Author Topic: Sold the Boat Today Like a Death in the Family (Read 4953 times)

XLMiguel · « **on:** March 06, 2005, 05:48:45 PM »

It is written that time spent upon the water does not count against a mans time on Earth. anonymous

There is no time better spent than simply messing about in Boats Mr. Toad, Wind in the Willows

They say the two happiest days in a boat owners life are the day he buys the boat, and the day he sells it. True, but be careful what you wish for

It is with a great deal of relief that we sell Obsession, but also with great sadness. Obsession is our 1982 CAL 31 auxiliary sloop, berthed in Solomons, MD. In her life shes been all over the Chesapeake Bay, from Rock Hall, Annapolis, Deal, St. Michaels, St. Marys City, Oxford, and most of the creeks, rivers and bays thereabouts. She sails well on all points and motors easily at hull speed. Like all boats, she demands a degree of care and attention, but shes never let us down, and always brought us home.

Theres relief from financial burden (though a relatively small burden, as shes paid for), and it was always money well spent, but it is one less thing to have to watch out for and worry about at a time when we need to simplify our lives. Of course if youre a boater, watching out for your boat is what you do, and your worry about your boat the same way you worry about your kid or a family member. The watching was mostly a pleasure, and the worry was never a burden.

Between my blown-out knee and fused ankle, and Marcis ocular-vestibular problems, sailing is no longer a good choice for on-the-water leisure time activities.

Ive been sailing for 43 years now, maybe only a little less for Marci. And its not like well never go sailing again, but not having your own boat is hard. Our boat has taught us many things
-   Pride & responsibility Its one thing Im always captain of (when Marci lets me)
-   It builds (& demands) self-reliance and discipline
-   It teaches respect of nature, it puts you in your place in the order of natural things, and then theres the beauty and awe that comes with those lessons
-   It takes you places that others will not get to go to, to see things others dont get to see
-   One finds harmony on the water
-   Its an elegant way to travel, it gives you a new way to look at Time
-   There are no atheists on the water it only takes one good storm for most people to find their Faith, and even if you dont believe in God, youll believe in your boat
-   Humility After coming through one of those storms one learns to Thank you, Lord, for this opportunity to try my skills and not be found wanting, or, Thank you, Lord for this opportunity to test my skills and survive to take another lesson . . .
-   Camaraderie weve met a lot of great people in our travels, and a few interesting critters, too. Boaters, sailors in particular, are like a lot of gunnies here they remember when they were on square one and are good about sharing and teaching

I am relieved that shes going to a good family who will learn to sail and treat her well. Theyre new to the water, and I have every confidence that Obsession will take care of them as she took care of us. Ill see that they are well acquainted before they go forth. We have visiting privileges.

Damn, man. I sold my boat today and I feel lower than whale poop.

Thanks for listening, I needed to get this out

Preacherman · « **Reply #1 on:** March 06, 2005, 05:53:41 PM »

From your mixed feelings, it sounds like you were a better sailsman than salesman... Wink

Seriously, though, be thankful for all the good times you had aboard her. Since your health no longer allows for the same expenditure of energy and freedom of manoevre, I'm sure you'll find something smaller and easier to handle that will not overtax you.

How about one of these? Cheesy

grampster · « **Reply #2 on:** March 06, 2005, 06:33:13 PM »

Mike,

24 foot pontoon boat with a 4 stroke Honda, maybe 120 HP will cure your need for water. Most pontoons can be gotten today that are virtually maintenance free. 4 strokes sip gas, are quiet and if you get one with three logs, you get great seaworthyness, especially if you have strakes heliarched to the logs for add'l stability and handling. Camping, cooking, cruising, swimming all around watercraft.

Monkeyleg · « **Reply #3 on:** March 06, 2005, 07:18:39 PM »

Mike, that was an extremely eloquent description of losing a bit of "Stuff" that meant a lot to you.

Those of us who've travelled coast-to-coast on our motorcycles, and who've had their hands in the motorcycles' entrails, can empathize with your loss.

Most folks will never experience real freedom, whether on the open sea or on two wheels in the wind.

Keep your memories with you. Nobody can take those away.

bratch · « **Reply #4 on:** March 06, 2005, 08:47:53 PM »

Tough lost hopefully one day you will luck into another boat.

I need to get my boat back in shape so I can use it some.

HankL · « **Reply #5 on:** March 07, 2005, 03:29:44 AM »

Mike, As a man who has messed about in boats I feel for you. Only one thing to do now. Go buy a new firearm. Wink

jamz · « **Reply #6 on:** March 07, 2005, 03:57:51 AM »

Look at the bright side: you are now in the market for a new and different boat!

Doesn't mean you need one as big, or costly to maintain. Even a small sailing skiff can provide plenty of good sailing, maybe not quite as much blue water sailing though.

Sorry to hear about the sale, I know where you're coming from.

Love, James

BrokenPaw · « **Reply #7 on:** March 07, 2005, 07:04:49 AM »

Wow. My father used to keep his boat at Solomon's, and I used to go fishing with him from there. I've seen Obsession. She's lovely.

Small world.

-BP

Gewehr98 · « **Reply #8 on:** March 07, 2005, 01:03:32 PM »

My boat is a 14' Starcraft, with an old Johnson outboard. It sits in the shed at my dad's farm, waiting for me to take it out when I go there on vacation every few years.

I'd seriously considered getting a cabin cruiser or larger, until my wife reminded me, "A boat is a hole in the water into which one pours money."

Not being made of money myself, I'll stay with what I have.

XLMiguel · « **Reply #9 on:** March 07, 2005, 04:04:32 PM »

Thank you for your kind words, gentlemen. Intellectually, I know it's time, but emotionally, it's tough. It's something Marci & I have shared for a long time, there's a lot of allegory and mythology to go with one's boat. As one door closes, another will open.

Though I'm no longer quick and agile, I can still get around OK, I learned a long time ago that 'it's one hand for you, one hand for the boat' (Hanging On 101), the bigger problem is my wife.

Brain surgery in `99 left her with damage to the brain stem and cerebellum resulting in an ocular-vestibular disorder. She has a very hard time holding focus on fixed objects, and head movements result in things 'swimming' until she can refocus, sort of like being on a merry-go-round. The vestibular problem is balance-related, and since the eyes and vestibular system (inner ear) are linked, when the boat heels, her brain is flooding her with "DANGER' signals that gives her the whirlies, nausea, vertigo, etc. Not fun. She needs a cane to walk, and has to hold on to, or lean on something at rest. So, no more sail boats. :cry:

As far as other boats go, neither of us really care for the noise and pounding that goes with a lot of power boats (we just aren't in a hurry, we're on the water to relax) , though a displacement hull (i.e. trawler with a good muffler) may work out. We'll probably try to rent one and see at some point. Pontoon boats are cool for the backwaters, but the Bay is prone to heavy, short chop that would make fairly short work of a small one.

Now, Preacherman, I do appreciate the thought, but I must consult with my S.African neighbor (also a Bay sailor) for an appropriate snappy comeback to a guy that would offer a pink paddle boat to someone giving up his 'mistress' (is this payback for that tacky lawyer joke last week on THR? Wink

) Mercy!

Monkey - I used to ride, too. Yamaha is Japanese for 'most fun you can have with your clothes on'. Tongue

Hank, I did that - a Kimber TacPro in 9mm, watch for range rpt on THR cheesy

All in all, it'll work out. We're real happy for the new owners, they're good friends of Marci's, real excited about sailing, and I get to do some teaching, and make sure they get off right, there's a lot of consolation in that. Ready about - cheesy

Cool Hand Luke 22:36 · « **Reply #10 on:** March 08, 2005, 12:13:45 AM »

Quote

when the boat heels, her brain is flooding her with "DANGER' signals that gives her the whirlies, nausea, vertigo, etc.

Perhaps you could consider a relatively small multihull for no-heel sailing. One of the Ian Farrier folding trimarans like a F-27 might fit the bill. You'd even save on slip fees with one of them since they're trailerable.

Performance cruising used to build the Gemini catamaran in the area.

publius · « **Reply #11 on:** March 18, 2005, 02:42:53 AM »

Strongly second that motion! I fell in love with the F-27 when I first saw one at the Miami Boat Show back in the 80s. Last summer, I bought one! She's a 1990. Fast, easy to sail, and FUN! Best of all, I can get going along at 10 knots and set my Coke down pretty much anywhere. Cheesy

F-24 is also a fine boat, and more appropriate if you don't plan much cruising.

XLMiguel · « **Reply #12 on:** March 18, 2005, 05:06:44 PM »

Looked at the F27 at the boat show a while back, looks nice, I like multihulls. I've also been on some fair sized (30'+) catamarans. I suspect the bigger issue is just the 'motion of the ocean', regardless of the type of boat. Even in the car, where I make every effort to drive gently when she's aboard, the occcasional necessary bit of evasive action (not unusual in N. VA) is upsetting and disorienting. This is just a bad situation we'll probably have to live with.

We will rent/charter some different boats and see if any work. Thanks again for the kind words and encourgaement.

brimic · « **Reply #13 on:** March 18, 2005, 06:25:22 PM »

A boat is a hole in the water that you throw your money in to ~Unknown

Guest · « **Reply #14 on:** March 19, 2005, 02:28:07 AM »

My parents just got rid of their 36' Columbia. My dad pretty morose over the whole thing but, it she was just more than they could handle anymore. She was a lovely boat too.

My father did get one of these little babies though and I have to say it's a pretty good choice for someone who doesnt get around like they used to but, want to keep sailing.

(this is a picture I found on the net, not my parents or their particular boat)

Its a 15' centerboard "cruiser". Completely trailerable and pretty easy to handle. Proportionally it is a regular everyday cruiser except it's tiny. its the cutest thing I ever saw and they seem to handle nicely, although I have never sailed it myself.

publius · « **Reply #15 on:** March 19, 2005, 04:29:16 PM »

For easy trailer sailing, absolutely nothing beats the Com-Pac cat boats. With any of them, I can go from the trailer to under sail in less than 5 minutes without breaking a sweat. The key is that the sail, boom, and all rigging except the quick-release forestay all stay in place while trailering. You push the mast up, pin it in place, attach the forestay, flip the tensioner, and you're ready to start hauling on halyards. It takes slightly longer than it took you to read that.

Sincerely, your Punta Gorda Com-Pac (and Precision, Catalina, and MacGregor) dealer. Hey, Oleg didn't say anything about shameless plugs. Wink

Stickjockey · « **Reply #16 on:** March 20, 2005, 10:35:16 AM »

C-Yeager-

Is that a West Wight Potter? My FIL has a 15' WWP and it's a hoot! Very stable, easy to rig, easy to operate. They make a 19-footer, too.

publius · « **Reply #17 on:** March 21, 2005, 02:11:27 AM »

Yes, that's a WWP. The owners seem to love them. Personally, I think they look like a child drew the lines. The comparable Precision is a better looking boat, IMO, and cheaper.

Of course, they do pay me to say that. But look:

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