...boldly going where Columbus has gone before.
About Calico Jack
Calico Jack is a Caribbean 35 sloop rigged sailboat designed by Sparkman & Stephens and built by Chris Craft in a Taiwanese boatyard. She's beamy at 11' across, with a full keel drawing 5'. Built in 1972, before they knew how strong fiberglass was, the hull is very thick and heavy duty (recently our carpenter told us that we should be very careful of hitting the reef... we might damage the reef!). For a 35-footer, she has plenty of space with two staterooms, 2 heads (each with its own shower), a spacious main cabin, a centre cockpit... For you landlubbers, that translates into prime real estate: a 2-bedroom, 2-bath on the water with a spacious patio and a big-ass swimming pool!
CJ was in need of a lot of love when we got her. She was purchased in St. Pete, FL, but had spent many years neglected in San Andres (off the coast of Nicaragua). It was a divorce sale, and a story worthy of a whole webpage alone -or an entire episode of Jerry Springer.
Since her purchase in 2003, we've been giving the boat a complete makeover. We started with a new engine, water system, fuel system and a complete electrical overhaul. And that's just what's in the bilge!
The living area has seen many changes, too. We've converted the old icebox into a huge refrigerator, added a salt water pump & tap (for washing -rinse with fresh), hot and cold running fresh water, installed new toilets & showers, new lights and fans.... carpeting, curtains & blinds... The custom designed bookcase you see is mounted where a second door to the forward head used to exist.
Up top, approximately 18 square feet of deck rot has been replaced, vents removed and opening hatches installed. On the bow, we built an anchor pulpit & windlass. On the stern, a custom made seat that extends over the water an extra 18" makes for a roomier deck area. A big addition was the radar arch, which accommodates our wind generator, solar panel and speakers. This was a very lucky acquisition. It was custom made for a boat that sank and the owner decided to write it off. It was salvaged and fits our boat like a glove. We love it because it solved a lot our space management problems and it suits the classic look of the boat.
Other topside improvements include:
-cushions and canvas: lazy jack sail cover, bimini, sunshades and rain catcher
-woodwork fabrication: electronics console, cockpit table and floorboards
And of course, several coats of wood treatment, paint and nonskid.
We kick ourselves for not taking many "before" photos since she's certainly a far cry from where she was when we moved aboard. Our lighting was provided by work lights powered by the extension cords we had running all over the place -a veritable construction zone! We had no 12V power at all, no toilets, and no refrigeration. Sure we had running water -that would be US running back and forth from the tap with cranberry juice jugs! However, we want for nothing now, and she truly feels like ours. The biggest compliment we get is how homey she feels -or when a friend uses our settee as a template for their own!
We wonder if other die hard Caribbean 35 owners would be outraged at how much we've modified CJ. It would be a small club since she's such a rare boat -Chris Craft specializes mostly in power boats. We're curious about how many others are out there.
Regardless, she's no ordinary cruising vessel anyway for she is also fully stocked with the tools of our trades! Salvage equipment: lift bags, dive gear, water pump, air compressor... Sewing equipment: machine, portable generator, fabric, hardware and tools... We're set to extend our vacations by earning some cash along the way.
More recently, we had the pleasure of having a custom crafted teak pilothouse built in Cartagena, Colombia. It cost us part of our trip both financially and timewise (10 weeks!) but it was well worth it. It was constructed using mostly handtools and a good eye. We used tinted plexi on all windows except for the forward one, a compromise between the greenhouse and being able to see at night. The clear window opens up completely for great ventilation at anchor.
We're very pleased with it. It would have been difficult to find someone here in the US to construct it and the price was unbeatable. We were very grateful to have it on the return portion of the trip!
If you're interested in seeing the process, visit the Caribbean 2007 page and view the "Cartagena" photo album.
Since returning home in December 2007, we've been gradually working at refitting the boat again for our next trip. Getting out there and "doing it" forced us to address some problems, especially in terms of energy consumption. As a result, we've added a second wind generator, revamped our solar panels and completely rebuilt our refrigeration system (again!). The fridge was our biggest power drain. We also plan to have the battery bank replaced before we take off again.
Other acquisitions include a completely new anchor system, a better autopilot and a radar. On a recent visit to the yard, the hull was sanded down to the barrier coat and repainted, as was all the woodwork inside the boat. Canvas jobs like sunshades, a new stack pack, a full enclosure and cushions will also happen before we leave again.
Calico Jack at Boca Grande, Florida, Summer 2006
Dolled up for the Christmas Lighted Boat Parade
Her first haulout in January 2004. She's a lot of boat below the waterline!
Curacao, Netherland Antilles, Fall 2007
Photo Gallery:
Our next adventure will take us through the Panama Canal, the Galapagos Islands, the South Pacific, Australia and eventually all the way around. The goal was to have the boat and the bank account ready to go within three years, however, things are progressing more quickly than we anticipated and we're discussing leaving earlier! Yay! It's too soon to say for sure, but the prospect is exciting nonetheless. We'll keep you posted!
Tucked up at home, Oceanside Marina, Key West, Florida, Spring 2009
