Let me just start this off by saying that sailing was not my first choice. I grew up on the lake water skiing and power boating, not sailing. However, when you get married, you inherit a whole lot of things, some good and some not so good but of course that works both ways. Well, as a result, I've been around sailing for almost 20 years, about the amount of time that I've known my wife. When I say "around sailing" that's all I mean! I'm certainly no expert, and have only been part of the crew on my father-in-law's (Bruce) boat (a Harmony 22) several times during races. I've sailed casually with him and my wife, have bareboated in the British Virgin Islands with friends, and have raced a few times.
Although my wife raced in college, at MIT, she is just now getting back into the swing of things after a long absence (twin boys - now 10 years old- sailing custom made Opti's courtesy of Bruce). Her Dad, Bruce, is really the one with all the experience. His sailing resume is a long one and includes racing, building, and renovating a number of boats along life's way (including a Hereshoff S). So when my wife, Marian, decided to buy a Thistle and get back into racing, well, I got dragged along.
She recently purchased Thistle #3444 - Esperance. This is an excellent boat, with a strong racing history and has been a lot of fun in the short time we've had her. At this point in time we've been out in the boat exactly 5 times. We sail out of Lake Lanier Sailing Club (www.llsc.com), just north of Atlanta, Ga. Our fleet (Thistle Fleet #79) is very strong and has an excellent group of helpful sailors. Since Marian got the boat they have been very tolerant and helpful as we pepper them with questions about everything from rigging to tactics!
So after sailing a few times in Esperance I decided that the best way to learn about this boat was to get one to play with. What I needed was a project boat - one that had just enough wrong with it that it would provide a good learning experience with marine wood working and fiberglass. After scouring Craigslist and the Thistle Class web site I finally came across a likely candidate; a boat in northern Florida that had been dropped from a lift and sustained thwart damage. After some back and forth with the owner I was on my way to Florida to pick her up. At a final price of $400, I figured that the cost of gasoline to make the trip in Bruce's truck was almost as much as the boat!
Although the trailer was not in great shape, we were able to make it road worthy after re-wiring the lights and trailer harness. We also elected to purchase a spare tire before we left town just in case one of the existing tires gave way on the trip home. After loading everything in the truck, and tying down all the various bits of hardware, we started the trip home. Thankfully, the trip was uneventful and we parked the project boat in Bruce's driveway until I could create space for it at my house.
At this point a bit needs to be said about the parking of the boat in Bruce's driveway. Bruce's wife, Mary, is a long suffering sailing widow. She has lived through all of Bruce's many boat related projects and has spent many years stepping over and around boats and parts of boats.
She has had her furniture covered in teak and mahogany dust and her house filled with epoxy fumes more times than she cares to remember!
So as a result, she is none too pleased to have this boat in her driveway. I initially promised to have it out of the driveway by the end of Memorial Day weekend........Well, I didn't make that deadline but I am getting closer. I've just got a few more things to relocate at my house and then we can bring it down. Then I only have to find enough souls to hoist it (and the trailer) over a fence and set it on my back patio. But enough of the background - let's get on with the rehab!
