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PostPosted: Sun Aug 14, 2005 6:39 pm 
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Joined: Mon Aug 08, 2005 4:06 pm
Posts: 13
Were gonna give it a try tomorrow. Thanks to the great advice on this forum, i think im all rigged up and ready to give the water a try. Hopefully i can make it go forward!!! Thanks for all the advice, and i will let you know about all the comic relief. My girlfriend says were gonna drown, i say the docks arent that far of a swim with a pfd. Should be interesting.

greg.


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PostPosted: Mon Aug 15, 2005 9:27 am 
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Joined: Wed Aug 03, 2005 4:07 pm
Posts: 23
Location: Waterloo, Iowa
My wife slammed down 2 beers before we out the first time. She had visions of us tipping over. I'd sailed in the Bahamas (a Wave. I have a 16 now.), but she never had. We went out when the wind was about 10 MPH. She had a lot more fun then she thought she would. Now she thinks it's just OK. She'll come around. 8)


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 Post subject: Sailing forwards?
PostPosted: Mon Aug 15, 2005 12:57 pm 
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Joined: Wed Jun 30, 2004 6:39 am
Posts: 470
Location: Finger Lakes, NY
is that an option :lol:
My wife loved sailing right from the start. "Faster pussy-cat faster" was her motto.
While I was trapped out in the middle of a race a rogue wave washed my feet from under me. I lost the tiller and mainsheet and was hanging like a rag doll being keel hauled along the side of the windward hull. My loving spouse grabbed the tiller and sheeted in and said something to lift my spirits. I remember it well, she said "WOULD YOU GET BACK UP ON THE BOAT AND QUIT SCREWING AROUND, WE CAN WIN THIS THING!!"

Oh the bliss! :wink:

_________________
The fact that this windy world is largely covered in water obviously means that man was meant to sail.


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PostPosted: Mon Aug 15, 2005 2:01 pm 
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Joined: Fri Jul 15, 2005 10:43 am
Posts: 779
Location: St. Louis, MO
My fiancee complained that I was spending too much time with the boat and not enough with her. This is after my freinds told her upon meeting her for the first time that unless you are a boat or on a boat with him, you will never see him. I digress. After the complainig I asked her to come sail with me and I would teach her how.

The first day out it was a steady 17kts. We got her used to how the boat feels. Then I started to fly a hull for short periods of time. After the first few "near death experiences" she couldn't get enough of it.

The next time out I convinced her that it would be even more fun on the trap. It was only blowing 10 kts so with her being much smaller than me and a slim chance of flying a hull it was a good day to practice getting on and off the trap. Now unless we hve a chance of flying a hull she doesn't want to go through the trouble of setting up the boat.

I have found that most people like the excitement of cats and, as long as they feel you are in control and condifent, will end up loving it. Go out, have a blast and have her take the jib sheet and be part of the whole expereince.

_________________
Nick

Current Boat
In the market
Previous boats owned
'74 Pearson 30
'84 H16
'82 H18 Magnum
St. Louis, MO


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Aug 15, 2005 5:56 pm 
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Joined: Wed Aug 03, 2005 4:07 pm
Posts: 23
Location: Waterloo, Iowa
Putting my wife in charge of the jib worked well for me to. 8)


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PostPosted: Thu Aug 18, 2005 10:43 pm 
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Joined: Mon Aug 08, 2005 4:06 pm
Posts: 13
we did it today. Our first time out, and it was a blast!!! We had fairly light winds, 10mph at most. It sailed great, other than me putting the rudders on backwards. They made for a little extra workout, but we made it work. Betsy was in charge of the jib, and did great. When she found out she could really tweak our spped she was all over it, trying tons of different combinations. I tried alot of stuff as well and did pretty good. Passing that tiller handle around during a tack is a little tricky, but i started to get the hang of it.

Now for the comedy parts:

I now understand why you hoist the main sail at the beach. Me standing all the way out on the left hull, shes trying to keep it into the wind, but it aint working. Holding on for dear life and i finally got it in and back on the boat. She didnt like that part, and neither did I, but i thought it was funny.

Our trailer self distructed when we put it in. The entire Back crossbeam mustve been held on by the Cat box. So i back it in, the cat box rips its mounts right through, and the whole back end of the trailor falls off into the water. Tears the lights out, mangles the plate. I didnt laugh so hard on that one. Had to bungee and ratchet strap it all back together, quick wire splice and it made it home. I cant believe that cat box was the only thing holding it together, and made it 20 miles down the highway, only to break in the boat ramp. Lucky lucky.

Since the cat box was now loose, i tossed it in the back of the truck, which worked good till the first turn at a light, it flies out, skids across the road, and blocks traffic. This time i was more embarresed. Tied it to the trailor and headed home.

All in all, it was great. Were going out again Saturday, tomorrow im doing some serious trailer mods.


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PostPosted: Fri Aug 19, 2005 5:57 am 
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Joined: Fri Jul 15, 2005 10:43 am
Posts: 779
Location: St. Louis, MO
Greg,

We all have days like that. My funniest day was when I was unemployed for a summer and decided what a great time to do some sailing. I had moved to Mass from Indiana about a year before and hod not bothered to switch my trailer plates since I was only going about 2 miles to the boat launch from my house. Since I was sailing every day I decided to leave teh trailer in on-street parking near the boat launch as I had a sailing date scheduled for the next morning, July 5th). I had done this numerous times before but this time I left the boat on the end of the parking area with the plates facing out.

The next morning I pick up my date and go to the boat launch only to find my boat is not there. I called my buddy who sails his H16 out of the same place to see if he moved mine as a joke. He didn't. So I go to the police station to find that it has been impounded. I then go to the impound lot to get my boat back. They say it needs valid plates and to go to the DMV. Normally this would scre the hell out of me becasue DMV's are so slow. This one is the most efficient DMV in the world. I have never spent more than 20 mins in there for anything. I get there and true to form they move everyone right along. When it's my turn they tell me I have to have the trailer listed on my auto insurence. Now I'm a little worried. What are the chances of my insurence agent's office being open on July 5th.

Luckily they are and after an hour or so I finally have the trailer listed on my insurence. That whole process is another story in itself. We now go back to the DMV and are moved right to the front of the line (I told you, this DMV is great!). I get everythign done and whe I go to pay I find out they only take cash or in-state personal checks. I have neither. The nearest ATM that will accept my card with or without a fee is about 10 minutes away. So, my date after running all over town with me to get my boat back ponies up the $15 to register my trailer (I figure that I still have a chance at her talking to me again).

Off to the impound lot we go, again. Now I have to pay the impound fee, $200 (Ishold have just registered the trailer when I moved). At least they took a debit card.

I drive a little 4 cyl VW Passat. Yes, I tow the boat with it. The guys at the impound lot found this amusing and heckled me the entire time I was hooking up the trailer and driving out of the lot.

Now, it's around noon time and we deicde to grab a quick lunch before heading out on the water. She pays for lunch since I had to pay so much for the impound fee (the date is still salvageable).

After lunch we go to the launch and see my buddy is setting up his H16. Good, we will have another boat to sail with. As we set up, the wind is picking up and I am getting excited. Fortunately it is still very steady, about 20 kts, so I am not worried. Now, I have only been really sailing my H16, or any boat for that matter, for a few months. I have gotten really cockey and think I can handle most anything. Keep tis in mind for later.

We get out there and are tearing up the sound. We are going hair-on-fire fast. Hulls are flying all over the place. I then look at the weather and notice some not so freindly looking clouds headaing our way. This must be the front coming in early. So, I tack and head back to land directly into the wind.

To cut a long story short, my relative inexperince with the boat and the now gusty winds, up to 30-35 kts, has caused us to back flip 5 times before the harbormaster gives us a tow in to the beach.

My buddy was able to make it in on his own with no trouble. As we are resting on the beach he walks over to me and my date and says "I don't think I've see the bottom of my own hulls that many times."

We head back to my place, take our showers and we are supposed to go out to dinner at a nice seafood place in town. I figure this isn't going to happen. Well, it does and she pays for the nitht out. I am really stoked! She didn't get mad or complain through this whole adventure! After dinner we go to our respective homes and I told her I would call her before she goes to work the next day.

I ended up oversleeping and not making the call in time. This she got mad at, left a message about how men are scum, and never returned my phone calls.

That's one of my humorous sailing stories.

_________________
Nick

Current Boat
In the market
Previous boats owned
'74 Pearson 30
'84 H16
'82 H18 Magnum
St. Louis, MO


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 Post subject: Insurance on a trailer?
PostPosted: Fri Aug 19, 2005 9:05 am 
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Joined: Wed Jun 30, 2004 6:39 am
Posts: 470
Location: Finger Lakes, NY
Nick said: "When it's my turn they tell me I have to have the trailer listed on my auto insurence. Now I'm a little worried. What are the chances of my insurence agent's office being open on July 5th."

I am an insurance agent. In NY of course, not MD BUT I don't think the rules are that different here than there. A trailer is automatically covered for the same liability as your auto insurance WHEN IT IS ATTACHED TO YOUR CAR. So if you hit something while you are towing your trailer, any trailer- even a camper - your auto property damage liability kicks in. The trailer doesn't need to be listed at all for liability to kick in.

The ONLY reason to insure a trailer is IF you want physical damage and/or theft coverage for the trailer. (Hmmm when the 'po impound your trailer is it still "theft"? :twisted: )

In any case there are also likely insurance guidelines that cover "newly aquired" vehicles that, in essence, give you coverage when you aquire the vehicle EVEN IF IT IS NOT YET LISTED. Of course you have a duty to report the new vehicle to your insurance agent ASAP, usually up to a week (or sometimes 30 days- I wouldn't wait that long though). In other words, any added vehicles are considered covered from the moment of aquisition EVEN IF THE COMPANY doesn't know yet AS LONG AS YOU LET them know within the timeframe given.

The implications of this are that your agent doesn't need to be available 24/7 because the DMV is not available 24/7. If you pick up something on a weekend, it is covered - call your agent the next business day.

As nice as the people sound at your DMV (unlike ours - who they keep behind a barred window, apparently to prevent them from biting the customers :wink: ) I question the need to insure a trailer to put on plates.

Anyway, these stories are great guys! Keep 'em coming.

Happy sails!!

_________________
The fact that this windy world is largely covered in water obviously means that man was meant to sail.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Fri Aug 19, 2005 9:16 am 
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Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Fri Jul 15, 2005 10:43 am
Posts: 779
Location: St. Louis, MO
The trailer didn't need to be insured, but only noted that I would be towing it. And, since my tags were about one year out of date, in my name, and from another state, I think they figured out that I had been towning it for a while. THis all happend in Massachussettes before I move to MD. My premiums did not increase, I just needed to notify the company and hav the paperwork filled out. Plus Mass is an insurence nightmare as it is run by the state. The state sets the premiums, "discounts", and all of the rules. There is a reason why it costs so much there. When I moved to MD, my premiums were cut in half and my coverage increased by 30% for the same care and similar garage location.

Anyway, it was a long and humorus (now) day.

_________________
Nick

Current Boat
In the market
Previous boats owned
'74 Pearson 30
'84 H16
'82 H18 Magnum
St. Louis, MO


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