How about some Good Stories?

[smaarch]

Originally Posted by fisherman.ben

last summer I took 10 days off to go sailing. I had no real plan as to where I was going, nor did I have any time to get there. so Friday afternoon I went to the bank, stop and shop, o'neils (had to get some beer and wine) then went down to my boat. I left my slip at about 5, and was in new harbor block island by 8. after I got my anchor set I hopped in the dink and went in to see some of my buddies that work out there for the summer. had dinner at charlies house and was back to the boat for 1030. I woke up around 7 and decided that I would sail to long island for some lunch and those delightful iced teas they are so well known for. by around sunset I was feeling pretty good and decided it was time for some dinner. i set up my grill, get the charcoal going and go below to prep my steak. now i guess somebody saw the charcoal burning from the beach and thought my boat was on fire, so they called the fire department. now by the time they show up (about 5 minutes after i start my grill) my charcoal went out (must have gotten wet somehow) so i was on the stern with my outboard gas can re lighting the grill. they didn't seem to think it was the best idea but the match was already on the way to the grill and they couldn't stop it. after being told that i was not supposed to be using open flame in a harbor they left and i had some tasty steak with grilled vegies. i got up around 7, and left Montauk around 830. i had no real plans as to where i would go but ended up in Clinton Connecticut. it's actually a nice little town, and as luck would have it they were having a concert that night so as i sat in my cockpit catching some blue crabs i got to listen to a local band that covered jimmy buffet really well. when i left the next day i figured i would continue going west down long island sound and maybe see the statue of liberty and new York. going thru hells gate was an experience and slow as i was going against the tide, but man, seeing new York from the water was well worth it. if you have never seen the statue of liberty up close you should, it is something i will never forget. i spent a couple days in nyc and decided that i would go back and spend another day in Clinton. after a night in Clinton i figured i would go to mystic and check that out. they have a really cool seaport and aquarium that was worth the admission and i would recommend to anyone. when i left mystic i went back to block island for a couple days and was home in time to catch the lines on the fishing boat i work on. it was a great trip and i can't wait till this summer so i can have another vacation like that. (although i think i will go north and hit marthas vineyard, Nantucket and then cape cod.)

every summer for the past 18 years. just doesn't get better!

[JPA Cate]

Scarlet,

Please ask yourself this question: if you're having doubts at this stage, how will I cope if it gets difficult? Having answered that, you will be in a position to move on.

Although this may sound "tough", it is kindly meant.

Ann

[Cuttyhunk]

The crazy things that happen (and they often do) just make the stories better!

Last summer we went to Martha's Vineyard to visit family and do some fishing. We left our slip in Warwick Thursday afternoon and headed down to Dutch Harbor, where our yacht club has a first come, first served mooring. We got started a little late and got to Dutch after dark. It looked like somebody else was on the mooring, although it was a little dark to be sure. My husband was bumming, because he's not yet comfortable lying at anchor, but there was plenty of room and we set the hook.

We wanted to leave early in the am, because a front was due to come through around 1 pm and the weather was going to get nasty. So we took off at dawn, got out into the main west channel and started smelling fuel. VERY strong smell. After a bit, it occurred to us that we were smelling gasoline, not diesel, and there was only one possible source…yep, we'd left the little gas jerry jug for the outboard in the dinghy (on the davits) and it had tipped over and that unspillable spout thing had…you guessed it…spilled. Oh well, cleanup ensued and we only spilled a cup or so into the dink. As we continued on toward Beavertail, BOOM! The stainless steel bracket holding our radar and a gps antenna onto the arch broke. I guess I shouldn't have been using it so much as a handhold, huh. Now we had an 18 inch radome dangling upside down. Some discussion ensued, about turning around and heading back to Dutch to reassess our plans. I tried to turn the boat around (we were motoring) and the helm would not respond! Yikes! My husband pointed out that I might want to put the autopilot on standby first. Oops!

After turning around, we got out some spare lines and lashed the errant platform to the main arch. We decided that we could do without radar, as the visibility was excellent and we just needed to get to the Vineyard before the bad weather came.

Which we did! We pulled into Menemsha (a bit hairy but no harm done and we had fun watching this huge Kady Krogen try to squeeze in behind us, after the wind had picked up -- he gave up and tied up elsewhere that night). Turned out about ten cousins were on the island, plus President Obama arrived the next day. We had a ton of fun with the cousins and my aunt but did not have any presidential sightings.

Sunday we left and headed south to do some fishing. My husband's dream was to catch a bluefin tuna. No luck with that, but he hooked a white marlin (spit the hook eventually, but so beautiful to see it dance on the water trying to shake the plug), we saw whales and dolphins and lots of baitfish. After a long day of fishing, we went up to Cuttyhunk and picked up a mooring for the night. The next day, we went fishing again and saw a huge shark, more dolphins, and caught way too many dogfish. Went back to Dutch, actually got the mooring this time, put out our rods fluking, guess what, more dogfish. Home the next morning after waiting for the fog to lift (no radar!)

So, yes, this story has some disasters, but nothing serious and we felt extremely brave and resourceful and we had a wonderful time! A few weeks later, a friend welded some new ends on the bracket for $50 and amazingly enough, the radar still functioned.

[pistarckle]

What kind of story would it be if you did not go aground , get ripped off .tore a sail or two ,got boarded by the Coast Guard , lost yer dog overboard ,had your wife take a shot at you with a flare gun ? Might as well stay home !

[blewett_john]

Here is a good story written by one of my crew about the delivery of Princess Pupulei from Miami to Rhode Island. It is her journal in which I added my comments and exerpts from the log. It is quite lengthy since the trip was 16 days.

https://buildingmytrimaran.shutterfl...eliveryjournal

[Southern Star]

Scarlet, I think you have to put things in this perspective: How much maintenance do you have to do weekly/monthly/annually on your own house and car, keeping in mind that they are not subject to the ravages of salt water and waves? Do you have to cut the lawn? Weed the gardens? Shovel snow (if your climate is like mine)? Do you have to vacuum, clean windows, toilets, floors? Do you occasionally require plumbing repairs? Repairs/servicing to the furnace, airconditioning, appliances. Have you ever had to replace windows or the roof? What about paint and plaster? This, of course, is to say nothing about maintenance to your car or truck ( remember, while cruising your boat and your inflatable serve as your transportation, and not merely your home).

So yes, a great deal of time on any cruising boat is spent cleaning, doing maintenance and making repairs. Yes, there will be days/weeks that are adversely effected by the weather - but have you ever arranged a BBQ/outdoor party where it rains? Weather effects us all, its just that it is going to effect you more on a boat than on a house, which is both stationary and enough bigger than a boat so as to reduce the risk of 'cabin fever'.

I have loved most of the homes I have owned, but if I were to write a discourse on the costs in terms of money and effort that it took to get them right and then keep them up - well, it would read a great deal like the ones you have read from cruisers.
At least when cruising you have the excitement of experiencing different vistas, places, cultures, people and things. Something that does not change in your neighbourhood at home.

Brad

[scarlet]

Originally Posted by iSaint

Attachment 77083

awww.. beautiful day.. and lovely boat...

[scarlet]

Originally Posted by Therapy

rotflmao!!!

[scarlet]

Originally Posted by fisherman.ben

last summer I took 10 days off to go sailing. I had no real plan as to where I was going, nor did I have any time to get there. so Friday afternoon I went to the bank, stop and shop, o'neils (had to get some beer and wine) then went down to my boat. I left my slip at about 5, and was in new harbor block island by 8. after I got my anchor set I hopped in the dink and went in to see some of my buddies that work out there for the summer. had dinner at charlies house and was back to the boat for 1030. I woke up around 7 and decided that I would sail to long island for some lunch and those delightful iced teas they are so well known for. by around sunset I was feeling pretty good and decided it was time for some dinner. i set up my grill, get the charcoal going and go below to prep my steak. now i guess somebody saw the charcoal burning from the beach and thought my boat was on fire, so they called the fire department. now by the time they show up (about 5 minutes after i start my grill) my charcoal went out (must have gotten wet somehow) so i was on the stern with my outboard gas can re lighting the grill. they didn't seem to think it was the best idea but the match was already on the way to the grill and they couldn't stop it. after being told that i was not supposed to be using open flame in a harbor they left and i had some tasty steak with grilled vegies. i got up around 7, and left Montauk around 830. i had no real plans as to where i would go but ended up in Clinton Connecticut. it's actually a nice little town, and as luck would have it they were having a concert that night so as i sat in my cockpit catching some blue crabs i got to listen to a local band that covered jimmy buffet really well. when i left the next day i figured i would continue going west down long island sound and maybe see the statue of liberty and new York. going thru hells gate was an experience and slow as i was going against the tide, but man, seeing new York from the water was well worth it. if you have never seen the statue of liberty up close you should, it is something i will never forget. i spent a couple days in nyc and decided that i would go back and spend another day in Clinton. after a night in Clinton i figured i would go to mystic and check that out. they have a really cool seaport and aquarium that was worth the admission and i would recommend to anyone. when i left mystic i went back to block island for a couple days and was home in time to catch the lines on the fishing boat i work on. it was a great trip and i can't wait till this summer so i can have another vacation like that. (although i think i will go north and hit marthas vineyard, Nantucket and then cape cod.)

Ben... it sounds like such a wonderful trip... Did you see the montauk monster while you were there?

[scarlet]

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

Scarlet,

Please ask yourself this question: if you're having doubts at this stage, how will I cope if it gets difficult? Having answered that, you will be in a position to move on.

Although this may sound "tough", it is kindly meant.

Ann

I wasn't having doubts... just wanted some good stories to balance out the other ones..

[scarlet]

Originally Posted by pistarckle

What kind of story would it be if you did not go aground , get ripped off .tore a sail or two ,got boarded by the Coast Guard , lost yer dog overboard ,had your wife take a shot at you with a flare gun ? Might as well stay home !

All funny. ...'Cept for the part about the dog overboard! Poor puppy!

[travellerw]

I'm pretty sure this will open a can of worms.. but IDC.. You want good stories, these two wrote a ton of them.
Bumfuzzle

Their adventure begins in 2004.. Although they are facetious and not %100 honest with their abilities, they are the best sailing blog on the net. If they don't inspire you, then I'm not sure what will (plus you get to laugh at their eternal quest for Pizza and Maccas).

[scuba0_1]

the gulf of Mexico at Sun set

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[scarlet]

Originally Posted by travellerw

I'm pretty sure this will open a can of worms.. but IDC.. You want good stories, these two wrote a ton of them.
Bumfuzzle

Their adventure begins in 2004.. Although they are facetious and not %100 honest with their abilities, they are the best sailing blog on the net. If they don't inspire you, then I'm not sure what will (plus you get to laugh at their eternal quest for Pizza and Maccas).

My first thought is.. WHERE DO THESE PEOPLE GET THE MONEY TO DO THIS?!?!? now granted.. they aren't traveling in high style.. but.. just the vacation time they need to do some of this. some of these adventures are months or YEARS long...

I swear.. somewhere in my life I made a wrong turn..

[travellerw]

I would recommend you read their blog, or buy their book..

A quick summary.. He made a fair amount of money in commodities trading and this funded them for the 3 years they were out (plus selling everything they owned).. Its not as much money as you would think.. I did the math once and it was under 400K even with the cost of their boat.

As to vacation... You don't need to take vacation time when you just quite working..

This was one of their pet peeves.. People assumed they came from money cause no one could possibly do this... CALCULATED RISKS, thats the secret.