The first sign was not a bang. It was silence. We were three days out of Sandusky, Ohio, after four weeks of travel from New London, Connecticut. We had come up the Hudson River, worked our way through the Erie Canal, and started west across Lake Erie. The boat had carried us through locks, rivers, long days, early mornings, and the kind of weather that makes every mile feel earned. Then one of our Ford Lehman diesel engines died. I restarted it. It ran for a moment, then die

We finally completed our much anticpated relocation trip from New London CT to Sandusky OH. It was a long but exciting trip where we stated in the Salt Water of Long Island Sound, went around Manhattan and expereinced the thrill of Hell Gate, went up the wonderful Hudson River, thru the entire Erie Canal and braved the weather of Lake Erie. Thanks to Claude AI, here is a nice summary: Trip Summary

Finally we have a plan for relocation. Of course like any plan, it will Change on day 1 https://drive.google.com/file/d/11O-deznrjfD1sFoasMWXlq9C-8oTt649/view?usp=drivesdk

Managing a large list of improvements for a project like Liberty 2, our DeFever 43, can quickly become overwhelming. Without a clear system, important tasks may get lost, deadlines missed, and progress slowed. This post offers practical strategies to help you organize, prioritize, and track your improvement list efficiently, so your project moves forward smoothly and effectively. Organizing improvement tasks for DeFever 43 project Break Down the List Into Categories A long li

It will finally be time this "summer" to move Liberty 2 from New London CT to Sandusky OH. Our original plan was to do this in 2024, but that didn't happen. In 2024 that was our decision. In 2025, it was a delay was the yard getting around to swapping our engines. Now in 2026, it is finally happening. So how are we planning the move. From a tool perspective, I have several including: Argo Nav , Navionics and Aquamap as my primary. When I first started, Navionics was t

The Great Loop is one of the most remarkable boating adventures in the United States. It offers a unique way to explore the country by water, connecting a vast network of rivers, lakes, and coastal waterways. For boaters and adventure seekers, this journey provides a blend of natural beauty, historic towns, and vibrant communities. Whether you are an experienced mariner or a curious traveler, the Great Loop promises an unforgettable experience filled with discovery and challe

I was recently at the AGLCA rendezvous when a fellow DeFever owner said to me, “Since you are so good at finding things, can you help me find a stabilizer fin?” That comment immediately made me think two things: Do I know of any stabilizer fins (I don’t), and Am I a scrounger? I thought this would make a fun article, so here it is. Let me know if you think the label fits! My Boat Acquisitions We have owned five boats, not including our dinghies. My first two were sailboats, a