Why did you start sailing?

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by mjt

. Then I saw on TV the "Adventures of the Sea Spray" - a show about a family cruising the south Pacific. .

What a great show! I loved it when I was a kid!
A great website with photos of the boat is Adv Seaspray

On the "Seaspray" there was a black boatswain with an Afro haircut, who wore a Fijian Sulu skirt.

Actually, this boatswain (Leoni Lesinawi) was the owner of the "Seaspray", who leased it to the filming company and got the supporting part.

When the series was over, the "Seaspray" belonged to him and no longer to the bank. He then established a travel agency called "Seaspray Cruises" in Nadi (Fiji Islands). The "Seaspray" still makes day cruises for tourists.

Theres a reference to the yacht in 2004 still in Fiji.
The Dad was a kiwi... transformed into an Aussie

Another TV show that you may have watched was The Rovers Rovers 1

[mjt]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

Another TV show that you may have watched was The Rovers Rovers 1

Between 68 and 73 we were out west - there was no TV out there so I never saw that one!

[yachtdaemon]

Partner wanted to, with a view to sailing around the world. Then I fell for it big time & haven't looked back.
Jill

[cbac]

In '64 we moved to the USVI, I was in the 4th or 5th grade and we were always on the water or in the water in some fashion. I'd go down the the harbor and listen to the wind floating through the shrouds, the odd little harbour song, y'all know it. I'd sit there and daydream about sailing, not having the means that's all I could do was daydream.
Then we got a passout in school about a field trip to Buck Island. I took it home expecting my parents to say, "Oh that's nice" and that would be the end of it. To my surprise they said that it looked like fun and all I had to do was wash and wax the car... I even vacuumed it. A week later our class piled onto a huge trimerand (It was probably a 42 footer but it looked enourmous to us kids) and off we sailed across that beautiful clear water. I was standing and rested my hand on the boom and I could feel the power of the wind and it just felt right.

Flash forward many years later and my neighbor came by and told us they were moving to Idaho and couldn't take their Hobie 14. If we had an extra 300 bucks he said it would be a real favor for us to take it off his hands. My wife had a check written before he finished his sentence. She'd been in the Sea Scouts and pounced.

So that weekend we took it out on the lake and basically spent a lot of time figuring that little hot rod out. Out's the word, basically we spent a lot of time getting out of the water and back on the 14. We eventually got the hang of it and learned some fine details such as where not to sit and when to duck.

Whe the kids got around 9 and 10 she suggested that I take them to the local sailing school offered through the city and let them get into it. While I was signing them up I asked about the age limit and the instructor handed me another sign up form. I guess he saw something in my eyes. The three of us took the American Red Cross Start Sailing Right Class. What a blast! Scooting around on Sunfish with my kids (one at a time) having fun on the water while my wife did her accounting work ... I almost felt guilty. The kids loved it.
The next time I got on the 14 I knew what I was doing and dumped the thing over like an expert!!
About 5 years ago I was at a loss for a birthday gift for my wife so as I was sitting at the docks listening to the shroud song I noticed that the sailing center had 4 hour captained charters. Happy Birthday! She loved it, the Captain let her take the helm and I knew I'd done something right. I chartered a dinner cruise for our anniversary and before I knew it we signed up for the ASA 101 Basic Keelboat. Then we took the 103 and recently passed the 104.
Now we are shopping for a boat.

So I guess I fell in love with sailing by touching a boom.

[Snowshoe]

Growing up I spent countless hours playing on the shores of a nearby lake. A mile or so down the lake there was a summer camp that had a sizable fleet of daysailers. I can remember standing on the shore watching them thinking how cool it looked and that changed over time to knowing someday I was going to have one. When I was out of school and started to make a little money I was reading the paper one day and there was a 15 foot wooden boat for sale for $750. I had a friend that I had only recently found out was a sailing instructor at the college he attended. I gave him a call and we went to look at it. It was old, this was around 1980 or so, they had been building this boat out of fiberglass for years, but it had serviceable sails and was ready to go into the water. At this point let me add I had never been in a sailboat before or even been close enough to understand how they worked. Those years watching them from afar had left an impression on me. I bought it and a few days later he gave me my one and only lesson on how to sail it. Since then I have had several different boats including a power boat and canoes but alway go back to sailboats. The memory I have of me as a little kid standing on the shores watching the big white sails in the distance is as vivid now as it was over thirty years ago.

[pogo]

Good replies! Thread is stirring fond memories of adventures, as a kid.

[caymandj]

Prob got it in my genes from my Dad. Merchant Marine. Growing up all he wanted was a small sailboat. Never happened-so I decided I would LIVE THE DREAM if God said-do it. So I am preparing to do it. I seem to be a loner and the idea of a solo voyage just makes my heart sing.

I ask a lot of questions-love to hear about different boats and what makes everyone "happy" with the boat they own. Still deciding mono or twin hull. Any feedback stored in my memory bank.

Happy sails/motoring
caymandj

[pjbsailing]

My uncle went to Japan and brought back this teak ship model. All teak, hand crafted square rigger. I think it was a gift for my mom, to place somewhere in the house. She decided it would look better in my room. I had this huge ship on my dresser to look at from the time I was 6, until I left home. Like any daydreaming kid, I would picture myself on board fighting pirates, and having a great adventure. As a daydreaming teen, I was more focused on the Farah Fawcet poster, but the ship was always there. After spending so many years in the rat race, and having my father in-law pass away, without living his dream, I decided one day to take sailing lessons. Not sure why, but I saw an ad somewhere and just did it. After a few trips out on a Sonar, I went to a marina, and bought a boat of my own (surprised wife). It's been all uphill from there
I didn't think I had a sailing dream, but now I'm 5 yrs away from heading out in a 44 footer. Going to have some fun and adventure.

The teak square rigger is mounted in my workshop. I see it everyday.

Pj

Latitude43

[Divecoz]

We had spent lots of time on the island of Cozumel where we had a home. My wife had invited friends down for a 10 day trip and wanted me to come up with a very romantic evening. I contacted a friend who had a couple sail boats and arranged to have a Sunset Sail. The sound of the breeze in the sails and water lapping against then sides was all it look . The next day my wife talked about how wonderful that evening was and asked, did I believe I could learn to do it.. . . .SAIL that is?
6 months later having never sailed on our own, we owned a sailboat.

[HAwkcharter]

Some things are meant to be.
I recall the first big boat I was on, as a sailing vessel. The captain was a "flyingscot" national champion, ex-sub sailor gone to skimmers.
Standing on deck when the auxiliary motor was quieted, I observed and the waves continued to slide aft, it was mezmerizing.
"Hey Capt...teach me how to do this! What makes the boat go against the wind?"
Responding, "Did you ever pinch a watermelon seed and watch it propel across the room? That is what makes a sailboat go forward into the wind", said he. I couldn't wait to try for myself...

sail on, sail on

[Ex-Calif]

Born in SoCal and lived there until age 8. Lot's of beach trips. I have pictures af Mai Pei - a huge freakin' boat that Dad planned to refit and sail off with his family. Never happened.

Moved to Oz in 1968. Lived in Pittwater (Lovett Bay), where the only access was by ferry. That's me in the sailor hat in front of the family sedan circa 1971(?)

Probably the coolest time of my life. We had an 18 foot wooden sailboat. Wonderfully fond memories of what probably was a piece of junk. I do recall the one cylinder diesel that was started with a white nylon rope wrapped around the front wheel.

I remember a trip up to Palm Beach with my brothers, trip planning non-existent, totally becalmed coming back, the diesel won't start and getting home well after midnight - Mom never worried for some reason...

Exploring Ku-ring-gai chase national park - all the time. Taking the family sedan up around the corner and into the Hawkesbury. Coming back into 10 foot swells with storms and almost crapping ourselves.

Exploring little creeks and inlets in the 10ft aluminum runabout, lifting it over blockages and going as high as possible like junior Lewis and Clarkes.

The sailboat was always there and I don't remember "not" being able to sail. I also don't ever remember not being able to handle a boat. Just grew up with it.

Eventually, school and work got in the way and although I have always lived as near the water as possible, boating was a hit and miss affair, primarily rentals.

After moving to Singapore, I was convinced I would buy a power boat. Sailing didn't really occur to me as I always figured sailing as a "crewed" affair and a power boat was a single handed proposition - wrong...

Sailed with my brother in his force 5 - lake sailing photo - and rented catlinas in san diego a few times - catalina photo.

After not finding my "perfect" power boat, I met a guy with a really cool family and we clicked. He was looking for a sailboat and I said, "Why not?" so we partnered up.

The rest is history. Since aquiring the boat we average 2 days a week on the water and often we are 3, 4 and 5 days out - See the deck dance photo that comes as a result of the pure joy of a) not being at work and b) sailing your own boat.

My son is sailing optimists and Picos and enjoying what I enjoyed as a kid. I get out in dinghy's once in a while for fun and the social scene at our club is fantastic!

I used to plan where I would fly the family for vacations and holidays. Now we plan to stay home or take the boat to Malaysia. It's a huge savings and more fun than a hotel stay somehere.

Does it show that I am hooked?

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by Ex-Calif

Born in SoCal

Sounds like a stupid diet drink: "Drink SoCal! Your fat Butt will fall right off!"

Can't you lot call your states by their names? I dont get all this MI WI WE DE and the rest of it! I was looking on Google for some stuff on Panama, as in a marina. So I what into google panama marina... so what happens? FL steals a whole country and moves it up to Key West somewhere!

Originally Posted by Ex-Calif

Lived in Pittwater (Lovett Bay), where the only access was by ferry. ...Exploring Ku-ring-gai chase national park - all the time.

No better place for a kid to grow up! Wonderful!

[Divecoz]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

Sounds like a stupid diet drink: "Drink SoCal! Your fat Butt will fall right off!"

Can't you lot call your states by their names? I dont get all this MI WI WE DE and the rest of it! I was looking on Google for some stuff on Panama, as in a marina. So I what into google panama marina... so what happens? FL steals a whole country and moves it up to Key West somewhere!



No better place for a kid to grow up! Wonderful!

Duhhh lets see could those be the official US Postal Service Abbreviations for the individual states??? Living as you do. . . . in glass . I would have thought you learned long ago not to toss rocks.......talk about some weird stuff dont look under. . .
AS for your search, you should have found this. . .

Marina Boca Chica Panama Central America
60 slip marina facility currently under construction in Boca Chica, electric, water, cruisers kitchen, Direct TV, telephone, free WiFi.
Marina Boca Chica Panama Central America
As for Panama City . . . .well there is one in Florida and by the number of hits It gets . . . . well thats what drives the info hiway isnt it.

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

Sounds like a stupid diet drink: "Drink SoCal! Your fat Butt will fall right off!"

Nope. Still got the fat butt - LOL

Actually - Northern, central and southern California are all distinct enough that it pays to discriminate.

Someone from Eureka or Sacramento is as alien to me as a hoosier or a gator.

Originally Posted by MarkJ

Can't you lot call your states by their names? I dont get all this MI WI WE DE and the rest of it! I was looking on Google for some stuff on Panama, as in a marina.

Like NSW, Vic, WA, SA and ACT (for Pete's sake) is better - LOL.

Originally Posted by MarkJ

No better place for a kid to grow up! Wonderful!

I agree. What a blast...

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by Divecoz

Duhhh lets see could those be the official US Postal Service Abbreviations for the individual states???

Thats the point. The internet is international. I'm Australian you can't expect me to know all the states or provinces of all the other countries let alone their abreviations

But I was having a joke