We've been having some fun reminiscing lately about our time spent at Catalina Island.  Keith has been working on a presentation for the Boulder Sail and Power Squadron, kind of tourist demo as they are going to put together a rendezvous this summer.  I think Keith kicked off the idea when he told the group we were planning a trip down there.  We had actually hoped to do it last year but decided there were too many high priority boat projects to feel comfortable taking that trip yet.  This is one of the reasons Keith is heading out so early, to get a jump on the list so she will be ship shape for the long haul.  Anyway, with Keith going through all of our old photos from the 90's plus our last trip with our family and the Hansen's in 07...well, we are ready to go again on Steadfast.   I guess you could say we are jones'n.

I can't believe the first of the year has rolled around and now all of a sudden I feel this pressure about what we are doing with the boat, the projects and which to prioritize, when to move it to the work yard, when Keith should head out there, when to start looking for a renter for our home, etc. etc.  Tentatively we are thinking of using Spring Break to go out there and then Keith can stay and continue to work through the fix list... but then I have a fair bit of guilt as a parent.   I mean how boring can your Spring Break get? Working on a boat wouldn't top my list as a kid.  Trying to figure out t Ugh!  

So in December I finally received our tax bill for the boat purchase.  It was kind of depressing, I had anticipated between 7% and 8% but the actual bill was for 9 1/2%!  When you buy a candy bar that isn't so painful but for a large boat purchase...ugh!  Did a little research though and found that we were being charged the tax rate for Santa Cruz which is where the boat is registered as a documented vessel but in actuality the boat resides a longer duration in Napa at the Napa Valley Marina...and their tax rate is cheaper.  It doesn't include the tacked on school and library and whatever else Santa Cruz County voters have approved.  I spoke with the tax man, quite an adventure getting to the right person through their menu tree, reminiscent of an episode I once watched of Married with Children.  He was very nice and agreed that we could use the Napa tax rate...so saved myself a few hundred dollars there, maybe enough to pay for a new thru hull or two. ;)