Owners again

We took the plunge and bought a boat. It’s been a big year so far for Alice and I in getting back into sailing. As you may know, we have mostly been armchair sailors for the last few years. Other than an annual boat charter or sailing on friends boats, we haven’t sailed as much as we wanted.

This year, we took a big step forward by joining Raritan Yacht Club. This has made a big difference. We sail almost every week, mostly racing. It also opened us to a boat-buying opportunity.

The one and only boat we have owned was a 19′ Cape Dory, that we sailed in Texas and sold when our son came along 16 years ago. We didn’t think we would own again for a few years but a golden opportunity turned up.

One of the guys I race with has been trying to sell his old boat, a 1981 26′ S-2. We got talking and the next thing we knew we were inspecting her, having her surveyed and then buying for a very reasonable price. I spent yesterday scrubbing her up a bit. We had a bottom-coat put-on and the hull polished.  Other than that, she is in very good shape and we plan to get her in the water in a couple of weeks.

She is currently known as Tiger Lily. Alice and I spent a lovely evening, brainstorming names. We had a long list to work from. Our first boat was called Alad, a contraction of our two names but we felt that it was too cutesy. Fools in Luff was seriously contemplated. Too much wine, I think. Then one name came up that made immediate sense.

Our new boat will be called Messing About.