SETTLING INTO THE BVI - OUR AQUILA 54 FINDS A NEW HOME

[@JeepisJunk]

I am very happy for you Hillbilly. Sounds like most of the issues are ironed out. I see the joy in tour face when on or talking about your boat. Enjoy what you earned.

[@thewanderinghillbilly]

Thank you!

[@pmwinkler]

I always appreciate how you share all aspects of boat ownership, Alan - the good, bad & ugly. I wish more channels were this authentic and help us learn something with each episode. I look forward to future adventures!

[@thewanderinghillbilly]

Thank you!!’

[@duncanjames914]

Every time I watch one of your videos I feel like my patience factor gets reset to a higher level. In other words, I appreciate your calm and rational approach when dealing with problems. After all, a 54-foot yacht is a complex piece of electromechanical floating art. Despite the initial mechanical challenges you dealt with, in the grand scheme of things, it's a great boat! Safe travel home and back again to your happy place Alan.

[@thewanderinghillbilly]

Thank you!!!

[@chrisolson723]

I too appreciate how you handle the gremlins! Lifes too short for Drama, ship happens! FYI, I'm riding your coat tail. Seaside Breeze II was just christened here in Tampa yesterday, YAHOO I'm beyond words, she is leaving Tampa today and under the excellent care of Captain Richard she is Nanny Cay bound! will meet up with her in mid-July for our second exploration of the BVI. Our retirement "kickoff" is more than I deserve! can't get over how a Kid from 70's Detroit made it to this level. Have a great time with your upcoming event, you're a pleasure to follow!

[@jimallen8238]

Thanks for these videos. I had been considering an Aquila (70 or 54) after having originally convinced myself that I needed a true blue water passage maker (Nordhavn, Fleming, Marlowe, Outer Reef). Your videos have convinced me to stick with one of those traditional boats and not an Aquila. It comes down to reliability and trust. Still, thanks for documenting your experiences.

[@Boomer_Sooner]

Just started following this channel, and it's quickly becoming my favorite boating/ yachting channel. Great stuff.

[@thewanderinghillbilly]

Thanks so much!!!

[@stevej3801]

Love your videos. You’re living the dream. Enjoy

[@benjaminbear7410]

Alan, your videos helped us so much for our first bare boat Mooring charler last year in the BVI. Loved thr BVI so much we did a land trip this year. Highly recommend eating at the Sugar Mill. Breakfast and lunch beachside, dinner fine dining in the mill. Also, dinner at D'Coal Pot, beachside to watch sunsets. Great food! We also did 4 nights on Anegada. Love the BVIs. Calm seas Ben

[@thewanderinghillbilly]

Sounds amazing. Thanks for watching

[@leo24m3]

Love the real life of owning a yacht, especially one that I dream to own one day!

[@thewanderinghillbilly]

you can do it!!!! thanks for watching

[@thekttravelshow0001]

Just brilliant enjoyable videos. Thanks for sharing your downtime. I've learnt a lot off how you put your films together.

[@thewanderinghillbilly]

Thanks so much! Keep it up!

[@kmires]

Another great video. Love the boat. Will be down there this Friday! Maybe we'll see ya...

[@thewanderinghillbilly]

I don’t arrive until June 12…but thanks for watching

[@randyreid2916]

Great to be at our age and continue to learn something new...keeps us on our toes. Thanks again for another great video and taking us with you.

[@thewanderinghillbilly]

Precisely why I’m doing this. Learning new things at an older age keeps us young. Thanks!

[@texanborn78]

One step closer! Good to see there weren't too many major things wrong. Have fun finishing up your show and look forward to seeing the good times in June. Go Rangers!

[@thewanderinghillbilly]

Thank you!!’

[@HopeOfJoe]

Another awesome, high credibility of integrity episode with some fun thrown in. Love it, Alan. ✨👍🏻✅ ✨🌊💨🛥️🏝️👙✨

[@thewanderinghillbilly]

Thanks!

[@anngosselin4180]

Alan, my husband & I love your videos and have watched almost all of them. My husband would like to know if you videoed the painting of the underside or bottom of the wandering hillbilly? Also, we both have owned boats & are very interested in the Aquila. We figure the best thing to do first is charter one before we buy. Hopefully this winter we’ll get down to the BVI. We are also have contacted marine max to see when their boat show is for winter 2024. Hope to meet you someday soon. Keep up the good work with the body. I was a personal trainer and sports med person, so glad you’ve gotten on the right track. Be the best you can be, health is sooo important! 👍❤️😄. Keep the videos coming, you inspire us both! Ann & Pierre

[@GrahamSwan-yi5gw]

We have an Aquila 54 in Phuket (Thailand) and are thrilled with it - very few teething issues compared to other brands. We especially like the master cabin forrard of the salon and the dinghy davit operation. The tunnel height makes cruising a delight and she’s easily handled by a husband and wife team.

[@Harrybollox]

Subscribed after watching this, easy to follow, nicely spoken, not many umms and errs and you knows etc, and focus was on the stuff that goes wrong which is way more interesting than watching people just be happy in a perfect world that does not exist in reality on boats

[@thewanderinghillbilly]

Great comment abd thanks for subscribing!

[@LJ-jq8og]

WOW... all that work... TOO much like a marriage IMO.... 🤣 I will "stay single" and "Boat free..." and HAPPY 😊... BUT will still visit the BVIs thanks to your EXCELLENT videos 💪 and great HUMOR ❤ LOVE your work Sir ! Keep hitting us with the TRUTH 🙏

[@thewanderinghillbilly]

Thanks for your comment abd thanks for watching

[@dwb73]

I could be wrong, but I think the reason you can't use Navionics with Raymarine is that Garmin owns Navionics. Raymarine and Garmin are two of the biggest rivals in marine navigation systems.

[@thewanderinghillbilly]

Interesting. Haven’t heard that. Thanks for watching

[@DIYFamilyvideos]

Love watching your videos. I am new subscriber. It would be great if you can set auto play for the next video. Also numbering video's by chapter number helps the viewer know they haven't missed any video's. I am looking forward seeing more of the journey.

[@terrybrennan2534]

Headed down there in less than two weeks, cannot wait!

[@thewanderinghillbilly]

Hope to see you! I'll be there from the 13th thru the first of July

[@terrybrennan2534]

@@thewanderinghillbilly where will you be sir? We will be island hopping

[@thewanderinghillbilly]

I'll be hopping as well. Do not have a set itinerary...it's always changing. I'll post everyday on IG and on FB. Come to our event at Bitter End Yacht club on the 26th.

[@williamwilson3871]

Many thanks for your videos. A charter in the BVI on an Aquila 44 is on my bucket list. Your videos show the reality of owning a larger boat. They are complex pieces of machinery and systems fail and need replaced or repaired. It is a standing joke in our household when I return from a trip as to what has failed.

[@thewanderinghillbilly]

Same here! What’s next? I always ask…thanks for watching!

[@chrisolson723]

While I'm on your coat tail, please don't jettison your gray water tank! LOL

[@baileylandreth]

We know Simon from chartering with MM in the past! Love your videos.

[@thewanderinghillbilly]

He’s the best!

[@GrahamSwan-yi5gw]

Great video Alan - always interesting to compare our two vessels and their idiosyncrasies - we have had a number of problems with the filters on the water pumps leaking - also we always turn off the fresh and sea water anchor wash down pumps as they seem to “dribble” similar to your deck shower……always fun to try and find the reason for a water pump going off intermittently - hope work is productive and you get back to the BVI asap.

[@thewanderinghillbilly]

Yes! I’ve grown accustomed to checking CZone daily to see what shenanigans maybe lurking. Work went well and I’ll be back “home” in a few weeks. Stay safe!

[@1320fastback]

If and when you go to the Soggy Dollar take a pic of your cat please and post it. Also have a Soggy Man for me, they are so good!

[@thewanderinghillbilly]

I will!

[@gtlguy]

Good stuff. Getting married next weekend in Savannah then jumping on a cruise ship with a stop in Tortola, BVI.

[@thewanderinghillbilly]

Congratulations!!! That’s awesome abd thanks for watching

[@JBE158]

Go Cowboys! Cool video, thanks!

[@thewanderinghillbilly]

Yes!

[@roypoe1865]

Well done Alan! It's a good-N 😁 Always watching from Houston Texas

[@thewanderinghillbilly]

Howdy! And thanks for watching

[@jonmccauley6490]

@@thewanderinghillbilly Watching from Canyon Lake, TX but hoping to get "out there" where you're at soon enough. Just a little lake sailor trying to learn chartering and big cats.

[@donhamblen8060]

The few minor post passage maintenance issues speak to the quality of the vessel and delivery crew! One tip on the fuel filter if you drain water or debris from the fuel filter make sure you replace the diesel up to the top of the filter membrane. Otherwise you won't get the full filter benefit and it will not last as long.

[@thewanderinghillbilly]

Thanks for this! And thanks for watching

[@yoog1]

So many problems coming up with a new boat. Time to trade in your Aquila for an upgrade

[@biminitwist96]

If the smell in continues , you might try original pine-sol cleaner it seems to breakdown oils , I had an oil spill I’m mine and it cleaned up great.

[@thewanderinghillbilly]

Thanks and thanks for watching

[@bradwells8892]

Great video, Alan! It’s too bad that when sharing a few average days in the care and maintenance of boating life in the BVI‘s, someone has to turn an educational video into a political rant in the ‘reply’s’. I’m excited 🤘🏻to meet you in person along with my family at Marina Cay. This will be my fourth boating trip in the BVI’s and I learn so much from your posts. I’m betting we’ll see the Hillbilly before that Wednesday. Stay safe, keep posting!👊🏻

[@thewanderinghillbilly]

Cant wait to meet you and your family. and thanks so much for the support. Marina Cay here we come!

[@aceboathouse5233]

Just subscribed to your channel. You're making all the trips on my cruising list! Thinking of adding the Hullshield to cut down on bottom growth. Would love to know if the system is working up to the hype. How many kits did you need to install?

[@thewanderinghillbilly]

Gonna do a video on this soon! Thanks so much for watching!

[@christianjiancc]

This a new boat or used because my God. I don't know, I would expect if I'm spending that type of money I would not easily write it off as that's how things go.

[@thewanderinghillbilly]

Thanks for watching!

[@scotthelfen2217]

Great video. Always very educational. Are you planning on putting the boat in charter with Marine Max?

[@thewanderinghillbilly]

I am not. Just my private yacht in paradise

[@evolutionaryTom]

Another good one, Alan. BTW, great finale this week. Could you please tell me if you upload in 1080p because you think "it's enough" or because of internet limitations/capacity while you are traveling? Or maybe there's no reason at all. Just like learning for my own channel. Thanks, Tom

[@thewanderinghillbilly]

I find it to the best quality for all the reasons you mentioned. Upload, watching on a phone, etc…thanks for watching

[@teressamiller4009]

Why do you go to bvi instead of staying in Bahamas ? Just curious

[@thewanderinghillbilly]

I’m at home in the BVI. Just what I love…simple as that

[@stelioshondrocolos1869]

Very impressive this guy has someone do his laundry. But can he afford to have his shoe laces ironed and toothpaste put on his brush each morning like King Charles?

[@thewanderinghillbilly]

Actually my court jester does the laundry and my closest Knight brushes my teeth! Whoever is on my naughty list cleans out the bed pan. Thanks for watching!

[@williamconway1287]

Just curious , why not American Virgin Islands ? I’m just curious .

[@thewanderinghillbilly]

The USVI has several great islands to visit…the BVI has about 15 or 20. Best cruising grounds in the Caribbean!

[@J0EYbagaDONUTS]

You should be able to do the simple jobs like changing the fuel filter yourself . Maybe then you won't have to go back to work to pay someone else to do it for you

[@thewanderinghillbilly]

I totally agree. Which is why I had Capt Matt teach me. Weren't you taught things first...then you knew how to do them? That's where I am in this wonderful process. Thanks so much for watching.

[@shanemcgonnell2689]

Let me know when the Marina Key event is. We will be there on our Aquila 44 starting June 28th for 8 days. Also here is a video I watched once on your navionics connecting to your plotter. kzbin.info/www/bejne/oprbhWRpgayJgM0 TTYL Heres another I once watched. kzbin.info/www/bejne/kIvPXmiVaJZ1mKs

[@thewanderinghillbilly]

Thanks for the link. The event is on the 21st but there is another one at The Bitter End Yacht Club on the 26th…I’ll be hanging around the BVI until early July

[@ryanbilyk9268]

Congrats on getting to where your heart is.🎉 When you compare growth on both sides with one side good one side bad with hullshield is there no growth on one side and some on the other? Just launched on great lakes with six transducer system.

[@thewanderinghillbilly]

Can’t tell yet. Just starting having the issues. I’ll report back. And thanks for watching

[@TVK830]

You are a lucky man! Jealous, for sure..

[@thewanderinghillbilly]

Thanks a lot!

[@Paul-o7h]

"Leaks Happen on Boats" Let's hope not!! lol..

[@thewanderinghillbilly]

Hah….but they Do!!!! Thanks for watching

[@CaptainRon1913]

Boogers up the bleeder nut with a huge set of channel locks instead of a proper wrench.

[@thewanderinghillbilly]

Copy that!

[@haywoodjablowme2972]

hmmm work for a month

[@thewanderinghillbilly]

You’ll get there…wonderful time of life after working so hard for so many years…thanks for watching!

[@MOTORVESSELFREEDOM]

It’s sad that Simon Cowell’s life and financial situation has him doing laundry now….