It's Great to be Grateful

[SailboatOwners.com]

Final results

Final results for the Quick Quiz ending November 30, 2003:My particular thanks goes to: 35% My family for understanding my need to sail29% A mentor who introduced me to and/or taught me to sail27% My friends or family who sail with me09% Someone who made it possible for me to buy my boat

 

[Benny]

Stirofoam Hull

When I was 18 I sailed a stirofoam pram boat with a single sail with a Kool cigarettes logo on it. I went out about a mile and could not get back in as the stirofoam had become soaked with water and to heavy for the sail to power. Luckily a powerboater saw my predicament and towed me in. I was not scared, just frustrated. 25 years latter In Biscayne Bay my wife's cousin asked us to go out on a Starwind 22 he had just purchased after being boatless for many years himself. We went out the channel in Turkey Point and he asked me to raise the sails main and jib as we were pointed into the wind. The sails flapped until we got out of the straight long channel and as soon as he turned the boat to starboard the sails popped loudly, the boat heeled, and accelerated towards Elliot Key. An hour latter we were still on the same tack flying down the water. That's when I got hooked. Today my friend Joe sails an H 320 in Biscayne Bay and I sail an H 27 Cherubini out of Tampa.

 

[Dan]

everyone from Sinbad to Buffett

was mentioned except Capt'n Ron! now that's my kind of sailor! "if it goin happen, it's goin happen out thar"!

 

[Ed]

Capt' Ron. My favorite line is...

"Don't worry, they'll get outa the way." ;^)~ Happy sails to you ~ _/) ~

 

[Steve]

Benny You are lucky

Biscayne Bay... if you don't watch yourself and stray outside the channel a couple of feet, you will be pushing yourself off a sandbar, unless your boat weighs a couple of tons (I have done it both ways!), then you will be TOWED off a sandbar.The intercoastal is NOT a good place to go sailing.Steve

 

[Dan]

Steve, here on the Redneck Rivera

the ICW is a great place to go sailing! all the way from Orange Beach to Appalachicola. dont know bout Biscayne Bay.

 

[Steve]

Oh yeah?

I got stuck for a $350 tow just north of Port St. Lucie Inlet, about two bridges up. My outboard wouldn't start, for love or money. I figured, so what? I had a SAIL boat, no? So I raised sail, and off we went... that is until the channel doglegged INTO the wind. I found out the hard way that you CAN'T SAIL DIRECTLY INTO THE WIND! I also found that a three ton sailboat can't be merely "pushed" off of someone's back lawn! It tends to push back and bury the person!Naturally, the minute I got the boat with the cranky engine back to the dock I pulled the cord on the engine, just for laughs. It started!Steve

 

[Dan]

sorry bout your misfortune but,

Port St Lucie and Biscayne Bay is about 600 miles from here! ICW covers alot of ground or should I say water. not to say we dont have our share of sandbars but, we do have lots of deep water and sandy deserted beaches.

 

[Steve]

Better than that...

Well, I am now in what I would call close to the greatest area to sail in that this country has to offer... Puget Sound (except that the water is #@#$@#** cold!!!)Steve

 

[Guy Hemmer]

A gift from dad

My dad got me into sailing - first on a sunfish, then a Prindle cat. I taught my son to sail on that first sunfish. One of my first sailing experiences was in an inflatable canoe with a small sail, at the manly age of 12. I got caught in a offshore breeze and couldn't get the boat in over the breakers at the beach. I was being quickly swept past the end of Isle of Palms, SC and thinking It was getting dark when I finally made the shore - about a mile from our rented houre. My dad came looking for me and helped me drag the boat back to the house. My only regret is that I couldn't help him realize his dream of sailing his own boat across the Atlantic. He sold his 42 ft catamaran "dream boat" this summer, signing the sale papers in the harbor the day we returned to Florida from the Abacos.

 

[Dan]

Ed, my fav Capt'n Ron line

Im a quick healer Boss, you know I believe in Jesus!

 

[scott wilson]

My mom made me take sailing lessons

with my brother and also ice skating lessons and also piano lessons, when we were kids. Neither of can ice skate worth a damn now. My brother is a great piano player and I love to sail. Scott

 

[Bob]

Thanks wife!

I really have to thank my wife, Beverly, for getting me hooked on sailing. We've been married for over six years now but when we were dating she use to tell me how she sailed with her girl friend (years ago) on her boat out of Oxford. One thing lead to another and we ended up one day in Havre de Grace just sight seeing and ended up at the Tidewater Marina. I saw people ontheir boats, working, relaxing, laughing and sailing with their friends and family. Up until then we would save our pennies and vacation time for one big trip to .....some where. 7 to 9 days later it was over and we'd spent a bundle only to have to wait another six months to a year for another vacation. To make a long story short, I figured that it wouldn't take much more $$$ to have a sail boat and take long weekends and week long vacations on the bay which is just over an hour and a half from our house. But first I had to learn how to sail!So we both took a sailing course at Bay Sail. We were lucky to have Mike (a great guy) all to ourselves for a three day course. After it was over I was hook. Three yeas later we own a Hunter 285 and spend a lot of time sailing and making some great friends. So thanks, honey!! It's great to share something like sailing with the one you love.

 

[Dick]

My 12 year old son

My 12 year old son came home from boy scout camp and told me how much fun he had learning to sail on a sunfish. He wanted one bad. I told him to keep his grades up the coming school year and we would check it out the following spring.I told a friend of mine (who I didn't know had a sunfish) about my son's excitement. He allowed us to borrow it for a couple of weeks. It was a blast!I now have a Potter 19 and love getting away from it all. The only problem is my son doesn't like going anymore because it is not fast enough.