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A quiet walk to the store turned into a life-changing moment—and a complete rethink of how we cruise. When Stephen was hit by a car during a shoreside errand, our family of five had to answer hard questions: How do we keep the dream alive without setting back his recovery? What gets upgraded, what gets cut, and what truly matters when health, teens, and time all collide?

We share the plan we landed on: stretch out our Bahamas months, then spend hurricane season still in one marina so physical therapy wins and motion doesn’t undo progress. That choice cascaded into unexpected moves—car shopping after five years without one to help our teens get licensed, and a wave of boat changes that make everyday life easier. Electric winches now hoist the dinghy, a folding wheel opened the cockpit, and a raised helm perch eased long days on the ICW. We replaced a leaky hot water heater with an 11‑gallon unit, traded our slow Spectra for a Seawater Pro that cranks 30–35 gph, and built a DIY hard bimini topped with nearly 1,800 watts of solar. The rule we live by: reduce strain first, then optimize for comfort.

We dive into sails and rigging choices for in‑mast furling, including why Dyneema‑reinforced cloth beats tropical laminates and how a trustworthy sail rep saved us thousands by spotting worn sheaves before we blamed the main. We talk real water numbers for a crew of five—about 40 gallons a day—and the small habits that make it work. We also get honest about teens aboard: how Georgetown’s community gets them up early to finish homeschool, how one daughter built a paid art and keychain business with vendor fulfillment, and how the oldest is eyeing the seafarers union for paid training and contract work at sea.

There’s the legal mess, too—insurance delays and medical bills that don’t care about weather windows—and the hacks that keep us moving anyway. A budget cockpit enclosure built from repurposed panels turned frigid runs into greenhouse‑warm passages, proving you don’t need perfect to make progress. If you’re weighing slower miles, better systems, and a season that fits your life, this conversation is your blueprint.

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SALTY ABANDON: Cap'n Tinsley, Orange Beach, AL:
Oct 2020 to Present - 1998 Island Packet 320;
Nov 2015-Oct 2020; 1988 Island Packet 27
Feb-Oct 2015 - 1982 Catalina 25

SALTY PODCAST is LIVE every Wed at 6pm Central and is all about the love of sailing!
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GEAR FEATURED IN MY UPCOMING VIDEOS:
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⚓ Dock Lines → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BS4BNYR9
🧽 Exterior Cleaning Kit → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BL533KR7