Newbie in Newport (Oregon, not Rhode Island)

[SeaThru]

Same here, wife loves sailing. Yes, our boats moored at the Embarkadero. Sail # 873. How did you end up out here?

[geordieschmalz]

Used to be an environmental consultant, got a good job offer in Oregon, where my step-father is from, so I checked it out. Skied Bachelor my first day here, and fell in love with Oregon!

Didn't sail much after I moved here in '97, mostly skiing, backpacking and biking, discovered float trips were easier than backpacking, then built a cedar strip kayak. Of course, I rigged it to sail... Full circle, started shopping for a boat!

This one was already in Newport, where we vacationed often anyway. We used to stay at the Oar House, a bed 'n breakfast that used to be a 'house of negotiable affection', hence the name. We can highly recommend, we have many happy memories of out time there. (I always added the 'H' when we planned to visit, my wife never thought that was funny, tho).

[SeaThru]

It is amazing how many people are from Rhode Island out here. Think about this, what are the chances that there are two Newports, one in Rhode Island the other in Oregon. There are two people who both sail and both of them sailed in and around Newport RI and are now sailing in Newport Or. I know nothing really special but what are the chances. Pretty much slim to non.

Thet use to have a plack in front of the Coast Guard house there in NP Or. telling about how the town came to be and how it was named ( about 13 yrs ago). Anyways the first Mayor was from Newport RI and named it after his home town. My parents when they visited Oregon really got a kick out of it.

[geordieschmalz]

That is funny, lots of sailors in Newport RI, not so many here. I'm sure Yaquina Bay reminded the founder of Narragansett Bay, just in miniature. I think the hulks in the bay would be Jamestown Island and Goat Island.

[Lesmusic1]

Funny....
I lived in Bend, Oregon for a some years, Family all lives there..... in fact got 2 ex husbands over in Central Oregon area, that is another reason I moved to MY home area, Gresham, Or, (portland). We have our 28ft Newport at Big Eddies Marina on the Columbia River....Nice place. Have you ever thought about mooring your boat there? We are new sailers at this forum....trying to find some sailing friends!

[Lesmusic1]

Do you live on your boat in Newport GEO? And I'm working on getting my husband to take more time off from work..(my company,(musician, teacher,) makes us work Friday and Saturday nights. But as soon as I get more piano students during the week, and Doug stops workin Sat days....we might get down to the beach and drop in with you all....without our boat.....LONG trip on water but by 2010, we will be there.

[geordieschmalz]

I have looked at Big Eddie's, I plan on a sea trial for my new systems in May, then north, sailing up the Columbia to hang out in Portland for the summer while I work there. Family and nephews would like to have easier access (and gentler sailing!) than Newport provides. We've paid for this slip thru next November, but it's pretty cheap...

Long term, back to Newport in the fall to prepare for going south in '09, eventually the Carib (via truck from San Diego to Houston), winter there, and up the East Coast to Rhode Island in spring 2010. I wanted to start this cruise next year, but our budget needs require some more work on my part. Oh well. As another poster here notes, work is the scourge of the boating classes.

[geordieschmalz]

Hey LesMusic:

Yes, I am living here, so come on by for a visit. There's a way to do private messages, I'll try to figure that out and get you my phone number/email.

Always happy to have crew for a sail, if it's nice, but the boat is comfy for just hanging out, too. My wife splits her time between here and Portland, but is usually here for the weekends.

[Lesmusic1]

Cool!!!
We really like Biggie Eddies Marina, (I'm a LONG timer in that part of the waters...back to the 80's..speed boats though) It's all new! clean, and we love the people there. It's only 8 miles from our land house. Currently, we are the only boat over 20ft., so if you ever drive by, we are the big one by herself..(well 28ftbig)

There is so much to see by boat from here too. Our favorite place is the resterant/bar..PUFFIN'S at Camas, Wa...great food and "Spanish Coffees".

We must get together on the water sometime!

[geordieschmalz]

I just spoke with my wife, we'll be here thru this weekend, then up to Portland for the holidays, leaving here Monday the 17th. I'll look in at big eddie's next week. I love lookin' at boats...

[hallie]

and hi, sweetie! what nice things you say about me, even when i'm not around. i think i'll keep ya.

i'm not sure we need a whole new thread for me, as my sweetie/captain is the real sailor of the two of us... i'm geordie's unwife/sweetie pie, and here looking for more sailing friends, also. leaving portland behind is harder for me than i thought it would be. i'm the social creature of the pair of us, though i admit he's come out of his shell easily for other boaters. hmmm.

i never set foot on a sailboat in my life before we saw this one. i am a little surprised to read on this thread what ambitious sailing plans he has in store for us in the near future. you have to love the confidence he has in me! i'm sure if he thought i wouldn't be terrified, he'd have mentioned the part about going to the east coast with the boat... hmm. anyone in rhode island want to just swap boats for a week and see how it goes...? before we go to all the trouble to ship ours overland? ha!

geordie's been showing me photos of boats he'd like to have for years, drooling all over the keyboard, and while i'm sure many of them are good sailing vessels, i never was tempted by the interiors of any of them. considering we'd be living aboard in tight quarters, i demand comfort and style, because i'm a nitpicky artistic type that way. i'm sure folks in this crowd have seen many, many interior photos of boats, yes? and how many of the liveaboard-worthy sizes and such look like half-abandoned bachelor pads from the 70s? some of these men - you know they're men - don't even pick up their undershorts before they take the photos. to sell it. what the hey, man. when your boat looks like a fraternity house party aftermath in ad photos, you know your marketing skills need some work.

so this boat was absolutely beautiful and we've made good friends with the couple who sold it to us.. but i'm always looking for more sailing friends! we're in portland for the holidays, but we'll be home in yaquina bay soon and happy to visit; it's just a short jog over the bridge to the embarcadero!

[Boracay]

Satellite phones are very expensive but could be very nice if you are nervous about leaving your family behind.

I'm planning a bribe of a satellite phone and lots of prepaid time if all else fails.

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha Hallie,
Welcome aboard!! Don't know why you'd want to change boats. Yours seems the perfect size for a couple to my point of view. Don't ship it overland. Sail it around through the canal.
Originally from Salem here. Hope you enjoy the sailing and boating liveaboard situation.
Kind Regards,
JohnL

[Lesmusic1]

Hi Hallie,
It's so neat you are on this forum too!! I've been trying to get my husband to use these places to meet people that are into the same dreams or currently living are dreams.....he is the quiet type, as I'm the "entertainer/artistic" one. I've been learning so much.
I never stepped on a sail boat before my husband took me boat shoppin one day. We baught our 28ft Newport boat 3 years ago....we were newly married and the whole desission to buy or not I told him was all up to him, though he said he would sell his "Fat Boy"..never did...though I'm glad.LOL

Hallie, if you and Geordie are still in Portlandm e mail us and we can show you our boat. Our stories are quite alike, though I'm the one that "FOUND MY PLACE IN LIFE" and my husband has the same dream, but he is not OBSSESED with it like I am, though he's coming around now. I want to sail more NOW and when we find the right big boat we can live abourd. We have very strong needs for our boat, and I'm only found 2 boats that were perfect....We need 2 seprate living area's where we can't hear each other and Lot's of windows. My husband and I have different hours, I'm slow in the morning and up till 2am...he is asleep by 10 and up at 7am, I have alot of stuff, (I make jewelry, record/perform piano, play on the computer, etc...)so I need the master Room! LOL

I must go for now though I have so much more to say......My computer was down for 5 days...behind in work.

Words of advice.......Start learning everything you can about sailing. I read alot, watch videos on line, atc. It's fun...Going back to school but no school room and I'm in my Robe!! And I'm looking for a friend who can sail with me time from time during the week days...my husband is always working and I want to take "Trouble Maker" out!