VA Boy Cordially Introduces His Wife, Leslie

[virginia boy]

I previously introduced myself on meets and greets and acknowledged my goal of sailing the world. Since then I have completed basic sailing lessons at Belle Haven marina in Alexandria,VA and have been renting a flying scott to practice in. (I suck but am getting better thank you) I have been studying my tail off, reading all that I can, and learning everything that I can about sailing, boats, and cruising. My greatest challenge was to somehow get my wife to agree that quitting her job of 27 years, spending the vast majority of our savings on a boat that we probably won't have the skills to sail and leave her friends and family to embark upon a seemingly hairbrained adventure, with a husband who is prone to be a little wacked. well it's taken me three months, but she has decided to quit her job at the college in november 2010 and sail away to somewhere south. She has a degree in English literature and has decided to take some courses to get certified to teach English as a foreign language (TEFL) and hopefully will be able to pick up a little work overseas. That and my itty bitty income and we should be OK. I can't believe she is going to do this!! It's really going to happen!!!...were not going to grow old sitting on our ass watching our garden grow!!!WHOOO-HOOOO!!! So the plan is to buy the boat by march 2010, get her ready to sail by november.
Here is Leslie on a boat for the first time in her life. She liked it once she stopped panicking...lol....And me trying to look salty in front of the National Harbor. Anyway, see y'all real soon.

[Pblais]

Here is Leslie on a boat for the first time in her life. She liked it once she stopped panicking.

How can it not get better. Once the screaming stops it's not really bad. Play things by ear and it's all supposed to be fun.

[speedoo]

I hope you realize how lucky you are...

1. to have such a lovely wife, and

2. to have a lovely wife who is willing to do this with you.

Congrats!

Flying Scot is a great boat for learning. Make sure your wife gets some tiller time.

Do you have a time horizon for your adventure? Three years, 10 years or forever?

[virginia boy]

Thanks. I think my wife is as close to perfect for me as a wife can be. I am going to have to let someone else teach Leslie how to sail though...I get too tense and then turn into some kind of captain Bligh or something.
As far as a time horizon she has agreed to a trip down the ICW from DC area to somewhere in the caribbean, winter there and then come back. BUT....if we decide to do the panama canal thing and head over to the other side she says she's open! My devious little plan is to spring the circumnavigation thing on her once we get to the Pacific. We have no end time. She has suggested that we buy a little house in mexico and use it as a base. I dunno...whatever we do it aint gonna be boring! By the way, this forum is pretty awsome aint it? I have gleaned more info from here than I have from books.

[Pblais]

I am going to have to let someone else teach Leslie how to sail though...I get too tense and then turn into some kind of captain Bligh or something.

We can all be better than we are. You could send her to Woman Ship in Annapolis but then she would come back leaving you right where you are now. It's easier to just deal with it now. You need to sail together and working it out is something that needs to get done. You need a good auto pilot and someone you can have stand watch while you sleep well. It's what you both need. You both need to be able to sail and the trust that comes with it.

[speakeasy]

Good for you. Good for her. As an old vet who found that civilians didn't get my sense of humor ane vice versa, I finally figured out that my karma was to learn patience and give everyone the truth of their story until proven otherwise. Sailing is, IMHO, among the very best of teachers. Especially if you like flying in the here'n'now. It's like warm massage oil, for the soul, in firm hands. Just get a tiller/wheel and sheet in your hands and smell the wind and sea, and feel the surge of the water beneath you. Submit yourself for teaching. So satisfying.

You know that positive mental attitude where it all makes good sense? The trick, for me, was figuring out how to hold on to it, keep it close and expand on it, while not demanding too much from those around me who really cared. I'm still at it, being a slow learner. But I sense, it's just over the horizon for you.

[virginia boy]

Thanks for the good words. In which branch of the service did you serve Speakeasy?

[Ocean Girl]

Virginia boy, tell your wife I was totally scared the first time I went sailing - I didn't know they heeled! 20,000 plus ocean miles later and I am still a babe in the woods, we are always learning!
Cheers and happy sailing
Erika

[Hud3]

VB, you're a lucky man! And Leslie's a lucky woman! You've got your eyes set on your goal and you're working your plan. See you in the Caribbean!




p.s. spring for a decent PFD for the young lady! The Admiral doesn't need to be wearing a "horse collar".

[virginia boy]

Originally Posted by Ocean Girl

Virginia boy, tell your wife I was totally scared the first time I went sailing - I didn't know they heeled!

Erica, Leslie didn't know that we would heel either! She figured it out quickly though and that was when the PFB went on. After a short while she was handling the jib like a pro and wanting to go faster. I'll pass your message on to her.
Here's a secret: I was scared the first time too. Shhhh! Eric

[Tellie]

As said before VB "Patience" I was a captain Bligh 30 years ago and it took near 20 years after that to get the admiral back on board physically and emotionally. Also let her do what she wants onboard. If she wants pink curtains let her have em, if she wants fancy silver ware, two pressure cookers, A/C, etc. believe me it's well worth it. I learned from older salts that a woman has to make the boat a home she likes. It's that nesting thing with them. Yeah the boys fun me about the pink curtains when they stop by, but I eat good and have someone to share what I love with.

[virginia boy]

Tellie, when I show her pictures of potential boats that's mainly what she cares about. The galley, the head and how they're decorated. Hell, if she wanted to paint the whole dogone boat pink it wouldn't matter to me. How is it that no matter how hard I try to take command, it's always the wife who has the final say?

[George Wade]

Originally Posted by virginia boy

Tellie, when I show her pictures of potential boats that's mainly what she cares about. The galley, the head and how they're decorated. Hell, if she wanted to paint the whole dogone boat pink it wouldn't matter to me. How is it that no matter how hard I try to take command, it's always the wife who has the final say?

Its home, so she expects to be in charge. Lucky she feels that way. You need a little piece of your own territory to balance out. A workshop rather than the pub, though.

[Tellie]

[quote=virginia boy;317654]Tellie, when I show her pictures of potential boats that's mainly what she cares about. The galley, the head and how they're decorated. Hell, if she wanted to paint the whole dogone boat pink it wouldn't matter to me. How is it that no matter how hard I try to take command, it's always the wife who has the final say?[/quote]


Because there are Admirals and there are Captains. Search far and wide, read all the books and peruse all the boating forums you'd like. Regardless of how much you know or do, when there is a husband and wife on board the ranking will always be the same. Just wear your Captain hat and smile when given orders.

[Stillraining]

Good on her.

I will ditto the sentiments that you are a blessed man... All to rare to have a partner that shares the same dream at the same time.

This will be an ongoing storie that is going to be fun to follow.

If I didnt already do this as well.........Welcome Aboard to the both of you!