Age and boat ownership
- Thread starter Brian D
- Start date
I just wanted to echo the 473 sentiment. I chartered one in the BVI and Croatia. 7ft draft. Great sailing boat. I do not have a specific boat that I always wanted.
First boat at 25 yo 16' Newport named the Larkspur (was a long time ago) was trailer able but I kept her the water, much easier to use, after 2 seasons moved on to a keel boat a 22' Viking by the name of Scare Crow with a full complement of inventory sailed that for 5 years then my father and sailing partner passed on to the big lake in the sky, I lost interest and donated the boat to a good cause.
Some 30 years later my wife and I purchased, last year a Hunter 41 DS, is it my dream boat not sure yet, but we love it, love spending time on weekends and extended weekends sailing the Sapphire. I forgot how much there is to sailing, how much beauty there is in the act of sailing, how much enjoyment there is in sailing, it has left me with some regret that I should have returned to the open water way sooner than I did, every time we go out now I have my father with me.
Some 30 years later my wife and I purchased, last year a Hunter 41 DS, is it my dream boat not sure yet, but we love it, love spending time on weekends and extended weekends sailing the Sapphire. I forgot how much there is to sailing, how much beauty there is in the act of sailing, how much enjoyment there is in sailing, it has left me with some regret that I should have returned to the open water way sooner than I did, every time we go out now I have my father with me.
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Kmart, I'm sure you know the answer to that question. You don't need another married man to prompt you, right?
- Will (Dragonfly)
First boat was a 16' derelict skiff that I found when I was maybe twelve. Buddy and I nailed a top deck to it, obtained and installed an old canvas sail and wooden mast with boom from my grandmother's woodshed and that became my first sailboat.
Next sailboat was a 1989 H28 that we bought in 1999 and sailed her for three years. We then upgraded to our current boat in 2002, a 1991 P42 and have been cruising her ever since. Sailing bug bit me hard.
Next sailboat was a 1989 H28 that we bought in 1999 and sailed her for three years. We then upgraded to our current boat in 2002, a 1991 P42 and have been cruising her ever since. Sailing bug bit me hard.
That was on the Willapa River in SW Washington. She would not point worth a darn. Beating, forget it. Willapa is pretty small, maybe 100 feet across where I lived just below tide water. My other boating adventure, believe it or knot, was a small raft. It was six feet long and four feet wide made with old discarded telephone poles. My uncle had a drag saw, which he let me have for my project to turn that little raft into a paddle wheeler.
Found a discarded wooden cable wheel where I nailed wood slats for paddles. Nailed the sprocket from the drag saw engine to this paddle wheel. Mounted that drag saw onto the raft and used an oar to steer. That was my first power boat. Drag saw engine was very temperamental and difficult to keep running. But she did push us along nicely. That was when I was maybe 13-14. Fun times.
@Terry Cox another Huck Finn. No wonder you drove school bus. Straight out of American history.
That old drag saw engine looked just like this one:
But before that, when we were much younger, say six, the raft that I converted to a paddle wheeler, served an earlier purpose. There was a shallow five foot depression in my grandmother's field that would fill up with river water from the Willapa whenever a heavy rain would cause the river to overflow its banks. That pond became our world cruising grounds on that little raft, taking us to far away places in our imagination. My cousins and I would wait anxiously, watching out our kitchen window, for the heavy rain to come and fill that pond, which was maybe 100 feet long by 30 feet wide. Donning our foulies we would head for the pond to spend the day visiting foreign shores.
Here is a mapcarta view of the area around the Willapa River where I grew up in the early fifties. Those were the days. https://mapcarta.com/23977808
But before that, when we were much younger, say six, the raft that I converted to a paddle wheeler, served an earlier purpose. There was a shallow five foot depression in my grandmother's field that would fill up with river water from the Willapa whenever a heavy rain would cause the river to overflow its banks. That pond became our world cruising grounds on that little raft, taking us to far away places in our imagination. My cousins and I would wait anxiously, watching out our kitchen window, for the heavy rain to come and fill that pond, which was maybe 100 feet long by 30 feet wide. Donning our foulies we would head for the pond to spend the day visiting foreign shores.
Here is a mapcarta view of the area around the Willapa River where I grew up in the early fifties. Those were the days. https://mapcarta.com/23977808
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No, I was employed by United Airlines on 9-11, at Newark (EWR). We lost one plane from Newark, UA 93. I was too busy to sail. In Nov. of 2001 I was hired by FAA Civil Aviation Security, and was even busier. My apologies, if it seemed I was implying something more sinister.
Lou
Learned to sail at age 40 sailing OPB's-Catalina 22';s, bought one ,1 year later.
Sailed that for almost 10 years, bought a Catalina 25- sailed for 9 years and Now we have OUR dream boat, A Catalina 310 ,which we did not even know was our dream boat until we saw her and sailed her ! we Named her "ANAM CARA"- gaelic for Soul Friend.
25 Was named Leprechaun-no we are not Irish-though I like Irish beer .
Sailed that for almost 10 years, bought a Catalina 25- sailed for 9 years and Now we have OUR dream boat, A Catalina 310 ,which we did not even know was our dream boat until we saw her and sailed her ! we Named her "ANAM CARA"- gaelic for Soul Friend.
25 Was named Leprechaun-no we are not Irish
-though I like Irish beer .
First boat, 15' cat @ age 21
Second, 18' flat boat (power) @ age 29
Third boat, cathedral hull (power) @ age 37
Fourth boat, 1988 Hunter 33.5 @ age 45
Fifth boat, 19' aluminum semi "V" (power) @ age 53
Last boat, 2006 Beneteau 343 @ age 59 ... will likely be my last one!
Second, 18' flat boat (power) @ age 29
Third boat, cathedral hull (power) @ age 37
Fourth boat, 1988 Hunter 33.5 @ age 45
Fifth boat, 19' aluminum semi "V" (power) @ age 53
Last boat, 2006 Beneteau 343 @ age 59 ... will likely be my last one!
First boat: a Cal 30 freshwater boat at 56... slip in lewisville lake, she is a tiller boat...
second boat: a Irwin Citation 38 for the gulf at 57... Harvey jobbed her up a little... should be back together soon...
third boat: Hobie cat 18 at 57... auction boat, paid 3 dollars. fun sucker to sail though...
I'm dinkin with one or the other most weekends...
second boat: a Irwin Citation 38 for the gulf at 57... Harvey jobbed her up a little... should be back together soon...
third boat: Hobie cat 18 at 57... auction boat, paid 3 dollars. fun sucker to sail though...
I'm dinkin with one or the other most weekends...
First boat was an fuel oil tank that had about 1/3 cut off with broko rod.
Found it in tbe woods and wondered if it would float. It did.
Got a hunter 170 at fourty something. Its perfect in that it fits in the garage, holds my family, is trailerable, is stable enough to keep us dry, but dangerous enough to bite us back.
I wish i could swap the hunter170 for a Seascape 18.
My dream boat would be a beneteau first 30 or so that never spends more that 1 month in the same place, and never goes visits the same place.
If i got that i would still try to get a hold of an RS Aero. Beach launch for quick weekend fun.
Found it in tbe woods and wondered if it would float. It did.
Got a hunter 170 at fourty something. Its perfect in that it fits in the garage, holds my family, is trailerable, is stable enough to keep us dry, but dangerous enough to bite us back.
I wish i could swap the hunter170 for a Seascape 18.
My dream boat would be a beneteau first 30 or so that never spends more that 1 month in the same place, and never goes visits the same place.
If i got that i would still try to get a hold of an RS Aero. Beach launch for quick weekend fun.
NACRA 5.2 Cat @ 30
Prindle 19 @ 32
Many windsurfer rigs @ 34-42
Hunter 30 @ 51
Hunter 36@ 58 (really happy with this boat)
Prindle 19 @ 32
Many windsurfer rigs @ 34-42
Hunter 30 @ 51
Hunter 36@ 58 (really happy with this boat)
My first boat was am MC Scow bought used when I was in my 30s. Actively raced for several years, trading up to a new boat every couple of years.
As the kids grew up, a Butterfly found its way into the mix. It stayed around for a few years until it was outgrown, then sold for more than I paid for it.
Crossed over to the dark side and bought a powerboat, which got used for race commitee duty and a spectator boat. The youngest son figured that boat was more to his liking than sailing. He would take it out into Lake Michigan salmon fishing and inevitibly bring it back with an empty fuel tank. Sold that, decided replacement sails overall were less costly than gasoline.
Got out of racing and bought a Beneteau 323 as a retirement present for myself, and because the wife liked sailing, but not racing. Still have that boat after 13 years.
As the kids grew up, a Butterfly found its way into the mix. It stayed around for a few years until it was outgrown, then sold for more than I paid for it.
Crossed over to the dark side and bought a powerboat, which got used for race commitee duty and a spectator boat. The youngest son figured that boat was more to his liking than sailing. He would take it out into Lake Michigan salmon fishing and inevitibly bring it back with an empty fuel tank. Sold that, decided replacement sails overall were less costly than gasoline.
Got out of racing and bought a Beneteau 323 as a retirement present for myself, and because the wife liked sailing, but not racing. Still have that boat after 13 years.
Eleven years old
First boat was a 15' sunfish fixer up found in a garage sale for $5
Forty three 1983 Hunter 34
Technically I was fifteen when my father bought his Hunter 34 new in 1983. I inherited it at the age of forty three and this was the boat he and I had always wanted.
Lots of great memories
First boat was a 15' sunfish fixer up found in a garage sale for $5
Forty three 1983 Hunter 34
Technically I was fifteen when my father bought his Hunter 34 new in 1983. I inherited it at the age of forty three and this was the boat he and I had always wanted.
Lots of great memories
Just out of curiosity. For those who have an ultimate boat in mind, whether you own it or are waiting for it. What is the plan for it? Race it, gunkholing, world cruising, weekend family boat, ... ?
I would like to live aboard and cruise the world.
- Will (Dragonfly)
I would like to live aboard and cruise the world.
- Will (Dragonfly)