22 years ago my wife and I started saying "someday" "someday" "someday" About two weeks ago a friend of ours was killed at the age of 42. He left a wife and two children. At first neither of us said it but we were both thinking that "someday" might be "never" cause we are not guaranteed even one more tomorrow. Finally I said something and she said "We gotta get that sailboat." Today we did. She's an '87 C22. It needs a little work but not a lot. Needs a little cleaning but not a lot. Hopefully the weather will be nice enough that I can take her out next Saturday. I am going to have to do the bottom soon and I have to find a way to get rid of the chalky residue from her decks and redo the outside wood but other than that and a few other minor things she is good to go. Isn't it a shame that sometimes it takes a death to make us live. I'll keep "ya'll" posted on how it goes. In the mean time if you have any suggestions on the chalky residue or redoing the outside wood let me know. Many thanks already.
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Congratulations!
Looks like you and your wife are on the right track. There is no time like the present to start sailing, and it sounds like you are not a moment too late. Let us know how it goes! Rob
Looks like you and your wife are on the right track. There is no time like the present to start sailing, and it sounds like you are not a moment too late. Let us know how it goes! Rob
I'm so sorry for your loss
Losing a friend, especially one so young, really has a way of slapping you in the face in regards to all the things you "meant" to do. Congratulations on the new boat. C22s are fantastic little boats. As far as the chalky residue goes, you might go over to the Gelcoat Forum for some suggestions. There are lots of different products but in the 3+ years I've been associated with this site, I've heard insanely few negative comments about Island Girl products. You could also check the archives to see what others have done. As far as the brightwork is concerned, you really need to decide how much/little time you are willing to spend annually to keep your brightwork "bright". If you have little wood and don't mind spending a couple weekends a year sanding & varnishing, go for varnish. There is no other finish that looks like it. If you don't want to spend more than one weekend a year maintaining your wood, and don't mind an orangy/muddy look, you could look at Cetol or Armada (similar to West Marine WoodPro). Better yet, see the many, many, MANY articles on this subject in the archives! There are as many opinions as there are sailors.
Have fun with the boat! LaDonna
Losing a friend, especially one so young, really has a way of slapping you in the face in regards to all the things you "meant" to do. Congratulations on the new boat. C22s are fantastic little boats. As far as the chalky residue goes, you might go over to the Gelcoat Forum for some suggestions. There are lots of different products but in the 3+ years I've been associated with this site, I've heard insanely few negative comments about Island Girl products. You could also check the archives to see what others have done. As far as the brightwork is concerned, you really need to decide how much/little time you are willing to spend annually to keep your brightwork "bright". If you have little wood and don't mind spending a couple weekends a year sanding & varnishing, go for varnish. There is no other finish that looks like it. If you don't want to spend more than one weekend a year maintaining your wood, and don't mind an orangy/muddy look, you could look at Cetol or Armada (similar to West Marine WoodPro). Better yet, see the many, many, MANY articles on this subject in the archives! There are as many opinions as there are sailors.
Have fun with the boat! LaDonnaSame reason for me
My dad owned a Cat 25 then a 27 for most of the time when I grew up. I kept telling my wife someday I'll buy one. Well, he passed away this past spring and my wife told me that someday had arrived. I've made a commitment to make time for it. Sorry for your loss.
My dad owned a Cat 25 then a 27 for most of the time when I grew up. I kept telling my wife someday I'll buy one. Well, he passed away this past spring and my wife told me that someday had arrived. I've made a commitment to make time for it. Sorry for your loss.
Woodwork
Sorry for the loss of your friend. You have already decided to move ahead and live life instead of waiting for "tomorrow". Good can come from ANY situation! I bought my C22 in July. It had sat in dry dock at a marina for a couple of years and had been neglected. After some elbow grease inside and out it is looking pretty. The wood was pretty sad looking and in places the adhesive had let go and there was mold and dirt between the wood and boat. Looked mighty ugly so I took the plunge and removed the handrails and hatchcover slide pieces. I sanded them (they turn orange just due to the sanding process) then I used a teak oil on them. I don't know if all teak oils seal but this one does. I applied several coats and my do they look nice! There were holes drilled through the cabin for all the attachment places on the handrails but the handrails had only been attached in three places...hence the grime and mold between boat and wood. I replaced all hardward, drilled new holes in the undrilled wood, squished sealant everywhere water might want to flow... (especially around the edges of the attachment areas of the wood to help keep out mold and dirt), bolted and screwed them down with the help of my hubby. Haven't had a chance to put the hatchcover slides back on yet, but they will look nice next to those finished handrails! The teak oil I used says you can use it at anytime for touch ups and while underway. I think extra runs and drips clean up easily so I won't worry about getting it on my boat surface while using it. It also takes a little while before it is completely dry so cleanup can take place even 15 - 30 minutes later and it shouldn't be a problem. If I were to use varnish I would use a polyurathane as it is actually a plastic finish. I figure it would stand up well in the weather, but I have also never owned a boat before so I could just be blowing smoke...who knows. But I would be leary about applying any varnish while the wood is attached as it can set up very quickly and removal from the boat surface may be difficult. Enjoy your "new" life!
Sorry for the loss of your friend. You have already decided to move ahead and live life instead of waiting for "tomorrow". Good can come from ANY situation! I bought my C22 in July. It had sat in dry dock at a marina for a couple of years and had been neglected. After some elbow grease inside and out it is looking pretty. The wood was pretty sad looking and in places the adhesive had let go and there was mold and dirt between the wood and boat. Looked mighty ugly so I took the plunge and removed the handrails and hatchcover slide pieces. I sanded them (they turn orange just due to the sanding process) then I used a teak oil on them. I don't know if all teak oils seal but this one does. I applied several coats and my do they look nice! There were holes drilled through the cabin for all the attachment places on the handrails but the handrails had only been attached in three places...hence the grime and mold between boat and wood. I replaced all hardward, drilled new holes in the undrilled wood, squished sealant everywhere water might want to flow... (especially around the edges of the attachment areas of the wood to help keep out mold and dirt), bolted and screwed them down with the help of my hubby. Haven't had a chance to put the hatchcover slides back on yet, but they will look nice next to those finished handrails! The teak oil I used says you can use it at anytime for touch ups and while underway. I think extra runs and drips clean up easily so I won't worry about getting it on my boat surface while using it. It also takes a little while before it is completely dry so cleanup can take place even 15 - 30 minutes later and it shouldn't be a problem. If I were to use varnish I would use a polyurathane as it is actually a plastic finish. I figure it would stand up well in the weather, but I have also never owned a boat before so I could just be blowing smoke...who knows. But I would be leary about applying any varnish while the wood is attached as it can set up very quickly and removal from the boat surface may be difficult. Enjoy your "new" life!
Another "someday" scenario
My condolences for your loss. Mine was another "someday" scenario that I think is fairly common. My "someday" always contained a larger boat, at least 30 feet. 'cause I was gonna go cruising, right? Being an itinerant academic of limited means, that someday kept getting pushed farther back. I recently acquired a great, big, "project" boat that was going to go in the water "someday." Then I discovered the evils of marina storage fees. Project Boat got passed into other hands. Finally, the epiphany. For about the cost of one year's storage on a big, project boat, I could be SAILING a little 22-footer that lived on a TRAILER during the off season. My '76 C22 doesn't look all that pretty by yachty standards, and her sails are probably unserviceable in the opinion of racing types. Heck with 'em! Boy, has this summer been fun. I only wish my epiphany had happened 10 years ago. Congratulations on yours, and again, sorry it occurred in connection with such a loss.
My condolences for your loss. Mine was another "someday" scenario that I think is fairly common. My "someday" always contained a larger boat, at least 30 feet. 'cause I was gonna go cruising, right? Being an itinerant academic of limited means, that someday kept getting pushed farther back. I recently acquired a great, big, "project" boat that was going to go in the water "someday." Then I discovered the evils of marina storage fees. Project Boat got passed into other hands. Finally, the epiphany. For about the cost of one year's storage on a big, project boat, I could be SAILING a little 22-footer that lived on a TRAILER during the off season. My '76 C22 doesn't look all that pretty by yachty standards, and her sails are probably unserviceable in the opinion of racing types. Heck with 'em! Boy, has this summer been fun. I only wish my epiphany had happened 10 years ago. Congratulations on yours, and again, sorry it occurred in connection with such a loss.
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