Whats new????

[frank durant]

Come on guys (gals).....it's July...Where have you sailed??? What new anchorages have you been in ??? What new places have you seen??? What new sailing experiences have you had??? PICTURES-NOTES !!!! Surely not everyone just works on them...whats new SAILING them???? Even some good racing stories/pics would be great

[Adam]

Frank, you're making me feel bad! I did stop by the city marina and look at their "facilities" for liveaboards... So I'll be on the hook through the winter, coming in to the dinghy dock on Schooner Wharf... Does that count? (all work and no play means #50 comes home that much sooner :) )

Adam

[frank durant]

I don't believe this....447 members and NO one has any new cruise destinations...fun achorages...met new "characters" while out there...had any interesting racing experiences...........come on now...does everyone just "work on them" ??? They sail really well...HONEST We need pics and stories good members...pics and stories

[Adam]

Frank, I'm TRYING!!! LOL

Yeah, step up everybody! Remind me why I'm working 60 hour weeks to get #50 ASAP! Make me jealous! :)

[tha3rdman]

Well we would have gone down to annapolis this past weekend, but mother nature decided to drench the north east/mid atlantic, Probly would have made it down to annapolis in no time flat but fighting a 7 knt current on the way back would have made life interesting.

[Mike Goodwin]

Good old Ariel #45 claimed a 2nd in cruising class lll in the annual Cock Island Race in Portsmouth Va. Beating out much newer and bigger boats such as a Hunter 34 and not just on corrected time , but across the line .

This is a 300 boat race held every June on the Elizabeth River that empties into the lower Chesapeake Bay.

[frank durant]

I would have LOVED to see #45 ahead of a hunter 34. In my books...hunter is 2nd from the bottom , with macgregors claiming that position.

[xroyal]

Okay Frank, you made me drag my digital down to the docks. Here is a Sanibel 17 on which I had my first sail this year. Our lake is about a 5 min drive from my home. Calm in the AM, and it can pipe to whitecaps in the afternoon, dependable NW breeze.

http://home.earthlink.net/~xroyal/public_html/sanibel.jpg

[xroyal]

And the Catalina 25 (darn, I cut the bow and nice self furler off) I've sailed on twice this year. Rick's wife just approved getting a Catalina 30. They are going to retire in about 1 yr, and thinking of having a still larger boat on the Gulf coast.

http://home.earthlink.net/~xroyal/public_html/cat.jpg

[xroyal]

And finally, the biggest sailboat on our lake, one of those Perry designed 36'ers. Another soon to retire fellow usually single hands this beauty. Note he has twin headsails hanked today (usually stowed neat as a pen). Below is the most lavish bar on this water. I don't envy him all that brightwork upkeep one little bit. ;) As well, this lake drops below 6' in lots of places, especially late in the summer, and it'll be season over for him soon.

http://home.earthlink.net/~xroyal/public_html/36.jpg

P.S. This boat had been stored in a lagoon off the lake for some years. Believe it was the prior owner who left the wooden mast unprotected on the ground. Mick spent $10K for the new aluminum mast. Just a little more and he could have had a whole Suncat 17.

[frank durant]

Thats one 'salty' looking vessel for a lake......beautiful

[xroyal]

You bet. It's skipper did some serious racing on San Francisco Bay I believe on Express 27s, and he's darned competent at the helm. Definitely takes some serious canvas to get that heavyweight rolling.

Despite the marina owner building some pretty decent docks a couple of years ago, the lack of power and water on the dock is a real drawback. He's chewing on putting same on the one finger where these boats are berthed.

[commanderpete]

I went to the rescue of a vessel in distress last Saturday.

The guy shot off one aerial flare, then another.

I quickly closed on scene, prepared for heroic action.

Turned out he had run out of gas.

Putz

[tha3rdman]

How about the Bermuda 1-2 race in an ariel? Theres no way I would be foolish enough to do it my first year out,, with no heavy weather experience, my maybe next year (just kidding).

Seriously though ever been done?

[Mike Goodwin]

#45 went to Bermuda and back solo from Chesapeake Bay back in the 90's .
I did it in Columbia 28 in the 70's , double handed.

[tha3rdman]

So it's not really "out of the question" . . . 97 really needs a bunch of stuff done before i take her out of the bay, or even before she goes south of annapolis

[commanderpete]

Went racing on my friend's boat Tuesday.

We didn't just hit the starting mark, we ran it over and dragged it 100 yards.

Stupid wing keels

[wrevans]

Ok, I'll bite. After quickly recovering from missing out on Frank's #50 I launch my Bluenose sloop, see attached photo. On Monday I had the one of the best sailing days of my life. Winds 25+ kts with 3 foot seas. It was great. No destination, but I managed 25 miles of sailing.

Bill
Lopez Island

[Bill]

Enough of this. Frank wants real Ariel/Commander action. Therefore, a new thread will follow . . . :cool:

[frank durant]

That ole bluenose sloop sure has a nice sheer !! Pretty boat.At least you were out.I still can't believe that with over 450 members, there are almost NO posts of the 'good times' that are had on these fine boats.No good sailing pics,nice anchorages etc.Seems the only 'proof' that they move are Bills race pics.By the way Bill....that fellow on the helm looks kinda scruffy don't ya think?? Willy....what have you and yours been up to ?? Come on crew....pics..we need pics.

[commanderpete]

Sailing stories cost 1 beer each

Sailing disaster stories cost 2 beers

Pics are free

[frank durant]

Great pic Pete !!! Give us a good story and I'll buy 3 beer.....but it's gotta be in the Keys or Bahamas. Now , about that 'scruffy guy' at the helm of Bill's boat ????

[Bill]

. . . Now, about that 'scruffy guy' at the helm of Bill's boat ????

"Scruffy?" Hey, I think he looks pretty "distinguished." ;) Besides, "that guy" almost had us in the top 3, if not for the tactician's brain malfunction. :rolleyes:

[frank durant]

There may be NO argueing your helm'smans ability considering the circumstances :p ....but he still looks scruffy to me...but in a good "Hemmingway' kinda way.

[mbd]

Frank, what about a "non" Ariel/Commander Gallery of your Flicka - and your Suncat while you're at it?? I'm sure the pictures would have plently of useful ideas and inspire us non-sailing members to get going and back in the water.

(Please feel free to send them to me off-line too. I love your taste in boats!)

Thanks in advance! :D

[frank durant]

Just did a gallery a few weeks back of the suncat on a Chesapeake tour under sailing/events.Will be in Maine last week of August and will post pics (Bill permitting) of that trip after.As to the Flicka...Nov.-March will be 'Flicka time'.Right now I'm cat boat sailing the river behind my house and I posted a few of that too last fall. Now.........back to the other 450+ members !!! And ARIELS !!!!

[frank durant]

:confused: Back in early july I asked for some postings and pics of sailing events members took their boats to..of anchorages they stayed at...stories and pics of holidays they were on.From the lack of responce one would have to assume that everyone just works on, or talks about their ariel !! Come on out there...for us northerner's the season is basically over...surely some of the over 380 members have a good tale to tell or nice pics of a trip they were on.Let's have some responces.