Stuart Interlude: When Home Moves With You

Our stay in Stuart turned into a holding pattern we hadn’t planned—but quickly learned to appreciate. We scheduled our haul-out for a few weeks later than expected when the marina couldn’t take us right away due to maintenance in Ft Pierce. Boats, like life, rarely follow the calendar you carefully create.

Before we could pivot to land life, though, we tackled a round of boat chores. And while there were many things on the list, my happiest moment came with a bottle of cleaner, a rag, and pure determination.

I finally removed the awful glue left behind by the guy who installed our lettering.

Before

 

After

If you’ve never tried to remove sticky residue from a boat that has just traveled from Ft. Myers to Stuart, let me tell you—every no-see-um between those two points apparently found it irresistible. The glue had turned into a bug magnet of epic proportions. But after some elbow grease and a small victory dance, it was gone. And honestly? I think it turned out great.

With the chores handled, I pivoted fast. Within hours, I’d found an Airbnb that could accommodate our family, rented a car, and off to Jacksonville we went—temporarily trading life afloat for land life.

I thought I’d savor the luxury. And for one glorious night, I did. The hot, long shower felt downright decadent. But beyond that? I realized something surprising.

I missed the boat.

Now, the Airbnb had its charms—especially the sweet stray cats living nearby. According to the documentation I found on day three, we were absolutely not to feed them. And of course, I didn’t. But if some food accidentally fell from a bag onto a plate, sprouted legs, and walked out to the back porch… well, that wasn’t me. 😇

Still, aside from cats and plumbing, boat life had already claimed my heart.

What made the detour worthwhile was family. This was the first year we spent Christmas with my husband’s side of the family, and it was truly special. We ate far too much food, laughed constantly, and played Pegs and Jokers for days (does anyone else know this game?). Even better, my eldest son made it over on Christmas Day, turning a wonderful visit into something precious.

Eventually, it was time to head back to Stuart—and back to Plot Twist. I didn’t feel rushed. We’ve been aboard for a few months now, and without a fur baby waiting on the dock, I wasn’t in a hurry. That changed the moment I saw her.

There she was—swinging gently on the water, the sun setting behind her, lines creaking softly in the breeze. In that moment, it hit me: she is home. Our big girl welcomed us back with a gentle sway and cool air drifting through the cabin. I wasn’t returning to the boat. I was coming home.

Of course, because Plot Twist never misses a beat, we’re expecting another blow tomorrow. Which means no easing back into routine. Instead, we’re deep into haul-out prep.

The lists are growing. The parts are being ordered. And our original timeline? Adorable.

We thought we’d be on the hard for a week.

(Cue evil laughter.)

Here’s what we’re planning to tackle during haul-out:

• Install a new anchor

• Count chain links

• Pull the shaft and convert to dripless

• Replace cutless bearings and engine mounts

• Give the generator some overdue attention

• Order and install solar panels

• Order and install a watermaker

• Bottom paint job.

Every day in dry storage comes with a price tag—and it isn’t cheap—so efficiency suddenly matters a whole lot. How long will it really take? That’s anyone’s guess.

So comment with a guess below. We can all laugh together when it is all said and done.

But this is life aboard Plot Twist: unpredictable, exhausting, deeply rewarding, and never dull. The next chapter involves jack stands, to-do lists, and learning curves—but we wouldn’t trade it for anything.

Stay tuned. ⚓️