{"id":41,"date":"2016-05-25T14:55:03","date_gmt":"2016-05-25T14:55:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sailritemoc.wordpress.com\/?p=41"},"modified":"2023-02-03T14:11:31","modified_gmt":"2023-02-03T19:11:31","slug":"sailing-sewing-coconuts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.sailrite.com\/meet-our-customers\/marine\/sailing-sewing-coconuts\/","title":{"rendered":"Sailing & Sewing Where the Coconuts Grow"},"content":{"rendered":"

Meet Jody and Peter, the sailing couple behind the blog \u201cWhere the Coconuts Grow.\u201d This determined couple set their sights on the liveaboard sailing life and didn\u2019t look back. They\u2019ve been cruising in the Caribbean for the past two years on board S\/V Mary Christine. To continue their sailing lifestyle, they\u2019ve embraced a \u201cwork hard, play hard\u201d mentality, which includes long hours at their island job and DIY projects to affordably maintain their own boat with the freedom of the sailing life as the ultimate payoff. Sailrite is a sponsor of their DIY projects, and I recently had the opportunity to ask Jody a few questions about the cruising and DIY lifestyle.<\/p>\n

\"WTCG-Collage\"
Clockwise from top left:<\/strong> Jody and Peter; s\/v Mary Christine with sails flying; s\/v Mary Christine sail packs;\u00a0Betsy, Peter & Jody\u2019s sailing pup, approves of the new cushions<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Q: Tell us a little bit about you! How did you start sailing? How did you decide to cruise in the Caribbean?<\/b><\/p>\n

A: I\u2019m originally from the Seattle area (Jody), and Peter is from San Diego. We both had boating experience since we were little but neither of us knew how to sail before we bought our boat! Peter knew one day he would buy a sailboat to economically get to all the epic surf spots and fishing grounds. We originally looked for a boat on the West Coast but found better options on the East Coast. The boat we purchased was in Florida so the Caribbean was the natural route to begin our cruising. We are SO glad it ended up that way instead of the Pacific side as our training grounds.<\/p>\n

Q: Tell us about your sailboat, S\/V Mary Christine.<\/b><\/p>\n

A: Our boat is a Whitby 42 \u2013 A 42\u2032 bluewater ketch. She was built in 1980 and is very solid. The previous owners took impeccable care of her and we are lucky to have such a perfect tiny floating home. With the age comes character. There is a lot of interior teak but that also darkens the space very quickly. My settee cushion project and throw pillow project both immediately lightened up the space and made it feel even more cozy inside. I love that our boat feels like home and not just a boat.<\/p>\n

Q: What is your favorite part of your cruising lifestyle?<\/b><\/p>\n

A: I love the freedom the most. We have the freedom to pick up and move anytime we want, bringing our tiny floating home and all of our belongings with us. We can travel, see the world and never get homesick all at the same time.<\/p>\n

Q: Why do you think DIY skills are important for cruisers?<\/b><\/p>\n

A: When you travel to remote places, boat parts and repair facilities are few and far between. Even if you don\u2019t know how to fix something, you figure it out. A little common sense and motivation go a long way on the water. DIY skills are also very rewarding. Before we became cruisers, our DIY skills were nowhere near what they are today simply because they didn\u2019t need to be. Now, we look at all thethings we have done by ourselves and they are all huge accomplishments. That makes you feel pretty proud.<\/p>\n

\"Where-the-Coconuts-Grow_4\"
Jody\u2019s new settee cushions<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Q: How did you first hear about Sailrite?<\/b><\/p>\n

A: A few of my cruising friends have used Sailrite machines and they were always highly recommended. I did my research and decided to not waste my time with a cheaper machine that would inevitably break down or not hold up to the marine environment. My primary motive was to be able to do sail repairs if necessary with the versatility to sew other projects and the general consensus was that Sailrite is the best. I can proudly agree now!<\/p>\n

Q: What advice do you have for other sailors thinking about sewing for their boats?<\/b><\/p>\n

A: Don\u2019t be intimidated!! The Sailrite videos<\/a><\/strong><\/span> make anything possible. If you have a question about any part of the process, the Sailrite customer service is beyond exceptional and they will help you figure anything out. Take on any projects you are considering and you\u2019ll wonder why you didn\u2019t do them sooner.<\/p>\n

Q: Do you have any DIY projects on the horizon?<\/b><\/p>\n

A: My list of projects I\u2019d like to start is ever-growing. As soon as I have a few more days off, I\u2019m going to finally tackle repairing the aft isinglass panel of my cockpit. The zipper has been disintegrated by UV exposure and we can\u2019t keep the rain out. I\u2019ve got the supplies, now I just need to plan my first steps. I\u2019m so happy I don\u2019t have to pay hundreds of dollars for someone else to do it!<\/p>\n

Q: Where are you sailing now?<\/b><\/p>\n

A: We are currently in the British Virgin Islands working full-time as Captain and First Mate on a 48\u2032 Day Sail Catamaran. The Virgin Islands are some of our favorite sailing grounds of the entire Eastern Caribbean. Someday, we\u2019ll sail west to Central America and onto the South Pacific, but as they say, plans are drawn in the sand! Wherever we end up, we\u2019ll always be Where The Coconuts Grow!<\/p>\n

You can follow Jody and Peter\u2019s sailing adventures on their blog, Where the Coconuts Grow<\/a> as well as on Facebook and Instagram!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Who We Are<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n

Sailrite is your one-stop DIY shop! We are a passionate crew of do-it-yourselfers who strive to equip you with the supplies and how-to knowledge you need to tackle your next project. Do you want to learn upholstery, leatherwork, canvaswork, hobby sewing, bag making or more? We have the fabric, tools, hardware, sewing machines and notions you need to master any DIY. And even if you’ve never sewn before, our tutorials and how-to videos are designed for beginners and experienced crafters alike.<\/span><\/p>\n

Start your DIY journey today: www.sailrite.com<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Meet Jody and Peter, the sailing couple behind the blog \u201cWhere the Coconuts Grow.\u201d This determined couple set their sights on the liveaboard sailing life and didn\u2019t look back. They\u2019ve been cruising in the Caribbean for the past two years on board S\/V Mary Christine. To continue their sailing lifestyle, they\u2019ve embraced a \u201cwork hard, … Continue reading Sailing & Sewing Where the Coconuts Grow<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":43,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[2],"tags":[27,22,26,28,19,37,70],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/blog.sailrite.com\/meet-our-customers\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/where-the-coconuts-grow_3.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/padSoq-F","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1880,"url":"https:\/\/blog.sailrite.com\/meet-our-customers\/marine\/boat-bengal-andrew-jazz-captain\/","url_meta":{"origin":41,"position":0},"title":"Boat Bengal: Andrew, Jazz & Captain","date":"December 7, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"We all love our pets, and we often wish we could take them everywhere. 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