Holiday Salutations...............!

Hello All.........wishing you and yours a Merry Christmas, a Joyous Holiday Season, and a Happy New Year..........seeya in 2012

Whats the difference between a Phillips and Reed and Prince????

Just finished reading a cruising blog where some guy went to the hardware store, bought some stuff, and went back to his boat and built a 20 GPH RO Watermaker! You gotta be friggin' kiddin me......WHOA.....!! Dude!!
I don't even know how to work one of those things let alone build one.....this guy's gotta be
SUPER CRUISER!!  But you know what......there are alot of you out there just like this guy and as I've said before in this forum....this guy, me, is so envious.....wish I had the smarts to know how to do all this stuff that you all know how to do...should have taken more shop stuff in high school.....Still goin' cruising though....keep checking in on this blog and see if we survive...........take care my friends..............

Heart of a Lion......

Last night I woke up somewhere around 3 am with small cruising boats floating in my subconscious. It's probably a residual effect from yesterday's blog entry to Zoshas Wake extolling tiny world voyagers. Wish I knew how to insert that blog as a link here but I don't..........if you are interested, check my blog archives for the November 27, 2011 entry.................anyways, in this blog, I mentioned many stalwart but diminutive cruising sailboats that have logged monumental voyages and were dear to me...........well, last night the spirits of the the many vessels that I omitted from mention but just as dear came to visit me as I slept....they asked one at a time and in unison...."why did you not include me?"......."why did you forget us?'....."are we not as equally valiant?"
I couldn't sleep the rest of the night as my mind raced through the roll call of these dauntless vessels.......somewhere in the night I vowed to try and make amends to the empyrean forces that manifest themselves in these magnificent boats....................Tahiti Ketch 30's, Flicka 20's, Rawson 30's, Gulfweed 31's, Nicholson 31's, Bingham 24's, 26's, 28's, Mariah 31's, Dreadnought 32's, Falmouth 22's, Southern Cross 28's, 31's, Albin Vega 27's, Dana 24's, ........I feel a little bit better now...but we all know there are more .....and we as sailors owe homage to them all. You know... today I went to West Marine started  sifting through the current edition of one of the big sailing magazines and the feature article was about this month's must have ULTIMATE cruising boat an  Oyster 62...WHOA Dude!!....look this thing up....its ...AWESOME.......I just hope for the family that buys this boat and is able to take it cruising that deep in its magnificent bosom beats the heart of an Alberg 30 !..............Take care ya'all

Its not the size that counts...........!

 Remember vintage 1970's and 1980's Cruising World magazines? Passage Notes was a monthly column where short profiles of cruising sailors were presented. One of the things that sticks in my memory was the size of most of the boats that these folks were cruising on were under 40 feet or so. Back then it seems to me that people made remarkable voyages in 25-27-30-32-34 foot boats as a normal course of events. Each month the cruising prowess of  Contessa 26's, Channel Cutter 28's, Nor-Sea 27's, Vertue 25's, Triton 28's, Golden Hind 31's, Spencer 34's, Westsail 28's and 32's, Seawind 30's, actually this list is quite lengthy, was chronicled. If you look back, most of the boats in the first single handed, non-stop sailboat race around the world, the Golden Globe, in the 1960's were under 40 feet. I think that the guy who won the race, Sir Robin Knox-Johnson sailed a 32 foot, tiller steered, wooden double ended cutter, Suhali.  Some of boats in the first BOC Challenge in 1982-1983, now called the Velux 5,  were in the 32-40 feet length range!  Nowadays the pundits of  Cruising World or Sail magazine are first to tell you that you need the 46-48-52-60-62 foot boat to safely cruise. Bigger is safer and more comfortable they say. Not only do you need the 52-60 footer to cruise but it's got to be loaded up with redundant computer networks linked to satellites for instant worldwide communication for safety and weather forecasting and big, flat screen TV's and XM radio for entertainment and AIS for vessel recognition, and watermakers, generators, microwaves, chart plotters , and ice makers and autopilots that work off your bluetooth and antennas that let you email anywhere from your Satellite-Phone, and instant-on water heaters.....the list is endless!
I can hear you all now......"Oh! Oh!.here's another one of those minimalist-survivalist, tiny-sailboat nuts that lives off of brown rice and waterline algae and sails around with a battery operated RDF, a hand bearing compass, and a hippy-looking girlfriend with a butterfly tattoo and macrame shoes!!!
Well! you all are wrong.....except for the girlfriend! I would love the luxury that a big boat affords......AHHH air conditioned cockpits with hard dogers and windshield wipers, electric winches, remote controlled autopilot, bow thrusters, washers and dryers, mainsail furling.......Ohhhh... the elation, the fun....the ease....the  captains chairs in the cockpit....the ice machine in the pedestal.....dampness-free bedding.....non-stinky heads.....ecstasy at high sea! AHHH!! I could really embrace this kinda cruising. "OK? why don't you"....you ask?
Two reasons: #1- can't afford any more boat that what I have; and, more importantly #2- I don't know how to work all that stuff and don't have a clue as to how to fix it when, and it will, BREAK DOWN.
Oh how I envy you folks out there that know how to operate all this super sophisticated electronic stuff  and know about modems and bandwith and SIM cards and know how to dismantle a diesel engine and re-build it on the galley table with an emery board, screwdriver, beer can and a pair of dykes or fix the autopilot with some duct tape and a piece of wire, and some surgical tubing. You guys are my idols. I'm really dense about that kinda stuff so as a protection mechanism for my fragile ego, I eschew purchasing a million dollar boat and loading it up with a half a million worth of preposterous gadgetry......well that and the fact that I currently find myself....somewhat.....sparse of purse!
Take care my friends.....thanks for checking in with us....these blogs will get better....I PROMISE!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Wanted to wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving.....this is my favorite holiday. Since I no longer own a house and don't have any room to have people over, the Thanksgiving Dinner Torch has been passed to my lovely daughter Johanna. She does a remarkable job.  Last Thanksgiving was her first year to shoulder the responsibility for care and feeding and entertaining of about ten or twelve family and friends.  The centerpiece of her dinner was of course the turkey....this being Johanna's first Thanksgiving preparation, she was unsure of how big a turkey to buy? Somewhere she acquired a 32 pound turkey!! This thing looked like a pony! The oven door barely shut!  She had two or three of everything potatoes, veggies, relishes, breads, rolls, and desserts. She easily could have fed fifty people! Her poor husband and kids ate turkey leftovers for weeks. We had a little pow-wow this year. I explained that  a 12 pound bird will be enough for the people coming and she really doesn't need three kinds of potatoes,  six different veggies, five desserts.......etc, etc. She looked  at me with those sweet little eyes and  said "yes daddy, I know."
We are heading over to her house in a couple of hours and I just got off the phone with her. I asked about the size of the bird......"twelve pounds just like you said daddy" . "That's great baby" I remarked.
"Oh, I got a Ham too" she interjected at the last moment!!! "Wonderful" I remarked!
Oh well, "Tana" I yelled to my hunny bunny, "where are my FAT jeans?".... "You're wearing them" she retorted ! "Oh yeah I forgot....ARGHH."
Such is life at the dock............Have a Happy Day my friends.

I can see the light.....almost!

Its been a few months since the topic of minimalism and eschewing superfluous baggage has been mentioned here so it is time to revisit this issue. Its funny how things that seemed so important  in days past now upon present reflection have no import at all. The date for the onset of our journey is fast approaching. Yet here I sit with a storeroom full of stuff that is useless to me and is not worth the money that it cost to store it for the past 12 months.  Is this lunacy?  It's all  headed for Goodwill where it can hopefully better serve someone else. Too bad that the storage fees are not now in my pocket. That money could serve us well in the Bahamas or the DR or PR or anywhere on the windward/ leeward trail. "Learn from your mistakes" is  conventional wisdom  that  we have all heard many times. Well,  for me, on this issue....point taken! and ...never again! If you can't remember it was it really memorabilia?

The goal is not only to pare down my personal belongings but to minimalize and simplify my boat ZOSHA. Last week  the almost new Harken Furler was removed and sold. Am returning to hank on headsails with downhauls. The Cruiseair marine air conditioning is next to go.........wanna buy it? ...cheap!.....let me know. The propane stove, tanks and plumbing are gone. We are going back to non-pressurized alcohol or maybe pressurized kerosene which is my personal preference. Slab reefing on the main with  lazyjacks. Hand pump water system. Simple stuff.

Spring 2012 is almost here. Wish we were almost ready. 
Take care my friends.......
"Simplicity, Patience, Compassion...these are your greatest treasures" - Lao Tzu

"different strokes for different ......."

Hello my friends, long time no hear. Sorry, nothing much happening around here. Just trying to stay cool, half sober, and earn a few shekels for the cruising kitty. The weather here on the Texas Gulf Coast is finally cooling down although we are experiencing one of the worst droughts in memory. In my area, Houston-Galveston, we are 2 feet behind normal for rain. We are  water rationing here. The water levels in most all of the Texas lakes are way down and most rivers are nearly dry. NO!! Its not 2012!! I can hear some of you now! No, its just a periodic weather cycle that has presented itself many times in the past and will eventually fade away only to re-emerge again somewhere down the line like El Nino and La Nina.  However!!!! There is one alternative that some of you might want to contemplate and that is "what ever became of the engineering plans and drawings for the secret weather machine that the Russians stole from Nikola Tesla in the 1930's?" One of the guys on the dock, we call him "Radio Free Darryl" commented just the other day that he heard that Vladimir Putin, the current president and prime minister of Russia, was recently heard commenting about this machine that has now been perfected by the Russians and how he is going use it to retaliate against the George Bush's by screwin' with Texas weather.  Well according to Captain Thirsty another fixture on the dock, this is probably true because, according to Thirsty, we all know that Tesla designed a flying saucer for the Nazis in World War II and they perfected the design near the end of the War as the secret weapon that was going to win the conflict for the Third Reich but  WWII ended before the saucer could be mass produced. Thirsty maintains that these are the facts and he knows because  when he was a secret operative for the super secret NIA he saw the actual captured Nazi films of the saucer flying around blasting the crap out of stuff with its electronic weapons systems. Thirsty thinks that the Russians who confiscated the plans at the end of the War traded them and a few  saucer prototypes and engineering specs to some militant Jihad group in exchange for future interests in Mideast oil , industrial diamond futures,  and free access to Mideast seaports. All this kinda infuriated "Party Bill" the captain of the 32 foot Irwin center cockpit "Love Palace". He doesn't take it out. He just party's on it all the time. Matter of fact, this boat hasn't had a bottom job in eleven or twelve years and  has not been out of the slip for ten or eleven years. Anyways, "Party Bill" maintains that if we would have elected Barry Goldwater as President in 1964, we wouldn't have to deal with all this crap now cause those commieragheadbastards would of been all nuked off the face of the planet and straight to Hell!! Radio Free and Thirsty were pensive for a moment but in a short while they both shook their heads in agreement. Ahhh, Consensus. Take care my friends.
"I hate storms but calms undermine my spirits" - Bernard Moitessier

We need more elephants here.........

We have been silent for a while now, but we're still here. Still planning to leave in the Spring. You know what Mike Tyson said about plans dontcha......"everyone has a plan 'till they get punched in the mouth." Well, this kinda describes my sentiment at the moment. My attempts to bolster my cruising kitty have met with dismal disappointment lately. Its been very discouraging....What has been said by cynics everywhere thru all of time about the best laid plans? ...."one step forward...two steps back"  Aanyways, the boat projects are slow to complete mainly because I'm in a lazy state right now and of course the 100 plus degree heat doesn't bolster my enthusiasm for working on Zosha. "Quit whining" you say....."Manup"..."When did you get so pussified?"
You're right my friend. Thank you.
Take care my friends
"We will either find a way, or make one" - Hannibal Hannibal

Eight more months but who is counting?

 We are still here!!! Toiling daily to make it all happen.......Its been a long road .....more than 25 years trying to go cruising........its comforting to know, though, that many of us  are of the same circumstance....we harbor the dream for decades....never giving up the faith....taking care of our responsibilities....educating our children....taking care of our frail parents....laying them to rest....fretting money....falling into periods of frightening despair that it might never happen...never losing the faith  that somehow, one day we are going to step aboard our own boat and depart the dock reborn......!
Keep checking in on us.....we are getting closer.....
"it is rarer to find a really happy person in a circle of millionaires than among vagabonds"
-Thor Heyerdahl

4th of July salutations!

Happy Fourth of July to you all..........!! May your beer stay cold and the fire in the smoker stay lit till the brisket is done.!  We are on the way to Austin, Texas today to visit Tana's family...can't wait ! Its been so HOT here...........high 90's........high humidity......typical summertime Gulf Coast Texas misery....during the  mid day its really too hot to do anything  but sit in a pool and enjoy a cold brewski or three....! Maybe it will be a little more temperate in Austin? Boat work is difficult to accomplish. Top side or down below it doesn't matter.....its hot everywhere ! The seahood is done....just needs to be varnished.
The staysail on the W28 is self-tacking which is nice except that the spar for the self tacking spar takes up the entire foredeck which is no bueno for a cruising boat of limited size so I've taken it off and need to install some i-track on the cabin top for the sheeting the staysail....no big deal. The stainless dodger frame is ready to go....just need to call a canvas guy to do the dodger part. Need to fabricate a full boat shade awning. Going to upgrade the alternator and save the current one as a spare.....my computer woes are back with a vegeance. I've had to re boot 10-12 times just while writing this blog.....ARGHHH!! gues s we can't blame it on Tawny afterall.....

Hello.....we're back....

Do you remember the days when we all were not instantaneously connected? No Internet, no cell phones, no email, no PCs...........man those days were barbaric weren't they? this blog has been silent for a coupla weeks now because my laptop had some issues that needed an IT PERSON  to analyze and fix......so off to the computer repair guy with my heart and wallet all a flutter. Well, Chris the computer guy called me today and said to me "cmon' by I need to talk to you"...............OHHHHHH!!!....my wallet just about jumped outta my pants..........well, an hour later I'm at at the computer guys shop ready for the hammer to fall.....and he says " I ran all the diagnostics and can't find anything wrong...it runs fine....all I did was clean the heat sink and cooling fan because it was all gunked up with some fuzzy stuff that impeded air flow...and these laptops will shut down if they get too hot."  Oh? fuzzy stuff huh?"  I comment.  Did it look like cat hair? I again ask.  "Coulda been" he said. MMmmmmmmmmm..cat hair? Well, its not in my nature to blame these computer woes on Tana's defenseless Tabby named Tawny who loves to cuddle up against the laptop when its sitting on the big glass coffee table in our living room. But she does like to get right next to it and nap. My surmise is that she likes the hum of the fan motor or the little breeze from the exhaust port or maybe she likes the vacuum on the intake side..........don't know but Chris  pulled all the fuzzy stuff off the fan motor and heat sink fins and everything seems to be working OK.  Cost to fix? you ask....twenty bucks!.........Chris is a good dude.....good karma! So Zoshas Wake is up and running again.
OK OK you lament but this is supposed to be a sailing blog isn't it? I admit to getting a little sidetracked about maybe trying to go out and get a job and earn a 'little more money' to feed the cruising kitty....but you know what?.....forget it....lets get back on track here...forget going back to work..nobody wants to hire me anyways....too old...!
Tana is happy because the sea hood is finally off the dining table and I'm not glassing inside the apartment anymore and dropping little epoxy droplets on the carpet and Tawny is no longer covered in fiberglass fibers from the mat that's been lying around and we are no longer living in an acetone fume enhanced micro environment, our 700 sf apartment. Wonder how many days I've knocked off our lifespans in the last few weeks with this indoor sea hood project. Don't ask.....we can't afford to rent a workshop.
Timeline?  ....our plan is to head outta here Feb or March 2012....Florida first...my brother lives in the Keys.....from there....not quite sure yet......keep checking in on us....
............"Dreams are necessary to life." -Anais Nin...........
Be well my friends.............

No axe to grind on this one...........!!

Actually, to my amazement, there are a couple of people who read this blog. This makes me  feel so Horace Greeleyish...thank you....
Anyways one loyal reader contacted me and informed me that the font size was kinda small and for them the text was hard to read.....so it has been changed  and now there is larger font on the blog......if you want it bigger, let me know....
The sea hood is about to be reinstalled.....We all know that "a picture is worth a thousand words"....did Horace Greeley say that? I'm not so sure that he didn't.......back to the point....the usb cord to my digital camera that allows me to post pictures directly from the  camera to my computer to the Internet has gone missing...........so to post pictures, it is necessary for me to create a picture CD and then upload...no big deal except that it is a pain in the "arse" to go to Target and create the CD and spend $3.99 per...so a new camera is in order.....but being "sparse of purse", the new camera has to wait until the root canal is paid for.....once embodied with a new camera......the visuals will flow....

"when you cease to dream, you cease to live" -Malcolm Forbes
Be well my friends..............

Where have our manners gone....?

Have yet to hear from the dream job selection committee that weeks ago received my resume and copious amount of required documentation that was necessary for me to apply for this job that has been an obsession for 25 years............what has  happened to courtesy and common decency and respect for our fellow man in our brave new contemporary cyber world ?.......Just finished reading a blog from a poor guy who has sent out over 2000 resumes in the last two years in a still unsuccessful attempt to find employment. He stated that most of his submissions were totally unacknowledged by all those potential employers and that out of all those resume submissions, he only received a handful of replies and even fewer rejection notices!!...for the most part this gentleman was totally ignored!!  this is wrong!!  it seems to me that in today's world whatever powers at be treat others of perceived lesser status as meat...not worthy of consideration or acknowledgement. How many times have we read or heard this same story about someone who is trying to find work and diligently remits to these prospective employers all the required documents and vitaes.... and resumes, and recommendation letters only to be totally ignored..no communication from these employers that this info was received...no notification that their application is being considered or even that it has been sent to the circular file..........nothing, we are  nameless, faceless, non-entities in the cyber-world  mindset of so many people today.....there is no loss of dignity  to the individual human spirit for one being out of work and trying to secure employment..PERIOD!...but yet, this seems to be the prevailing attitude of many in this "screw you Jack, I've got mine" world who are fortunate enough to have a secure job or  who have hiring decision input power over those who are in need employment.............this world scares me now because it seems to me that the collective noble conscience of our spirit as compassionate human beings  has totally eroded away......why do so many of us look to past generations for solace of personal spirit?
Generations lost....the last surviving American WWI vet passed away this year, 2011!.. about 1100 WW II veterans die each day! About 400 Korea Conflict veterans die each day. About 300 Viet-Nam veterans die each day. Sadly, the non-veteran counterpart members of these same generations are also passing on at probably the same or slightly lesser rate. This is normal....we are all born to die...life is a series of transitions that culminates in death....but why are these statistics so important you ask?  The real tragedy in the passing on of these  generations is that with their loss, so it seems to me, is  also the loss of the last remnant's of our nobility of spirit as a society, lost is our collective cultural literacy, lost is our societal compassion for each other as Americans, lost is our sense of duty as patriots...it seems to me that our country is no longer a citizenry composed of a cohesive agglomeration of American patriots all of differing heritage but bound together by the concept of the American spirit. These statements are in no manner way shape or form meant to even imply that the American spirit is not well found and guarded in the hearts of the brave men and women who now comprise our armed forces and who are sacrificing daily in three foreign conflicts. These men and women embody the American spirit and are committed to safeguarding all that is America; however, are there enough of them to be the catalysts for the maintaining our heritage????  There is no doubt that as a society we are now transitioning.......but to where? Don't know what this has to do with sailing.....have to think about it.....
"He who has a why to live can bear almost any how." - Friedrich Nietzsche

Be well my friends...................

Apology due.....to you all.

Sorry for the tone and language in my last post. I was so infuriated by the ad hoc endorsement of Shark Finning by this guy on TV that I went berserk............sorry.
"I believe in God, only I spell it nature."- Frank Lloyd Wright
take care my friends.......

How can we be so stupid to buy into this.............??

Did you ever watch that fat, bald headed, numb nutts who has that TV show Bizarre Foods? What a clueless dork this dipshit is.......I am watching his stupid show as  I am writing this and am getting livid...... he in some Chinese restaurant shithole somewhere  in China and extolling SHARK FIN meals....soup, soba....rice....whatever........DO YOU KNOW HOW THEY GET THAT SHARK FIN????  If not, let me tell you.............those Chinese fishing boats either long line the sharks or net them,  they, the sharks are  usually alive when caught and the fishermen cut their fins off and throw the still living defenseless mobilelessness sharks back into the ocean alive  to be devoured by whatever !! Why? these little penile presenters think its aphoristic..........aphoristic!!! ....theres a friggin zillion Chinese already.....Despite what you might think, SHARKS are necessary to the health of out planet.  Email me if you want an elaboration on this issue. You want to learn a little more about the rape of our oceans??? read up on what the Japanese and Norwegians are doing to the whale population of our world. Getting back to this dipshit on Bizarre Foods, this guy is a clueless idiot and the people who produce his show are even more clueless. If you care about our oceans, don't watch this nonsense................ 

Broken promises..............!!

I'm a sucker...and melt....and drool.....and pant....and  lust .....and will do just about anything for a fabuloso varnish job..............Oh! why do we do it? put ourselves through this agony of varnishing? This ritual of pain...and frustration ....and and and  COMMITMENT...yes that COMMITMENT....to the varnish...once you start, you can't stop without severe penalty!!!  We all know this....Our teak would do perfectly well if we just let it alone in it's grey dead-meat looking unattended state.....!  OH! how I envy these guys on my docks that hire those little bikini clad vixens who cater to the varnishing needs of their boats  .....waitaminute!! scratch that...if a man or woman can't varnish their own boat...they shouldn't .....never mind.      I'm a sucker for three things......traditional sailboats , traditional sailboats with lots of wood and little dogs. This is a sailing blog so forget the little canine bundles of love. Looking back 25 or 30 years at my various sailboats....one thing is indelibly etched in my memory....WOOD!!  the beautiful Honduran Mahogany on my Lyle Hess designed Falmouth Cutter, the exquisite Burmese Teak on my Phil Rhodes Offshore 27, the creamy, aromatic teak cap rails ,eyebrows, boomkins, handrails, sea hoods, bow sprits, and boom gallows of my Westsail 32 and now my Westsail 28. But I'm getting ahead of myself here.....lets, for the moment disregard, ZOSHA, my new boat.  A few years ago when I sold my W32, Cupid, and vowed, and promised myself, and took an oath to myself.......that my next boat will have NO WOOD!!  Give me a plastic clorox bottle vessel ....you know, the clean, modern, 21st century rocket ship look....just hit it with some bleach water and rinse her down and go home..............YEAH buddy!! no more washing, bleaching, brushing, sanding, filling, thinning, re-sanding, re coating, re, re, re, .....you got the idea here.....my boat wood caretaker days are OVER ....NOW....stick me with a fork as they say!!
Well.....here it is today and that promise lay broken on the dock....that vow failed ....that oath rejected ............Zosha has got more wood on her than than an Oregon lumber truck and it all needs attention. Have you ever tried that Ephifanes Belgian Varnish?
Take care my friends....................

A problem solved......?????

Gallivanting around on a sailboat or a powerboat for extended periods of time presents many challenges to the captain and crew. The primary ones are probably  water conservation, electrical generation, trash management, and the dreaded human waste disposal. It was once pointed out to me that if one is on a boat, they can stand on the gunwale and pee over the side in front of a Zodiac full of US Coast Guardsman and this act of elimination is perfectly legal, but if one cycles that same whizz through an installed marine head and deposits the same untreated peepee in coastal waters, they are in trouble and can be fined or worse. Probably none of us have an issue with depositing one way or another untreated, beer diluted whizz over the side. The problem is what to do with you know what...#2..?? This is a big problem for all of us boaters unless you have a treatment system on board. We probably all agree that holding tanks are nasty and stink and full of who knows what kinda chemicals and the thought of that tank sloshing around under our v-berth as we sleep is ...is....is...disgusting! Just going for it and flushing the untreated poo into the water and telling ourselves that one whale deposits more into the water in one single crap than we could possibly do in a lifetime is not right either unless you are really offshore. Porta-potties.....NO WAY-JOSEPH.  Holding it for a day on the bay is a possibility. Holding it for a weekend on the bay....highly unlikely without serious repercussions to your colon. Holding it for days on end while meandering thru some tropical paradise.....you know thats crazy.....so what do we do?? 
As some of you know and some may not, right now as we speak, I am in the process of trying to get my Westsail 28, Zosha, ready to go cruising in those tropical paradises that we all drool over on the Travel Channel and in the mags......and one thing is for certain....no despoiling paradise by the captain and crew of SVZOSHA...period! OK...what about #2 ?? you ask.....Composting heads are a real viable option.The cruising blogs have many references to the remarkable, odor free, ease of operation, benefits of these devices.....Their concept and science personally appeals to me....one problem though for me is....they are expensive - a thousand bucks!!  ....and as the veteran reader of this blog already knows or new visitors might not know is that the captain of this magic carpet to paradise, Zosha, is, at the moment,...."sparse of purse."  What to do???
The greatest invention of all time has got to be the Internet-Google...........just screwin' around one day and came across a company that seemingly has the answer for this serious problem. They manufacture a human waste disposal system in a bag which contains a proprietary powder that neutralizes the obvious problems with #2 and transforms it into a benign gel that is  along with the bag and toilet paper totally biodegradable and OK for deposit in landfills. This product seems to be endorsed by many Eco friendly organizations and is widely used by alpine climbers and adventurer types in ecologically sensitive areas. So...what the hey.....you can drop the bag into the dry head, put the lid down and use the head in a normal fashion.. like always...when the bag is  done...seal it up, stow it, the affluent is in a totally benign state,  until you can throw it in the trash which is PERFECTLY LEGAL....the system is relatively inexpensive....$250 for 100 bags that each can be used 3 or four times... so under normal conditions on my boat...one bag every other day or so for the two of us......Montezuma disregarded....I'm gonna try it....and will let you know the outcome....if you want the contact info for this company, email me  and I will be happy to forward this to you.
Take care my friends............

We're makin' progress.....aren't we.....??

The hard part of rebuilding the sea hood is completed...all the glassing and laminating is completed. All thatz left to do is clean it up, refinish it and put-her-on.....easy enough....right!.. you say?....I thought so too....well, there might be another "minor" issue that will interrupt the speedy re-install.  Is there ever a minor issue on a boat?..........what is it you ask?  OK here it is.....Since I've owned Zosha, 2 1/2 years now, it was always my opinion that the sea hood, hatch boards and all accompanying trim pieces were varnished so as they weathered and deteriorated, I just let the finish go knowing that a total rebuild and  refinishing was in the grand scheme....today, after a  real hard look at the now crappy looking "varnished" pieces a startling revelation!!  what, what? you ask......its not varnish at all!!...this wood was finished with one of those two part epoxy systems like Bristol or Awlgrip........"its cryin' time again." Don't have a clue as to how to get that stuff off.....Upon a real close inspection....it appears that this stuff was sprayed on!......you know what that means...dontcha? ....professional application!!                   MAMA-MIA!!!... as they say.............check back for updates and pics in the next blog......    "nothing recedes like progress"  - e.e. cummings

What the heck is happening??....is this the end of Zoshas Wake??

I don't know whats happening but when someone clicks on Zoshas Wake in a Google search, a warning from someplace called eulio comes up and states that my site might do harm to your computer??? I did a Google Webmaster Diagnostics scan on my site and it came up clean....no malware, no nothing?? but the warning still remains....don't know why?? I don't want to shut Zoshas Wake down.....but I also want people to visit my site............I'm inna huge quandry as to what to do????? can anybody help???

It willl be all right.........don't worry...

Zosha has teak decks.........this was almost a deal breaker when we first met 2 1/2 years ago....but her obvious charms won me over and  like so many of us who fall in love have a tendency to do we disregard and minimize small imperfections in our beloveds otherwise magnificent countenance...however, sooner or later, it seems, that these small  peccadillo's that we discounted at the onset of our relationship too soon present themselves once again and this time we take notice! ...........you know whats coming..don't cha??? a BIG problem!! Oh Yeah!.......we all been here....AARRGHHHH!!!!....we scream at ourselves..... "Oh Crap" we say..."what in the friggin' blankety-blank-o-blank was I thinking?..........."I knew this was going to be a problem"......"aren't you ever going to learn numb-nutts?" .......do any of these phrases strike a chord with you?....if not, You are sooo lucky...........I noticed the other day when washing the bird crap of the decks that water is bubbling up from under the teak deck in many places on Zosha....this is .no good!!...the decks HAVE to come off..........no question about it...period!!......but you know what....its not her fault that a part of her has finally worn out......she is a noble lady and I love her and will not abandon her under any circumstance......this deck deficiency will be taken care of and our plans to dance together under the  Caribbean sky are not diminished............"Don't be afraid to see what you see." - Ronald Reagan
Be well  my friends.......................

Carly Simon said "Anticipation is keepin' me waitin'."......well, me too!!!!

OK! the time has come for this guy, me, to quit screwin' around and get off my big fat butt and quit bs'n about going cruising and get ZOSHA ready and leave...all the hard stuff is done....the job is gone, the house is history, the furniture and clothes are not even memories....so what in the friggin' blankety-blank am I waiting for?? am I scared? ..don't think so...do I lack self-confidence in my abilities? no...don't think this is it either...am I  lazy and don't want to do the work to get the boat ready? - well, its been kinda hot lately and the wind has been blowing a little hard and the smog has been a problem and the humidity has been very wet and the dog ate my Defender catalogue and.there is pollen all over the place..and...  oh-oh think I'm on to something here...am I too wrapped up in the mystique of cruising and getting content just sitting around drinking beer and talking about it.....oh-oh-I hit a nerve............maybe its a combination of all these things......
It will get all worked out so don't abandon me my friends...I won't renege on my promise to fill this blog with swashbuckling seafaring adventures that would make Sterling Hayden take notice....
"The torment of precautions often exceeds the dangers to be avoided."-Napoleon Bonaparte
Be Well My Friends..........................

Is a toothbrush counted as a personal possession.......??

Worked on my sea hood today-it should be ready to reinstall soon. There is Epoxy going off right now as we speak so now  its time to take a break and pound a brew or two and contemplate my list of 50 items once again. Haven't posted on this topic for a while. Been thinking about it though............As some of you might remember...up to now there were 22 items on the list  A thru L: Lets see what we can add...........
A.  1 pair flip flops                                               K.  3 long sleeve shirts
B.  1 pair Chuck Taylor high tops                         L.  1 pair canvas dress shoes
C.  3 pair board shorts                new additions: M.  digital camera
D.  2 pair jeans                                                         N.  external speakers for i-pod
E.  1 laptop                                                               O.  travel sport coat
F.  1 Kindle                                                              P.  8 pair underwear
G.  1 i-pod                                                               Q.   cell phone
H.  5 assorted t-shirts-short sleeve                          R.  canvas brief case
I.   2 pair dress shorts                                              S.  1 wallet                                                 
J.   1 pair long dress pants                                       T.  1 belt
                                                                                 U. 1 dive/duffel bag to carry this stuff in
M thru U adds 16 items to the list, albeit 8 of them are underwear.........hmmm.....does one really need....? oh never mind...for now the underwear stays on the list. This is a work in progress you know...we'll revisit this issue another time...OK! now my list of 50 includes 38 items!!
We're getting there!!
Take care my friends-be well..........
"Do every act of your life as if it were you last."-Marcus Aurelius

Hey....you wanna....??????

Are you a planner...? You know...everything is totally laid out before you act...all contingencies are thought out and addressed...no surprises for you!! Your mission, your strategy,  and your action plan is intact and crystal clear.......if this is you......I am jealous!!....Oh! if I could be like you!!.....for me everything  is seat of the pants.......my life has always followed the flow of my personal stream.... no plan, no goal, no motive....lets do this, lets do that, lets go here, lets go there.......hey you wanna get married?-OK.....hey you wanna go to Mexico?-OK...hey you wanna move to this island?-OK?.....hey you wanna ?....OK.....hey you wanna?...OK......  You get the idea......BUT you know what??..despite all the decades of  chaos in my life, everything has always worked out for me........you know why??........I know and will tell you... it is because, for some reason, my angels take care of me.....at the moment of our conception we are assigned an angel maybe two to look over us throughout our life...they can influence everything we do and everything we are and everything we become....but why do they take care of some and not others ?????????? Don't know the answer here.....but I do know that the first step is that you must embrace them......
Take care my friends............................................

Stay the course..............

Just finished reading a blog written by a 62 year old guy that travels the world and lives exclusively out of his two suitcases. He will get to a place, rent a house or an apartment for a year or two and then when the wanderlust overcomes him again, he moves on with his two suitcases to his next destination.  This guy cruises without a boat.....pretty neat, huh?   After our cruising days are over, this is what Tana and I will do. This guy commented that he never adds anything to the possessions in his suitcases without discarding something to make room. For those of you who drop in on this blog now and then,  this kinda sounds familiar doesn't it....sounds like my minimalistic mission to pare my personal possessions down to 50 things....Well, there hasn't been any more progress on the list of fifty......you wanna know why? ok-here it comes, the list has got 27 items on it right now and I can't think of anything else that I really need that must be included. Sure! there is tons of stuff that I would like to have but what we're talking about here is what does one, in this case, me, really need........maybe I'm delusional??  could be?  its possible! time will tell..
Peace to you my friends...........
"It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop."-Confucius

Why O Why O Why?

Guess what? You're not going to believe this....Here..the time has finally come for me to GO CRUISING and sever from the workaday world....quit my job, sell my house...yada yada yada...you all know the drill here. Well,  this is done and the light on the path to my sailing fantasies is burning bright and shining, AND right out of nowhere ....BAM, BAMBAMBAM!!!!.....a job that I have been lusting over for 30 years has come available!!!! AWWWW Crap! Guess what?? They received my resume on April 19, 2011 at 10:13 am or so says USPS . Now you talk about mixed feelings! Don't know what to do? What did Shakespeare say about we mortals weaving intricate webs?? So here in turmoil, three coronas down, I sit in confusion. Wish my mother was alive.
Take care my friends.........

Thinking out loud....................

Decades ago when I first fell victim to the seduction of sailboats and the adventures of Lynn and Larry and Hal and Margaret and Susan and Eric and Don Street and the Carpenters and Bernard Moitessior and Sterling Hayden and Sir Chichester and Robin-Knox and so many others, all I wanted to do was cruise my sailboat forever....but now, you know what?......the dream of cruising my sailboat on an open ended voyage throughout the Caribe is still burning in my soul as hot as ever........but forever.?....As I vintage, it seems to me that the world holds in its embrace so much adventure that has nothing to do with the sea........ how about a nice retirement village in Florida or Texas or Arkansas or maybe Lake Chapala? ....become a land dweller and  over coffee with your lifemate listen to the beautiful birds as they mate...or play dominos with your pals at the library or get together with your compatriots for birding lessons or meet for dinner for the 4 pm  special at the Golden Corral and  discuss all your life's frustrations?.......how about sitting in your chair and withering before your grandchildren....this is bliss? right? at least there is no danger here!......  HOLD ON , listen to me!!! This is..... where we want to..be?? ..right...this is..! Oh wait a minute! .....Aw www never mind...what in the heck was I thinking???? SHOOT ME NOW................................
Take care my friends...."Life is half spent before we know what it is."-George Herbert

The sweet siren song of West Marine now falls upon deaf ears...........

Thirty years ago when my fascination with sailboats was in its infancy, most of my disposable income was spent in marine chandleries. Oh the joy of laying out $12 for a tube of MARINE caulk.....what a pleasure it was to spend $1.00 for one #12 MARINIZED stainless steel, self-tapping, flat head screw.....oh! the thrill of paying $30.00 for a quart of Interlux topsides paint.....ah the ecstasy of giving up 7 hard earned dollars for an official, genuine, TRANSPAC proven MARINIZED boat sponge.........you'all get the idea here I think   ...What a RIP this stuff is!!! A while ago, my cheekblocks needed refinishing and this time no more varnish. Painting them was in order. So a quick trip to West Marine for a look-see for the proper primer and paint. Well the Interlux Marine Primer was about $20 for a pint and the their paint was another $32 per quart. Oh crap-here we go again! Just as my debit card was almost outta my wallet , it dawned on me PORCH PAINT!! Have you ever been on a painted porch on an old country house? Can you think anything that gets more wear and tear? I've been on many a painted porch where the paint still looked good 10-15-20 years after painting.......so, back on the shelf with the official  MARINE Interlux products and off to Sherwin Williams...to make a long story short...ONE GALLON of their best epoxy based porch paint in the color that I needed was $21-the primer was $6....the cheekblocks look great two years later..matter of fact, they look as good today as the day they were painted! My bowsprit needed a  rebuild because it was delaminating in a couple of places-did you know that ACE hardware sells for $8 the exact equivilant only in a larger amount of Git-ROT which sells for $19 for in the marine stores? Genuine MARINE non-skid granules are $9.00 in a little pint sized can at the marine stores vs. about $3 for 5 times as much at the hardware stores. 30 year exterior window caulk found at any hardware store for $4 or $45a tube is everybit as good as Boatlife that cost 3 or 4 times as much at the You Know Where! Most every hardware store sells stainless fasteners at 1/10 the price found in.....YKW! Those of you that check in on this blog every now and then know that a seahood rebuild is in progress.... well the wood has been treated with the ACE GitRot equivalent...next week the top insert will be faricated, glassed then finished off with porch paint impregnated with the non skid granules from Sherwin Williams just like my beautiful rebuilt bowsprit! You all take care and peace to you and yours........."Success is following the pattern of life one enjoys most"-Al Capp

Some pics of ZOSHA and a 23 year old seahood!!

Just got my hands on some pictures of ZOSHA and of the rotted seahood about which I've been lamenting and thought that maybe someone might be interested in taking a peek. The seahood isn't pretty-is it?

What a Day.........!!!!

Today in Galveston County Texas it is  absolutely perfect....perfect temperature, perfect winds, perfect sky, perfect light, perfect clouds, perfect vibe, perfect everything .....the weather could not be more perfect anywhere or any place on the planet....don't ask about crystal clear water and magnificent scenery....this is about weather only! Its good to be alive today....but you know what?.. its always good to be alive. If you think about it..the trials and tribulations in our lives should make us stronger, more adept at handling future issues...we learn from our set backs don't we?...its socioeconomic/cultural evolution..isn't it? wonder why so many of us repeat the same old tired actions but optimistically look forward to different outcomes?
Haven't thought  too much lately about the 50 items that are destined to be my sole possessions- although a digital camera is #23 on the list.
My seahood rebuild is progressing at a snails pace but thats normal for boat projects-you gotta think these things out. Things seem to be falling in place where March 2012 will be the month for Zosha and her crew to depart and begin the Grand Scheme.
We're still trying to follow the lead of the mnmlist guy and "live more with less"....it seems to be working...we like where we are heading along these lines. Everyday we find crap that we've coveted for who knows how long and we come to the conclusion to........give it away, sell it or toss it now! this stuff is a burden...anybody want 22 assorted color and material composition kokopelli's? if so, let me know...we'll make a deal!
take care my friends
"action is the foundational key to all success" -Pablo Picasso

Gimme that old time work ethic...............

Haven't got much boat work done this week-too busy working to embellish my cruising kitty. Its funny how we all think about quitting work and following our destiny  and then when the time finally comes to bid adieu to our employment constructed existence we often find ourselves reluctant to stop working. Why? Its probably a combination of the fear of not generating income and an inner, personal dissonance caused by us  not working-of not doing something that most of us have done our entire adult lives and for many a greater part of our childhood as well.  Depression era individuals like my parents, bless their departed souls, are and were like this. Afraid!  afraid of the economics of reality.  You know the conventional wisdom about "making hay"....right?  Lets defer to our good friend Sterling Hayden who once commented that "to be truly challenging, a voyage like life must rest on a firm foundation of financial unrest-otherwise, you are doomed to a routine traverse"  Hmmmm..........makes sense to me.
My last blog entry detailed the rotten teak of my sea hood. Well its off the boat and all apart. The rotten wood is all cut out. Those of you that know about boat maintenance are probably saying "it was the plywood that rotted under the teak " and you are absolutely right but where the rotted plywood abutted the solid 5/8"  X  4"  X 3.5' teak frame..........the teak dry rotted!! no question about this.....good thing for Git-Rot.
People keep asking me when are you gonna get the sea hood done? when are you going to leave? whats your plan? what are you gonna do? when are you gonna do it? where are ya going? how long are you going to be gone? and whada, whada, whada, on and on and on.........!!  Once or twice in this blog, you probably recall me mentioning www.mnmlist.com .........well, if you are so inclined go to www.mnmlist.com/goals and read this man's thoughts and reflections on the topic of goals and objectives.......after that, its your call as to whether you agree or not...........to me, he makes perfect sense...........so if you run into me on the docks, don't ask......"its every man's obligation to put back into the world at least the equivalent of what he takes out of it" - Albert Einstein
take care my friends......

Despite reality....its been a good day.......

A cold rainy front moved through today...nasty, drizzly, slow rain not the kind that washes thing clean but the kind that stirs up yuck and then collects in fecal looking brown pools strewn all along the roads, sidewalks, and yards birthing new mosquito incubators. Needless to say no boat work can be done today so lets focus on the list of fifty things that are to become my sole possessions other than my boat and boat equipment. In the last post, the list was was started with A-D........now lets add E-L.
A. 1 pair flip flops
B. 1pair Chuck Taylor high tops
C. 2 pair board shorts
D. 2 pair Levis...............
E. 1 Laptop computer
F. 1 Kindle
G. 1 i-pod
H. 5 assorted t-shirts
I.  2 pair dress shorts
J.  1 pair long dress pants
K. 3 dressy shirts
L.  1 pair dressy looking canvas "go out for the night-party down" shoes
TOTAL.......22 items...........we'll revisit this soon......
My seahood is rotten. You know its inevitable that sooner or later you are going to have to replace rotten wood on a boat....its just that this seahood is teak.......isn't teak supposed to be rot-proof? Maybe its knockoff teak from China? Well it doesn't really make a difference what it is.....the hood is rotten and has to be replaced. Give me a few days to post some before and after photos of the rebuild......after all a picture is worth.............you know.............
take care my friends and if you are so inclined transfer some positive thoughts and energy to those who are suffering from the aftermath of the earthquakes and tsunamis in Japan.........you know that the Japanese have a noble seafaring tradition....and revere mother ocean. They are just a little confused about the whaling and long lining issues but that will come to pass..........

50 things........

Its finally over!  My house is sold, closed, and funded. What an emotional roller coaster ordeal. My blogging synapses were immobilized by stress and the fear that something would happen that would kill the deal and my home owner status would continue indefinitely. Well, that didn't happen. It seems that once again my angels looked out for me...now the adventure begins....from this day forward this becomes a true sailing blog instead of one made up of  wishful philosophical ramblings of an impatient traveler. After the sale was completed, the first order of business was to sell, donate, and/or throw away a lifetime worth of accumulations...my heart was palpitating as my stuff was going out the door, into the trash or deposited at Goodwill....My furniture, my art, my rugs, my antiques, my Emeril pots and pans.....Oh-Oh..is this a mistake?  You know what?  I can't even remember what I had........What a waste of time...all those years of coveting these purported treasured possessions only to discover that after three or four days I can't remember what they were nor do I care !  Mmmmm...wonder is this sudden intuitive perception and insight into the reality of essential meaning that was brought about by a simple, commonplace occurrence is ...is..is an epiphany??  Of course it was and this is one thankful blogger.....There is a blog out there, mnmlst. The author has what I consider to be relevant thoughts on the subject of minimalism and  how we encumber our lives with superfluous possessions and commitments that collectively collaborate to add stress to our existence and diminish the fulfillment of our human experience . This guy shares his thoughts on how we might be able to unencumber our lives if we so desire and return to a calmer sense of being. Good stuff here....you might want to check it out. Don't forget that our dear friend Sterling Hayden was a minimalist long before it became fashionable to be one...."what does a man need-really need? A few pounds of food each day, heat, shelter, six feet to lie down in-and some form of working activity that will yield a sense of accomplishment-that's all."- Wanderer, 1963. You must admit that those of us that live on boats especially small boats are minimalists whether we want to be or not.
The mnmlst blogger suggests that we consider paring down our possessions to only those things that we really need. This makes perfect sense to me. Some of us probably really need the two thousand things that we own!  My intent is to pare down my possessions excluding my boat and equipment to fifty essential items. Lets see.....
A.  1 pair flip flops
B.  1 pair Chuck Taylor high tops
3.  2 pair board shorts
4.  2 pair Levi's.......................Mmmmm.....eight items already, this is gonna take some thinking.  We'll revisit this list soon....................................
Now, lets talk about my boat ZOSHA, this is a sailing blog-right? right. The time has finally come to get her ready for cruising. She has a wonderful compliment of mostly unused headsails but her Main is shot, stretched out, flabby, out of shape, and tired...........I know what you're thinking....don't say it...we're friends. So a new Mainsail is on the "to buy" list. The Harken furler on the jib works fine. The staysail is a hank on.
The electronics are all 1978 and most don't work. Thats OK. Don't need a knot-log-GPS will give me this info. Wind instruments? do we really need them? They are expensive and troublesome. Most of us know when its too windy. If there is not enough wind, who cares where its not coming from and at what speed?  To my amazement the 1978 Signet depth sounder is working fine, unbelieveable! It will be retired though and replaced.  My dilemma is how to deal with the three 4 inch holes that are left in my cabinside when the antiquated knot and wind instruments are trashed and not replaced??
You all take care my friends... Be safe. Be loving. Be careful. Be kind. Gotta go work on my list of fifty things. If you know of anybody that wants some Frankie Avalon 45's, drop me a comment.......
seeya

do you remember...............?

What did Paul Simon say about old friends?  "memories brushes the same years-silently sharing the same fears".  Today we old friends got together to reminisce about life, loves, and battles long forgotten, Bob, Doug and myself...........we don't see each other very often, but none of us are clingy....decades can span our get togethers but when we meet its like yesterday....the vibrancy that charged our past lives has not diminished...thats good....very good.  .....
"It takes a long time to grow an old friend".......John Leonard

Is Bobby McGee a boy or a girl???

What happens to us when we finally realize that those long held fantasies of wealth and oppulence that we have nurtured for most of our lives are never going to become reality? The truth is that we are here, this is now, and our reality is.... is...is.... is what??  It  is what we believe it to be.....For some it is wealth and power and lavish life accoutrements that are beyoned the grasp of  the ordinary. This is OK. No problem here. But, have you ever stopped to think that real wealth is inner peace, calmness of soul , thankfulness to be alive, and gratefulness to whatever higher order in which you believe for  the opportunity to orchestrate your personal destiny. This is the exemplification of wealth...personal freedon ............
"The greatest wealth is to live content with little".............Plato
What did Kris Kristofferson say........and Janis turned the words into an anthem for a generation........????
Take care my friends...........

heart.....be still..

My house is supposed to close on Feb 28, 2011............................

Bittersweet............

My mother died on Valentines Day........Zosha bless her heart,  departed forever, as we all must,  this plane of existence......on Valentines Day..........the exact date is of no matter!!
PLANE....PLANE.....Wikopedia..........."infinite width, length, and depth of curvature...........yes, the PLANE of our lives..........how many of us for whatever reason do not explore, do not probe, do not finger, do not challenge, do not stick it in  the extent, boundries, depths, and  limitations of our lives......we slide along with our "preposterous gagetry"-Sterling Hayden. We live in fear of unrealistic perils and dangers that only exist in the hearts of fearful souls...it makes no matter.....we all die.....who was Zosha?....who were you?.....who was I?

Oh Please, Oh Please, Oh Please.................................

Remember when you were a kid....and you're mom or dad told that you were going to experience something extra special. ...like Disneyland, Knotts Berry Farm, Confirmation, Pacific Ocean Park, Dollyworld, Six Flags, visiting Grandma....ok forget KBF...............but, the point is that you were besides yourself....every second seemed like ten.....every minute seemed like a hundred.....every hour seemed like a thousand.....every day seemed like an eternity..........you couldn't wait....your life was on hold until THIS happened..............you couldn't sleep...all you did was toss and turn all night thinking about your presence in this promised state of joy....you didn't analyze the promise because you're afraid that scruitny might jinx the outcome... so you are benign in your joy of expectation and in your fear of disappointment.....you wait....you wait......you wait.....silent.....heart tempered....for that special day to come....................well, there is a contract on my house..............many things yet to work out......"sweet slumber, please embrace me tonight"...

How lucky can a man get...................?????

This last Sunday was another sorta gnarly day on Galveston Bay, kinda,...........no sun, confused chop.........chilling wind at 10-15 coming from the direction that we want to go......onna boat that specializes in "aft of the beam sailing"...but it was really a great day........why?......three generations of my family are here....sailing together......me.......my lovely pregnant daughter.....her totally devoted , great guy husband, AND my 2 year old grand daughter sitting in my lap and holding the tiller in her tiny hand for the first time in her little  life....single reef in the main to keep the heeling down....the big genny out to only about 110....a little weather helm.....her little hand holding the tilller...no help from me here -it was hers...a sudden little gust...the tiller jumped...and you know what???? she instinctly knew what to do.....no fabrication here, my friends...we couldn't believe it!!...there she is ...a two year old little soul playing the gusts....OK two puffs but she is only two.....You've got a happy man right here....
                    "Life is one grand, sweet song, so start the music"
                                                 -Ronald Reagan
Take care my friends, be well, be happy, be safe....................

Sittin" on the dock.........a hopin' and a prayin'...........

Well, its Jan 18, 2011 and no bites on my beautiful, swanki-enda townhouse - probably need to go by the Board of Realtors again and get another St. Christopher to bury in my yard,....have to stop burying these things.....any day now, the Vatican will probably call and want to know ..."hey man, whatcha doing....we've heard that you have multiple St. Christophers, The Patron Saint of Realtors, buried in your yard....we have a surcharge, you know......after so many...you've created a Shrine using one of our saints and we have to charge you for this .." "..Your kidding !!"... "Nope"...." We'll have an invoice out to you in a couple of days..." "Oh-OK....but, what if one is temporarily sparse of purse?..."  " well unfortunately we cannot make any exceptions..... expect our invoice within 7 days.."  "OK-Bye"  This isn't good!!  Oh well.........this invoice goes on the pile with the rest........My promise to you all is that one day there WILL be tales of adventure, romance, sailing-derring-do, love, life, pathos, humor, and consummate compassion for life on these pages......but until then always remember-------
"the shoe that fits one person pinches another"
                          -Carl Jung
Take care my friends---go hug your family......call your brothers and sisters and tell them that you love them.......seeya

Where am I.................?

ManoManoMan- its cold today! Its got to be 40 degrees-for me thats way too cold!! Not too many years ago my BIL from Alaska came to visit. It was February in Houston and weather was like now 40ish, cloudy, damp, chilling wind, wet dripping from everything, withering life forms all around, gray, dismal. Its 9am or so on Saturday and its time to make coffee for my still cuddled and warm sleeping family. There is a commotion in the backyard...whats this? Looking through the sliding glass doors....there in the pool is my BIL having a wonderful frolic in the, whatsgottobe, freezin' water. He sees me lurking through the sliding glass doors clad in parka, scarf, cap, and muk-luks and yells "hey man cmon in" its great. GREAT!! "are you nutz? "  Naw man, its great! ...just like the Caribbean!.................this memory has never escaped me....we are as others see us, we are as we see ourselves, and we are as we really are...............

"To different minds, the same world is a hell, and a heaven"
                                            -Ralph Waldo Emerson
Take care my friends and peace to you all in this new year.....................

Whats in a name..............?

We're all nutz-you know that dont'cha boaters!! Look at us! A disparate bunch of opinionated sailing advocates who are set in our own peculiar salty ways and who quite often find  an unrational fulfillment in disparaging  the inclinations of our seafaring brothers. Take a gander at what we name the objects of our time, money, and affection: the racing guys like the catchy names: "Blew By You", "Blade Runner", "Marrakech Express", "Stealth Chicken"- cool names all; cruising boats have more sublime, peaceful, and thought provoking names: "Siempre Sabado", "Lobo Del Mar", "Simpatico", "Spirit Of Erin", "Zosha"; the gunkholer's like whimsical names: "Sunflower", "Toot-sea", "Sweetpea", "Cuddles", "Puddlejumper";  the motorsailor crowd goes for huge, powerful names: "Prometheus", "Diablo", "Lionheart", "Mandarin"; lastly, we can't forget the multihull types who go for exotic names:  l'Hydroptere, "Oracle", "Alingi". "Orient Express". These are great names all. Dontcha love 'em?
Even though we might differ in our perspective of what sailing is or should be, there is one thing that we cannot forget- we all heed the call of Mother Ocean and in that we are all related. We are family.

"Live in the sunshine, swim in the sea, drink the wild air"
                           -Ralph Waldo Emerson
Take care my friends..............

Right is to the left and left is to the right........got it?

Did you ever see that video on National Geographic where the monkey gets his hand caught in a coconut and he goes all spazzy throwing his arm up and down and all around every which way trying to get the hand free...? Well, those monkey moves kinda remind me of the gyrations that often occur when you try to teach someone to steer a boat with a tiller. Wheels are comforting to people. There is nothing foreign about a steering wheel-we use em' every day. A new sailor's confidence is bolstered by the sight and feel of the wheel. Familiarity!  A TILLER though is another story. What is this archaic piece of medieval contraptionry? You can see it in their eyes. They don't want to touch it! And when they do, many times its the monkey moves revisited........thats OK too......this is just an observation not a criticism. Its just funny to me. You know who are the easiest to teach the tiller to? No, you say.   KIDS!! In my experiences teaching kids sailing they get the dynamics of the tiller quickly and become proficient in no time at all. Much better than adults. You psychologists out there probably know why this is so. This last weekend my 13 year old grandson took ZOSHA's tiller for the first time. It was a beautiful day on Galveston Bay 10-12 knots of wind, smooth water, sunny, coolish temp,  perfect!!    In about 20 minutes he had it down! The boat was his. Gimme a beer. Can't wait to go out with him again..........he is a natural... but you know what....? so was his mom!
Take care my friends and ............."may you live every day of your life"
                                                                          -Jonathan Swift

Money honey.....................

Whats that old salt addage about boats being holes in the water into which one throws money ?  We all know that its true. West Marine prices give me heart arrhythmias and Defender is not much better  ..........holy-moley$$  My breathing is raspy now just writing about this... Zosha is not geared up yet...........why you ask?...........well it seems that her captain is how do you say it?...."sparse of purse".........don't you just love the way these words roll out of your mouth?........what a phrase......"sparse of purse"........who coined that one? Next time one of your buddies asks for $$- "sorry  I find myself temporarily sparse of purse".........that aside, why gear up my boat now just to sail around in circles on Galveston Bay ? Makes no sense---------my house has got to sell.........so when the time comes-Zosha will get fitted out to the wherewithal limits of her captain, me............that said..........hmm wherewithal....another good word......!Don't worry friends...........
"I've got all the money I'll ever need,
If I die by four o'clock"
- Henny Youngman
Good wishes to you all...........

Messin' about in boats........................

This is supposed to be a blog about sailing and adventuring around in a tiny sailboat...........well, its gonna get there but for now .........
ZOSHA  is named in honor of my mother who took care of me thru all. She is a factory finished 1978 Westsail 28. This boat  is often overlooked by many cruiser sailors because of the cult status of her more famous sister the Westsail 32. There were over 800 Westsail 32's manufactured but only 60 Westsail 28's. In this world of mass manufacturing and million unit knock off productions, to me its gratifying to own something this rare.   She is a heavy boat 13,500 lbs displacement, 4200lb ballast 4.3' draft and was designed by Herb David not William Crealock as is often published. Some internet sailing pundit posted that the Westsail 28 is the slowest boat that he ever sailed -don't know about that but Zosha can cruise along nicely at 6 knots in 10-12 knots of wind at a 15-20 degree heel . In zephyrs she ghosts along -never loses way-on. When its nasty- she handles that too.........whattaya want Mr. Pundit??? According to the local yacht brokers,  she has had 3 or 4 owners before my tenure and has never been anywhere or really done what she was designed to do and that is to voyage............this will change.....
Take care my friends.........
"It is sometimes better to abandon oneself to destiny"-Napoleon Bonaparte

Conventional wisdom revisited.........................

It was probably in high school when we first heard this business about goals.-  "What are your goals after graduation?" Our parents, our teachers and/or our counselors asked of us. "What are you going to be?" "What are you going to do with you life?"  "You know to be a success in life -you need a 1 year plan, a 3 year plan, a 5 year plan." You need a life plan and  set your personal goals and stay the course"  "If you do this, you will be successful, fulfilled, and happy" Do you remember these conversations? ................Have you ever thought that when you set goals and become unquestionably committed to them that you often shut out the  one thing that makes life an adventure instead of a routine?......you exclude the unexpected consequences for spontaneous action.....! From this moment on I commit myself to not setting any goals............oh oh, wait a minute.....is this a goal?
SHUCKS!!!!!!!!!!
"A man is not old until regrets take the place of dreams"- John Barrymore
Take care my friends and peace to you all........