MATSU is on the move

After too many attempts to count we finally secured a spot at the Embarcadero in Newport, Oregon.  We get to move the boat to her new slip around the beginning of November.  In all the excitement we asked if we could use the facilities before the boat arrives.  They said yes! and we have already been using the pool and yes the HOT showers.  The girls are already talking about how much they will love staying on the boat at the Embarcadero.  We have the slip until September 2011.  We are planning on moving MATSU to the San Juan Islands around April 2010 or May 2010 when the weather and winds are just right, but if the girls aren't ready then we may need to delay things a bit. 

Yah! we have found a Dinghy

Well after an endless search for the perfect dinghy ... Jeremy is finally satisfied with a Zodiac type that has a raised hard floor and an 8 horse power motor.  He already has plans to add a fish finder on it and he wished that he had it on the boat this last weekend so we could of done some fishing up river.  But there was no room this time in the van to get it to the boat so we hope to have room in the next trip.  We are so excited to get it to the boat and start using it.  

We are so amazed that everything is coming together so smoothly!
-The Buhrs

The start of our next adventure ...

Well were to begin? 
Several years ago Jeremy went on a weekend sailing trip around the San Juan Islands area with my dad, brother and a family friend.  He loved it and could not stop thinking about how much he enjoyed sailing and what it had to offer us as a family.  So we started researching sailboats.  We were feeling a little overwhelmed.  Well I should say that Jeremy was feeling overwhelmed that all the sailboats that we loved as a family were 40+ feet long :)  That is alot of boat for new sailors with no experience.  So we settled on the idea that we would get a smaller trailer able sailboat to take to the lakes in our area and give it a try before we upgraded to a live aboard sailboat.  We found a 24' Balboa sailboat with trailer in Ashland, Oregon in July 2010.  Jeremy immediately called up the family friend that he had sailed with before and asked if he would come down and help take the sailboat out on the lake for its 1st time with its new owners.  He said yes and they were off to the lake.  They had a fun weekend making sure everything was in order and testing her out.  We then went as a family for a long weekend in July 2010.  We had a wonderful time despite the record breaking heat wave that came through.  We sailed around the lake in 90+ degree heat with no clouds and no shade.  The girls swam in the water every chance they could get.  Finally after 4 days straight in the direct sun light we had to call it quits for fear of heat stroke or severe sun burn.
During all this we never stopped searching for a larger live aboard sailboat.  We loved the look of a sailboat that was listed for sale in Newport, Oregon and so when we went over to Waldport, Oregon for a family reunion in August 2010 we decided that we should look at it since we were in the neighborhood.  We met up with the owner of the 34' Columbia sailboat named MATSU.  Had a walk through and really fell in love.  We called him later that night and discussed purchasing the sailboat.  He agreed and we set the date to come back to Newport and finalize the deal.  Part of the arrangements was that we were trading him our 24' sailboat.  We are now in the process of going back and forth to do some finishing touches to MATSU.  She was immediately hauled out and cleaned, given new bottom paint and new zincs.  She is now clean and back in the water.  New rigging was delivered and will be installed.  Well I think that brings you up to speed on our new adventure .....