Sailing Japan

Greetings all, long time no see.

The wife and I just returned from a trip to Japan visiting the relatives. In my future plans ( ome years off) is to sail to Japan, livaboard for awhile (2 yrs), then...who knows...

This is not to be done on my Ariel. At some point a Islander or Cape Dory 30ft is in the purchase plan. The Ariel is my sailing training wheels. For an adventure of this size we need some elbow room.

Anyway, as part of the reserach for this passage, we visited several marinas there in Western Japan. I have even been in touch with a Japan Sailing group made of international sailors. One in Osaka gave me the offer of a winter sail, but I could not make it due to ill health on the last couple of days. I did meet up with a couple from Holland who had sailed there and are living abord thier 45ft something or another. Have been for 10 yrs, with trips to Hong Kong and "down under"

The thing, I hear in one or two marinas in Western Japan is quite a few boat are kept on the hard, it is much cheaper, then when the owner wants to go out, he just calls them up and they launch the boat for them, then pull it out when they are done. All done simply and at very low cost compaired to staying in a slip all year. Japanese I hear do not get to sail much, even if they own a boat. Also some do not take care of thier boats.

I have attached a few pictures for your viewing pleasure.

BTW. Is there a meeting/race/BS session/dinner in Oakland this year. I have not heard anything. Generally March right? I do not think I will attempt the sail ( 2 days) this year and will just drive ( 45 min )over.

French