Ep. 20 Did we find America's Best Sailing Town? (How we Actually Feel Living Aboard)

[@patrickandmichaela]

Do you think you’ll ever try the liveaboard lifestyle? Or are you already out on the water!? Let us know, we are super curious! Thank you as always for joining us on this weeks adventure ❤🎉

[@christopherbasile6645]

@@patrickandmichaela would love to do the live a board life. I can't convince my wife to go on a boat let alone live on one. Bucket list item for someday.

[@patrickandmichaela]

@@christopherbasile6645 hope you can get there! There are a lot of good ways to intro into the lifestyle if you are looking for some tips!

[@karateover40]

Got the pleasure craft license, doing VHF course next..... will start sailing lessons this month. Wife not convinced yet.....hahaha

[@patrickandmichaela]

Seems like a great start! Good luck with convincing the wife, I always say a charter in the BVIs is a pretty easy way to convince someone to join the life!

[@coffeeandcrypt1202]

Still just a dream

[@tomvanaalst5790]

A little engine oil or grease on the o rings and rubber seals of the fuel filters will make it so much easier to service next time. Bleeding the air out is extremely important. Leave the plug in but lose enough to let the air out. When it's done blowing bubbles your good to go :)

[@patrickandmichaela]

Yeah, that is the hope! Will see if it is easier to remove next time. The fuel filter was tough, but the oil one seemed to come off quite easy! And yeah, I had a ton of fuel pouring out of the top of the engine fuel filter, but maybe you are right and i needed to leave the plug in instead. Always a learning experience! Thank you for the tips! 🎉⛵

[@clivestainlesssteelwomble7665]

​​@@patrickandmichaela I think at first you were trying to turn the filter the wrong way with those pipe grips.. Diesel bug is a global problem and getting worse as far as I see. It's a constant threat to boat owners everywhere. 🤷🏻🧙🏻‍♂️

[@idgopher]

Love your channel, and enjoying living vicariously through your sailboat adventures. Somebody may have already suggested this, but get a 5 gallon bucket and lid, and a BRAND NEW toilet plunger. Cut a 2 inch hole in the lid you have a pretty efficient sailboat washing machine. Wash, rinse, wring, then dry. Stay safe and have fun out there!

[@patrickandmichaela]

😂 I like specifying a brand new toilet plunger lol That does seem like a good idea, might be better than the wash board and bucket we are using now. Will have to give it a try! Thank you for the advice and being with us on this journey! 🎉⛵

[@caromarco6315]

Absolutely love watching you guys! Didn’t even skip the oil changes either watched the whole lot 😂🤭

[@patrickandmichaela]

😂 Appreciate you sticking through it even when it get's a little strange and confused 😂 So glad to hear you enjoy our videos! Thank you so much for being here with us 🎉⛵

[@jequalsmcsquared]

I used to live in Oriental and remember when the piglet opened! It was nice to take a trip back w y’all via YT

[@patrickandmichaela]

So glad we could take you down memory lane! We heard about the origins of the Piggly Wiggly and it is so cool to have a store that is so well stocked and so friendly for cruisers! Thank you so much for watching! 🎉⛵

[@GabrielMiller-xe5uw]

Bro... You guys.... Don't say negive things about yourselfs. You are learning. The only people who know more than you are other sailors who have gone through all the lessons you are learning. Give yourself a break. I watch a ton of these sailing youtube channels. You are clearly new at this but watching you I can say I think you got this. Just keep on doing what you are doing, smoother sailing is on the horizon....... Most of us can only speculate as to what we would do in your sailor boots........ Anyway, I hope to one day see you guys on the water and you can teach me on how to be a sailor.

[@patrickandmichaela]

Thank you so much for the kind words! It really is a lot about perspective and attitude. It can be easy to be down on yourselves when you just aren't feeling it, but you are right, we are new and learning a ton but have really come a long way in just a few months. Thanks so much for watching and hope to see you on the water one day as well! 🎉⛵

[@boomersooner1forever]

Good job Patrick

[@patrickandmichaela]

Thank you! Appreciate you being here! 🎉⛵

[@joshkaiser8583]

We love Oriental! Have been there with our boat and it’s such a cool little town!

[@patrickandmichaela]

So cool! Yeah it is a really great spot to stop! Thanks for joining us on another week of adventures! 🎉⛵

[@marklapierre5629]

My sailboat live aboard refit project is moving along slowly. I always try to do a little something on the boat project every day. I've been building a portable router table that I need to round over the sharp corners on some oak boards that will eventually become parts for the equipment foundations on the boat. I might finish the router table tonight.

[@patrickandmichaela]

That is great to hear! Things always seem to take longer and cost more than you would have hoped lol Sounds like some very nice woodworking going into the boat! It really is night and day when you take the time to make things nice and do it right, good on you!

[@zebs2401]

Great work patrick!!....and dont worry michaela!! your doing fabulous! you both come along way! :)

[@patrickandmichaela]

Thank you so much for the kind words and support! It is wild to think that just 4 months ago we had never sailed before, and now we are out here really making a show of things 🙂 We really appreciate you being on our journey with us ⛵🎉

[@zebs2401]

@@patrickandmichaela always love ya journey!!

[@CodyR-wh2nl]

Patrick i commend how calm and cool you are able tackling your boat projects for the first time. No wrenches flying through the air or anything of the such! Well done sir

[@patrickandmichaela]

Lol Maybe not all the time, but try to take problems on as they come, with an attitude of "I will be able to fix this thing.... eventually.... some how" 😂 Really appreciate the kind words though, so far no wrenches have been hurt in the making of our videos 🙂🎉⛵

[@cynsue1618]

Thanks for your honesty. What’s the saying “anything worth doing is sometimes difficult.” it’s a good thing to know you wouldn’t trade it! Patrick, you are amazing every time I watch you work on the boat. I am just impressed with how you’re willing to try new things and just go for it you both are amazing.❤❤❤

[@patrickandmichaela]

Exactly! and thank you! It is certainly a lot of new challenges for us but we are trying to make the best of it and keep going! Miss you as always! ❤🎉⛵

[@kourtjestr552]

Thank you again for making another video and putting a smile on my face. I needed it considering what just happened in Pennsylvania. Stay safe Patrick and Micheala. Can't wait till next weeks video. I pray you two will have the full adventure you're looking for outside of the US docks and marinas. Much love, guys!

[@patrickandmichaela]

Thank you as always for the kind words and support Kourt! So glad we can help be a positive bit of your week! Especially in a world that can be a bit rough at times. Hope you have a great week and see you in the next one! 🎉⛵

[@sandhamppr]

Hi, When you use a vacuum pump in the dipstick you pump at the beginning and it can take 30 minutes for it to extract the oil and your pump vessel will just slowly suck out the oil, but it is not an instant thing. If you leave it and come back later you will see just how long it takes. If you measure the dipstick that is also the amount of hose you need in the dipstick holder. Hope that helps

[@MikeBenton]

This is the comment I came to see. Does it also help to leave the fill cap off?

[@sandhamppr]

@@MikeBenton Yes makes a difference if you do

[@patrickandmichaela]

This is super helpful! Maybe patience is the thing i was missing :) I will go ahead and give it another try this in mind and see how it goes! Really appreciate the advice! ⛵🎉

[@patrickandmichaela]

Also good to know about the fill cap!

[@thomaspaccione8237]

Another great episode. Keep the faith!!

[@patrickandmichaela]

🙂 Thank you so much for the kind words! 😊🎉⛵ Appreciate you being here!

[@rogerreed905]

Great vid team . . . Im pleased youre takling the engine work too Patrick . . Eventually youl be in tune with the boat . What it needs before it needs it 👍👍. The river youve been on is that part of what is called the great loop . .?? Till next time team take care . Bye from NZ💐👋🇳🇿🍻twa

[@patrickandmichaela]

Once we have had to fix everything once, we will truly know the boat 😂 Lots to learn still, but we are slowly working our way through. Yes! We are in the ICW and on paths that share portions of the Great Loop! My aunt and Uncle actually completed it a few years back. Seems like a very cool thing to do! Thank you so much for being here! Until next time! 🎉🍻🙂⛵😊

[@peterfindlay4164]

It is good to see you guys are really growing into boat life, it always takes time and will get better as time goes on 😊

[@patrickandmichaela]

Yes, I am sure we still have a very long way to go, but it is getting easier each day we take on with new challenges and lessons to learn! Appreciate you being here with us along this journey! ⛵🎉

[@freedomwanderer91]

Its Bow in NC and Biew (Like View) in SC.... lol.

[@patrickandmichaela]

Thank you for the tip! Eventually it will stick! Thanks for watching! ⛵🎉

[@tonybryant2905]

I look forward to your videos and pray for yall nightly

[@patrickandmichaela]

Thank you so much! It really means a lot to us 🙂 we really appreciate you being here! 🎉⛵️

[@seventhdayissabbath8747]

So cool to have a Piggly Wiggly Shuttle for you folks who have your house on the water! Michaela, It's ok to "still" be adjusting to boat life... Some of us land folk are still adjusting to living our lives on land!! lol...! As long as we keep putting one foot in front of the other and keep moving forward no matter where we're at, we are moving in the right direction.. Have a great week and I am already looking forward to next week's episode..

[@patrickandmichaela]

Yeah seems like such a smart business model right?!? 😂 indeed, aren't we all just figuring out how to "adjust" to this thing called life, seems to take about 1 lifetime to figure it out. Thank you so much for sticking with us week after week on this adventure, we really appreciate having you here with us! Until next time! 🙂🎉⛵

[@mikeandashley]

We're from North Carolina, and we can't even agree on how to say Beaufort. 🤣

[@patrickandmichaela]

😂😂😂 Okay good so it is not just us then!

[@Seawizz203]

Michaela, this one is for you. I think much of your anxiety about living aboard has come from you two taking on some challenging sailing before getting your sea legs. I don’t mean now just getting seasick. I’m speaking of experiencing the challenges of living aboard and sailing. The trip to the Bahamas was quite a journey for you two to undertake with the amount of experience you have. Sailors who have sailed for years would consider that trip one of the most challenging of their lives. I think where you guys are now, sailing and motoring short trips through the Intracoastal with short trips outside is the perfect way to get some good experience and really learn how to live aboard and allow you to choose the conditions you want to sail in rather than having to sailing in them. Take your time. There are many cool places right here in the States. The Chesapeake Bay and Narragansett Bay are two of the world’s finest cruising areas in the world. Take advantage of them for the first year or two then expand your horizons as you gain experience and confidence. As for Patrick, there are Yanmar engine manuals available online that will help you with your maintenance chores. Also, speak with fellow cruisers. Most are more than willing and really enjoy giving advice and actually helping others with repairs and maintenance. Good luck. Don’t get discouraged. It’s not always easy but in the end the rewards will be worth it.

[@patrickandmichaela]

Appreciate the thoughtful comment! We can totally see where you are coming from. We certainly did take on a large adventure very early on, but I think a lot of things come down to the perspective of things. There are plenty of things we are doing now that still bring on quite a bit of anxiety, but we just calm ourselves and get through it. Once you have done something a few times it is far easier to be comfortable with it. We will get there! Couldn't agree more that it is worth doing even if it is challenging at times! Thank you so much for joining us on this adventure, it means a lot! 🎉⛵

[@PaulLue]

I’m learning that Boat = Work X ♾️. Stay safe and best of luck this week.

[@patrickandmichaela]

😂😂😂.......😂😂........😂.......😢 Yes lol it certainly is a whole lot of fixing things, but it does make for a good learning experience 🙂 Thanks so much for all of the support! ⛵🎉

[@philthomas6123]

North Carolina is filled with great ports, probably the best state north of the Ga/Fl line and south of baltimore

[@patrickandmichaela]

It does seem that way! Seems like there are a ton of cruiser friendly towns with great stuff to do and even better people to meet! ⛵🎉🙂

[@joeybryan7065]

If you go on over into Pamilco sound stay away from military bombing range but go up bay river a little it is cute as well I do not know if you can go all the way to Bayboro. Really need to go into new Bern. It is great town as well. You can go chk out Tryon Palace

[@patrickandmichaela]

This is great to know! Thank you so much for sharing some local knowledge with us, truly the most valuable kind :)

[@marshallbarnes836]

Remember when you’re motoring in rough waters, the gunk in your tank is being shaken up and sucked into your fuel filter. Check/change often. You’re doing great!

[@patrickandmichaela]

Yes, exactly what we were thinking. And especially when there is less fuel in the tank, I bet the parts per million or something scientific like that has more gunk going into the filters than when the tank is full. Luckily we have plenty of spares on board! Thanks for taking the time to share some knowledge, we always appreciate the help! ⛵🎉

[@andrewbond9554]

Thanks for another good week! Will definitely check out Oriental when we get back to the States. My wife is right there with you Michaela...some days are just a struggle, others are mountain tops. Best to you both.

[@patrickandmichaela]

It is certainly worth a stop! Such kind people and really set up for cruisers! It's true! You have to take those mountains with the valleys, it's just the cost of being out here 🙂 Hope yall have a safe and successful time in your haul out! Thanks as always for the support Andrew, it means the world!

[@christopherbasile6645]

Great episode. Hang in there you guys are doing fantastic. I am living life through your experiences

[@patrickandmichaela]

So glad we can provide you a lens into a noobies life on the water :) Thanks for sticking with us through the highs and lows! 🎉⛵

[@ksr1991]

Thanks for sharing! Love watching you both learn so much and grow to appreciate the small things!

[@patrickandmichaela]

It is our pleasure! Thank you so much for joining us! It is really nice to slow down and appreciate the small things, puts everything into perspective :)

[@TammyBillings-qt1ve]

Good video

[@patrickandmichaela]

Thank you so much for joining us another week Tammy! ⛵🎉

[@trancekingpj]

I really want to say how much I agree with you about watching the sunsets or sunrises! We only have a finite number of them to enjoy in our lives and so it's important to see as many as possible of this amazing celestial event! It's great to see you (Michaela) coming to terms with life on water, and if your answer to the question of "would you give it up?" is no, then that shows that it's the right decision that you've made. Of course there will be up's and down's, but you get those wherever you are - whether on land or on water. Great to see you getting to meet some of the random folk who are kind enough to contribute to your way of life and it's good to see what a lovely couple they were with lending you their car so you could go do laundry and run about town more easily. Always great to see Patrick's handiwork bringing positive results to your equipment and each change / repair / "fix" that he does helps add to the knowledge and makes future issues easier to deal with. I hope you (Michaela) have been paying attention so that if Patrick is ever poorly with anything then you stand a fighting chance of making repairs yourself 😉

[@davidharlem6824]

Great advice!

[@patrickandmichaela]

Exactly spot on! Really have to make the most of every day that we get here on this wild planet that we get to live on 🙂 The cruising community and the youtube community have been absolutely stellar to us, we really can't believe how kind and welcoming so many people have been. Brings so much joy to our hearts that we certainly try to give back and spread to others. It's funny, Patrick will do a fix once, but Michaela get's to watch the steps 50 times over and over again while editing, so she may actually be the one with the knowledge of what was done 😂 Thank you as always for the kind words, we really do appreciate having you here with us week after week, sharing advice and spreading joy in our little world 😊🎉⛵

[@trancekingpj]

@@patrickandmichaela So, does this mean that when Michaela is editing the video to be released for us minions, that she is also craftily creating a "how-to" video for her own personal use for those times where poor Patrick might be laid up? 😂 And happy to be here as always. I enjoy your content and am learning from you guys. You keep uploading and I'll keep watching 👍

[@trancekingpj]

@@patrickandmichaela just as a "btw" in relation to this weeks forthcoming video - I will be forced to watch with the YT closed captions on so there's the potential for something you say to be mis-interpreted by the algorithm. Long story short but I've caught a virus from my youngest son this week which has built up fluid inside my inner ear. Consequently I hear things like I'm underwater and have lost about 70% of my hearing ability. Having CC on has brought about some interesting words displayed on some of the other videos I watch! It also shows that YT'ers are so busy dealing with filming / editing etc that they don't get a chance to check out the captions for those who suffer hearing issues.

[@patrickandmichaela]

Hey Pete! Sorry to hear about the illness! Hopefully you are better soon! Uhg, that is pretty frustrating to hear! We have been working with some others on ways to improve the closed captioning on our videos, but to be honest we have been using the auto ones lately. It takes about 5-10 minutes per minute of video to close caption usually, so can kind of amount to 2-4 hours a week depending on the video. Hopefully we can figure out some automation and such to make fixing it faster! Appreciate you being understanding as we try to figure this all out!

[@cmac9248]

Geez , a person really has to be ‘mr/mrs fix it’ on the water😮 Appreciate all your honest input as you journey along …. It is fascinating to see a true perspective , my hubby and I dream of doing the same thing ( not full time ) just during the Canadian winters . I cannot help but wonder if I’d like it or not🤔 It looks like it could be a lonely experience at times ?

[@patrickandmichaela]

Yes! Can't buy a boat and not have to do a bunch of boat work! It is either going to cost you a fortune in paying someone else to do the work or you are going to learn how to do it yourself. We kind of are forced to do the latter 😅 I hope we can show what it is actually like to go from no experience to really seeing a lot via the liveaboard lifestyle. It seems like a great thing to be doing to escape the canadian winters! I heard of a couple who kept a boat in green turtle key in the bahamas who just flew in every winter season. Seems like a perfect way to do it! I think there are ways that you can kind of test it out, either joining a club and doing some day sailing or doing a charter vacation. I think it can feel a bit lonely at times depending on where you are, but we love having a bit of solitude with nature, and the cruising community is so friendly and welcoming, that it isn't too hard to make friends 🙂 If you ever want to chat about it definitely reach out!

[@sailingcalypso]

Another nice video, enjoy seeing g you guys go where we’re have been…

[@patrickandmichaela]

Oh nice! Did you manage to make it ahead of us? I know we shared quite a few anchorages on the way north :)

[@sailingcalypso]

@@patrickandmichaela Yes, we are up in Deltaville. We went outside from Cape Fear to Beaufort.

[@DarkSevariant]

Beaufort Pronunciation. It's 'Bow' in N. Carolina, and 'Beau' as in Beautiful, in S. Carolina.

[@patrickandmichaela]

Oooh, maybe this tip will help make it stick! Thank you! ⛵🎉

[@hangingwiththeholts3804]

@patrickandmichaela Did you just out me in your video?!?!?! 🤣🤣🤣

[@patrickandmichaela]

Possibly! 😂😂😂 Thanks for watching! 🎉⛵

[@waltobringer2928]

My plan is to be back on the water by spring.

[@patrickandmichaela]

@@waltobringer2928 seems like a great plan! Looking to get a boat, or just fixing one until then?

[@waltobringer2928]

@@patrickandmichaela I'm hoping to get something that needs a little TLC sometime this winter. I have some ammount of mechanical aptitude so that helps.

[@patrickandmichaela]

It certainly does help! Getting something that needs a little TLC is a great way to put in some sweat equity and have a boat exactly the way you want it!

[@waltobringer2928]

@@patrickandmichaela On the short term my budget says a used monohull. I'm thinking 35 feet. Absolutely no more than 40 just in case I end up being single handed.

[@CheersFactory]

Great video, thanks for sharing

[@patrickandmichaela]

Thank you for watching! ⛵🎉

[@Victor.McCann]

Do the specs on the year and model motor oil refill

[@patrickandmichaela]

Yes! It is a 2016 Yanmar 3YM30AE engine, should be 2.5-2.8 Liters of Oil, but I have received some tips in the comments here that should help next time. Will give it another go soon to try to get some cleaner oil going! ⛵🙂

[@Victor.McCann]

@@patrickandmichaela nice good job and love you both take care of each other

[@janaferreira8882]

❤

[@patrickandmichaela]

😊🎉⛵

[@TaylanYalniz]

Had you ran the engine before draining (pumping out) the old oil?

[@patrickandmichaela]

Yes! But I think we learned a few more tips that should help, so I think we are going to attempt it again soon! I believe we were being a little impatient with it 🙂 Thank you for the advice and joining us on this weeks adventure! 🎉⛵

[@joeybryan7065]

You’ll love oriental. I live 45 mins from there

[@patrickandmichaela]

It is a lovely city! Would highly recommend any sailor to stop by there if they are near! 🎉⛵

[@gdavidfrye]

The South Carolina version is pronounced BYOO-fert

[@patrickandmichaela]

Kind of like Beautiful, right?!? Hopefully now it will stick :) Thanks for the help 😂 We certainly need it! Appreciate you being here! 🎉⛵

[@CheersFactory]

Michaela, thanks for sharing how you feel. What would you do different if you had to do it again and what you wish you knew before you started this adventure. I want to do this with my partner and I'm sure you guys will relate to this feeling but I think one of my biggest concerns is how hard I could be for her. Any advices?

[@patrickandmichaela]

I think the biggest thing for me is being able to deal with being uncomfortable at times, but even more so it’s being able to deal with being scared at times. I think I would recommend some safety courses before you get out on the water so that you know what to do if a scary situation arises. I think knowing what to do in a situation calms my anxiety a lot. Like I said in the video the rough times have been worth the good times and I wouldn’t give boatlife up, but it is a much different way to live and is not always easy. I think living in a van first also helped us a ton with adjusting to the lifestyle! Thank you so much for watching! Hope to see you and your partner out on the water some day!

[@CheersFactory]

@@patrickandmichaela Thank you so much, for your advise. We really appreciate it :)

[@willyum1208]

do you have an access hole big enough to clean the fuel tank?

[@patrickandmichaela]

Yes! There are two access holes cut in the top for arms to fit inside. Makes it way easier to clean!

[@lisaeckmann6690]

Do you keep a log of everything you fix or change ?

[@patrickandmichaela]

Eh, kind of, but we should do a much better job at it lol

[@batsignalcomics6433]

How long will $200 WORTH OF groceries last you

[@patrickandmichaela]

Depends on the week honestly! I would say we shoot for around $400-$500 a month for groceries, but that run had a few things that were a bit more expensive, so probably more like 7-10 days.

[@ohgary1]

I like the videos... Not so much the shorts...

[@patrickandmichaela]

Glad to hear you enjoy the videos! Sorry the shorts aren't feeling right for you at the moment. KZbin seems to push them super hard, so we are just trying to figure out what we are doing with them :) Appreciate you being here!

[@ohgary1]

Some I would be fine with the shorts if they were you in a short video but the comical humorous meme type shorts that what I really don't care for. Anyway my view but I do like the videos. It's kind of neat seeing you guys starting out new and and sailing

[@patrickandmichaela]

Well you may be in luck for some future short ideas then, if we can just grab a touch more time to throw them together 🙂 Hopefully soon!

[@MaggieR28]

@@patrickandmichaelato each their own taste on the shorts, I guess. I actually love the humor a lot. It’s unique, fun and original. I enjoy your shorts much more than other sailing channel shorts, that feel forced.