I've had simple, and I've had complicated
My Hunter 23 was as simple as it gets, My depth finder was a led line, or when the rudder popped up, I knew I was in too shallow an area, and would turn around. It did not have a bimini or a dodger, but I had good foul weather gear. No roller furling, just a down haul for the jib in case it got too nasty to go forward to drop the sail. The 38 Seafarer cutter, had the two fore sails, knot meter, depth sounder, and loran. It had the teak boarding ladder, which was always a pain to stow. But with it's shorter rig, and extremely heavy design of the sixty's it was very forgiving. The teak tow rail, hand rails, and coaming in the cockpit were always a challange to spend many days trying to make them look good, and it seemed like when it was done..it was time to start all over again. Now its a Catalina 320, with no teak on deck, davits for the dingy, a bimini to prevent sun burn, the dodger to prevent getting soaked when beating to wind, and all the electronics on deck but a radar. I can single hand it with out feeling overwhelmed...and with my wife on board, as a sun worshiper, I'm still singlehanding, and thats ok at least she is with me. Frinds come on board and are impressed with the convience of all the gadgets to make sailing easier. What is the beauty? If you can go out have a great time, be it simple or complicated...and you are comfortable in your environment...then it is beautiful. I'm not here to please any one but my wife, and I. If I can do that I have succeeded in life. I love my boat and I know it's the last one I'll own. I expect many more days of bliss on the water by my self, with my wife, and with friends. Yes she is a beautiful boat. I am glad that hard work has offered me the opportunity to own her. Do others think she is a beauty? I don't really care.
My Hunter 23 was as simple as it gets, My depth finder was a led line, or when the rudder popped up, I knew I was in too shallow an area, and would turn around. It did not have a bimini or a dodger, but I had good foul weather gear. No roller furling, just a down haul for the jib in case it got too nasty to go forward to drop the sail. The 38 Seafarer cutter, had the two fore sails, knot meter, depth sounder, and loran. It had the teak boarding ladder, which was always a pain to stow. But with it's shorter rig, and extremely heavy design of the sixty's it was very forgiving. The teak tow rail, hand rails, and coaming in the cockpit were always a challange to spend many days trying to make them look good, and it seemed like when it was done..it was time to start all over again. Now its a Catalina 320, with no teak on deck, davits for the dingy, a bimini to prevent sun burn, the dodger to prevent getting soaked when beating to wind, and all the electronics on deck but a radar. I can single hand it with out feeling overwhelmed...and with my wife on board, as a sun worshiper, I'm still singlehanding, and thats ok at least she is with me. Frinds come on board and are impressed with the convience of all the gadgets to make sailing easier. What is the beauty? If you can go out have a great time, be it simple or complicated...and you are comfortable in your environment...then it is beautiful. I'm not here to please any one but my wife, and I. If I can do that I have succeeded in life. I love my boat and I know it's the last one I'll own. I expect many more days of bliss on the water by my self, with my wife, and with friends. Yes she is a beautiful boat. I am glad that hard work has offered me the opportunity to own her. Do others think she is a beauty? I don't really care.
