No regrets, but as a life long boater, I do not agree with the “two happiest” boater days concept. As chapters of life pass, a different mix of boats are appropriate. When the kids were younger having ski boats, performance Jr sailing boats, a family cruising (sail) boat , etc made sense to have in our family fleet. Now as sr citizen empty nester retirees, smaller simpler trailerable coastal gaff rigged cruising dinghy and larger comfortable trawler (diesels) with a small sailing dinghy on board make sense.
A Cape Dory Tuphoon, my first boat, and all the boat I really ever needed. I moved up to a Bristol 27, another Carl Alberg design and another great boat, but I really could have done it all 30 years of sailing in the Typhoon . Sometimes less is more.
There are boats I've had that I wish would always be available to me, but life circumstances change. And what was the right boat for that time & place changed. I feel strongly that boats shouldn't be sitting around waiting for someone to love them. Use them or let someone else enjoy & love them~ _/)
The one that got away wasn't sold, it was destroyed at the dock by Hurricane Hugo. She was a much loved, and much restored Cheoy Lee Offshore 27 that had carried me up and down the intracoastal in Carolinas and Georgia on many cruises, and on lovely sails into the South East Atlantic. One night, about a year before her sinking, I was sitting on the dock after a few beers looking at the beautiful teak cabin sides and spruce mast that I had returned to like new condition thinking, "I should not be this attached to a material object." But, of course. "Incentive" wasn't just a material object. Like all boats, she had a soul. Now, more than three decades later, I still miss her.
I had sailboats for over 40 years. I am soon to be 80 and still get out on the water but lately think about which of those sailboats would suit me now. Mariner 2 +2 would be my choice. Safe and comfortable with room for friends who could help with the rigging. Second would be the Sea Pearl 21 which is an amazing craft but the O'Day Mariner was a dream to sail.
I think I’ve regretted selling everyone. I never agreed with the sentiment about the sale of a boat being one of the two happiest days…Even though all my vessels have provided me with pleasure and adventure, the relinquishing of a craft is a painful process. They never “owed “ me anything but I felt I owed them new caretakers and experiences as my life circumstances evolved. Still, there is a sense of loss that is palpable to this day when I reflect on past boats and voyages. However, my Townsend Tern succeeds in mitigating some of that melancholy as I ply new waters aboard her cozy confines and together we explore the horizon.
I cannot say I ever regretted selling any of my boats. I do regret taking a saw to my old Sea Sprite 23. She was a wonderful boat to sail, pretty in a classical way, and her 1200 pounds of lead was busy ripping itself off of her bottom.
If I could have found a way to save her that would not have cost more than the boat would ever be worth, I would have done it, but the keel bolts were quite literally deforming the hull where they were attached.
I had a small 11 ft sailboat, my first. I went on active duty in the Navy and left the boat at my parents home while I was gone. Someone took the boat and set fire to it. Never found out who did it or why. Along with the theft of the boat my girlfriend was also "stolen". I think I missed the loss of my boat more than the loss of my girlfriend! I think the separation was too long for the relationship to survive.
I don't regret selling my last boat but I do regret the circumstances that caused me to have to sell it, even though I had little control over those circumstances.
After discovering SCA many years ago, I got caught up in the life and purchased a little cabin cruiser off the side of the road to restore. Unfortunately after much research, it turned out to be a Picnic 17. My wife and I worked on every aspect of that little slug turning it into ours. We sailed, motored, camped and watched fireworks on Nyssa for several years. Finally let her go in order to upside. Regret it to this day.
Typically for me, the sale of a boat is what funds the next project. My first full traditional build was a double ended dory. Me and my oldest daughter sailed the calender islands across Casco bay Maine. Sold it to an old guy on Buzzards Bay who has since passed. Wish I could find out what happened to it.
I had a Sailstar for a while. Think of a Cape Dory Typhoon with a centerboard . I think only 21 were built. She had sunk at a mooring, a friend salvaged her an I bought from him. It took one winter to get her in shape but she was the “nimblest “ sailboat I have ever owned and all others have been measured by her standards.
LOL - my says my most used phrase when talking about a past boat is "I should have never sold that boat..." I've said that about my two (kinda junky) Lasers, my Pacific Seacraft 31 (really stupid this one), and my 42 ft steel schooner Gazelle (designed by Tom Colvin which I spent 2 years refitting and then sold it - at least it is alive and well with a second new owner on the east coast).
No regrets, but as a life long boater, I do not agree with the “two happiest” boater days concept. As chapters of life pass, a different mix of boats are appropriate. When the kids were younger having ski boats, performance Jr sailing boats, a family cruising (sail) boat , etc made sense to have in our family fleet. Now as sr citizen empty nester retirees, smaller simpler trailerable coastal gaff rigged cruising dinghy and larger comfortable trawler (diesels) with a small sailing dinghy on board make sense.
A Cape Dory Tuphoon, my first boat, and all the boat I really ever needed. I moved up to a Bristol 27, another Carl Alberg design and another great boat, but I really could have done it all 30 years of sailing in the Typhoon . Sometimes less is more.
There are boats I've had that I wish would always be available to me, but life circumstances change. And what was the right boat for that time & place changed. I feel strongly that boats shouldn't be sitting around waiting for someone to love them. Use them or let someone else enjoy & love them~ _/)
The one that got away wasn't sold, it was destroyed at the dock by Hurricane Hugo. She was a much loved, and much restored Cheoy Lee Offshore 27 that had carried me up and down the intracoastal in Carolinas and Georgia on many cruises, and on lovely sails into the South East Atlantic. One night, about a year before her sinking, I was sitting on the dock after a few beers looking at the beautiful teak cabin sides and spruce mast that I had returned to like new condition thinking, "I should not be this attached to a material object." But, of course. "Incentive" wasn't just a material object. Like all boats, she had a soul. Now, more than three decades later, I still miss her.
I had sailboats for over 40 years. I am soon to be 80 and still get out on the water but lately think about which of those sailboats would suit me now. Mariner 2 +2 would be my choice. Safe and comfortable with room for friends who could help with the rigging. Second would be the Sea Pearl 21 which is an amazing craft but the O'Day Mariner was a dream to sail.
I think I’ve regretted selling everyone. I never agreed with the sentiment about the sale of a boat being one of the two happiest days…Even though all my vessels have provided me with pleasure and adventure, the relinquishing of a craft is a painful process. They never “owed “ me anything but I felt I owed them new caretakers and experiences as my life circumstances evolved. Still, there is a sense of loss that is palpable to this day when I reflect on past boats and voyages. However, my Townsend Tern succeeds in mitigating some of that melancholy as I ply new waters aboard her cozy confines and together we explore the horizon.
Interesting that you used the word "everyone" to refer to your boats. Shows you genuinely cared about them.
I cannot say I ever regretted selling any of my boats. I do regret taking a saw to my old Sea Sprite 23. She was a wonderful boat to sail, pretty in a classical way, and her 1200 pounds of lead was busy ripping itself off of her bottom.
If I could have found a way to save her that would not have cost more than the boat would ever be worth, I would have done it, but the keel bolts were quite literally deforming the hull where they were attached.
I had a small 11 ft sailboat, my first. I went on active duty in the Navy and left the boat at my parents home while I was gone. Someone took the boat and set fire to it. Never found out who did it or why. Along with the theft of the boat my girlfriend was also "stolen". I think I missed the loss of my boat more than the loss of my girlfriend! I think the separation was too long for the relationship to survive.
I don't regret selling my last boat but I do regret the circumstances that caused me to have to sell it, even though I had little control over those circumstances.
"A man in an open shirt
Sat gazing out to sea;
A young man, a hale man,
And I wished that I were he"
Geoffrey Holdsworth
Not at the time but 20yrs later I wish I had the Grand Banks Dory back.
After discovering SCA many years ago, I got caught up in the life and purchased a little cabin cruiser off the side of the road to restore. Unfortunately after much research, it turned out to be a Picnic 17. My wife and I worked on every aspect of that little slug turning it into ours. We sailed, motored, camped and watched fireworks on Nyssa for several years. Finally let her go in order to upside. Regret it to this day.
Typically for me, the sale of a boat is what funds the next project. My first full traditional build was a double ended dory. Me and my oldest daughter sailed the calender islands across Casco bay Maine. Sold it to an old guy on Buzzards Bay who has since passed. Wish I could find out what happened to it.
I had a Sailstar for a while. Think of a Cape Dory Typhoon with a centerboard . I think only 21 were built. She had sunk at a mooring, a friend salvaged her an I bought from him. It took one winter to get her in shape but she was the “nimblest “ sailboat I have ever owned and all others have been measured by her standards.
Cape Cod Bullseye
LOL - my says my most used phrase when talking about a past boat is "I should have never sold that boat..." I've said that about my two (kinda junky) Lasers, my Pacific Seacraft 31 (really stupid this one), and my 42 ft steel schooner Gazelle (designed by Tom Colvin which I spent 2 years refitting and then sold it - at least it is alive and well with a second new owner on the east coast).
No, I’ve kept boats I like and sell the ones that need to go