Okay, so fast forward a few months to November. So much has been happening we haven't had a chance to update our blog. In a nutshell, we sold our house in Ashburn in July. After searching the country and the BVI for a desirable Island Packet 420 we decided on a freshwater boat located in Racine Wi. and had her trucked to Oxford Boat Yard where she arrived just after Labor Day. This is where Maris redid our new Amekaya's bottom and refinished the teak with the help of his son Justin. After many, many hours of hard labor she looks gorgeous! This boat came with standard IP furnishings plus bow thruster, an AC unit with reverse cycle heat, a folding prop, a chart plotter and sonar. She also had a hard dodger with one solar panel. Wind and depth instruments, auto helm, canvas and even a deck wash were non-existent. We had our work cut out. We added a generator, auto helm, all new electronics, new replacement batteries plus added 2 new batteries, 4 more solar panels, wind generator, Kato arch, dinghy and motor, LED lights among many other goodies and creature comforts to help make Amekaya a  safe and comfortable home. And all this done in two and half months! Er, not quite done yet. Our mast was set today but the rigging is not completed. Electrical work is still wrapping up. Engine needs 1000 mile service. Then we'll take her on a sea trial and calibrate her instruments. Here's a link to see general information about our Island Packet 420 http://iphomeport.com/forum/model_info.php?ip_model=IP420

There is still so much work to do before we can head South! Oh did I mention we are racing against the cold weather we know will settle in soon. When she is ready we'll move in; hopefully this weekend. That may be optimistic. Once we move in then we can winterize our IP380 that we're currently living in. Our 380 will be put on the hard where soon some good sailor will buy her and take as good care of her as we have. Then we'll need to take care of some loose ends, provision and we'll be out of here!