Hello from The Maurice River, NJ

[Geoff_NJ]

Hi. I'm relatively new to sailing. This will be (when I get one of these boats going...) my third season. I am self-taught with some book-learned, basic sailing ability. I told myself two years ago that I'd learn to sail before I was 40. My first day was a 2 mile river sail from the marina to my dock, the day before my birthday. The next day I sailed her down the river, into the Delaware Bay for a couple miles and sailed home. I've been hooked (ok...addicted) ever since.

I have a small, 19' McVay Minuet on which I learned to sail and use on our river. I also have an old Catalina 27 which I bought 2 years ago but have only had minimal time sailing. I bought it just north of Philadelphia and sailed it down the Delaware River, around the bay and up our river. It was about 90 water miles and roughly 14 hours. The C-27 sat out last year as I didn't have time for it. This year she's in the water and half-way through her restoration. She's old and tired and one of over 6,600 identical boats but, it's my venture into a cruising sailboat.

I have two young boys that enjoy the boats and I hope will one day love to sail. I'm chomping at the bit to get the Catalina ready so I can take the family for weekend trips. I'm hoping my wife will enjoy it as well so when I do mortgage the house for a 40-footer one day, it won't end in divorce.

Geoff

[Hud3]

Beware, Geoff, it IS an addiction! But a good one.

I lived in Wilmington, Delaware, for a while. Long enough to know "Maurice River" is not pronounced "Maureese", but something closer to "Marsh".

Sailing in the Delaware Bay can be a bit challenging, with the strong tides and chop that develops with wind opposing the tide. Be gentle with your wife, and she may develop a taste for it!

Good luck!

[Geoff_NJ]

Thanks, Hud3. It is an addiction and finding another sailor around here is nearly impossible. I'm forced to bore to near comatose my employees and customers or anyone else unlucky enough to come near me when I talk about sailing.

As for this bay, I figure if I get good at it on the Delaware Bay with its "special attributes" the only other area I'd have to worry about is Cape Horn... If a squall kicks up out there, you have nowhere to run.

Yes, the Maurice is locally called the "Marse" or "Morris." To say, "Maur-eese" is to offend all that is good and holy around here.

As for my wife...anything is possible. We DID put men on the moon, right?

[Pblais]

As for this bay, I figure if I get good at it on the Delaware Bay with its "special attributes" the only other area I'd have to worry about is Cape Horn... If a squall kicks up out there, you have nowhere to run.

Well if you can master the Delaware you might have something under your belt . We sea trialed in the Delaware with 25 knot winds and at mid tide. It has to be one of the nastiest places to sail on the planet.

We had dinner up there a few weeks ago just below the DelMar bridge next door to Ft Mott. It was a beautiful sunset and a great view. My wife is from Hadenfield. You sail where you can any way that works. Try not to bore the land lubbers too much - they don't get it.

[Geoff_NJ]

My sister-in-law lives near Annapolis. One family trip I hope to take is a trip up the bay to the C&D and down the Chesapeake to visit. I'd like to see what all the fuss is about over on that bay. It would also be a good test to see how "the family unit" does on a weekend-long boat trip.

For this year, provided I get on the stick with my topside projects, I'll settle for a few sails down to Cape May or over to Lewes. The kids should enjoy the ships in the channel. If a 25 knot wind comes up in the bay, I'll do what I did when I ran charters out there...curl into the fetal position and pray that death comes quick.

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha Geoff,
Welcome aboard! I think the Catalina 27s are a great boat and a wonderful boat to learn on.
Kind regards,
JohnL

[scallywag]

Welcome Aboard Geoff,

I loved sailing the Delaware Bay. Took two trips from Philadelphia to Sea Isle City, N.J. on a Venutre Newport 23 by Mac Gregor. My children at the time loved feeding the ducks in Sea Isle.
John

[Geoff_NJ]

Thanks, SkiprJohn. I do like the boat and it will be good to get used to sailing a mid-sized boat. I can see that the 27 will get cramped pretty quickly with my two boys as they grow. I'll move up in a couple of years to something a little bigger. It's my hope that one day I'll be able to take my boys cruising in the summer and possibly longer.

scallywag, how long did that trip take (PHL to SIC)?

The last time I went along Philly in a boat I spent more time dodging debris and it was hard to enjoy that section of river. Once I hit the Artificial Island, I turned SE and had a nice run down the bay at 6-7 knots. July has these nice SW winds...and squalls. LOL

[scallywag]

Geoff NJ,
The first trip took three days. Yes, the gargage, limbs, trash, and other flotsom, did spoil the senic beauty until south of the C&D canal. The tug boats had fun gunning their props and making us spin in a circle. But the Bay was beautiful. I can not say much for the fish camp marinas. This was over 30 y. ago. The second trip took four days. I spent one day just sailing between Delaware and NJ. Then a storm hit. I was solo on this trip and just had a ball while my wife was in a tizzy because of the weather reports and flooding south of the airport. I always wanted to take the C&D canal to the Chesapeake but never had a chance due to family commitments. I am looking forward to taking a trip north on the intracoastal in about 3 years. I would like to leave Florida during the hurricane season and return at the end of hurricane season.
John