Sailing the PNW

Jim

Beyond the edge is the unknown. Here be Dragons
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When I was stationed in Florida back in the seventies and eighties, I learned to sail the warm Gulf of Mexico waters. I didn't start out wanting to sail, I was just getting qualified in "boat handling." The Air Force had their very own navy at Eglin. They had 3 or 4 WWII Minesweepers that they converted to patrol the bombing range out in the Gulf. They we're always short handed and looking for volunteers to go on patrol as spotters and deck hands. To qualify you had to take a basic boat handling course.


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As part of the course, you had to learn how to sail. The first time out... I fell in love with sailing. Mostly, I sailed an 18ft. Prindle cat (catamaran). My son started going out into the Gulf with me when he was about 2 yrs old. We both loved it... the rougher the seas the better. More wind means more speed. And when you're in your twenties, speed is everything... right? ;) We even ventured out once with a hurricane churning it's way up the Gulf. Talk about a wild ride.

Anyway, fast forward to today. My son's a sailor. Guess you could say it's in his blood:rolleyes:. He's just purchased a rather large cat. The plan is to fix it up to live aboard with the ultimate goal of his family putting to sea and traveling around the world.

Toward that end, they've started a Youtube channel to help support that effort. So here's my pitch.... head on over there and give 'em some support. Subscribe, vote, like.... whatever it is you're supposed to do. Did I mention he also inherited his Dads love of bikes? Yeah, he's a biker too. So... help a brother out.... show 'em some love. They're actually pretty funny:sneaky:

Almost forgot, they're out of the Seattle area.

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I sailed an 18" Prindle cat (catamaran)

...OK, well, someone is going to say it - so I guess it will be me:

Gee Jim, its a good thing your son was just a little chap when you taught him to sail - if he had been bigger, that 18 inch catamaran would prolly have been too small for him...:rolleyes:

OK - smart-@ss remarks aside, what a cool story and good for your son and his family for taking on that big adventure! I couldn't get over how much growth there was on the bottom of the boat and around the propellor. As young Jim said - the boat had been sitting for quite a while.

Very cool - I'll be following with interest! :popcorn:

Pete
 
Well, I just subscribed! Man he’s gonna have his hands full, three kids and a his wife and dog!
I had a neighbor that used to crew on rich mens yachts, primarily he would reposition yachts from The Caribbean to the Mediterranean and such. The rich dudes didn’t want to actually sail across the Atlantic, they just wanted to jet to Monte Carlo and have their yacht waiting for them out in the harbor. He used to love to talk about his sailing adventures, sounds fun.
I love all the Jim’s in the family, right down to Jimmy the III :)


And for Jim Sr.

 
Just subscribed. When I was going to college down in the Houston area, I ran a yacht maintenance company out of the Clear Lake/Galveston area to put myself through school. Took care of many a rich person's yacht including Red Addair. He became famous for oil well fire fighting. Best part was I learned to sail and even obtained my 50 ton captain's license. Captained a 47 foot sail boat on weekend charters. Loved sailing. Moved back to Michigan, married and kids took precedence. Sure miss sailing. Kudos to your son for following his dreams.
 
Good on them for having a go, will be a great adventure.
One of my wife's work friends is currently sailing full time around Australia in a boat she & her husband built.
This ones a bit different though.


Now THAT is very cool too Meddy. I must admit to no small amount of envy of both couples (and children) for the courage and sense of adventure they collectively have shown.

Pete
 
That's quiet a ship there Mick. Would have loved to follow a build thread on that.
 
Good on them for having a go, will be a great adventure.
One of my wife's work friends is currently sailing full time around Australia in a boat she & her husband built.
This ones a bit different though.


Hi Meddy,
Google the Bristol-built replica of John Cabot's Caravel "Matthew" the ship that discovered America.
That vessel has the same hull shape but has 3 masts, square rigged fore and main with a lateen mizzen
unlike the Aussie version which has 2 masts, both lateen rigged.
 
I'm in. (You had me at "Seattle"...ha ha).

And thanks for the background on your story and your son's journey. Very cool. I'm currently watching a few sailing channels on youtube, plus some really cool boat restoration channels. I totally dig that stuff.
 
Thanks Brass. Yeah... I look forward to SV Delos videos.
 
Now THAT is very cool too Meddy. I must admit to no small amount of envy of both couples (and children) for the courage and sense of adventure they collectively have shown.

That's quiet a ship there Mick. Would have loved to follow a build thread on that.

Sure is a big undertaking, my wife used to come home from work and tell me about the "boat" they were building in their backyard, I just thought it was some sort of model for their kids to play on.
 
When I was stationed in Florida back in the seventies and eighties, I learned to sail the warm Gulf of Mexico waters. I didn't start out wanting to sail, I was just getting qualified in "boat handling." The Air Force had their very own navy at Eglin. They had 3 or 4 WWII Minesweepers that they converted to patrol the bombing range out in the Gulf. They we're always short handed and looking for volunteers to go on patrol as spotters and deck hands. To qualify you had to take a basic boat handling course.


View attachment 140565

As part of the course, you had to learn how to sail. The first time out... I fell in love with sailing. Mostly, I sailed an 18ft. Prindle cat (catamaran). My son started going out into the Gulf with me when he was about 2 yrs old. We both loved it... the rougher the seas the better. More wind means more speed. And when you're in your twenties, speed is everything... right? ;) We even ventured out once with a hurricane churning it's way up the Gulf. Talk about a wild ride.

Anyway, fast forward to today. My son's a sailor. Guess you could say it's in his blood:rolleyes:. He's just purchased a rather large cat. The plan is to fix it up to live aboard with the ultimate goal of his family putting to sea and traveling around the world.

Toward that end, they've started a Youtube channel to help support that effort. So here's my pitch.... head on over there and give 'em some support. Subscribe, vote, like.... whatever it is you're supposed to do. Did I mention he also inherited his Dads love of bikes? Yeah, he's a biker too. So... help a brother out.... show 'em some love. They're actually pretty funny:sneaky:

Almost forgot, they're out of the Seattle area.

View attachment 140580

Hi Jim,
me too, I started dinghy sailing in the Severn Estuary a half-Century ago. GP14 & Mirror dinghies.
the Estuary's 40 foot tides (it's tied second with the Bay of Fundy for world's highest tides, some place in Japan just has us beat)
limit you to ~3 hours afloat or having to drag your boat over miles of mud flats to get back to the beach.
"The fastest you'll ever go is while hanging on a planing dinghy's trapeze."
Advise your son that while cats are amazingly stable they are even more stable upside down.
Does his cat have one of those self-inflating balloons at the masthead?
 
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