Back To The Islands

[Wotname]

Messing About, it is difficult to wish anyone a Merry Christmas in your circumstances but I do wish you a peaceful time and a continuing acceptance of life's difficulties you have to deal with.

You are doing everything possible to keep your dream afloat while being a rock of stability for your wife - well done.

Change will happen and the islands will be there.

[Messing About]

Greetings cruisers and dreamers, alike. Just checking in with a brief update on my life's plans. Not much change to my wife's condition. She remains as physically stable as can be at 78 pounds, living on oatmeal, coffee and cigarettes. Cognitively, she continues a slow decline; not remembering experiences we've had or food we've made together. Many routine repeat things feel like first times for her. She puts her pajamas on at 3 PM and goes to bed at 5-530 PM. She wakes between 1-3 AM, sometimes earlier; never later.

I'm able to work close to home and she is able to care for herself. She still showers, cleans the house, does laundry, etc. She saw her oncologists last week and reportedly her blood work showed no concerns, concluding her cancer remains in remission.

I lost 71 pounds in 2023 (now 5'9, 235) and am wearning 36" waist pants for the first time in 30+ years. I'm strong and capable. I take no Rx meds and my blood pressure is usually about 130/80; sometimes lower. I quit smoking almost 20 years ago and quit drinking more than 2 years ago. I have a lot of life left to live.

I've registered to take ASA 101 next month. I've owned 4 powerboats betweenm 16 and 34 feet but my retirement boat will be my first sail vessel. I'm able to take the 101 course at a local resevoir and will plan on taking ASA 103 out of Long Beach, CA to Catalina Island once I feel ready for that course. Getting certified will also enable me to rent boats in the short term and begin acclimating my dogs to life aboard.

As for my boat plans, I'm starting to lean more toward a traditional cutter rigged sloop, vs the motor sailor I had been considering. I think the sailing performance will outweigh the comfort benefits for my dogs and I. Additionally, instead of a 15ish year old boat for $200k, I'm starting to lean toward a 2-4 year old boat for twice that amount. Although all boats will require maintenance, I'm hoping a near new boat will help avoid frequent repairs. There are a couple of IP349's that have hit the used market and they simply make my heart beat faster. If I'm going to cross oceans and live aboard this thing, I want it to be really capable and really nice. But there's plenty of time to change my mind again before I head Back to the Islands.

On a final note - I'd like to say, God Bless Toby Keith, who passed this week. Can you imagine the concert he and Jimmy put on in heaven last night? Toby's song "Don't Let the Old Man In" inspires me to believe I can eventually get on my dream boat and live my dream for at least 10-15 years , as long as I don't let the old man in.

Thanks for listening.
Bill

[Messing About]

Good day, all.
I took my ASA 101 course this weekend, at a 10k acre reservoir near my home. Learned a ton, had fun, got 100% on the 100 question written test.

Our instructor, a young man of 78, was not only highly knowledgeable and energetic, he inspires me to believe I can sail/cruise to that age and beyond.

Key takeaways for me:
1. need much practice at this. It’s not rocket science it it is significantly more challenging than operating the four power boats Ive owned. The local school offers ASA111 every weekend. This is individualized instruction for 3 hours for $110, on the school’s boat (Catalina Capri 22). Seems like a bargain to me.

2. Seeing the roles of the crew, one tending the msin sheet and two crew tending the jib sheets, I quickly realized how challenging single handing will be. Self steering, electric winches and a furling main will help but I know those things can also break.

3. Learning to read the wind over the water was fsssnd fun. Learning to heave to was super cool. I’d read about it but never really got it, til we did it.

I’m thinking after 5-6 of the 111 sessions, I will be prepared to take the 103/104 combo course, offered by this same school but out of Long Beach, CA These are known as Coastal Cruising and Bareboat Cruising. The cost for this 3 day liveaboard sessions for $1450.

Update on my wife: still stable; 78 lbs, still smoking but not drinking. Cognitively she continues a slow decline but she functions well. She made some nice blueberry muffins for me last week and did all the laundry. There was a time when I couldn’t let her near the gas stove/oven and she couldn’t operate the clothes washer/dryer. She still asks the same questions of me every morning and the answers are always the same. It’s a lot like having an impatient child. She’s always rushing things; gets dogs food ready two hours before time to feed them. Puts her PJs on at 330 in the afternoon. Goes to bed at 530. Gets up at 130 AM and makes a cup of coffee. So difficult to witness. So challenging to be patient (with my patient).

But if I can start sailing a couple of days a month, it will go a long way for my sanity. She still has no interest. I know her; she’d freak out every time a sail flogged or we heeled over. Best to just do this for myself while I can, as I wait for her time to finish.

[flpaoli]

Thank you for chronicling your story Messing About. It is inspiring to see you stand by your wife as she lives her last years, you are a blessing to her. Also good to see how you keep your sailing plans alive by gradually take steps to be ready when the right time comes.


Great to see you enjoyed your ASA 101, and especially reading the wind over the water. It is one of the things I always enjoyed when racing on a lake in a day sailer in my younger years.



Don't be too intimidated by the number of people you saw in the crew position in ASA 101. If you're not racing, you don't need to be as fast. The captain who taught my ASA 101/103/104 made each of us tack solo and it wasn't that big of a deal. Just slower.


Wish you both the best.

[Messing About]

I am now booked for ASA 103/104 in May. We will be sailing a 45' Beneteau, with 3 students and the instructor. Each student crew gets their own cabin, which is nice. This is far enough out for me to get 15-18 more hours, under instruction, piloting the Catalina 22 before stepping up to twice the hull size.

I offered to have my wife join, as the Captain (instructor) said I could have a non-student passenger in my cabin for a nominal fee, but of course she declined. I am looking forward to the trip. Besides my work days, this will be just my third respite away from her in more than 2 years.

Oh, and perhaps the best news for me . . . the Captain said we will be trolling for fish throughouyt the trip! I haven't been saltwater fishing since I left Florida in 2016.

[JPA Cate]

Well, may y'all catch a big enough for all of you pelagian fish. Yum!

Fair winds,

Ann

[flpaoli]

Originally Posted by Messing About

I am now booked for ASA 103/104 in May. We will be sailing a 45' Beneteau, with 3 students and the instructor. Each student crew gets their own cabin, which is nice. This is far enough out for me to get 15-18 more hours, under instruction, piloting the Catalina 22 before stepping up to twice the hull size.

Cool! If your experience is like mine I think you'll notice that 45' is a lot easier to sail than the Catalina 22 you sailed in ASA101. It will have more inertia when tacking, less likelihood that you end up in the irons, and good stability.


I did my ASA 101/103/104 on a Dufour 43', my previous experience was only on 15' day sailers. What a difference.


The most intimidating part isn't sailing, it's motoring and docking. Once you're out, as long as you don't have strong winds and large seas, it should be fine. We had at max 15 kts of wind on a close reach with 3' seas, and it was fine. Gusts of maybe 18 or 20 kts. A lot of fun in fact, the boat was doing almost 8 kts, max speed.


Hope you enjoy it!

[Messing About]

Originally Posted by flpaoli

Cool! If your experience is like mine I think you'll notice that 45' is a lot easier to sail than the Catalina 22 you sailed in ASA101. It will have more inertia when tacking, less likelihood that you end up in the irons, and good stability.


I did my ASA 101/103/104 on a Dufour 43', my previous experience was only on 15' day sailers. What a difference.


The most intimidating part isn't sailing, it's motoring and docking. Once you're out, as long as you don't have strong winds and large seas, it should be fine. We had at max 15 kts of wind on a close reach with 3' seas, and it was fine. Gusts of maybe 18 or 20 kts. A lot of fun in fact, the boat was doing almost 8 kts, max speed.


Hope you enjoy it!

Thank you. This is very encouraging. I'm looking forward to it.

[dan104]

Just a support thought to your progress, I am 79 and although I single hand her most of the time I sail a 36' Gozzard. My wife is in good shape at 80+ but hates sailing so she is almost never with me.


This winter I picked up a crew mate off the Salty Dags group and went from Annapolis to Savanna GA before I ran out of time and turned around with a new crew mate.


Two people make a trip like that easier but also more fun, and as others have said docking is the hardest part, once off the dock if you can stay off the ground it is easily done all from the cockpit if set up right. I have a power winch handle that makes raising the main lot easier, she is a big sail.


I went inside and outside so I did ICW and open water, funny I found the ICW more interesting as it had challenges and places to stop and enjoy the views. At one point there is a guy who takes video of boats as they go by and posts them on facebook group called "show us your boat" you can find me there as Riparian.

[Messing About]

Originally Posted by dan104

Just a support thought to your progress, I am 79 and although I single hand her most of the time I sail a 36' Gozzard. My wife is in good shape at 80+ but hates sailing so she is almost never with me.


This winter I picked up a crew mate off the Salty Dags group and went from Annapolis to Savanna GA before I ran out of time and turned around with a new crew mate.


Two people make a trip like that easier but also more fun, and as others have said docking is the hardest part, once off the dock if you can stay off the ground it is easily done all from the cockpit if set up right. I have a power winch handle that makes raising the main lot easier, she is a big sail.


I went inside and outside so I did ICW and open water, funny I found the ICW more interesting as it had challenges and places to stop and enjoy the views. At one point there is a guy who takes video of boats as they go by and posts them on facebook group called "show us your boat" you can find me there as Riparian.

Thank you, Dan. Your perspective is both encouraging and appreciated.
My ASA101 instructor was a very young 78. Sailors like you and he inspire me to believe I can get many, many years of cruising life out of my retirement. I'm not a big FB guy but I will look for your boat on there. I'd love to read more of your travels, if you post anywhere else.

[Messing About]

Today’s the day.
I’m in Long Beach, CA for my ASA 103/104 combo course. We will be piloting a 45’ Beneteau sloop to Catalina Island & back, over the next 3 days.
Looking forward to this next step in my training and plans toward getting my final boat and setting off.


I have neighbors & family keeping close tabs on my wife, who is physically stronger than she’s been in over two years. Cognitive decline continues but she’s not suffering, so that’s good. She could be around for a few more years. I trust that there is a plan and my time will come.

This is the first break I’ve had from her in over 3 years.

Marine forecast is for light winds (mostly around 10), seas 2’ and temps in the 60’s. Will hope for more wind but should be quite enjoyable conditions.

[Wotname]

Thanks for the update and enjoy your break; it sounds likes a pleasant few days.

[flpaoli]

Enjoy! That's a very nice boat, and the wind and sea seems manageable enough to ensure everyone gets an opportunity to train and learn!

[Messing About]

Had a great weekend, with chilly but calm weather, for my ASA 103/104 classes. Over the three day course we practiced docking and leaving the dock in both wind with and wind against the boat. Anchoring and retrieval. COLREGS. Picking up moorings. Points of sail. Chart plotting on paper and on Navionics. Keeping logs. Diesel engine maintenance/inspections. Foreign port check-in procedures/customs. And of course, actual sailing if the vessel. We had solid 15+ knot winds going to Avalon Harbor, maintaining 7+ SOG most of the way. Saw one whale surface just a few miles out from Avalon. The Captain & my classmates bar hopped Friday night but after dinner, I returned to the boat and enjoyed some solo time on deck, listening to my music and taking in the sights of the mooring field on a gorgeous evening. Overnight temps were in the 50’s, so I was bundled in the cockpit, before retiring to my cabin about 10 PM. Not sure when the crew returned but I didn’t hear a word. Awoke at 330 AM and returned to the cockpit to watch the morning arrive. As peaceful and easy a feeling as I could ask for.

Returning we had calm to very light winds, motoring the first 5 miles but then motor sailing and finally sailing at 5 knots most of the way back. We took our written exams (two tests, 100 questions each) and everyone passed. I got a 94% on 103 and 96% on 104. I wasn’t flying home til Sunday morning, so I had the opportunity to sleep aboard for one more night. I volunteered to wash down the exterior of the boat after everyone else departed. Having the boat alone reminded me of the feeling of having my own boat again. It’s been 7 years since I sold my last powerboat.

There’s a 38’ Beneteau from the same Charter Co in Long Beach. The Captain encouraged me to rent that a few times ($500 day) to continue my practice. He also runs a club on my local reservoir that gives unlimited access to his school’s Catalina Capri 22 footers for $1450 per year. I’m definitely going to take advantage of that.

It was a wonderful trip and I very much enjoyed the break away from home. My wife did just fine without me, which was comforting. The dogs were incredibly happy to see me. The neighbor who walked them and checked in on my bride gave a good report.

Wife had a quarterly blood draw last Friday, with results coming this week. Based on her day to day physical performance, I expect good news.

[flpaoli]

Sounds like it was a good time, good learning and good moments by yourself on the boat. Glad to read that!

The club at the reservoir and occasional Long Beach boat rental seem like great ideas. Will give you good practice and good times.

Hoping your wife has a positive result on that blood test.