We must’ve done a pretty good job planning because we woke up the morning of the 12th and leisurely enjoyed coffee. We had to leave the yard however, and have coffee somewhere else because we couldn’t sit in her presence and not feel like we had a million things to do… but it was all done. We were ready.

With a little help from the best neighbors in the world, coffee turned into mimosa’s to take the mind off the enormity of this day.

Rediviva was going to touch the water for the first time and Garrett was turning 27

When we started this Rediviva wasn’t a boat and Garrett wasn’t old. Now, nearly 4 years later and a decade of our lives spent (so it feels) She has a name, water under her keel, and Garrett gets to be a kid again.

Both, Garrett and I, wondered around trying to find things to do as it felt extremely difficult to WAIT. Chatting with all who showed up for this day was hard. “How do you feel,” someone would ask. “Aren’t you excited,” another would say. Questions, words weren’t easy to find. All we could do was embrace the asker and thank them for coming. The rest of the emotions racing through our heads were hard to process. Still… I can’t believe this has happened.

  Again, I have to say Thank You.

Thank you to all that were here this day. Thank you to all that watched on FaceBook. Thank you to all that held us in your thoughts. Thank you to all of you for everyday you believed we would make it here.

I can’t thank everyone enough. My heart is so very full.

I never thought our friends would be so many, that our family would be so large, that thousands of people would be here to feel and share this moment with us.

The truck arrived.

The truck dripped with salt water from the previous boat they launched. Reminding me that’s where we’re going. The loud roar of the engine sent goosebumps through my body. Garrett seemed so calm and organized. Thoughts together and poised. I know the truth. The chaos that roamed inside. Like lightening strikes or a stampede of bison.

He couldn’t have had a better team to help him stand tall. His dad, the inspirer of love for wood and being one’s own man, was there. We can grow up, we can move out, but there is nothing like the approval or more so the pride you see in your father’s eye when you’ve succeeded in pursuing your dreams. Ron, is one of our original supporters. He once picked me up 5 hours away just to return to his house so Garrett and I could be together for a weekend. He first showed Garrett the table saw, when he still needed to stand on a box to reach it. He’s donated time, money, and kindness to every single endeavor Garrett and I have embarked on. He’s our hero.

He even carved this name plate (years ago) so Rediviva won’t see the water nameless.

The yard guys have been doing this for years but it’s not everyday you launch a brand new wooden boat. They’ve gotten to know us pretty well. Even from previous years and boats so it was amazing to have Mike and Augie load up Rediviva.

With emotions still in a twist the time had come for the truck to pull away leaving Rediviva’s yard space empty.

The engine kicked on and the truck went into forward. I looked away for one second and the next Rediviva was rolling away from her 11 month footprint in the yard. Garrett and I walked together chasing the boat to the ramp. Camera recording in hand. I hope it remained in focus on the boat but to be honest I was not paying attention to the tiny screen. My sight was filled by this ruby lady, inches from the water. I remember, Garrett and I catching every breathing moment to make eye contact and then holding our breathe once again gazing at the boat.

I’m sure I don’t have to tell you how much I love this man. I captured this moment out of luck. This was sign language for stop filming and share this with me. Don’t miss it! I joined him at the gangway and watched as our hand prints sank beneath the surface. The date reads 7-23-15, the day we poured her ballast. That same backbone is now what she floats upon. What a foundation we have laid. What a life we have built together. Now, I can say it was all worth it. There were times that feeling felt impossible. In this moment I joined my husband, so in love, so impressed and honored to stand with him.

Then all of a sudden, she lifted off the trailer floating on her own accord

Her reflection is beautiful

Some of my first thoughts, I kid you not, were excitement to raise her masts, joy to finish her interior, hope to cross an ocean.

I think everyone on that dock felt it to. Life was breathed into this vessel today.

Next, she was to be escorted to the guest dock. Her maiden voyage. Garrett and I taking turns steering her.

She is still a work in progress but I’ve never seen such a beautiful tiller 😉

After we christened her at the launch dock it was all hands on deck to take her across the marina where she’ll wait at the guest dock until her slip is ready. And after that we party of course!

(I’ve put a lot of photos up on Facebook also)

I really want to thank these two. Who helped in more ways than some will ever know. They made our last months in the yard bearable. Commiserating over shared meals, helping each other complete projects, discussing future ambitions, and making our splash day memorable. Thank you Tiffany and Tyler!

The next morning is the first time we get to bale out the bilge!

We let her fill over night. She’s swelling evenly and slow. We dumped a good dozen buckets of sea water overboard which is nothing for a bone-dry boat on her first launching day.

Swabie didn’t quite know what to do about his new floating home

Swab has been with us since our second boat together. That means he has lived on the water for a majority of his life, from 6 months old to 5 years but the last 3 have been landlocked. Garrett and I are even struggling to find our sea legs after all these years ashore so we’re making it as comfortable as we can. He’s slept aboard with us the last few nights swaddled in a blanket. I’m sure once we plank the bulwarks he’ll feel right at home.

SO our space is empty…

We will miss the late night working sessions, the bugs coming from the pond over the fence, the mysterious neighbors that fluctuate in and out next door, the vineyard machinery first thing about 4 am, and the power tool choir …

…no, I don’t think so

but we will miss our friendly neighborhood campfires and shared meals, the owls that sing as the sun fades joined with a symphony of coyotes, and the breeze that stirs up in the afternoon right when you need it in the scorching summer. As often as the seasons change so do we. It’s in our blood. To move forward and to accept the next part of the journey. The boat is in the water. The work is far from done. Soak up the now!

She’s floating a good 8-10 inches high on her waterline. This is exactly what we were hoping for, and LEVEL! Buehler designed Rediviva to be internally ballasted. Which means in addition to her cement/steel ballast attached to the keel she is also expected to have cement/steel added to her bilge to trim out the boat. Buehler says you do this after you fully rig and fit out the boat. So once the masts are on, interior built, tanks full then we see how she sits on her lines and trim her accordingly. If we happen to come across lead ingots that would be perfect. Add a brick here or a brick there and we can move them around as we go through our tankage on passage (water/diesel) but those are thoughts for another day. Today we’re reveling in this milestone 😉

 

Thank you everyone!

~Ruthie