New member.

[norcalsail]

And so it begins... LOL. Good news, the boat is now in your hands, and you'll soon be having a blast while sailing her... perhaps taking an occasional swim as ya push the nautical envelope, LOL. Don't forget to post photos when ya get around to it, and though ya might wanna start out on one of those nearby lakes, keep Bodega Bay in mind...

CHEERS!!!

Hey Ghost Rider, It's really something to finally have my own sailboat sitting on my back deck. There was no manual with it but duh, I can print it out on the shop's website. So today I'm going to rig it up and try to get to the DMV to register the thing. Probably get hit with a use tax! Still, I might be on the water this weekend and am leaning toward Bodega and Tomales Bay as Chris mentioned. We have Lake Sonoma, Lake Mendocino and Lake Berryessa pretty close but a lot of fire in those directions. I gotta build some kind of cradle to get it around. It has been really cool getting so much support on this site and great comments about this new phase...

 

[beldar boathead]

. Does it look like this, with a white rudder? It’s a classic color combo!!

 

[norcalsail]

View attachment 27474. Does it look like this, with a white rudder? It’s a classic color combo!!

Hi Beldar, This is it but with fiberglass rudder and daggerboard-white. I wanted the red stripe from bow to stern and might think about how to make that happen. My sail came with a window which I like as I got pretty close to a pier while not paying attention in the old Sunfish a couple of weeks ago (my first time out in quite a few years but on a lake I've been going to my whole life ). Hard to believe it's out back right now!

 

[Ghost Rider]

Hey Ghost Rider, It's really something to finally have my own sailboat sitting on my back deck. There was no manual with it but duh, I can print it out on the shop's website. So today I'm going to rig it up and try to get to the DMV to register the thing. Probably get hit with a use tax! Still, I might be on the water this weekend and am leaning toward Bodega and Tomales Bay as Chris mentioned. We have Lake Sonoma, Lake Mendocino and Lake Berryessa pretty close but a lot of fire in those directions. I gotta build some kind of cradle to get it around. It has been really cool getting so much support on this site and great comments about this new phase...

Here in the White Mountains, there's plenty of breeze for much of the year, but the wind shifts on these mountain lakes can be quite tricky... I don't know how conditions are on those lakes you mentioned, but I DO know that sea breezes can be consistent or only involve minor shifts. If you sail on those lakes and find the shifts are bothersome, yeah, by all means, take the boat to the seashore. Just remember, the critters in the ocean tend to pose more of a threat than lake critters... think "JAWS" while you're hiking out to the max, LOL. I'd recommend decent footgear, sailing gloves, some sort of cover with brim or bill, and polarized shades for eye protection. Goon cords for wide-brimmed hat & shades, no point in donating or sacrificing gear to Poseidon... ask me how I know this, LOL. Remember to take steps to curb solar abuse, it racks up quickly out there on the water... otherwise, enjoy your new boat, I'm feeling the excitement as you open your new present, so to speak, even if ya gave it to yerself. Sometimes, those are the best gifts, aye???

CHEERS!!!

P.S. If you make a combo sailing/camping expedition to the beach, don't forget the BBQ!!! Even a small grill is awesome when camping, I'm looking forward to camping on the beach in WA when I first arrive, might be staying in various campgrounds for 2-3 weeks as I wait for escrow to close on this property I like. With my stuff in storage and the kittehs in a "cats only" boarding kennel, that camping will be like vacation, LOL. Steaks & beers ahoy!!!

 

[norcalsail]

Here in the White Mountains, there's plenty of breeze for much of the year, but the wind shifts on these mountain lakes can be quite tricky... I don't know how conditions are on those lakes you mentioned, but I DO know that sea breezes can be consistent or only involve minor shifts. If you sail on those lakes and find the shifts are bothersome, yeah, by all means, take the boat to the seashore. Just remember, the critters in the ocean tend to pose more of a threat than lake critters... think "JAWS" while you're hiking out to the max, LOL. I'd recommend decent footgear, sailing gloves, some sort of cover with brim or bill, and polarized shades for eye protection. Goon cords for wide-brimmed hat & shades, no point in donating or sacrificing gear to Poseidon... ask me how I know this, LOL. Remember to take steps to curb solar abuse, it racks up quickly out there on the water... otherwise, enjoy your new boat, I'm feeling the excitement as you open your new present, so to speak, even if ya gave it to yerself. Sometimes, those are the best gifts, aye???

CHEERS!!!

P.S. If you make a combo sailing/camping expedition to the beach, don't forget the BBQ!!! Even a small grill is awesome when camping, I'm looking forward to camping on the beach in WA when I first arrive, might be staying in various campgrounds for 2-3 weeks as I wait for escrow to close on this property I like. With my stuff in storage and the kittehs in a "cats only" boarding kennel, that camping will be like vacation, LOL. Steaks & beers ahoy!!!

Hey, are the white mountains up above Tucson? I lived in Casa Grande for a short time as a kid(13-14) and remember camping on a lake up there. You did hit a sore spot concerning ocean sailing-the critters. I had a friend pulled under by a great white surfing up on Trinidad Head north of Arcata. This was back in '90-'91: he said he could have poked it in the eye. Bodega Bay is the north part of the "red triangle" that marine biologists refer to when talking about great white habitat. Good advice on gearing up too. I lost my cowboy hat sailing a couple of weeks ago!

 

[Ghost Rider]

There is no direct route from here to Tucson, which is 4+ hours away unless you're on a rice rocket or a Ducati doing triple digits, LOL. I live in a little burg called Show Low which sits atop the Mogollon Rim, about halfway up the state on the eastern side, maybe an hour from the NM line on these skinny little blacktop roads. Beautiful setting here in the tall pines, most folks don't realize that Arizona has this sort of climate, they think it's all desert or Grand Canyon, LOL. Show Low lies between 6300' and 6400' elevation, depending upon which side of town you're on, and for the most part, the weather here is absolutely fantastic.

So is the wildlife: everything grows BIGGER here in the White Mountains, I've seen HUGE elk, deer, coyotes, bald eagles, feral pigs & javelinas, coons, skunks, jackrabbits the size of Rhode Island, you name it. My subdivision is in the forest on the NW side of town, and I have 21 magnificent Ponderosa Pines on my property... the bird life in these tall pines will astound you, I love swinging in my big ol' Pawleys Island Beach Stripe Hammock and checking out my little feathered friends. Some of 'em aren't so little either, the ravens & the turkey vultures which soar overhead are the size of warplanes, LOL.

Several times since I arrived nearly two years ago, I have seen huge flocks or squadrons of turkey vultures sailing right above the treetops, 100 or more all running a giant slalom course downrange toward some roosting area in the forest. There's a huge tract of wilderness right next to my subdivision, with dirt roads and riding trails leading out to Rim Road 300, a favorite dirt biking venue of mine... you can Google "Rim Road 300" and see some cool pics of the Mogollon Rim, it is very pretty here in what folks call the high country, or just Rim Country. Like I said, I wouldn't be leaving if it weren't for my personal circumstances... this is paradise on earth for retired folks who love the wilderness.

On the other hand, northern Arizona is facing challenges with the ongoing drought, possible fracking which may taint or ruin water quality in the Coconino Aquifer, hordes of "political refugees" streaming in from Kalifornia, etc., etc. We've had monsoon rains in the past month, but nowhere near enough to put an end to the drought. Seems like I've spent the past two decades or more in areas of the Southwest severely affected by drought, I'll be glad to relocate to an area where drought will never be an issue. And much as I like my home (first one I ever owned free & clear), I reckon a home is what you make of it... I can set up a stylin' bachelor pad no matter where I go, yeah??? Especially with that 8' pool table... decent furniture, quality household equipment, a large BBQ and a LOUD-@$$ STEREO don't hurt either, LOL.

ANYWAY, THAT POWER NAP DID ME SOME GOOD, I'M READY TO CRACK ANOTHER COLD BEER, 10-4? LOOKS LIKE IT'S TRYIN' TO RAIN, WHICH WOULD SUIT ME FINE... THIS ROOF DOESN'T LEAK, AND I LOVE THAT COOL RAIN-FRESH MOUNTAIN AIR ROLLING IN THROUGH ALL THE OPEN WINDOWS DURING A STORM. CHEERS!!!

P.S. Red Triangle aside, 2-ton Great Whites have been pulled outta the waters off San Diego... Los Coronados, the Mexican islands off the northern end of Baja, are designated wildlife sanctuaries (est. 1924, when the Mexican gubmint got tired of all the trigger-happy gringos needlessly blasting critters out there), and those seal & sea lion rookeries are nothing but buffet tables for predators like Great Whites. I always used to lean inboard or hunker down in the Laser cockpit when approaching the islands on camping expeditions, LOL. Same for leaving the islands, though the boat generally rode a little higher by that time, not that it would make much difference to a hungry Great White. You should read my stories of the islands, I posted links on the first page of my "Laser Island Voyages" thread. Those were some grand adventures back in the day, and those islands are truly wild, despite their relative proximity to the coast... awesome venue for wilderness explorers, nature lovers, rock climbers, antisocial types, misanthropes, et al, LOL.

 

[Ghost Rider]

I was just reliving some of my youth by reading "ISLA NORTE"---that story truly captures the wild spirit of adventure in that island chain back in the day, and it happens to be my favorite island as well, for reasons mentioned in the story, LOL. All of the islands are BAD@$$, but Isla Norte is a radical f#%ng venue, take my word for it. If you only read one story from my humble Island Trilogy, make it THAT story... you'll totally relive the adventure as I first undertook it, AYE???

TIME FOR SOME ENTERTAINMENT, I'M THINKING A BIG OL' GREASY DOUBLE ANGUS CHEESEBURGER IN THE NEAR FUTURE, LOL...

CHEERS!!!

 

[norcalsail]

There is no direct route from here to Tucson, which is 4+ hours away unless you're on a rice rocket or a Ducati doing triple digits, LOL. I live in a little burg called Show Low which sits atop the Mogollon Rim, about halfway up the state on the eastern side, maybe an hour from the NM line on these skinny little blacktop roads. Beautiful setting here in the tall pines, most folks don't realize that Arizona has this sort of climate, they think it's all desert or Grand Canyon, LOL. Show Low lies between 6300' and 6400' elevation, depending upon which side of town you're on, and for the most part, the weather here is absolutely fantastic.

So is the wildlife: everything grows BIGGER here in the White Mountains, I've seen HUGE elk, deer, coyotes, bald eagles, feral pigs & javelinas, coons, skunks, jackrabbits the size of Rhode Island, you name it. My subdivision is in the forest on the NW side of town, and I have 21 magnificent Ponderosa Pines on my property... the bird life in these tall pines will astound you, I love swinging in my big ol' Pawleys Island Beach Stripe Hammock and checking out my little feathered friends. Some of 'em aren't so little either, the ravens & the turkey vultures which soar overhead are the size of warplanes, LOL.

Several times since I arrived nearly two years ago, I have seen huge flocks or squadrons of turkey vultures sailing right above the treetops, 100 or more all running a giant slalom course downrange toward some roosting area in the forest. There's a huge tract of wilderness right next to my subdivision, with dirt roads and riding trails leading out to Rim Road 300, a favorite dirt biking venue of mine... you can Google "Rim Road 300" and see some cool pics of the Mogollon Rim, it is very pretty here in what folks call the high country, or just Rim Country. Like I said, I wouldn't be leaving if it weren't for my personal circumstances... this is paradise on earth for retired folks who love the wilderness.

On the other hand, northern Arizona is facing challenges with the ongoing drought, possible fracking which may taint or ruin water quality in the Coconino Aquifer, hordes of "political refugees" streaming in from Kalifornia, etc., etc. We've had monsoon rains in the past month, but nowhere near enough to put an end to the drought. Seems like I've spent the past two decades or more in areas of the Southwest severely affected by drought, I'll be glad to relocate to an area where drought will never be an issue. And much as I like my home (first one I ever owned free & clear), I reckon a home is what you make of it... I can set up a stylin' bachelor pad no matter where I go, yeah??? Especially with that 8' pool table... decent furniture, quality household equipment, a large BBQ and a LOUD-@$$ STEREO don't hurt either, LOL.

ANYWAY, THAT POWER NAP DID ME SOME GOOD, I'M READY TO CRACK ANOTHER COLD BEER, 10-4? LOOKS LIKE IT'S TRYIN' TO RAIN, WHICH WOULD SUIT ME FINE... THIS ROOF DOESN'T LEAK, AND I LOVE THAT COOL RAIN-FRESH MOUNTAIN AIR ROLLING IN THROUGH ALL THE OPEN WINDOWS DURING A STORM. CHEERS!!!

P.S. Red Triangle aside, 2-ton Great Whites have been pulled outta the waters off San Diego... Los Coronados, the Mexican islands off the northern end of Baja, are designated wildlife sanctuaries (est. 1924, when the Mexican gubmint got tired of all the trigger-happy gringos needlessly blasting critters out there), and those seal & sea lion rookeries are nothing but buffet tables for predators like Great Whites. I always used to lean inboard or hunker down in the Laser cockpit when approaching the islands on camping expeditions, LOL. Same for leaving the islands, though the boat generally rode a little higher by that time, not that it would make much difference to a hungry Great White. You should read my stories of the islands, I posted links on the first page of my "Laser Island Voyages" thread. Those were some grand adventures back in the day, and those islands are truly wild, despite their relative proximity to the coast... awesome venue for wilderness explorers, nature lovers, rock climbers, antisocial types, misanthropes, et al, LOL.

Wow-love the nature and will have to check out those travel notes. Got my boat ready to sail-all rigged up. Took a bunch of pics and will try to post.

 

[signal charlie]

"...I wanted the red stripe from bow to stern and might think about how to make that happen."

Adhesive Backed Insignia Sailcloth, sold by Sailrite. It comes in all the basic colors, and we have applied it to the deck of the boat, it has a nice soft feel to it. VIPER's stripes are sailcloth.

FMI: Adhesive Backed Insignia Sailcloth

 

[L&VW]

When the White Mountains first came into view on the Interstate, it took all day to pass that view (and bypass Tucson).

Now I live just a half-hour drive from the White Mountains, but am 3000 miles away—in New Hampshire!

.

 

[Ghost Rider]

HaHa, I copy that, I've been to THOSE White Mountains as a truck driver... or seen them, anyway, and they are also beautiful, but I'm partial to mountains & mountain ranges, being a former technical rock climber. These White Mountains in AZ are higher than some folks think, with several peaks up around 11,000' in elevation. According to my old trucker's atlas, Mt. Baldy (or Baldy Peak) rises to 11,403', which is fairly high... the Elk Mountains across the NM line rise to around 13,000', those are some beautiful mountains as well, filled with wildlife and scenic vistas. I meant to go camping high in that range while I was here, maybe I can still squeeze in a trip...

Hey, Norcalsail, not all sea creatures are hostile, you'll meet friendly seals & sea lions, dolphins, hilarious & clownish sea otters, inquisitive sea birds, even some whales... though ya wanna be careful around those whales, they assume the right of way under the obscure "Law of Gross Tonnage" (LOL). One time I was sailing with a friend off the coast of Dago during the Gray Whale migration, and a big ol' whale surfaced just ahead of us, like maybe 10 or 12 yards ahead... scared the bejesus outta me and I quickly tacked away, but afterward my friend & I felt privileged to see such a magnificent creature at close range. And I mean CLOSE, LOL...