The kind of year it has been

Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
More 2020 weirdness. I quite often post sailing pictures and vids to my FB account, most often racing shots under spinnaker, but some times Jodi and I cruising. And they get liked and commented on by a wide cross section of my friends. Usually full of action and speed. But this year, my most liked and commented FB post featured not racing, risk and speed, but NEW CUSHIONS.

BP2.jpg


Yep we got brand new cushion covers for BlueJ, including never had before backs. The internet went wild.

Anyone else have a funny 2020 sailing story?
 
Jul 7, 2004
8,402
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
Nice! Very nautical pattern.
I got a rise out of folks when I mentioned replacing my old worn out cockpit speakers with new ones that have LED lighting. They have an RF remote that lets me choose any color. I still plan to recognize someone's comment to add a disco ball and record my cockpit. Only temporarily for a laugh.
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
Nice! Very nautical pattern.
Thanks, très français!

We got lucky. The first 5 years of the First 260, the boat only came with solid blue vinyl seats, with no backs. This was actually very comfortable, but kinda slippery or sticky depending. The owner of a 260 in Spain who reads my blog offered them to me. On her boat the original owner replaced the cloth covers with a marine leatherette. So they really are new.
 
Nov 22, 2011
1,192
Ericson 26-2 San Pedro, CA
More 2020 weirdness. I quite often post sailing pictures and vids to my FB account, most often racing shots under spinnaker, but some times Jodi and I cruising. And they get liked and commented on by a wide cross section of my friends. Usually full of action and speed. But this year, my most liked and commented FB post featured not racing, risk and speed, but NEW CUSHIONS.

View attachment 186012

Yep we got brand new cushion covers for BlueJ, including never had before backs. The internet went wild.

Anyone else have a funny 2020 sailing story?
Very nice.

I see you also have a 36.7 in a different location. Seems that the 260 gets the lion's share of your cruising and racing use, though. Do you do much with the 36.7?

By the way: A friend of mine used to own a 36.7 and I'd take it out on occasion. Goes to weather like a witch!
 
Oct 31, 2012
464
Hunter 2008 H25 Lake Wabamun
Anyone else have a funny 2020 sailing story?
Mine isn’t funny but perhaps typical for 2020.
Last May, and just minutes from launch, my mast was broken after it made contact with another boat. So, needless to say, my season was done before it began. Fast forward to yesterday and my new mast, standing and running rigging all arrived. So now I’m transferring all the do dads from the old mast.
Thanks to Sailboatowners for supplying it.
5174275C-752E-45EF-85D6-B89C2032937C.jpeg
9E615B2B-6E4A-46F0-B4C4-D1D9D18AD733.jpeg
 
  • Like
Likes: George_NJ
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
Very nice.

I see you also have a 36.7 in a different location. Seems that the 260 gets the lion's share of your cruising and racing use, though. Do you do much with the 36.7?

By the way: A friend of mine used to own a 36.7 and I'd take it out on occasion. Goes to weather like a witch!
Good eye!

The 36.7 in Bayfield got sold after a previous relationship ended. Liked the boat a lot. Like you said VERY weatherly. 35 footer that rates 72??? But not a super good cruising boat, but the racing made up for that. But the biggest deal was having 2 boats in the same general area for 7 months, and then no sailing for 5.

So Jodi and I bought ANOTHER 36.7 in Florida. The goal was to always have a boat in the water with great sailing. But it didn't do as well on the survey as we wanted, so we backed out. We're still looking but CoVid slowed that down. But now Jo is teaching 100% virtually, so we're looking again!

I still sail in Bayfield a lot, but on OPB.
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
Nice. When did you move up to a 40 footer? lol
Right?

24.5 feet LOA. Half of the comments on the FB post were from WYC menmbers that could not believe that the boat that looks like this going by them looks like that downstairs.

byebye.jpg
 

dmax

.
Jul 29, 2018
969
O'Day 35 Buzzards Bay
At first I thought that interior shot was from your 36.7 and I was thinking that's a bit tight for a 36 footer :). Nice looklng boat.
 
  • Ha
Likes: Jackdaw
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
Nice! Very nautical pattern.
I got a rise out of folks when I mentioned replacing my old worn out cockpit speakers with new ones that have LED lighting. They have an RF remote that lets me choose any color. I still plan to recognize someone's comment to add a disco ball and record my cockpit. Only temporarily for a laugh.
I have a 2020 speaker story as well, but I'm still pretty bitter about it. Not ready to talk!
 

capta

.
Jun 4, 2009
4,766
Pearson 530 Admiralty Bay, Bequia SVG
Right?

24.5 feet LOA. Half of the comments on the FB post were from WYC menmbers that could not believe that the boat that looks like this going by them looks like that downstairs.

View attachment 186022
lol I believe it was the lens you used, but she looks huge. If you're in the area, can you take a couple pics of Skipping Stone for us, please? lol
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
lol I believe it was the lens you used, but she looks huge. If you're in the area, can you take a couple pics of Skipping Stone for us, please? lol
Happy to! Nice time I do this!

IMG_0314.jpg
 
Last edited:
Oct 26, 2008
6,041
Catalina 320 Barnegat, NJ
Actually, looking at the interior improvements makes me a little sad for letting our Starwind go. We were doing a lot to finally get her finished and comfortable, just before the urge for more space took a firm grip! We were just getting there & I was serious about some really nice upgrades to the sail inventory. But, now a really nice young couple have the boat and moved her down to Ocean City, NJ a few weeks ago. I'm really hoping they enjoy her. I did leave some projects on the table for them, though. They seemed happy for the remainder of the summer when they kept her at Mariners.
IMG_6246.JPG
 

Attachments

Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
I'd love to meet. We'll see what c-19 brings. We're in a holding pattern here in Carriacou, but Bequia's only abut 6 hours up hill for us.
+1 for that. Probably safer in Granada. The last meal I had at the Lambi Queen was so good I wanna cry every time I think about it.
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
I like the juke box at the back of the table! Tres nostalgique!
Its a Mr Heater Buddy propane heater. Warms the boat up nicely. It hangs on two SS screws on the bulkhead, and we remove it in warm months.

In a rare moment of nautical financial restraint, I fought back the urge to install a forced air diesel heater, and went with this for $125. Smart call.
 
Nov 21, 2012
587
Yamaha 33 Port Ludlow, WA
Mine isn’t funny but perhaps typical for 2020.
Last May, and just minutes from launch, my mast was broken after it made contact with another boat. So, needless to say, my season was done before it began. Fast forward to yesterday and my new mast, standing and running rigging all arrived. So now I’m transferring all the do dads from the old mast.
Thanks to Sailboatowners for supplying it. View attachment 186013View attachment 186014
I feel ya. The first day I had my C22 out in FIVE years the engine died and I flubbed pulling it up the ramp...into an overhanging tree i forgot about. Then climbing on to check the damage i shattered the hand rail. It'll be another 5 before i get it back in the water :banghead::banghead::banghead:. I did straighten the mast out. Handrails are waiting on enough courage to buzz up $90 worth of teak. Pictures to follow.
 
Jan 1, 2006
7,039
Slickcraft 26 Sailfish
... Handrails are waiting on enough courage to buzz up $90 worth of teak. Pictures to follow.
When I took a weekend boat building course a Mystic Seaport, the instructor finished the course by saying "Now let's go out and ruin some wood."
 
  • Like
Likes: mermike