Everything Started Breaking... Welcome to Our Shakedown Cruise
We knew the first few months after leaving the boatyard would be a shakedown cruise.
After rebuilding nearly every major system aboard ROAM over the last two years, we fully expected to find bugs, experience a little "infant mortality" with new components, and spend time fine-tuning everything we'd installed.
What we didn't expect... was quite this many problems, quite this quickly.
In this episode, we're temporarily calling Cambridge, Maryland home while we work through a growing punch list of repairs and adjustments before continuing south.
So far we've dealt with:
⚓ A failed bilge pump
🧺 A washing machine discharge pump that quit working
🔧 A leaking oil cooler on our starboard engine that mixed engine oil with the coolant
Each repair has had its own challenges.
Replacing the washing machine pump turned into a surprisingly complicated project thanks to the machine's European voltage and the difficulty of sourcing the correct replacement. Even after the new pump arrived and was installed, another leak led us to discover a damaged discharge hose that also needed replacing.
Fortunately, the failed bilge pump is covered under warranty. While we wait for the replacement, we were able to swap in one of the identical pumps we'd already installed for another system, getting us safely back in business.
The biggest challenge, however, has been our starboard engine.
After discovering a failed oil cooler, Shawn spent days flushing contaminated coolant and cleaning the engine so we could safely operate it again. Sourcing the replacement cooler became its own adventure. The genuine Yanmar part carried an eye-watering price tag, while an identical industrial version had to be sourced overseas from Turkey.
Until it arrives, we've come up with a temporary solution that lets us safely maneuver the boat at low power. It's not ideal, but it'll get us where we need to go.
Thankfully, Cambridge has turned out to be a great place to tackle these unexpected projects. We have easy access to parts stores, hardware stores, and everything else needed to keep the repairs moving. Even better, we have good friends nearby who have helped make the delays a lot more enjoyable.
When we're not turning wrenches, we're taking time to explore this historic Chesapeake town. Cambridge is rich in Colonial and Civil War history and is famously the birthplace of Harriet Tubman, whose incredible legacy is woven throughout this region and the story of the Underground Railroad.
This is exactly what a shakedown cruise is for. Every repair, every adjustment, and every lesson learned makes ROAM a little more ready for the adventures ahead.
The destination can wait.
Right now, we're focused on building confidence in the boat—and ourselves—one repair at a time.
⛵ The refit may be over, but the learning never stops.
00:00 Intro
00:22 Channel intro
00:34 Where are we?
01:30 Oil Cooler
04:03 Cambridge on the land
09:23 Bilge Pump
11:36 Cambridge on the water
15:30 Washing Machine
17:38 Wrap up
19:16 Like and Subscribe
19:40 End Card
☝More about us, our adventures, and how we do all this on our website.More about Roam here
⛵️https://sailingroam.com/our-sailboat/
📲 Keep up with us on social
FACEBOOK: https://facebook.com/sgsailingroam
INSTAGRAM: https://instagram.com/sailing_roam
-----------------------------------------------------------
WE'RE GERI AND SHAWN. A couple travelers out chasing the horizon, meeting the people, and capturing it to share with you.
We’ve chosen to Roam the world by boat because, let’s face it, the most interesting path is rarely a straight line.
As we learn to let go of our American drive to finish, and embrace the meandering routes across islands, oceans, continents, and people, we hope to gain a better sense of our world and our place in it.
The path won’t always be comfortable or easy to find but, it will always #roam
#Sailing #Catamaran #ShakedownCruise #BoatRepairs #Yanmar #MarineDiesel #Liveaboard #BoatLife #DIYBoat #SailboatRefit #CruisingLife #ChesapeakeBay #CambridgeMD
Sailing Roam
👋 Hi, we’re Geri 👩🏻⚕️(a retired nurse) and Shawn 🤓 (a not retired technologist). We’ve gone on the greatest adventure of our lives instead of living the comfortable and predictable suburban world we left behind. Living aboard Roam, our cruising catamaran, we explore and immerse ourselves in new cultures, do boat repairs in exotic places, and get up to all kinds of shenanigans. Roam isn’t just the name of our boat, it’s kind of a philosophy. We’re not taking the shortest routes or using a formula to sail around the world. We’re not in a hurry either. We’re meeting the people, seeing the places and getting distracted by things we find interesting along the way. We’re unconventional and we’re living the best life we can imagine! Join us as we turn our 11-year old catamaran into our perfect adventure platform and see what’s over the next horizon. We can’t wait to meet you wherever you are! Clamptite Tools link: https://clamptitetools.com/?sld=syroam 10% discount: gerischaffer10
Channel Information:
Social Media Links:
Support Sailing Roam
At WeBoating.com, we profoundly acknowledge the unwavering dedication that Sailing Roam and other creators invests in crafting each and every video. Their passion for delivering exceptional content shines through every frame, and it's a labor of love that deserves your attention.
We invite you to watch their captivating videos and actively engage with their content, including their social media links above. Liking, commenting, and sharing their work goes a long way in fueling their creative fire.
We're also inviting you to explore any sponsorships and partnerships highlighted in the "Everything Started Breaking... Welcome to Our Shakedown Cruise" video description, or directly on YouTube. By considering their offerings or purchasing services and items, you not only support Sailing Roam but also the brands and collaborators they're associated with.
If you have any feedback, corrections, or additional information about Sailing Roam or their videos, please use the comment form below to share your thoughts with us.
Thank you for being a part of our community and supporting the creators we cherish. Your time and support truly matter!
Sailing Roam Lastest Videos
Everything Started Breaking… Welcome to Our Shakedown Cruise
We knew the first few months after leaving the boatyard would be a shakedown cruise. After rebuilding nearly every major system aboard ROAM over the last two years, we fully expected to find bugs, experience a little "infant mortality" with new components...
We Finally Left the Boatyard… Here’s What 2 Years Taught Us. Ep. 73
After two years on the hard, countless projects, and more than a few unexpected setbacks, ROAM finally leaves the boatyard. This is the moment we've been working toward since the day we hauled out what we thought would be a simple six-month refit. Two yea...
2 Years Later… ROAM Is Finally Back in the Water Ep. 72 #sailboatrefit
Two years ago, we hauled ROAM out of the water expecting a six-month refit. This week, we finally put her back where she belongs. Getting to splash day wasn't nearly as straightforward as we'd hoped. In fact, we were supposed to relaunch two weeks earlier...
We Built Our Own Lithium Battery Bank (And It Was Way Harder Than Expected) Ep.71 #sailboatrefit
After years of planning, researching, sourcing parts, and redesigning, we're finally building one of the most important systems on ROAM: our DIY lithium house battery bank. Instead of purchasing pre-packaged marine batteries, we imported individual 2.3-vo...
3450W of Solar Power on Our Off-Grid Catamaran Episode 70 #sailboatrefit
After two years of planning, fabricating, redesigning, and chasing down welders, our sailboat finally has a massive new solar arch—and we couldn’t be happier with how it turned out. In this episode of our catamaran refit, we install a custom stainless...