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Date:         Fri, 4 Dec 2009 08:14:21 -0800
Reply-To:     Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Winter Trips, was Westy sighting San Carlos Mexico,
              now Fri OT Sail rap
Comments: To: BenT Syncro <syncro@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Boy, you all lament the Vanagon as a difficult device. Boats are seriously, intensely intolerant of neglect and very vulnerable to 'stupid owner' syndrome. At least those boats that are actually used for offshore. Even a trip through Puget Sound, along the Inter-coastal Waterway, or across the Chesapeake Bay can be life threatening in a poorly maintained or ill designed boat. I spent a period of time being totally enthralled with and immersed (pun) in the Sailing Life..Working in a high dollar full service yacht yard, sailing as a Pro racing crew (rock jock) on wealthy guy's boats. Guys who wanted to beat their friends so they brought in us "ringers" aboard to help them go fast. We built the 'scratch boat' or one of the first to finish, a 46' Doug Peterson designed very high dollar fractional rig, which we campaigned full time in the Pac NW for the owner of the yard where I worked. I learned a lot, but I also lost some of my "romantic" notions about how cool it would be to "Sail around the world" sometime.. When something goes wrong with an offshore yacht or even a daysailing boat, you just can't pull over in a wide spot and fix it. Or call AAA for a flatbed..When you lose motive power..or worse, if you have a problem involving hull integrity (a hole in the boat) you are in serious trouble. If you happen to be along a rough coast...and all coasts are 'rough' if your boat gets sent ashore ("On the Bricks" was the phrase) you can even die...If you get exhausted while sailing, you don't just find a Wal-Mart and spend the night... Using a cheap part for a fix.....not a good idea. Duct tape, tie wire, or Home Depot spare parts? You have to consider the possible consequences of a half-a**ed repair failing again at just the wrong time... say...off Cedros Island along the coast of Baja, or half way to Maui..or somewhere equally 'inconvenient'.. Nope, having your WBX blow a gasket or your 3rd/4th shaft fail, getting a 'No Start' with your Subie-Vanagon or breaking down in Death Valley or in Tijuana...that all is 'small stuff' when considered against Sailing's possibilities. Don Hanson

On Thu, Dec 3, 2009 at 11:16 PM, BenT Syncro <syncro@gmail.com> wrote:

> Friday is sooooo close. :-) > > > BenT > Sent from my mobile device > > > On Dec 3, 2009, at 9:49 PM, Jim Cochran <mxsailor@GMAIL.COM> wrote: > > Craig- >> You should do that! >> It's a 1973 Morgan 33 Out Island. >> Also have a Morgan 44, 1987. >> (project- ugh!) >> But soon the Police will kick this thread off to Sailnet... >> >> Jim >> On Dec 3, 2009, at 10:07 PM, craig cowan wrote: >> >> Nice looking boat Jim! >>> Is that an Ericson 30? >>> It reminds me very much of an Ericson 30 i've sailed on. >>> >>> I'll have to post some of my boat(s) sometime. >>> >>> -Craig >>> >>> >>> On Thu, Dec 3, 2009 at 11:55 PM, Jim Cochran <mxsailor@gmail.com> >>> wrote: >>> Nice boat, nice movie Ben. >>> Here's mine: >>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9csMI5Ya0I >>> >>> >>> On Dec 3, 2009, at 9:31 AM, Benny boy wrote: >>> >>> Need a sailor? >>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dg37jqwpOsw >>> >>> I'm in >>> >>> Ben >>> http://www.benplace.com/ >>> >>>


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