THEY LIED!!!!

[Captain Kidd]

It's been said numerous times that the two happiest days in a boat owner's life are the day he buys and the day he sells.

THEY LIED!

I sold Anago today and it has not been a happy day.

Two reasons. 1) She has been a good boat. Roomy enough. Easy enough to launch and retrieve. Stable. Nice lines. Good condition. No real complaints. 2) For the first time in 26 years I do not own a pocket cruiser.

My wife has had enough drama in the last little bit (over serveral things) and the boat drama has added to it (unfruitful long trip, headache of selling etc). She wants a one year hiatus to reevaluate our boating. I'm ok with that. I have Disciple Ship to occupy me and she's not big into sailing anyway. So we'll see.

Here's the new owner driving off. He has sailed some - in fact, he did the EC this year with a friend. He's young and athletic - just finished a triathlon! He has a young family, wife, 4 and 6 year old children and they're eager to go.

Wishing him the best.

Here she is headed down the road to her new home in Jacksonville, FL.

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And some eye candy as I drove through Atlanta (we met near Warner Robbins for the deal) on the way home.

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Not a boat but a gorgeous Maserati that was behind me (until he wasn't) in the stop and go traffic of Atlanta.

I do plan to sail the CIY more than ever and I plan to do a "big" sail sometime in the next 12 months to celebrate my 70 years! Several ideas. I'll keep you posted.

One more thing. Here's my favorite picture of Anago. Happy and beautiful wife with a nice looking boat!

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[Krusen]

I also have very fond memories of sailing the Ga, ICW with you on that fine sailing pocket cruiser.  Beautiful country, at a fine time of year.  Pleasant weather the whole trip.

Certainly sufficient for the days we were on her.  Amazing that we never arrived late for a sound crossing, and several times, a day early.  It is not often that a cruise ends before, rather than after the planned arrival.

The outboard forced us to sail when the conditions were not advantageous, but she sailed well enough we overcame the tides and narrow places in the waterway.

[Riley Smith]

"Crossroads seem to come and go..."  is a fitting response I guess. Great song. Here's to another life, one without and one with a new path. Thought I'd include the WHOLE lyrics as it as great a poetry as there is.

Crossroads, seem to come and go, yeah
The gypsy flies from coast to coast
Knowing many, loving none
Bearing sorrow, havin' fun
But back home he'll always run
To sweet Melissa
Freight train, each car looks the same, all the same
And no one knows the Gypsy's name
No one hears his lonely sighs
There are no blankets where he lies
In all his deepest dreams the Gypsy flies
With sweet Melissa
Again the morning's come
Again he's on the run
Sunbeams shining through his hair
Appearing not to have a care
Well, pick up your gear and Gypsy roll on, roll on
Crossroads, will you ever let him go? No, no, no
Will you hide the dead man's ghost?
Or will he lie, beneath the clay?
Or will his spirit float away?
But I know that he won't stay without Melissa
Yes, I know that he won't stay without Melissa

[Ed]

We're driving down to see Urchin this Saturday.  Depending on whether we can raise the mast, and I can get this stiff/fat/old body into a sleeping position, we will probably have a new boat.  I'm thinking Charles is already having second/third/fourth thoughts after 50 years with Urchin.  I'm thinking Urchin will epitomize the term, "Bristol", wish us all luck!  Ed

[Doug SC]

I think Urchin going to someone like Y'all would soften the pain of letting her go.

[Chris Muthig]

It really is a great boat, and the innovations he's put into it over the years is well worth it.  Also, whatever he's done, he did right.  I still remember bringing home an 11' gantry that we assembled over the boat, to lift it high enough to get the centerboard out.  He lovingly restored it, even though it was much more work to do so.  This Youtube video, we went out offshore Fort Lauderdale trolling for tuna in 6-8 foot seas, Only 18' sailboat I'd go out in those conditions.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nkf-gryletA

[Ed]

I've been following CB since I started on the TSBB and have enjoyed reading about Urchin as well as sailing with Urchin in various venues - Marathon, BEER, FL 120, Cayo Costa, and maybe Cedar Key. CB's stories of near death experiences, trailer travails, sailing where others dare not go, and observations of other sailors (I have been the brunt of them too many times) have always entertained me.

[Charles Brennan]

Ed Speaks Truly.
From a trip to Marathon in 2006:

Ed & Becky aboard Minnow.
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My son Chris, and I, aboard Urchin:
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Lotta memories on Urchin.
I hope they continue, no matter who holds the tiller.

Charles Brennan

[Doug SC]

I'm rather fond of a Potter 19.

[Charles Brennan]

My son shares the family trait of not exactly lying, just: Remembering Big! 

trolling for tuna in 6-8 foot seas

Actually it was more like 4 to 6 foot seas, with the occasional 8 foot roller, just to keep you on your toes.

When I was but a Lad, with a mother and two sisters who all got severe cramps at the same time, one weekend a month me and my Dad went out on the boat for the whole weekend and it didn't matter what the weather was, we went out and we STAYED out! 
Never occurred to me that there might have been a REASON why nobody else was Out There, on some weekends.
But with the Youthful Optimism of those who have no idea what they're doing, I would joyfully decry:
We GOTTA catch fish!!     We're the only guys OUT HERE!! 

The day Chris and I were fishing, was similar to those days of my Youth and after a while, it moderated down to 3 to 5 foot seas.
As this video shows:

(Listen for the tag line.)   
Notice as the camera pans around the horizon, there are no other boats to be seen?   
Yeah, Small Craft Warnings, that day.

While the camera tends to flatten out the waves in pics, for reference, the wave in the foreground was about 2 feet and was chasing an 8 foot roller (middle of pic) that had just passed by:
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Had a fairly successful day:
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And they were quite tasty! 
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Charles Brennan

[Frank B.]

Yes, boats leaving your life can be traumatic.  The last one left me after I had done 317 hours of work (I keep logs)  and spent about $1000 (1995 dollars) to bring her back from neglect caused by me, the primary maintainer, moving to Oklahoma and leaving it up to my partners to take over those tasks.  That time and money was spent when I returned with a verbal agreement that we would keep the boat for a specific time if I did the work.  Upon completion of that work, the partners Immediately put it up for sale.  These two partners were blood relatives with each other, I was a partner by marriage.  What I learned from that experience.

DO NOT OWN A BOAT IN A PARTNERSHIP WITH RELATIVES.
IF YOU HAVE TO, EVERY AGREEMENT MUST BE IN WRITING, DO NOT TRUST THAT RELATIVE STATUS TO PROTECT YOU.

My share of the sales proceeds gave me about $9.00 per hour for my work and my material expenses back, so I got nothing for the boat. 

Since that event I have followed rule number one exclusively, have never had a partner.  That event forever changed the family dynamics.