When i bought my 1974 MacGregor Venture 25 it was in deplorable shape and all the experience I'd had sailing was in a Snark. I dragged it home with the help of a friend and proceeded to hang it from a tree and scaffold to separate it from its rusty trailer. Then ensued a lengthy task of restoration: see webshots.com search MacGregor sailboats . I wisely named her the Sweet Sue and thereby insured my wife's approval. With the help of a few days experience from my friend I became expert in the upgrade from Snark to big-boat, meteorology and all. We set forth for out first overnight from Westerly RI down the Pawcatuck into Little Naraganestt Bay and anchored among many other (more expensive than our $1500 yacht) boats of every description that accumulated after we were securely moored. The idyllic evening soon turned exciting as the storm blew in, and blew our Sweet Sue repeatedly off our spot (6000feet of scope just wouldn't do) so we had to get out in the storm and fire up the reluctant motor several times to avoid trouble. In between times the lightning was continually trying to find OUR mast. I didn't have the heart to tell Sue that, without a suitable ground we were in a perfect air-gap between mast and iron keel and might become toast at any moment.