Underway at Long Last!

Jo Beth underway in St. Simons Sound, passing Jekyll Island.





Usually, we avoid being out on the boat or water during the busy summer holidays – Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day. But this year, the Labor Day holiday was an exception. We slipped the lines and managed some time down sound for a few hours. It was good.

Our holiday weekend began with our arrival at the boat on Friday afternoon. We promptly set about our list of chores. First was to clean out the refrigerator/freezer cooling water intake filter and lines; then get the unit powered up and cooling down. Second was to circulate fresh sea water into the head (toilet).

Marine heads use seawater for flushing, so it is necessary to pump the stagnated water which had been laying in the sea water intake lines out and overboard. We also had to make an unplanned grocery run. As we were unpacking and getting settled, we discovered that in our haste to leave Savannah, we had neglected to bring enough food for the entire time we planned aboard. After completing the immediate chores with the refrigerator and head, and chatting with our dock neighbors Doug and Pat aboard Scallywag, a CSY 37, we headed into town for a delicious brick-oven pizza and to the local Winn-Dixie for groceries.

We spent most of Saturday doing the more mundane chores, which included giving the boat a good cleaning and bathing inside and out and inflating the dingy to so that marine growth on the hull along the waterline could be scraped off. In doing so, we discovered the dingy had yet another slow air leak in one of the pontoons. We also updated some of the paperwork necessary to keep the boat logs and safety equipment current and legal. Throughout, we were listening to weather forecasts and calculating (i.e. guessing) for the ideal conditions to get Jo Beth out of her slip and into St. Simons Sound for a nice romp. We decided Sunday looked the best.

We guessed right; Sunday was a beautiful and warm day, with an east-northeast breeze at 15-18 knots which occasionally gusted to 20 knots, conditions Jo Beth absolutely loves. With the yankee and mainsail set, she balances beautifully on a beam reach. Jo Beth typically carries two or three sails when sailing; for this trip, she carried a yankee, which is the forward most sail, andthe mainsail, the sail attached to the mast and boom.

Approaching the Sidney Lanier Bridge.

Unfortunately, St. Simons Sound and the Turtle River, the body of water that lay between our marina and the sound, sit roughly on an east-west orientation. This meant the trip out was a tacking beat into the breeze; the trip back to Brunswick Landing, a broad reach or run, with multiple jibes.

For the non-sailor, that pretty much means we had to go directly into the wind heading out and had the wind directly behind us coming back. Sailboats can’t move under sail when the wind is blowing from dead ahead of the boat. Sailboats can sail with the wind directly behind them, and some move fairly well this way, but it can be wearisome on the crew and have an uncomfortable motion. Most boats perform best a few points off of the wind, meaning when the wind moving over the boat at a forty-five degree angle to the bow or stern. When the wind is blowing from directly in front of or behind the boat, the boat must be tacked or jibed to make way. Tacking is moving the front of the boat to get to the optimum angle for sailing; jibing is doing the same with the back of the boat. If you were looking down from above on the track of a boat moving through the water while tacking or jibing, the boat’s course would appear as a zigzag.

We also had the outgoing tide in our favor as we passed under the Sidney Lanier Bridge and out of Brunswick Harbor and Jo Beth flew over the bottom at nearly 7 knots. However, as wind and tide were in opposition, the sea state was a hash of choppy waves, which made for the occasional burst of spray over the rail and an interesting downwind ride when time came to head back to the marina. Waves generated by opposing wind and current aren’t the long, generally even swells one sees on the open ocean, but are short and steep waves, piled in close together. When it’s really stormy, and wind and tide are in opposition, the sounds and coastal rivers along Georgia’s coast can resemble a washing machine.



Brunswick's historic commercial waterfront.

All in all, it was a fun afternoon and didn’t last nearly long enough, though it is still too warm to comfortably overnight aboard away from the dock and the luxuries of marina living. Fall is on the way, and that means better sailing in cooler weather and more reliable winds. We’re both looking forward to longer trips over the coming months.

Keep checking in with us.
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From the 'For-What-It's-Worth' department, I'm not sure why some pictures will open and expand when others won't. It seems to be a random issue. When I get it figured out, I'll fix them. Until then, please bear with me. Or, if you know what's happening; what I may be doing wrong or not doing at all, please feel free to share the knowledge.

Summer continues...

Until early fall, at least. The heat, humidity, and seemingly endless afternoon squalls continue to hamper and delay any and all projects planned for Jo Beth this summer. Plus, that necessary evil of our society and culture, “earning-a-living”, has provided us with plenty of distraction as well. Not that we’re complaining of course...not in “this” economy!

Jo Beth hauled at Hinckley Yacht Services, Savannah, GA.




Jo Beth often spends her summers ashore. It's generally too hot to sail comfortably, the winds are light and fluky, and afternoon storms a pain. This is a time for below waterline maintenance. We're skipping this season, instead doing as much as we can with her afloat. If nothing else, this is going to stretch the antifouling abilities of her bottom paint to the max! So far, things aren't bad; in Savannah waters, we'd have to have had a diver down on the boat two or three times by now. Most of what we've seen growing in the marina basin at Brunswick is a soft type of growth, much of which will slough off as the boat moves through the water.

Cooler weather is approaching. It’ll be a juggling act for us, make no mistake; prioritizing and getting those essential projects done on board prior to the arrival of that little sliver of winter that we experience in the southeastern states, and getting the boat underway so we can remember why we invest so much of ourselves in her.

Both Lisa and I are eager to spend time aboard Jo Beth again, to feel her slice through the waves and lift to the swell, and letting evening breezes blow through the open hatches while she lies quietly to her anchor, cozy among the marshes. For us, there’s no place like a small boat to find comfort for our souls. I, for one, have been away too long.

That’s saying something, especially for me, someone that often feels they spend way too much time messing with (other people’s) boats. Better days are on the horizon.

In the interim, I promised Lisa I would write more about our journey with Jo Beth; tell the tale of how we’ve arrived at where we are, and talk about the lessons we’ve learned from the innumerable interesting characters we’ve met along the way, as well as those we’ve learned from Jo Beth herself. Before long, we’ll slip the lines and do some sailing. So keep reading. Sailing is an endeavor of patience. I promise it will be entertaining. There’ll even be pictures – maybe a video too!

On a somber note, today is the 17th anniversary of the landfall of hurricane Andrew in Miami, Florida. For the first and hopefully only time in our lives, my wife and I became homeless overnight along with hundreds of thousands of others. It's an experience we will never forget.

Ah, summer on the Georgia coast...

A time of blistering heat, drowning humidity and minimal winds.

Not the best time to spend on a sailing yacht. We haven't been to the boat in several weeks due to the demands of making a living in the modern world, but thought we'd give it a go this past weekend; continue some maintenance projects and even slip the lines for a short cruise.

It was not to be.

At 96 degrees and 84% humidity - and that was at 10pm, Friday night - we had a change of heart. Our small portable air conditioning unit had been pumping it's little heart out for nearly 12 hours and the cabin temperature was now down to the upper '80's. Staying adequately hydrated was a challenge. By around 4am, the temperature was finally down into the lower '80's and we managed one or two hours of sleep.

How did we do this so often on our other, smaller boat, with no air conditioning, sometimes for days and nights at a time? Well, for one thing, we were twenty some-odd years younger. For another, we were skinnier and healthier. For the first time in my life I thought "I'm getting too old for this you-know-what" and meant it. I mean, I really meant it.

Our weekend on the boat was quickly abandoned for real air conditioning and a more soothing environment for our middle-aged bods. We've decided that, in the summer months, we'll more than likely day-sail; short cruises around Brunswick Harbor and St. Simons Sound. If we can time it with the arrival of a mild cool front, we may just attempt an overnight sail to somewhere. Otherwise, the overnight and longer trips will have to wait for the cooler times of year.

Stay tuned; we'll have her underway shortly - and at least through September, we'll be back by dark.

A quiet time on the waterfront...

"Jo Beth" has served us more as a floating hotel and office than an ocean voyaging yacht for the past several weeks. And for the next two or three weeks, that's not going to change.

Most of you know that I earn my living as a marine surveyor. I also work as a photographer and do some writing; hobbies that have some small income earning potential. However, my primary income is from marine surveying. That means day in and day out, I'm dealing with boats of all sorts, owners and crews of all sorts, and boat related problems of all sorts.

It also means that my good fortune is born of the misfortunes of others. When bad things happen to good yachtsmen and women, and they're insured by one of the insurance companies that use my services, it's a good day for me. For example, there's the couple who had a sudden engine fire aboard their motor yacht while underway in the Intracoastal Waterway near Fernandina Beach, Florida; there's the father and son returning to New England from the Bahamas, caught in an Atlantic storm east of Savannah, resulting in substantial damage to the rigging and sails of their 60' sailing yacht. Those are just a couple of the cases I'm working now. Memorial day is coming, and these summer holidays are always good for business. Inexperienced people are out on the water, running into things and each other. I love it, I have to say.

Having said that, here's a simple fact: if you own a boat, and see me coming, it generally means you've had a bad day aboard.

It also means my time aboard "Jo Beth" is limited. When you're self-employed, if you don't work, you don't get paid. There are no sick or personal days either. As much as I would love to be beam-reaching outbound in St. Simons Channel this weekend, sails full and drawing, I can't be.

We're hoping to escape for a few days over Memorial day. Until then, things are going to be a bit quiet.

A little bit more about "Jo Beth"...

It's an unfortunate fact that I have to report we haven't done any sailing, continued work on our on-board maintenance, or done anything connected with "Jo Beth" since last week. Perhaps unfortunate is not the best choice of words here; the reason we haven't gone sailing or continued with our work projects is that I've gotten quite busy with new work of the income generating kind.

Since I'm self-employed, being busy isn't really unfortunate; its merely another case of "life-interruptus." So, I thought I'd take the chance to say a little bit more about our plans with "Jo Beth" and introduce a couple of friends of ours.



"Jo Beth's" main saloon.













"Jo Beth's" galley.




From the time we met in Darien, Georgia way back in 1986, Lisa and I have shared a dream of voyaging the oceans aboard a small sailing yacht. It is a dream fueled by the tales and adventures of others that have gone before us; Eric and Susan Hiscock aboard many different boats named "Wanderer"; Hal and Margaret Roth aboard "Whisper"; Miles and Beryl Smeeton aboard "Tzu Hang"; and James Baldwin and Mei Huang, aboard "Atom", whom I'll introduce in a moment. "Jo Beth" is the yacht, the conveyance, that can make this dream a reality. She is designed and built to cross oceans. She's already made at least two round trip crossings of the Atlantic and numerous trips between United States and the Virgin Islands with her previous owner. We have every reason to believe she will take us at least that far, and much further if we play our cards right.








"Jo Beth" at Brunswick Landing Marina."



Where exactly do we want to go with "Jo Beth"? That's still up for discussion.

Thirty years ago, I was hell bent on sailing around the world. Some ten years later, when Lisa and I met and married, she shared the same dream with the same fervor. However, age has mellowed and softened me somewhat. Now, I mostly want to sail and I don't really care where. I want to go as long as it is fun. If that means venturing no more than a few hundred miles to the Bahamas, fine. If it means crossing the Atlantic, fine. If it means circling the globe, fantastic! But what if it means never leaving sight of the Georgia coast? Well...I hope that's not the case, but if it is, fine. As long as it's fun, I'm good.

We first met James Baldwin and his wife Mei Huang when we arrived at Brunswick Landing Marina back in 2003 while sailing north with "Jo Beth" from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Over the years, they've become good friends, and have lived (and are living) the life Lisa and I say we want. James has circled the globe twice on his 28' Pearson Triton sailboat named "Atom." Mei has sailed on many trips between the United States and the Caribbean and has crossed the Atlantic by small boat with James. James met Mei during his second global circumnavigation while he was working at the Hans Christian Yachts facility in Taiwan.







James Baldwin and Mei Huang.




James and Mei are now based in Brunswick and operate a business outfitting small sailing yachts for ocean voyaging, as well as general small sailing yacht repair and refurbishing. James regularly writes for many sailing magazines. You can read more about them and their voyaging adventures at their website.

James has done quite a bit of work for us aboard "Jo Beth" from electrical system upgrades to rigging and line maintenance and repair, to some structural modifications and cosmetic repair. His experience and knowledge gained over thousands of miles and days at sea are an invaluable resource.

Lisa and I are hopeful to get underway on a few trips before the summer heat and calms set in. When we do, I'll be sure to tell you about it.

The Yacht "Jo Beth"...

Welcome to "Jo Beth's" Blog!

My name is Bill Ballard. My wife Lisa and I own the yacht "Jo Beth". She has been a part of our lives since September, 2003.

Who is "Jo Beth"? The answer to that question must be given in two-parts.


"Jo Beth" the person was a very important woman in my life, as well as Lisa's. She was the matriarch of a wonderful family that I've known since my high-school days while growing up in a small town in central Georgia. This magnificent woman informally adopted me (along with one or two other "strays," as some of us were), welcoming us into her home and her family. In every way, she was my second mother. Sadly, she has passed away. However, the impression she left upon both me and Lisa has been a guiding light in our lives ever since.


"Jo Beth" the yacht is a 1984 Pacific Seacraft Crealock 34 ocean voyaging sailing boat. She was built in 1984 by Pacific Seacraft Yachts in California. They are now based in Washington, North Carolina, and continue to produce fine ocean cruising yachts. "Jo Beth" is literally our dreamboat. Pacific Seacraft yachts can be found in harbors the world over. You can visit the Pacific Seacraft website here.

Lisa and I are both avid sailors. We met in 1986 at a small marina in Darien, Georgia, just north of St. Simons Island. This was where I kept my first boat, a small 19' cruiser. The owner of the marina, who also ran a sailing school there, claims to this day to have "arranged" our meeting. No matter; we were married less than a year later and sailed together on that little boat for years to come.

"Jo Beth" is 34 feet from bow to stern, 10 feet wide, and needs at least five feet of water in which to float safely. She is rigged as a cutter, meaning she carries two headsails and one mainsail. An auxiliary diesel engine, rated at 30hp, is also installed so we can move when the wind isn't blowing or isn't favorable. The Crealock 34 is the perfect boat for a voyaging couple, carrying 70 gallons of fresh water in two tanks, along with 30 gallons of diesel fuel. She is fitted with a private toilet, full galley, and comfortable main and forward cabins finished in teak.


"Jo Beth" currently lives at Brunswick Landing Marina, in Brunswick, Georgia. This is a fantastic facility for the small cruising yacht; it is fairly well sheltered from storms and is close to a significant Georgia port, the Port of Brunswick. This means easy and reasonably fast deep water access to the ocean, which translates into good sailing. There are fantastic local restaurants in the revitalized downtown area and numerous grocery stores, hardware stores, and marine chandlers close by. The marina facilities themselves are nice and efficient, with fuel, water, and waste pump out services available.

The one downside to "Jo Beth" being in Brunswick is that we live in Savannah. From our home to the marina is an hour and fifteen minutes drive. "Jo Beth" was docked at Isle of Hope Marina on the Skidaway River just southeast of Savannah, (a beautiful marina with wonderful people!), for many years but we were frustrated by the distance of the marina from the open sea and by being limited to river sailing. Plus, the currents in the Skidaway river made docking a real challenge. We decided to move "Jo Beth" to Brunswick Landing Marina over New Year's 2008/2009. The driving downside is offset by the fact we can now get offshore and into the open Atlantic much faster and easier.


Cattle Pen Creek, our anchorage on New Year's Eve during our move to Brunswick Landing Marina.



So...where are we now and what are we doing?

You can click here to see our current location.

"Jo Beth" has been in Brunswick since January and due to several episodes of "life-interruptus" we've fallen behind in her maintenance and in our sailing. We are now, hopefully, getting back on schedule and once a few maintenance projects are brought current, we'll get the waves moving beneath her keel once again.