CURTYD

Where is that boat listed or can be found? I couldn't find it in a general search in the Boat Trader. Thanks, it probably is the same one that was written about in 1982 after a writer bought it in Miami and took his first sail on it with his family. It really is my ultimate dream boat at this moment in time.

I think this initial writer has described my retirement plan to a "tee". I still am at least 15 years or so out from this because of my 17-month old daughter. That is why I peruse this web site, building may be my best option. I hope to get a jump on things and start sea training of wife and daughter when she gets old enough to handle her own kayak or canoe. I project at 10 years old or so, which is not that far off. I met a couple in their sixties at Fort Jefferson-Dry Tortugas whose two teenagers were some very apt seaman ( a boy and a girl ) during the passing of a low pressure system, where the dragging large vessels were a threat to all of us who could actually set an anchor. The 3 of us were out in dinghy and runabouts at 2 AM setting other's anchors to save our own vessels. I too dreamed of offshore trips but I think I'll just "container ship" any vessel if I want to leave the New World, so that sets a length limit of no more than 40 feet. But I also think coastal cruising of the Americas could easily occupy a 20 year retirement lifetime. I like the lines of the Princess as well, but I am not yet convinced about plywood wood-epoxy construction. Yep, I have read Pardy's chapter on adhesives and he is very persuasive. I will have to practice on a small kayak or two first before being convinced. Anyhow, I think in the long run all boat cabins end up being very small, standing headroom or no, if stuck down below for any length of time. So sitting headroom it is because it opens up to us more extreme shallow draft options. We'll see if the wife will concur. Life during the day is out and on the deck, anchor, dinner and stargazing for a bit, sleep, up at dawn and on our way, the heat rolls in fast in the AM in the summer months. I too am one of those Fla. skippers and the old adage is true about two types of skippers. "Those that have run aground and those that are about to run aground." A darn keel pointing straight down means I never can leave the channel without great trepidation. 18 to 24 inch draft is worth any sacrifice. Even 4 foot was deep for most of fla outside the intracoastal markers. I like the Frances design as the Bahamas and Cuba become possible. I liked the Ruell Parker designs, particurlarly the TERRAPIN 34, but we're back to the faith in epoxy bonding. Princess is great and a strong possibility, but back to epoxy and now plywood with water or any intrusion damage that can run the length of the laminations. I also like the external keel strip rather than all internal ballast, like MEADOW LARK. The twin bilge keels where the boat rests on the bottom upright is pretty nice, as well. But seems to be a complex construction method. Tabernackles are a requirement because of the channels and waterways I have in mind, with a nice powerplant. Leaning towards the outdoor motor well, because it just makes repairs and maintenance so darn easy. I think I am settling on the L Francis Herreschoff MEADOWLARK adapted to mast tabernackles and outboard motor well or the PRINCESS to allow trailerability. I just have to get convinced on epoxy or adapt the construction methods to the rescorcinol Pardy speaks of. Trying to get any of the designers in epoxy to adapt their methods to this other glue construction, that may prove a task in and of itself. Just some ruminations on my "ideal design."

Look's like this BBS's home team got in a little before 4PM, Good Run!

300 plus miles in 3 days or so on small open boats is a damn tough assignment. There are some tough hombres out there in kayaks and canoes, as well. One fellow is only a half day or so behind these two sailboats, and he is paddling the whole way. Down there I used the MIMIC navigation system, all the boats are only going the same direction, up or down the intracoastal, so just mimic their tracks. A commercial fisherman can throw you off though because he's just headed to some marked fishing hole. I think the winner rested at first every nite going down and then just stayed on the water until finished at the end. Lot's of shallow water in Florida Bay but the intracoastal poles are out there all the way across. It's damn windy in Orlando right now and it's got to be driving up the waves from the Gulf, it's all coming from the west. I hope they took action pics for this armchair adventurer to see later. I think I am going to need to check out this water tribe group, I'll need to get a boat under me again, building may be the only answer. Damn, I wish I had actually taken that shop class in junior high, instead of foreign language and college prep. :!:

Looking at the results log on the finisher, it is a sure bet they went straight thru from Chokoloskee to Flamingo and then straight across Fla. Bay to Key Largo. They covered 100 miles in 24 hours or so, and then straight on to finish, no stopping there for a snooze on land... 8)

First post after registering this weekend. It looks like the first finisher is in ahead of the CS17, they must have sailed all night to stay on the cusp of this front coming in from the west. I made this route several years ago, mid-80's in my J-24 solo. Beautiful anchorage in the Shark River Inlet, great sail out of Everglades City channel until rounding the beacon and headed north. Motored most of Florida Bay, on a flat calm day. Worst storm I ever had was coming up from Key West to Naples about 10 years ago in the summer, a powerful microcell blew me offshore NW and 7 miles closer to Naples under bare poles over about 3 hours, according to GPS. Hopefully the sailors will all come in soon, the paddlers are going to get hit by some strong winds SOON probably.