New Mate

[Riley Smith]

The catboat is set up for maintenance, a task completed in just a few minutes late yesterday, with the help of S R Cats new mate, Brandon. He's getting out of school Friday, and got an introductory course in the old boat today when he helped me set her up. He's fitting help, tall and wiry, and of a good disposition, and so there's crew to be had. Something S R Cat hasn't had for a long time.

And so the teaching never ends, how to make a bowline, where the gaff jaw is, and the parrel beads, the halyards and topping lift. He just THOUGHT school ended Friday. He had trouble with the mast, never having done it, but it progressed smoothly from there. All the shackles connected and the lines ran through the blocks and Viola! She's sitting proud once again in a mere fifteen minutes. And the good part ABOUT it all?

I wasn't worn to a frazzle when it was doneYou cannot view this attachment.! I look forward to seeing him standing on the bow at the mast. It's a great place, known to only a few.

[Doug SC]

Your new first mate's joy and desire to learn will bring a special pleasure to your sailing. Brandon may also increase the number of days you spend on the water. Kudos for passing on what you know to the next generation. 

[Riley Smith]

He'll enjoy it when I put him on a fish! He loves to fish    In the heat, any movement causes sweat, and it doesn't take very long before you smell like a buffalo and am sick of it and want to get cool. Hopefully this will divide the setting up and breaking back down in 1/2. It'll take a couple of trips to get the drill down.

[Captain Kidd]

A fine looking craft and I'm sure same can be said for crew!!!

[Riley Smith]

He's my surrogate daughter's son. Mom cut her teeth on the boat.

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[Spot]

The whole 'worn to a frazzle' thing is why I bought a Sunfish, to have a boat that is quick to rig and sail.

I do appreciate crew when rigging the 21-footer.

Can one conclude a pool is like a boat but the water is on the inside?

[Riley Smith]

The pool is ready for business! Landon helped some and we've filtered and treated the rest. Yes, a pool is a LOT Of work but when the wind isn't blowing and it's a zillion degrees in the sun, it's pretty nice.

[Frank B.]

In my early twenties, I, and several of my friends, made the acquaintance of an elderly retiree who had moved to Gulfport from Arizona.  He was mid seventies and he had a Morgan 30.  He figured out to extend his sailing career he would use our little group as his "crew".  At the time none of us had the money for a larger boat, so we were very happy with that arrangement.  We became good friends, Sailed with him a lot, helped him with boat maintenance, and learned a lot from him. I don't think he minded that our wives or girlfriends dressed up his boat quite a bit.

I think I have reached an age where that kind of arrangement may be necessary to extend my own sailing career. You are lucky to have some able bodied crew to help with the heavy lifting.