Sunday, April 27, 2008

Welcome to "Trekking with Tide Hiker"

Welcome to "Trekking with Tide Hiker", Norm & Vicki's cruising adventures aboard our 1988 DeFever 49' Raised Pilot House trawler. We'll be adding posts (both text and pictures) from time to time to keep this blog current and you informed of our whereabouts and experiences. We hope you will check in often and keep up with us as we cruise distant ports and anchorages.

About Tide Hiker

It's another 2 weeks before we begin our voyage. So, perhaps a little history about Tide Hiker is in order. We purchased Tide Hiker in Ft Pierce, FL in October 2006. She is a 1988 DeFever 49' Raised Pilot House (RPH). She was built in Taiwan and is one of only eight or so like her. We brought her up to the Chesapeake that fall with the help of some friends who have one of the other eight. We have been refitting, remodeling and upgrading since then with the intention of living aboard and cruising full time. We moved aboard April, 2007. DeFever boats are known for their "proud bow" as you can see in the picture above.

Her living quarters includes two staterooms (bedrooms), two heads (bathrooms), a saloon (living room) and galley (kitchen). She has two steering stations (helms); one inside called the Raised Pilot House and one directly over the pilot house and outside called the flying bridge. Just aft of the flying bridge and over the saloon is the "boat deck". This is were we keep the dinghy until we need it. It is also where we grill food and set up for dining on warm evenings.