Greetings from Portland, OR

[inSanity]

Hi.

Getting into my first sailboat, which I'm going to launch on the 24th. Plan on keeping her in the water year round.

I've been studying about the art and science of sailing for the past year. Feel like I should take a test or something.

Anyway, introducing myself.

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha and welcome aboard from a native and former Oregonian.
Yes, you can take tests. There are some on the internet.
What kind of boat and where will you keep her?
regards,

[MABell]

I would suggest taking someone (with experience) out with you on your maiden voyage.
You would be surprised how many people are willing to help out. Especially if there is wine and cheese afterwards.

[pdxsailordiver]

Welcome to the site. Enjoy your new boat. You can have some great weekend adventures down river from Portland.
Where are you keeping your boat?
Tim

[inSanity]

Thanks for the welcomes. I'l be keeping my boat at Rocky Point Marina. Planning on keeping it in year round. There's a boat yard there as well. Nice place. Nice easy drive from my home.

I have a 23 foot "Sundance 23". A rare boat. There are two 20-footers up in the Manitoba area, and I've conversed with their owners. As far as we can tell, we are the only three Sundance sailboat owners on the planet. The Sundance company we all have heard of makes motorboats, told me they never did sailboats. Karen Larson of Good Old Boat magazine has us rolodexed as future contacts should any other Sundance boats surface.

Here she is.



In all her Baby Blue Glory. I have a bit of work to do in the next week or so, and I'll launch a week from Monday.

Just met a fellow on another forum who just moved to Portland who said he would ride out with me until he buys his new boat. Told him I was a noob. His experience: San Diego, Puget Sound, Sea of Cortez, and the British Columbia. He wants to explore the Columbia and Willamette. Perfect luck there. I plan on feeding this very experienced sailor very well and hopefully making a new friend.

Might have to change the baby blue eventually. No time this year.

Edited to Add: One of today's projects will be painting white the dark woodstain letter boards up on the bow. Guy I bought the boat from expoxied and screwed em on. I'll put the new lettering and 2010 Registration on when the paint dries. Lots of polishing to do.

[SkiprJohn]

She's a beaut! Baby blue seems to be a production boat favorite. My dad's old '50 Buick Special was the same color, he repainted it gunmetal gray. I wouldn't suggest that for a boat though. Here in the tropics we paint all surfaces you can walk on a very light or white color.
regards,

[inSanity]

Thanks. I was thinking white would be good. For now, it's just fine.

I painted up the boards and will put new letters and the registration on tomorrow. I ended the process using the 3M Perfect-It 3000 on the hull and started waxing yesterday. It's looking a lot shinier.

Going to pull all the pullable wood out of the interior tonight, after another session of exterior waxing. I'll varnish the wood in my garage and get it reinstalled Saturday.

Next, Monday is launch day. I'm very nervous about this at this point.

[John A]

inSanity,

Welcome to the forum! I'm acrossed the river in Vancouver, Wash.

I'll PM you.

[inSanity]

Cool Look forward to hearing from you.

[shibbershabber]

Welcome, we are new liveaboards just up river from you on Hayden Island!

Always good to see more Oregonians making it to the site.

[inSanity]

Thanks guys. I'll be cruising down your way soonest. I like it down there, but it is very busy. Used to work for a guy who had a condo there. Short walk down set of steps to the marina, and he sailed every day. Currently, he's living out retirement in the Caribean, after sailing to Panama and making the crossing, after years and years of San Juans sailing.

If I really get into this and my skills build appropriately, the idea has crossed my mind to be a live-aboard type, possibly buying a bigger boat with some of my retirement savings.

I've got the bug bad right now.

[inSanity]

John, thanks for your PM. Very much!!!

[speedoo]

Originally Posted by inSanity

Thanks. I was thinking white would be good. For now, it's just fine.

My advice is to leave the deck as is unless there is damage somewhere that needs fixing. The baby blue deck may not be your first choice but white is a bad color for decks because it increases the glare of the sun. Decks are usually in a lighter non-white color, like your baby blue, to reduce the glare.

When you take the boat out, make sure the weather is good for the day and that you know what the current in the river is doing and what time it will be changing. I've sailed in the Columbia and Willamette Rivers and the current is definitely strong and you must always account for it.

Also be sure your auxiliary power is in good shape, that you have plenty of fuel and you know how to get the sails down and stowed quickly should the weather require that.

If you have your life jackets and other safety equipment, and you are ready to do some basic navigating, you should be fine. Of couse you need to have someone with some experience with you to help out and get you started.

[inSanity]

Good point on the white. Very well taken. I'd really like to have a dark blue, much like the color of sail covers.

I have all the safety equipment on board. Double- and triple-checking things, and I will physically re-pack the boat on Saturday.

The motor has been redone, and it runs well. I have a 15-gallon onboard tank, 5 gallon emergency and a 3-gallon portable tank for gas.

Trust me, I'll be doing a lot of training drills - mob, docking, reefing sails, dousing sails, etc. Got my chart case, GPS, things all in the same place.

Was listening to the weather reports on the VHF radio last evening as I was gluing down the new bilge pump and Superswitch mounting board in the bilge, only to find out now it doesn't work. Worked when we installed it two days ago. Now. ?????

And, I think I have somebody who might be willing to teach me the ropes.

[speedoo]

No, dark blue is no good for a deck either. Any dark color gets too hot from the sun, bad for anything that touches the deck and bad for overheating the cabin.

Wow, you are prepping very thoroughly. But you have way too much fuel on board for just daysailing or weekend cruising. Is the 15 gallon a built in tank? If so you must have an inboard, Atomic four?