When I was a kid, I had this little tree house down in the woods behind our house.  Like most treehouses, it was small and compact but I didn't care.  It was a place that I could go whenever I wanted and just hang out.  It didn't matter if it was messy or dirty inside.  I didn't care if it got wet when it rained and I was always glad to have guests over whenever possible.  In some ways, it was a place that you could put all the normal ways of living aside and just 'be'.  Even on those days when you didn't have a care in the world, the tree house was an oasis.  Just knowing it was down in the woods made you feel good.  It was your place to escape when you wanted to get lost.  

For some reason as we get older and grow up, we give up our treehouses.  I don't know why. For heaven's sake, we need them now more than we did then.  Oh, some people might have a modern day treehouse that goes by another name.  Sometimes people will finish off their basements so that when they want some quiet they can head down there.  Others might find their treehouse on the golf course or in some other hobby they enjoy.  Still others might build their treehouses in a bottle of bourbon or a pint of ice cream.

It is not the same though.  Those 'psudo treehouses' are too complex.  Too complicated. Too expensive.  I want my treehouse to be as easy and stress free as possible.

So, we bought a boat.  A complex boat.  A complex boat that operates in an environment that sometimes is perilous, often expensive and always challenging.  Not exactly the  kind of oasis I had years before. Nonetheless, it does provide a certain amount of solice.  When we are not down on our hands and knees scrubbing floors or when we are not sweating buckets down in the engine room, Maya can actually be a peaceful respite from the outside world.  

One of the things I like best about this boat is the amount of space it has.  Surprisingly, there a lot of places you can go and hide.  I think Kim likes the flybridge the best.  Up there, you are 25 feet above the water and the views are often spectacular.  There are a couple of couches and chairs you can spread out on if you want and there is music piped in from down below.  Take a good book and a cold drink and you are set.  I like it because it is covered and the sun can't get you.  I am not a 'fan of the tan' as my fair skin just tends to burn and peel.

Most people who have the same model boat as we do enjoy the aft deck the most.  It is set up primarily for entertaining guests.  Ours has ample room for tables and chairs, a wet bar, gas grill, access to the water via the swim platform and a direct line to the all important bar.  It too is covered so the sun and (God forbid) rain can't spoil your fun.  Many boats don't have this much outdoor space available, so when other boaters are looking for a place to hang out, Maya is the place to go.

The inside cabins also have a lot of space.  The master stateroom has a big bed, large head (that's a bathroom... I looked at my card), lots of storage and 8 big windows.  Windows you say?  Well, Maya has the Master Stateroom low in the stern.  The water line is only a few short feet from the windows.  When you are at anchor and retiring for the night, you can hear the sound of the waves lapping up against the hull.  Add in the nice breezes that perpetually flow in and out and you have a recipe for a great night's sleep.

Finally there is the Main Salon, Galley and forward staterooms.  We don't seem to spend much time in these areas although they have a lot to offer.  The Salon has an entertainment system that includes satellite TV and surround sound.  It came with 5 different remote controls and I have yet figured out how to turn anything on.  Usually I am pretty good at getting electronics gear to work however this setup has gotten the best of me.  But hey, we didn't buy the boat to watch TV.  

So that is our basic layout.  Small and compact but in a big way.  We can't wait for all of you to come on down and join us for a cruise!  Just bring your favorite book and prepare for some R & R.