New member and some of my rambling

[deadfast]

Hello, hello! Forum newbie here and self-taught sailor. Instead of bombarding multiple people with the same history, I assume it would be simpler to talk about it in one spot (who am I kidding? I'll ramble about sailing to anyone who'll listen and reply).

Anywhoo, me first sailboat was a trusty 76' Compac 16. Never sailed before, never owned a boat before, never even operated a power boat(bleh, Smokers). Had to battle four inches of barnacles off the hull from sitting neglected at the slip, repaint the bottom, gut the floors in the cuddy cabin and rebuild them (better than original, I might add) but the mainsail was like new and the jib was fair. Came with a pretty decent genoa too. Took her out on the indian river in florida with nary a kicker(learned to sail without one. Who needs a motor except when the wind dies on you?) and the compac taught me the ups and downs. Sailed her without incident for 3ish years until we were forced to sell her for a move. Sold it for a profit over the original cost, though. Who says owning a boat has to be a money pit? Pft. Newbs. Need more viking in yer blood.

After getting settled in at our new place, I started looking at the local lake with a longing to get in the wind again. Once its in you, you can't really get sailing back out again it seems. Eyed the ads until a local deal popped up for a Rebel 16.5. A nice step up in speed and challenge from the docile, self-righting Compac, the boat itself only needed a bit of sanding and some paint. The rudder, trailer and the running/standing rigging looked peachy...Except it was missing its boom. What goof-troop loses an 11-foot machined aluminum pole with pulleys and obvious...boat-stuff attached? Couldn't find a company that still made replacements, couldn't get Dwyer aluminum mast company to return my calls, so I scrounged up a spare boom and mast from another, much more derelict boat(no sailboat that still has hope for rehab deserves to be separated from its rigging, imo). Using those parts, I fabbed my own boom and took her sailing. Works like a champ--better than expected in fact. These little Rebels are pretty quick and she seems to prefer close-hauled over anything else, quite the opposite of the Compac. Already had to reflexively prevent a couple capsizes by dumping sail and once I additionally had to turn into the deadzone. Sometimes she also decides to jibe or tack all on her own and you just have to go with it. Named her, fittingly, 'Little Nauti'. She's a honey.

However, after barely having Nauti out for more than a few sails squeezed in at the end of this summer, I ran across an even better-priced deal on a similar boat. Practically giving it away. An Oday Daysailer 2, in need of a bit of paint and some new sheets, but jam-packed with 7 useable sails of various age including a spinnaker with its bag and pole (always wanted to try one of those...). It also had a bunch of the trimmings with it such as docking bumpers, paddle, horn, life jackets ect. Trailers not bad, either. For 200 bucks, I couldn't just let her sit in that cow field with her nice suite of expansive Dacron losing precious hours of sail-time laying under the sun where they were heaped over the boat. (Why do people do this? The death of so many boats starts with some lazy sod that won't buy a 20 dollar tarp and cover that baby up. So much extra work and loss that could easily have been prevented). Am I crazy for buying a second, quite-similar sailboat to Nauti? Maybe just alittle...but they're both old enough to be tax-exempt and I have a bunch of friends here I can teach to sail. Regatta time, mate!

Now, the current question is thus: Which ones faster? Little Nauti with her higher weight, shorter length, and larger sails or the Oday with less weight (somehow), a foot more length and less sail area? It's a debate between me and my boat buddies that we won't know for sure until I can doll up the Oday for next spring. Comments, questions and suggestions on all welcome; let's talk sailing!

[Knotical]

Ha ha, I see, you rescue sailboats! Be careful or the money pit that you mentioned in the 1st paragraph may just come and find you. :-)

If you have time and if you think there are likeminded people in your area you can become an ASA instructor and start a sailing school.

[deadfast]

Originally Posted by Knotical

Ha ha, I see, you rescue sailboats! Be careful or the money pit that you mentioned in the 1st paragraph may just come and find you. :-)

If you have time and if you think there are likeminded people in your area you can become an ASA instructor and start a sailing school.

Funny, I've actually thought running my own sailing school would be an ideal retirement gig. Nobody sails around here, all bass boats and party pontoons, but they might if they knew more about it.

And yeah, ever since the Compac, when I see a neglected sailboat that still has a good chance, they start talking to me. Poor girls.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, deadfast.

[deadfast]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, deadfast.

Thanks! And sorry in advance that my boats hardly qualify as cruisers or liveaboards; it seems to be a challenge finding a lively place to talk sailing with other sailors, so I dropped in on one of the busiest looking forums I could dig up. I already know I'm not qualified to be a live-aboard. Far too pricey for my budget and I would miss my low-latency internet connection too much. Then there's the whole getting stranded hundreds of miles at sea thing to worry about, not a risk I like imagining myself in.

[Nicholson58]

I also rescue old boats. My fleet:
Cape Dory 10 I had new. Added a bow sprit and fractional Genoa.
Very early Sunfish. Under third re-fit now & waiting a cockpit drain, new paint again
1968 Tornado catamaran. Updated to the new rule, new sails, trapezes, AS kite.
Just acquired 1970s Rebel ‘free’ in decent shape with spare stuff. Old Sails OK.
1984 Camper & Nicholson58 ketch. This one is the money pit. We return to Roxy in Antigua in a few days for the sixth winter season.

I’ve become a bit of a glass man and have also repaired boats for many friends.

[Adelie]

Welcome.

I would suggest updating your profile with your general location. This info shows up under your UserName in every post in the web view. Many questions are boat and/or location dependent and having these tidbits under your UserName saves answering those questions repeatedly. If you need help setting up your profile then click on this link: https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...ml#post3308797

I would happily help more if the link above is not enough.

[redhead]

Welcome to CF,

Personally I think you'll fit right in, you've definitely got the bug. CF is for everybody with a boat so you're qualified. I started out rescuing a Hunter that was washed up on shore after a hurricane and have been addicted to rehabbing old boats every since.

(PS I don't know which one is faster.)

[deadfast]

That's a right impressive fleet, Nic (Nauti says 'hi' to your Rebel). One day, when I have the property to store them, I wouldn't mind having a gaggle of girls that numerous. Nauti of course, the Oday, a couple hobie cats, maybe a shoal draft keel weekender for ease and stability (I'd love to have a compac 21, throwback to my old 16 that I still miss. Beautiful and timeless lines on that boat no matter the size). I'm gradually working my way into fiberglass repair, figured out I can't be cheap with crappy resin. Boats take the good stuff. I'm getting pretty handy with Total Boats two part fairing compound though, that stuff is magic. Couldn't find a pic of the Rebel 'Free'. Are all your girls rescued boats except the Dory? Heh...Kinda scared to ask, but what's wrong with the ketch? Those are gorgeous boats, btw. Whenever I want to window-shop for what I consider a really big sailboat, I look up the ketches. Classy all the way to the keel.

Gotcha, Ade, location updated. And thanks for the welcome as well. Figured out how to add a few pics to my album too, so there are some shots of the fleet to be seen. For some reason a couple of the pics appear to have flipped sideways on their own, though. Puzzling, because they seem to work fine everywhere else, but I'll make some manually-flipped copies if I have to. Won't do to leave Nauti all heeled over like that. She might turn turtle without her improvised pepsi-jug hobie float (pro tip).

Thanks, Red. And yep, you nailed it. I've certainly got what they call the sailing bug, yet its a self-aware affliction for me; had it pretty terminal since the Compac. I get it honestly: me ancestors were vikings, mate. I don't know all the sailing terms, but the physical part of getting her into the wind and getting where I want to go seems to come very naturally. Such a joy to spend a whole fun, fast day on the water without incident, then leisurely blow back to the dock on just the jib or genny...Lower the sail just in time to drift the stern around and grab the dock cleat (while sitting) to stop yourself and the boat with no more effort than it takes to lift a cold brewski. I feel for folks who's boats are stuck way back in wind-blocked canals and harbors.
And a Hunter from a hurricane? Poor girl! How bad were the damages and do you still have her?

[Nicholson58]

Check my photos. We live on the Camper. Heading for Antigua in a few days to meet the Salty Dawg Rally in English Harbor.

Camper was 3 years on the hard. Hurricane damage from the PO, new bottom etc and so on

[deadfast]

Sure, I'll take a peek...
That, sir, is a great big beauty. A ketch rarely disappoints on the looks and the Camper is exemplary. I don't doubt for a moment she was pricey on the repairs, but I dare say it was worth the expense in a world were so few things are. Excellent choice on the bottomside color, the top and rigging look clean as new clockwork and the interior is a stunner. Nice open saloon too. I bet those three years felt like ages--they would to me. May she bring you many, many happy miles on the big water.
And good luck and favorable winds on your way to the rally. Sounds like it'll be a blast.