Greetings from the Rockies!

[JustHank]

Hello to all...I've been lurking and learning for months, and want to thank the members and moderators for such an informative (and entertaining!) forum. My wife and I live in Wyoming, and have been chartering several times per year to build our sailing experience. We're chasing the dream of buying a cat and living aboard in a few years. To start learning, we did our US Sailing Basic Keel Boat (on Rob Swain's IC24) and Bareboat Cruising (on a Lagoon 420) certifications in the BVIs during February, then bareboated an FP Mahe 36 during May (also in the BVIs) to test our newly acquired skills. Two of the best weeks of my life! Headed to Annapolis to bareboat an Orana 44 in another week, then staying for the boat show. Christmas and New Years this year will find us working on our Coastal Nav and Coastal Passagemaking courses aboard a Bahia 46 out of Antigua, and then back to the BVIs next April for a fun cruise with friends. We have the BUG!

Looking forward to continuing to learn a lot on the forum...

[yellowsands]

Hi Hank - just been thru similar experience learning and testing by charter - great fun! Took me three charters and my family was hooked as well. We are heading off on a two year cruise up East coast of Africa in 2010. Good luck with the quest for the boat of your dreams. David

[Conrad30]

Greetings...

We are also in your same position. We live in Colorado Springs, used to be Cheyenne. We plan on buying a cat in about a year, and living aboard.

-Conrad

[JustHank]

Thanks David & Conrad, great to hear we're in good company...

Cheers

[johneri1]

Greetings from over the hill--just can't wait for one more Rocky Mountain winter?

[Pblais]

Headed to Annapolis to bareboat an Orana 44 in another week, then staying for the boat show.

Typically a great time to sail the Chesapeake. The weather now has cooled off a bit and the humidity is down to tolerable levels. Water is still quite warm so it makes for some of the best sailing. Should be a great time. Winds can blow quite well though they also can blow quite strong so watch the weather patterns.

[Agur's Wish]

Hi, We are fellow Rockies living at 10,600 feet in Alma, CO for 6 months of the year and the other 6 months we live on our 40 ft Tashiba in the Bahamas. If you'd like to read about our experience of going to the Annapolis boat show just to "look" at boats, check out my article "Smitten" on my blog "A First Mate's Rules of the Road" http://firstmatemary.blogspot.com We were actually living in SW Kansas when we bought our boat, Agur's Wish. 11 years later our friends from KS still ask us, "Where do you cook?" They only know bass boats and ski boats. Have a blast in Annapolis and make sure you go to Davis's Pub in Eastport and order their fish and chips.
First Mate Mary

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha Hank and Karen,
Welcome aboard! Hope you enjoy the forum. I think you've done it the right way by taking some courses and doing some chartering.
Kind regards,
JohnL