First weekend sailing my own boat

[snccoulter]

I went out this weekend for the maiden voyage of the CoCa-J and we had a blast. My buddy went out with me on Sat and made sure that I was set and knew what I was doing. Well I don't but I am not going to to kill anyone at least. We spent about 7 hours on Lake Whatcom putting myself and the new to me boat through the paces.
I then took the family out Sunday a for about 4 hours. Getting out of the slip was fine and actually sailing was great. Getting back into the slip was a comedy of errors. No one/nothing was damaged but it did take me a while to park it. kinda like a 15 year old trying to parallel park a suburban for the first time. Oh and I was needing an anchor, thankfully Cayla my wife​ wanted me to stop at a garage sale on the way out to the lake to look at a few lamps and I saw a boat anchor sitting off to the side. It was not marked for sale but apparently if it is on the property and you are having a garage sale it is for sale. I got it for 25 bucks. It is at least 30 lbs I am thinking it should be fine for a 22 foot Catalina.

[snccoulter]

A few more.

[jwcolby54]

How cool! Sounds like a good time was had by all.

[chris mac]

The big grins say it all:-)

[Alec H]

Good to read that you are realistic about your expertise. The status of "not going to kill anyone" puts you ahead of some in the boating community. Steady ahead.

[Captain Blue]

Now that is a happy crew. You have picked the best family spot ever. My girls started at age 7. They are 42 and 38 now and still on the water every chance they get. You are a rich man by looking at the smiles on your boat.

[redhead]

Looks like a lot of fun. We just moved to Whatcom County and are enjoying everything about it (mostly the people).

What kind of boat!??????

[exMaggieDrum]

Well done! You could not have picked a better summer than this one to start out. Many happy trips to come!

[CruisingKitty]

Congratulations! Nice boat, lovely happy family, and a nice little fluke style anchor. Enjoy!

[Dhillen]

Sweet story. Getting the boat out of and back into the slip in one piece is usually the most stressful part of the trip.

You will do it perfectly if there are no witnesses.

Keep having fun.

Dhillen

[snccoulter]

Originally Posted by redhead

Looks like a lot of fun. We just moved to Whatcom County and are enjoying everything about it (mostly the people).

What kind of boat!??????

It is a 22 foot Catalina.

[Old Swampy]

I have to compare your first cruise to my first cruise in a new Paceship PY 23 on the Maine Coast. The center board cable was caught between the shallow keel and the hull. Centerboard wouldn't go down. The Porterpotty filled up in about one day, and we were out for week. We tore the big jib and had to rely on the small jib. My older son, he was 12 then, has raced single-handed to Bermuda and sailed with us to Newfoundland. So keep at it and keep learning.

[Snore]

First congrats on the boat. Looks like everyone loves it!

Second, don't forget to update your profile. Third smart move not mentioning the type of anchor -- that would surely have started a p--- ing contest.

[NOLA_sailing]

Congrats! That first time on YOUR boat is truly an awesome experience.

Now just wait until the first time the engine fails...and you get it back running on your own. Was a very "man-make-fire" moment for me.

[Stu Jackson]

Congratulations. Our first boat was a 1981 C22. www.sailboatowners.com has an active C22 group as well as the C22 Association. Just so you don't have to reinvent the wheel. Pat Royce's little book, Sailing Illustrated, has some good info on the C22, as well as a good all around read. It was our first sailing book, too.