly I'm happy we had that extra push because I think part of the delay was just a little bit of nervousness.  Although we had a boat inspection, for all we knew the boat didn't even float!  Both of us envisioned hopping in and promptly sinking to the bottom of Lake Superior.

Luckily everything went as planned!  The launch went pretty smoothly and we knew what we were in for because we had seen the process while boat shopping:

A huge boat travel lift came to our storage spot and moved the sailboat to the water.  I wanted to cheer when the engine turned on and the boat floated, but I played it cool.  Some fellow Yacht Club members were kind enough to help us launch, with only a minimal amount of heckling.

I might have failed to mention that, from the outside, our boat is an ugly little thing.  Beige fiberglass, brown hull, forest green late 80s bimini... We've already given the inside a makeover and we'll get to the outside at some point - we both love the idea of a black hull and black sails.  But most nights I repeatedly whisper "turquoise boat, turquoise boat" while Hubby sleeps.  I'm wondering how much longer I have to do this until he wakes up one morning, unable to shake the idea of a turquoise hull.

After the boat was in the water it was up to us to get the mast on, which took my Mom, Dad, Grandpa, Hubs and I the better part of an afternoon.  I got to operate the hoist (which is a lot less impressive than it seems - just a toggle switch for up and down):

It was grueling getting that mast up!  At one point my Mom was steadying the mast by hanging onto a rope to keep it from swinging as Hubby and my Dad tried to position it.  As I lifted the mast with the hoist, Mom's length of rope shortened but she didn't let go or ask for help.  At one point I saw her sort of leap and swing by in front of me, frantically gripping the last four inches of rope, toes barely hitting the gravel.  She's tenacious, that's for sure (Mandelbaum Mom I call her).

The rigging took another day as we tried to figure out what goes where.  This is our second sailboat, but our first - a 16 foot Fireball - was much smaller and we were already accustomed to it.  Luckily Hubby's Grandpa (the same one who painted our art) was an avid sailor so Hubby knows his way around a boat - that makes one of us.

Our first sail made us wonder why the heck we had waited so long to launch because it was just perfectly idyllic!  It was dusk, the weather was beautiful, the sailing was amazing, and we were just beaming at one another.  It was so peaceful and so much more comfortable than our last sailboat, which was tiny so we always got totally soaked and spent most of the time crouch uncomfortably.

Everything was beautiful - even the industrial area near the Yacht Club looked amazing from the water at dusk.

This is the life, I thought, feeling a lot of gratitude for essentially living in one of those smarmy motivational posters I always pin on Pinterest.

But, alas, Lake Superior is not always so nice to unsuspecting sailors like us.

Cue the ominous music in the Lifetime movie of my life.

We never sailed our boat home to the lakehouse as planned, because the day we planned to sail was AWFUL!  Our tow line for the inflatable dinghy got caught in the engine but we didn't know that, so we were frantically trying to figure out why the heck we were dead in the water.  (Lesson learned: the dinghy line should always be of the floating variety.)

The channel was super windy and wavy and we were about to crash our new boat into the docks.  An older gentleman was sitting on his boat, shouting instructions but we couldn't hear him so he was just a huge distraction - until he finally communicated the problem to us (thanks!).  Before we got it, Hubby went sprinting to the bow to drop the anchor - which we'd never used, so it was a nightmare to release and we missed a collision by inches.  I was trying to steer the boat but it was my first time and I had two people yelling competing instructions at me.  I was certain I'd crash a tear a big hole in the side.  We finally sorted out the problem, got out of the channel and hoisted the sails, only to find ourselves trapped in 28km/hr gusting winds and giant swells which almost engulfed us.  It was fun at first but then the sailing became really terrifying as it felt nearly impossible to stay in the cockpit.  I was certain one of us would be thrown out.  We tightened our life jackets and white-knuckled it for an hour or so before turning around and heading back to the Yacht Club, where strong winds kept pushing us around.  We were sort of close to the slip when Hubby hollered at me to run and jump off the bow of the boat with the dock line as the boat lurched wildly.  I looked at the slip, which seemed too far to jump to, and yelled back, "you want me to what now?"  I paused, terrified of missing the slip and cracking my coconut open.  All of a sudden, out of the corner of my eye, I see Hubby, previously manning the steering wheel, race by me and leap off the boat himself.

I seriously love this guy. (He's wearing an "Arrrbucks" pirate shirt - "bilge brewed").

After we collected ourselves, surveyed the minor damage (she needs a new paint job anyway - turquooooiiisssseeee) and grabbed a hot coffee, I think we were both thinking, "well sh*t."  Neither of us were looking forward to the 5 to 7 hour journey home, having just had our asses handed to us. 

Happily, we were lucky enough to be able to rent a slip for the rest of the season!

I think the club pitied us newbies because there's usually a waiting list - years long - for slips.  When we were "initiated" into the club there was an agonizingly long 45 minute lecture about how we wouldn't get a slip and I was all, "yeah, yeah we don't need one we're mooring on our bay" so I really had to eat crow but it was worth it.  Am I ever happy that Hubby thought my "buy a boat in Toronto and sail it home" idea was ridiculous.  "Too epic," he called it (that was putting it nicely).

But subsequent sailing adventures have been a lot of fun!  

I wish the sailing season wasn't winding down already because I feel like we're only just getting the hang of it.  We'll be ready for next year though, and we'll be able to launch a lot earlier because shopping for, buying, and fixing up the boat consumed a lot of our spring and summer.  I'm excited to actually bring the boat home to our bay next year.  A neighbor made us a really cool mooring anchor that screws into the ground.  To get prepared, we're thinking about signing up for sailing lessons but in the meantime we've been taking the Ticon out in inclement weather so the next time we end up in huge swells, we won't be caught off guard.  Hubby always tries to aim for nice days but I tell him that while we're sailing from the club and have the luxury of staying close to shore, we should sail in any weather so we learn how to handle the boat no matter what Lake Superior throws at us.

P.S.  How adorable is the Yacht Club?  There's a washroom with shower facilities and a kitchen (not pictured) that is seriously nicer than mine.  They literally had to remove the couches because some dudes were just living here.

It has tulip tables, tulip tables. 

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Ahoy! Tour Our Updated Ticon 30 Sailboat Interior

Decorating a sailboat can be a little tricky because there are not a lot of opportunities for accessorizing - much to my disappointment.  For one, there's no room - this is kind of like tiny house living, so minimalism seems key.  More importantly, things can go flying when Lake Superior pummels us, so pottery, potpourri, and anything else we can't shove in a latched drawer is a firm "no," it turns out. 

But there are still many ways to update a 1980s boat interior because upholstery and other textiles can go a long way.  When I shared the first tour of our Ticon 30 sailboat, you got a glimpse of the all-beige interior: beige headliner, beige fiberglass, accented with beige upholstery!  I really find myself warming up to beige, cream, and off-white these days though, so I decided to embrace the beige and find inspiration in a moodier palette, with lots of rich blues.  The cushions were shot - in such terrible shape, that the seller actually knocked a bunch of money off the asking price so we could get them replaced.  I had a lot of fun choosing upholstery fabric and, after much deliberation, Hubby and I decided on a deep blue upholstery (Sunbrella Loft Indigo) which you saw a sneak peek of on Instagram.  Most colors made the beige headliner look dirty, but this rich blue made it look lighter and we figured it would hide dirt and muck well too.  I turned down teal - TEAL - but I like the classic, nautical feel of this blue.  It's such a gorgeous, rich shade and it really changes color when you look at it from different angles, which I love!

Here's quick trip down memory lane - for more photos of the "before," check out this post.  The "before" photos were snapped with Hubby's phone when the boat was still tarped, so the quality is different but it's also shinier and gleamier now because I went through a bottle and a half of teak oil and removed about 16 garbage bags of stuff. 

BEFORE

BEFORE

When you first clamber down the companionway into our boat, this is the view now:

We were both surprised by how much stuff was left behind by the former owner - some of it useful, some of it not.  We spent weeks just sorting, emptying, cleaning; I vacuumed the headliner, scrubbed surfaces, sorted through drawers, oiled teak.  Meanwhile, Hubby worked on the engine and tackled various repairs.  The unexpected de-cluttering set us back a little and it's part of the reason we launched so late in the season, but it was necessary - and oddly satisfying!

On the port side (I've gotta learn this!), is a settee with fold down table and also a neat bed extender - plus the galley (kitchen).  I changed the design of the settees a little, asking the upholsterers to remove the tufting and square off the corners for a cleaner, more modern look.

I didn't show you the teak table when it's open in the first tour - it folds down and another section slides out to reach the other settee.  Such a clever design!  I like that it can fold completely out of the way. 

The little galley is adorably tiny and I absolutely cannot picture whipping up anything more than a sandwich in there right now, but I'm sure I'll get used to it.  I'd love to find a cute vintage stove and maybe replace the sink and faucet at some point.  But for now, a good clean and some irresistible (clearance) melamine bowls from HomeSense do the trick!





On the starboard side, there's another longer settee, the navigation station, and quarter berth:

Beyond the little door is a bank of tiny drawers, hanging storage, a teeny tiny bathroom (the "head") and the v-berth with more drawers.  Fun fact: if I need to, I can scramble up the hatch in the v-berth onto the deck surprisingly nimbly.   

This is the view looking toward the stern (back):

I love the new upholstery fabric and fresh new mattress-grade foam (so comfy!).  My DIY ice dyed pillows look perfect in here and really brighten up the space!  Now that it's clean and we're using the boat, I'm assessing what else we can do to spruce it up.  I have a secret Pinterest board just brimming with nautical crafts and projects...




There is some terrible wall covering in the head and little storage area that I'd love to cover up, but I need to figure out what can withstand the moisture.  We're eyeing a cute nautical wall sconce for more light - plus we'd like to upgrade the existing interior lights.  I'd love to make some DIY fitted sheets and some sturdy, washable, cozy blankets - maybe a quilt?  That would be fun - and daunting.  I have pinned some cute macrame projects too because a woven hanging fruit basket would be adorable.

Any ideas?

A huge thanks to Sunbrella for providing the Loft Indigo fabric.  I am absolutely thrilled with the quality of the fabric and the gorgeous, deep shade of blue.  I'm already eyeing up some other nautical fabrics to have our forest green bimini re-done...   

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How to Sew a Pillow with a Flapped Zipper

My Mom and I disagreed a little when sewing my DIY ice dye pillows for the boat.  I wanted to do a chunky exposed gold zipper but my Mom wanted to do a flapped zipper, like we usually do.  We discovered that a pretty, smooth gold zipper is around $21 bucks here (yikes), but I really wanted an exposed gold zipper - "so nautical," I argued.  We rummaged around our local Fabricland until we found a less expensive option.  Once we got it home, however, my Mom was worried that the somewhat rough teeth on our cheaper gold zipper would chew up my new boat upholstery from constantly being rubbed against it.  She suggested we go back to our DIY pillow with a flapped zipper idea.  I wanted an exposed gold zipper.

Here is our tutorial for sewing a pillow with a flapped zipper.

:)

First decide on the pillow size (we made 16"x16", 18"x18", 20"x20" and 22"x22" pillows for variety).  No matter the size, we added about a 5/8" salvage seam.

Once you've decided on your pillow size and added the salvage seam allowance to your measurement, cut out two squares of fabric.  If you've dyed it like mine, or it's reversible, decide on the front and back.  Place the two squares together, right sides facing inward.  Determine zipper placement; we centered it and left an inch on either side of the zipper.  Use pins to mark this placement: 

Set the zipper aside and sew the bottom of your pillow shut, using normal stitches outside of the zipper but, where the zipper will be, use a basting stitch - the largest stitch your machine can do.

When you're done, snip the basting every inch or sew.  You want it to remain sewn together, but easy to open later.

Fold the front of the pillow onto itself below the line you just sewed:

With the front of the pillow pushed out of the way, pin one half of the open zipper onto the back of the pillow, face down, with the teeth right up against the seam you made (it should be touching):

Here's a closer look:

Attach the open zipper, sewing from the closed end of the zipper toward the open end of the zipper, using a zipper foot.  The needle should be on the left side of the zipper foot.  Most zippers will have a different stitching/texture to provide a guide as to where to stitch (usually about halfway):

And then you've got this:

I'll zoom in a little:

Fold the freshly sewn zipper underneath the pillow and close the zipper.  Pin the front of the pillow out of the way, so a tiny strip of the back of the pillow is exposed:

Move the zipper foot so that the needle is now on the right side.  Sew in the same direction - bottom of zipper toward its opening (same direction as last time).  The point of this step is to anchor the strip of the back, so the zipper sits nice and flat. 

This is what it should look like:

Here's a better look:

Take the whole pillow, open it up and face it downward - with back of zipper toward you:

Keep the zipper foot as it was in the last step.  Now sew the side that hasn't been stitched yet.  Start where you left off, sew across the zipper tape (beyond the zipper stop), pivot and keep sewing along the un-sewn edge to affix the zipper to that side.  When you reach an inch from the other end, pause.

Before you get to the end, open up the zipper and move the zipper pull away from the edge, toward the area you've already sewn down.  Anchor your needle, lift the presser foot, lift up the front of the pillow and with your fingers gently pull apart where basting was cut.  Your pillow should open easily and you can move zipper pull down so you can sew past in nicely.

Then you have this:

Now open up the basting you sewed in the first step:

Making sure to keep the zipper open (so important, lol), flip the pillow so the right sides are facing inward and sew the edges of the pillow with a 5/8" seam allowance:

When the pillow is finished, and turned right side out, this is what the flapped zipper looks like:

When she's right, she's right: this flapped zipper looks polished, plus the zipper won't chafe my brand-spanking new upholstery job on the boat!  Mom's clever, she's really clever.

For a look at how I made the ice dye fabric we used, be sure to check out my post on ice dyeing.  Or if you're looking for a smaller project, take a peek at my DIY ice dye napkins!  We're got other sewing tutorials too, like:

How to sew a mitered corner (for polished DIY napkins and other linens):

How to sew a fell seam (perfect for making a tablecloth from too small fabric):

How to sew a self-lined fabric clothespin bag:

How to sew a pot holder (plus the right heat shield material to use!):

How to sew back tab curtains:

How to sew gathered curtains:

Check out all of our sewing tutorials here - and let me know if there are any others you'd like to see!  This fall and winter I hope to tackle sewing dresses from vintage patterns, taking clothes in, finally finishing my embroidery project (oy), and some other fun sewing projects, but we're taking requests...

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