Kicked out of Prince Cove Marina - and the 2013 season is done

When I purchased Reel Fun, the owner told me I could use the slip. I got a call from the marina and they said the slip is not transferable and I have to get out because other people are waiting to use the slip. There are empty slips around me as it's now late September, so I think they're just trying to get some money out of me.

Well, it's been fun for the month!

First thing I have to do is pick up the trailer from the previous owner's house. The trailer wiring is no good, so I purchase all new lights and rewire it at night in his yard so I can get it home.

Late night working on the trailer

Success!

The next day I recruited my neighbor to help me get the boat out of the water and back home. We are able to lower the mast thanks to the tips I found on the Trailer Sailor's forum. We get her all secure on the trailer and make the journey back from Cape Cod. Driving with a sailboat in tow was a bit terrifying.

Safely home!

In my backyard. It was a tight squeeze through the fence. There is a tree and a fire hydrant that make it very narrow.

Tight squeeze with that fire hydrant in the way and the fence post. There is also a tree right behind my fence which made it even more challenging.

I knew that I was going to fix the forward hatch, so I removed it before covering it for the winter

A simple frame made out of PVC tubing

A big tarp tied to the trailer and she's ready for the winter.

First sails with the kids and it's not pretty

Today was not one of my finer days. I took the kids sailing on Reel Fun. It's been 15 years since I've sailed, and I only learned on dinghies with just a mainsail on the Charles River. We're doing OK, and then I have an accidental jibe. They're below in the cabin and we heel over pretty good and they get a bit freaked out. I get it under control quickly and then the rest of the sail goes uneventfully.

Time to head back to Prince Cove Marina. I go to start the outboard and the pull starter comes off the cord. Ugh, don't freak out in front of the kids. It's a narrow river back from the bay and I try to take my way back up, but the wind is coming straight at me and I just don't have the skills to do it. I decide to pull up the centerboard and beach it while I figure it out.

I had brought my crab trap with me and let the kids fish for crabs over the side while I sort things out. I finally figure out how to get the top off the outboard and am able to rig something up to let me get it started. We get back to the slip and I realize I need a serious refresher in sailing. I should have done that before I took the kids out!

Bought a boat!

Conventional wisdom says to look at many boats and do a lot of research before you actually purchase one. I decided to ignore that and purchased "Reel Fun". I can use the slip for the rest of the season before having to haul her out in October.

It is at a slip in Marston's Mills on the Cape, which is about 50 mins from my house. Not very convenient, but I hope to make it out every weekend until the end of the season.

I brought my kids down to take it out for another test sail before purchasing her. The kids had fun, although I'm a bit rusty at sailing since it has been so long. I learned sailing dinghies on the Charles River, and I don't think they had a jib. I also didn't learn about channel markers or coastal navigation, so I will need to do that sooner than later.

I think the kids approve!

Checked out a boat

I stopped by to check out "Reel Fun" (not crazy about the name, but I don't want to do a renaming ceremony). I'm totally new to boating but it seemed to be in nice shape for a 25 year old boat and has only has had 1 owner. The owner took me out for a sail and she did well. I don't know what the hull looks like under the water, so hopefully there are no issues. Seems crazy to pay for a survey on a $3000 boat.

The decision to buy a boat

This is my first post to this blog. I've always been interested in sailing. I took some sailing classes on the Charles River at Community Boating and had fun. On my honeymoon there was a small catamaran for use at the resort and I had a ton of fun sailing that for an afternoon.

Now that I'm a single man again, I can buy the toys that I have always wanted. The decision to buy a boat was cemented when the drive on portion of Duxbury Beach closed for a few weeks due to Piping Plovers. I was on vacation for a week in July and my kids and I were going to hang out at the beach all week and relax.

I started browsing boats on Craigslist on a whim. I knew my first boat should be a trailerable sailboat so I can get sailing for short money and it would be easier to sell if I decided it wasn't for me.

Here's a nice looking Precision 18 sailboat for sale on the Cape that is in my price range.

There is a good user's forum for Precision boats and an AWESOME book that Tom Scott has put together that covers virtually everything with this boat.