Hello Everyone - New Sailors Here

[dtj]

Hubby, 7 year old son and I bought a Roberts 57 a few months ago. We currently live on St. Croix, USVI. Hubby has lots of boating experience but none on a sailboat. I sailed as a child. We will be taking sailing lessons and learning all about our boat and hope to be sailing and living aboard by June 2011. I am sure we will have many questions.

Tam

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Tam, Hubby, & Son.

You're certainly in a good location, from which to embark on your new adventure.

[James S]

Welcome to the forum Tam.
Wow...thats a lot of boat...good for you!
Can you post us some pictures?

[Ocean Girl]

Welcome to the forum, you picked a beautiful boat!
Cheers,
Erika

[boatman61]

Welcome folks..... Way to go....

[DannySt]

Welcome on board, tell the hubby not to worry about the sailing experience, he is going to be on his knees and hands down in the engine compartment most of the time anyway ;-)

[Allan S]

Welcome aboard, you'll find this a great place for friendly hints and information...Allan

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha and welcome aboard!
Its good to have you here. Is St. Croix where I had too many rum punches? I do have some good memories of diving and sailing there.
kind regards,

[Therapy]

dtj,
This a really great place for lots of info.
Spend some time going backward in the threads.
Soooo much info there.

[dtj]

Thanks everyone. I have been reading this forum every day. There is a wealth of information here and everyone is so helpful.

A little about us. We are in our early 50s. We have 5 adult children living happily in the states. We adopted our son, JJ, at his birth 7 years ago. We came to St. Croix 5 years ago to look at a boat. The boat was too expensive and a total mess. Fell in love with St. Croix, bought a house. It is a project house but we didn't know it was a project house when we bought it.

There was a beautiful boat here on St. Croix that we always admired. Her name is the Parrot Head. Last year her owner crashed his plane and died. The boat sat and sat. We gathered as much information that we could about the boat and found out she was in limbo. All kinds of liens attached, taxes ect. We called the bank and made an offer. It took some work and a few months to get it all worked out. Removing liens and trying to recover items removed from the boat. But finally we were successful.

The owner had just had her hauled out to maitinence her hull. He had also pulled her engine. He had ordered a new engine, transmission, generator and other items. At his death those items were sitting on the dock waiting to be picked up. Needless to say they were all sent back and we didn't get them. Someone had also removed some of the electronics and sails. We were able to retrieve some items, the sails, anchor windless, rolling furler and a few other things.

We had her surveyed and know everything we need to fix and that is what we are doing. Hubby is an ex deep sea diver in the Navy and then worked the next 10 years as a civilian Navy diver doing ships husbandry. He has cleaned the hulls and repaired nearly every ship in the fleet.

We just dropped in the new engine and everyday we are working on the boat. Hubby says that we must know everything about her before we sail, down to the last wire. We know her history and have talked a few times to her builder.

We have lots of work to do learning everything but it is a new adventure and I cannot wait.

You guys are great. Thanks for all the encouragement.

Tam

[James S]

Great story Tam...but we're still want-in some pictures...doesent matter the condition!

[Hannah on 'Rita T']

Sounds like you are well on your way to a great sailing experience. We spent a month in Salt River with our then 12-year-old who was learning to dive before we headed on down the islands. There's nothing better than cruising with a kid. Ours grew up so we are trying to rent one before we take off again this month.

[Sandero]

Tam,

Excellent gusto for life. Sailors or sailorheads really are different and take on anything and actually stick to it for years and get it done. That's rare and it's laudable in a culture which wants everything done right away and pays someone else to do it.

And you too must have incredible energy. Your story is one I will love to read.

Fair winds to you and yours.

[dtj]

James how do I post pictures?

Hannah we have a very small cottage right off the Chesapeake Bay in Norfolk. Happy sailing and if you stop in on St. Croix we can loan you JJ, our son for a while. He is a big strapping Scottish Boy with auburn hair. He loves to snorkel and can tell you anything about sea life. He cannot wait until he is old enough to dive.

defjef, we are used to hard work and don't really know any other way. As for my energy level, it has dropped a little but I am working on it and exercising. We have to sail that big boat by ourselves. Our son is right there with us however scraping, sanding and painting. Thank goodness he likes to know how things work. It won't be long until he is an able sailor. Thanks for your encouragement.

[James S]

At the bottom of the "Quick Reply" box click on the "Go Advanced" button.
Then scroll down and you will find a "Manage Attachments"
When you click it, a small box will appear with 5 "Browse" buttons..click on the first one and find your picture file then continue to your second browse button.........