YaHoo!!! We are sailing all of August!!!

[Dean5735]

Finally!!! After 2 years on the hard and 1 year in a started up new business, my wife and I have decieded to take a month long vacation and put the boat in and go sailing!!!! The business is going well, my sister (48yrs.) just died of cancer and I just turned 50 AND we just had our 24th. anniversary, THIS CALLS FOR SOME TIME OFF, AND SOME MAJOR SAILING.

Besides it's not fair to the boat to make it sit iin the barn for a 3rd. summer.

 

[BobM]

Congratulations. Sounds like a great plan. I bought my first sailboat after my cousin Mike died of cancer at 45. Just upgraded last spring to my S2 9.2A and met a life goal by making my first coastal trip in her. More wake up calls last year...first prolonged illness of my life...six weeks of walking pneumonia...followed by the death of my Father in Oct.

I have been promising myself for 18 years that after 20 years on the job I will take a month off. At 10 years the company provides a one time one additional week off or the equivalent in cash. Management changed last year. My friend only got a hand shake for 20 years from an SOB who is making 1.2MM with a likely 100% bonus of another 1.2MM. Nice work if you can get it. Oh yeah...and his stock options just to walk in the door were something like 15MM.

So, live up to your promise...take a month...not 29 days because you have to do xyz...take the full month with no compromises.

 

[Dean5735]

Oh yeah! We will take every day and maybe a couple more cuz I should drop it in, in late July so it is ready for August.

 

[higgs]

You have a great location from which to start a cruise. Are you thinking North Channel?

 

[Steve Christensen]

I envy you!

I envy you - especially because I know how much fun you are going to have.

We are boatless now, but for 12 years in a row we spent four weeks starting in early August each season in the North Channel aboard our Ericson 38. Those are hands down the best memories and happiest times I can recall.

The one thing we did to maximize our time up north was treat getting there as a delivery, and sail through the night to get it done. We kept our boat in Bay City Michigan, and while most folks would spend 4 to 6 days getting from there up to the North Channel - at just 30 miles a day - we would leave the dock at 10 AM on a Saturday, sail through the night up the length of Lake Huron, enter the Mississagi Straight at daybreak, check in with customs at Meldrum Bay by 8 AM, and be anchored further north at Bear Drop Harbor by 2 in the afternoon. About Wednesday of the fourth week we would begin to look for a weather window, and return home the same way. You could easily do the same from Petoskey in one day.

Be prepared though. Four weeks aboard the boat is long enough that you forget how to drive, forget how to type, forget all your passwords, and forget everything that you left behind at work!

Good luck!

Steve Christensen

 

[higgs]

You can get into the North Channel from Petosky in a couple of 50 mile days. One day to Mac, the next to Pt. Detour. Once out of Detour you are in the Channel and Thesselon is a day away and a good place to check in with Canadian customs. Techinically, it is illegal to anchor in canada before you check in.

 

[Dean5735]

We have been to the NC before, but never farther south than Northport (30mi. from home) all of our time is the Beaver Isles and Mackinaw area. We want to do our first all night and really, really long run for a change. Not right off the bat of course but after a few days of hopping we will go for it with the weather. Then work our way back. I hate customs. But I love Bear Drop harbor!!
I really hope I CAN forget all that you mentioned!!!

 

[pvanv]

If you make it to Lake Ontario, be sure to drop by our Club, Tuscarora YC, in Wilson. Would be great to chat with someone who's not in a hurry.