Oh, wait...thanks...you did answer that, but I missed it in post 208, because I jumped it with the above quote. Sorry about that, but thanks very much for that post. A Manhattan 65 eh..? Great boat. Love it. And now I feel like I really know where you and wifey B are coming from, what experience you have had to call on (clearly considerable), and it makes it much easier to grasp what you say.
Good luck with your great loop trip. I'd love to be able to come over and do that. Ain't going to happen...
When you figure it all out then please explain it all to us. We're just boating crazy.
We are both 200 Ton Masters NC, although no need for the licenses, just done for personal fulfillment and knowledge and we'll keep gathering more knowledge and experience. We love boating of all types although prefer not to go slow and find sailing to be too much work. Since we arrived in Florida late summer 2012 we've covered over 50,000 nm on the water. We feel competent in operating a boat but do not have mechanical skills or interest beyond those basic things necessary to get home. That also separates us from most of you here who have that mechanical knowledge and aptitude. We're definitely not DIY'ers. It also means for long range cruising, regardless of boat, we're going to have someone with us who has those skills we don't.