Greeting from Silver Heels

[silver heels]

I'll start with a little history. Owned my first sailboat at 16, now 58. Always had the dream to sail away. (Who nows where) My wife and I have owned 4 together, but she has never bought into the sail away dream. She loves to sail, we have chartered in BVI's a number of times. We did keep our boat at Oar Harbor Marina, Slidell, LA until "Katrina". "Silver Heels" our 1982 Freeport 36 sustained quite a bit of damage, but stayed afloat. We moved her to a storage yard in Memphis, TN. where I have been repairing for the last 2 1/2 yrs. This is where the good stuff started. My wife causally remarked one day "If you ever expect me to go with you anywhere, you need to put in a new engine". So we flew to the boat show">Miami Boat Show and purchased. She now tells friends and family we're going to the Bahamas in our boat next year.(YES!!) Silver Heels is near completion and soon will go back to Oak Harbor Marina. My wife retires this July. I plan to take a three month sabbatical from Mar-May from the company I own and give my son a chance to get his feet wet running the company.
My first question to the group is about the route to Key West from New Orleans. It appears, based on pilot charts, the best route would be to ride the back side of a front and get as much of a easting as possible, maybe as far a Tampa, then turn south as the east wind backs.
Value your opinion.phillip

[Islandmike]

As I read your post my smile got bigger and bigger especially when your wife casually says "If you ever expect me to go with you anwhere, you need to put in a new engine". Good Luck, Im sure you will find all of the information you need here.

[imagine2frolic]

DITTO Island Mike......CONGRADULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha Silver Heels,
Great name! Where have I heard it before? Welcome aboard to you and your wife. Sounds like your story is going to have a happy ending.
Let us know how things progress. What kind of engine did you chose?
Kind Regards,
JohnL

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by SkiprJohn

Aloha Silver Heels, Great name! Where have I heard it before?

Harold J. Smith, aka Jay Silverheels, was the Lone Ranger's sidekick TONTO.

[SkiprJohn]

I remember Jay well. I wonder if he had a boat? I've seen it on the stern of some boat somewhere. I need to start writing these things down.
Kind Regards,
JohnL

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by silver heels

She now tells friends and family we're going to the Bahamas in our boat next year.(YES!!)


. It appears, based on pilot charts, the best route would be to ride the back side of a front and get as much of a easting as possible, maybe as far a Tampa, then turn south as the east wind backs.
Value your opinion.phillip

Lucky you for the first part!!!!!!!!!!

Ah, sailing. This is the first time in years that I consider this winter weather the "normal", that being a front that comes through every 4 to 10 days with the wind SW as it arrives, moving to NW after it passes, then easing around to the NE. Then it starts all over again. For the last 10 - 12 years it has not been as regular as I remembered it when I was sailing a lot more.

The thing is, those fronts are not spaced regularly (4-10 days). Your plan is fine, but.......if you follow the coast more closely and start to get the SW (with its storms) you can find a nice place to watch the lightening from and after the show you can blast S with wind on beam or quarter!

This is "winter" weather.........summer is all different.

[swagman]

Welcome to the site,
And good luck living your dream.
JOHN

[Lancerbye]

Welcome aboard. You have to love it when a plan comes together. When a wife suggests that you buy a new engine, new boat, new truck, new toy. Don't hesitate, for at that very moment all men know that the stars must be in perfect alignment.

[silver heels]

The name "Silver Heels" came from a Gordon Lightfoot song "Christian Island". Its about a good old boat that can take a gale and keep smling. "Silver Heels" is a old seafaring term, silver heels are the reflection of the moon off the stern wake. Check out the song great sailors song.
s/v
Silver Heels
phillip

[GordMay]

I'm sailing down the summer wind
I got whiskers on my chin
And I like the mood I'm in
As I while away the time of day
In the lee of Christian Island
Tall and strong she dips and reels
I call her Silver Heels
And she tells me how she feels
She's a good old boat and she'll stay afloat
Through the toughest gales and keep smilin'
But for one more day she would like to stay
In the lee of Christian Island

I'm sailing down the summer day
Where the fish and seagulls play
I put my troubles all away
And when the gales comes up I'll fill my cup
With the whiskey of the Highlands
She's a good old ship and she'll make the trip
From the lee of Christian Island

Tall and strong she slips along
I sing for her a song
And she leans into the wind
She's a good old boat and she'll stay afloat
Through the toughest gales and keep smilin'
When the summer ends we will rest again
In the lee of Christian Island