Proud new Prout 35 owner!

[mikedefieslife]

Check your mast tangs before doing any rough sailing. I had my rigging replaced last year, but the tangs seemed in very good condition. I just snapped one though heading east against the trades in Curacao. I posted a pic of it on the Facebook group.

[pianopraze]

I will check them when I figure out what they are

LOL I'm such a noob when it comes to sailing. This is my first sailboat.

But thank you! Will do.

[LakeCow]

Yeah! I just bought a Shearwater 1960, and it needs work. Congrats!

[pianopraze]

Congrats!

[pianopraze]

Sooo… man what a trip looking back at this.

Owned her year and a half. Forced to sell because immigration thanks to Covid. Had to leave to the Philippines. We’re back now. Going to buy another boat next spring hopefully… depending on my wife’s work etc. life.

Thank you all for the comments. I was so exited I missed so much in this thread.

The "new Suzuki was a lie. It ran at the dock but when I took it out after purchase it almost immediately started having problems. Checked the normal things, had a mechanic go over it, consensus was the high tech fuel system crapped and would cost more to repair that engine was worth. Quickly sold it on Craigslist and bough new Honda which worked beautifully.

Green cove springs wouldn’t hall our boat so we stayed in LaBelle and worked on it until we got it good enough to motor the icw to Okechobe, sailed it for first time at 2-5 knots across. Continued across to Indian river and motor/sailed up it to Merrit Island.

We hauled out at our marina there. Completely took bottom to glass and fixed a lot of blisters. Did some glass work on top also, redid engine mount and made it beyond rock solid with a lot of stainless steel. A big thank you to the people who worked on her and taught me so much.

Forced to get apt due to insurance restrictions (6 months/year live aboard) and wife worked. We didn’t get to take her out much but I kept working on her and she was ready for Caribbean.

Was heartbroken when forced to sell her, if I had to do over I would have kept her despite expense. We just didn’t expect to come back for a long long time.

Only thing I had sailed before this was small craft (dingy sized) and windsurfing.

Sailing the Prout was easy and felt very safe. Didn’t point well at all but the new engine was more than enough to make up for that. She felt like a tank and I think was an excellent first sailboat.

Thanks again to all that posted.

Wife is one pushing me to get new boat. Surprised me to no end. Been together 10 years total, married in 2017… picked the right one

[smj]

So you owned the old Vagabunda! First ran across that Prout over 30 years ago I believe, in the Fl Keys. And last time I saw her was in LaBelle, the owner’s son was living aboard and working at West Marine. Really stretching the ole memory here!

[pianopraze]

Originally Posted by smj

So you owned the old Vagabunda! First ran across that Prout over 30 years ago I believe, in the Fl Keys. And last time I saw her was in LaBelle, the owner’s son was living aboard and working at West Marine. Really stretching the ole memory here!

Yep.

Never met owner, or son. Owner was in Canada. Worked through hired agent.

She was a wonderful old tank. Still miss her.