End of the 2010 Sailing Season

Wow. Has it really almost been three weeks since my last post? Far too long.

Well I finally got to check out that Mercator and it doesn't look like its going to work out for me.

Pros: The hull was pretty solid with no evidence of blistering. The engine was pretty new and was functional. The price was also definitely a pro.

Cons: The inside was pretty badly torn up, the cabin needed some serious work, it would probably need complete new running and standing rigging as well as cabin top overhaul. It would be some serious work and even then, at the end of the day, its just too small. I was hopeful but alas....At least I know it'll be less painful in the long run to think with my head and not just fall in love with a project boat.

In other news, Surprise got moved last weekend and should be up on the hard as of this last Monday. I decided to move it Saturday since it was going to be crazy windy on Sunday. Had some help from two of my friends (both named Mike) which made it a little confusing whenever I had to direct one of them to do something but we got it tied up and safe in a reasonable amount of time.

So Surprise is out of the water and so ends my 2010 sailing season...At least there's always next year ...[sigh].

Dwindling Time and a Mercator 30

The official end of the season for me comes December 6, when we have Surprise hauled out for the season. We left her in last year so we're due for some bottom work this off-season. Not sure what this off-season's project is going to be yet but I'm sure I'll be finding out soon.

Unless I buy a fixer-upper boat myself in which case, I'll have plenty of off-season work, but not on Surprise. I'm planning to look at another boat this Sunday. I'm really going with no expectations because I'm finding that's the best way to look at boats. It helps keep my eyes open I think.

Its a Mercator 30 down here in Maryland. I'll let you guys know how she looks. There isn't much info out there about Mercators. It appears that only 38 or so of them were made which makes it incredibly difficult to find out much about them. From what I've read, they are supposed to be great offshore boats. I'll let you know what I find out!

If you're interested, here are some links to Mercator 30 info:
Mercator Review
Mercator Specs
Mercator Description
Mercator Owner's Group
Mercator Blog

WE FLY LIKE A G6!

I'm forcing myself to make an entry on Fridays if I've been too busy during the week to post so... yeah.

Boat Show was ok this year. Not nearly as much free stuff but some kick-ass boats! My friend and I went on an Oyster and all I can say is "Holy Shit". We went on the 72 or the 885 (it was massive) and oh my...it was a floating mansion. Massive galley that is at least twice as big as the one in my apartment, at least 10 comfortable berths, 3 bathrooms and a huge lounge area with 2 desks. Also, biggest, and most extensive, electrical panel I've seen in my life.  Got to witness the boat show breakdown as well which was pretty cool.

Also, Girlfriend and I also had a fantastic sail this past Sunday. It was 65 degrees and sunny. Not a cloud in the sky! Wind was 5-15 setting out with gusts up 20 knots. 

Surprisingly, this was our first sail together just the two of us and what a pleasant sail it was! Girlfriend and I switched helm and trimming duties a few times and we beat a couple of other boats out on the Magothy.

As we were coming back in and the wind was a steady 17 knots and I saw another puff about 3 boat lengths ahead, I decided to furl the headsail. Reef early Reef often right? Well...once I saw that most everyone else still had their headsails up, I unfurled the jib and we still beat the other boat that was gaining on us. Surprisingly, we pointed quite a bit higher which was a nice change. I'm so used to being outpointed on Wednesday nights it was nice to be ahead and pointing better. I've been thinking about doing the Wednesday night races on the Magothy instead of in Round Bay; maybe I'll give it a bit more thought. Take Surprise out, put her through the paces, get a solid Wedneday Night Series crew and we might just FLY LIKE A G6!!!

Might I add that my docking skills were top notch, even in the 4-7 knots we had as we pulled up to our slip. Kinda bummed out the guy across the dock who was waiting for me to finish docking before he left. Looked like was waiting for me to screw up but maybe he was waiting to lend a hand... Either way I rocked it so no need.

Sadly no sailing this weekend as I'll be heading up to landlocked PA for a weekend retreat at a ski lodge with some college friends and I'm already in the mood if you can't tell.

Author's Note: A G6 is slang for a Gulfstream 650, a very expensive private jet. 

Decisions, Decisions...

So I've been feeling a bit confused lately...

The Irwin 35 I went to look at last weekend was in pretty bad shape on the inside. There was so much water damage on the inside that I didn't bother taking pictures. It would take a minimum of 25K just to get the boat up to ok, excluding the sale price which, after the guy saw his boat, I'm sure would come down anyway. It seemed pretty obvious that guy hadn't been down to his boat in probably close to a year; if not longer.

I don't want to put all my savings into a boat that is iffy in the "will it float?" category. If I'm going to take the leap and go for it; I'd love for it to be a Valiant. The Rob Perry design and solid construction really have me won over. I basked in the glory of another one of those beauties at the boat show the following day and all it did was remind me what I'm shooting for. The guys who were showing the boat were a bit more snotty than the guy last year but that doesn't stop the boat from being gorgeous.

I know that the smart thing to do would be to buy a house that would only appreciate in value over the years (unlike a boat), eventually sell the house and buy one helluva boat. Try and get a job on a yacht and get my sea time in for my Captain's license in the mean time I suppose...It just really sets me back in the ability to just loose the dock lines and go.

Decisions, decisions...

Aurora - Pearson 323

So Girlfriend and I drove down to VA on Sunday to take a look at a 32’ Pearson. It had been advertised as an offshore-capable vessel with many cruising amenities (not that the extras made me look at the boat but they don’t hurt either). After it took us several hours longer than we expected to get there, we got to the pier where the boat was.

Boy was it in rough shape. The pier itself was either not entirely finished or partially destroyed and every boat there was the worse for wear; a few were floating cess pools of rain water someone had tied to the dock.  

I was nervous.

Very nervous.

I really didn’t want to have driven all that way for a quick look-over of a shitty boat that barely floats.

Luckily, the Pearson itself didn’t look too bad from the outside (with the exception of the heavily barnacle-crusted bottom I could see).  Rigging was ok but old, deck was solid with no soft spots, a little crazing but not much.

The pictures from the website of the cabin were not overly misleading either except that it was a lot dirtier and grimier than I had expected (the pictures don't really show that I suppose).  

Also, they left the boat’s documents out so…. I took a look at them. They are asking 19K and the estimate they got a few years ago puts the boat at about 22K. Ok. Not too bad. However, the previous owner bought the boat for 10K in 2003, not including the survey and it was a lot younger, and cleaner then. Hmmmm….

All in all, not a bad boat but I don’t think I really see Girlfriend and I living comfortably with the small galley, and lack of cabin doubleberth. Its all good though cause I’m looking at another boat in two weekends, right during the Annapolis Boat Show weekend. I’m going back to look at its interior because I liked the look of her outsides during a previous visit.

I’m hopeful for this upcoming one but not tied to it if for some reason its not what I want.

How to Buy a Boat - Part 1

Did you know there is a lot to know about boat buying?

SPOILER ALERT: Turns out there is.

That’s what I’ve been doing lately. A lot of reading up on things to look out for, things to check for, ask about…etc. That and a lot of looking at sailboats.

Here’s a breakdown of what I’ve discovered while searching through a lot of boats:

1. The boats you want are out of your price range.
   
2. The boats you can afford are too small for what you need.
   
3. ...Or are in really poor shape.
   
4. If you find the boat you want, in good shape for close enough to your budget as is to be expected, it will be too far away. The overall cost of checking out the boat and bringing it to your location would be too much to be an economically sound decision (darn you California and your moderately priced sailboats!)

I’m still making these rules up as I go so feel free to add anything you feel I’m missing.

Lately, I’ve actually started making appointments to see the boats I’ve been drooling over/eyeing skeptically. I’ve only seen one boat so far that I found on craigslist; it’s a Willard 30 Cutter rig. It’s been out of the water for a bit and is in rough shape but the price sounded enticing enough. Apparently there were only 30 of these made which has me feeling like its rare boat and I’m getting a good deal but at the same time, there may be some problems that a boat builder wouldn’t have been able to work out after only 30 boats.

I’ve been leaning towards the odds that the boat has problems since I emailed the owner a few days ago, asking some questions about the boat (does it float, what maintenance has been done on it…etc) just trying to get a better feel for the boat and see if its worth getting a surveyor for, but have yet to get a response. I sent a follow-up email but I’m not holding my breath. The interior of the boat was packed with stuff so maybe the guy has been using it as a storage unit and is rethinking selling. I dunno...

Anyway, I’m going to look at an Irwin 35 this weekend and a Pearson the following week. I plan to use the boat as a liveaboard for a year or two before setting off and doing some cruising and a circumnavigation with Girlfriend so I want a boat that will function well in both situations. I’m not entirely convinced about an Irwin’s bluewater  capabilities but I’m looking into it and I’ll get a better idea after this weekend when I get to see the boat up on the hard.

At least after reading up on the subject, I know what to look for and to avoid in terms of a bluewater boat. The section that all the books seem to be missing is where to find these boats for a deal. [sigh]…Alas.

If anyone else is interested, I’ve put up my reading list below. I’m still working my way through them but mostly the parts about what to do AFTER you have a boat. I’ve devoured the parts about how to pick and chose a boat. 

1. Twenty Affordable Sailboats To Take You Anywhere

2. Seaworthy Offshore Sailboat: A Guide to Essential Features, Handling, and Gear

3. How to Sail Around the World : Advice and Ideas for Voyaging Under Sail

4. Self-Sufficient Sailor

5. The Essentials of Living Aboard a Boat

6. All in the Same Boat : Living Aboard and Cruising

7. Practical Sailors Practical Boat Buying

Let's Get Out of Here

So one of the other great things about sailing last Wednesday (aside from just being out on the water!) was I was able to talk to Andrew, our bowman. Andrew is 28(?), finishing up a teaching stint at the Naval Academy (he’s a graduate) and is getting ready to go cruising with his wife.

We got to talking and it was pretty interesting how similar our future plans were. He was at the end of a 5 year plan with his wife and they are planning on setting off on a 28 ft Cape Dory come spring.

SIDENOTE: The Cape Dory is one of the boats that I have been looking at and Andrew said he’d basically redesigned the interior. Stock, the boat comes with the galley and engine all crammed and crowded around the gangway. Andrew has redesigned it so you aren’t stepping onto the food being prepared as you come into the cabin; which I thought was a smart decision. I am still considering the Cape Dory but that was definitely one of my concerns – the layout.

Anyhow…We talked a bit about boats (as you can tell) and plans. Mine  (and Girlfriend’s) current plan is to buy a boat, move onto it, SAVE, refit and outfit and then set off in about 2 ½ years.

Recently though I read the Four Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss. I picked it up on a whim right before my flight to New Orleans this past weekend and read the whole thing before I got back. It certainly changed my perspective on what is possible and its definitely worth buying if you’re not completely satisfied with your job and the lifestyle it affords you. For a guy who can’t wait to get out on the water and go travel the world, this book was basically a manual of how to do it. It shows you how to get out of the 9-5 drudgery and travel the world, even if you don’t quit your job. Really interesting stuff. I give a very high personal recommendation. FYI, I bought the expanded version and it seems to have more tools and examples than the original.

This has gotten me thinking about maybe going sooner and different possible ways to finance such a trip. We’ll have to see though.

BTW, tonight will be my 200^th day on the water that can go towards my Captain’s license!

BTW 2: I’m starting my own website, www.peterfblack.com, but it doesn’t have anything up there yet so its not worth visiting now but I’m going to change that soon. 

Rebedding and Beach Bars

Work has certainly been catching up on me! In addition, I haven't had internet in my apartment for almost a week now and won't until Tuesday - maybe. I'm writing this post from a Panera where the Chipotle Chicken sandwich really hit the spot.

Anyhow, I was able to get some work done on Surprise the weekend. Friday, my dad and I (with the help of my little sister who fits nicely in the stern locker) were able to take out the starboard stern cleat, clean out the holes, mix up some epoxy and fill the screw holes.

My dad tells me smart way to add sealant to the screw is that when you add it, you have to make sure to NOT tighten the screw all the way. That way when you do tighten it, it acts as the gasket that its supposed to. If you don't and just tighten it up all the way when you put the sealant on, it forces the sealant out and then there's no reason to have put the sealant there in the first place.

We let the resin cure and yesterday my dad was going to finish up rebedding the cleat. I'm sure he did but I was busy boating over to Rolph's Wharf Marina to preform the Captain Black Beach Bar Inspection that was scheduled for that afternoon.

The bar was an old crabbing boat that had been converted and it was really cool looking.  The seats were repurposed barrels that gave the beach bar an almost pirate-feel to it. Hung out there for the day and then cruised on back to the Magothy.

Still working on research boats and trying to find a good blue water cruiser for cheap. I've even resorted to making spreadsheets.
Yes.
Spreadsheets.

Today I'm taking it easy but I hope everyone had a good weekend that, despite the blazing sun, was a great boating weekend.

Compass Headings

Earlier this week I ordered a bunch of sailing books off of Amazon so I can start picking out the right kind of boat I plan to buy as well as some know-how to living aboard.

So now I'm seriously looking at boats. I'm still probably another few months out (hopefully not too much further than that but one can never tell) from actually buying one. I found a good boat for a pretty good price on Sailboatlistings.com and my heart started to flutter. It makes me excited and nervous at the same time. Excited for the possibilities and nervous because it is such a commitment and to me, signifies a big step forward in my life plans.

For sometime I feel like I have been at a crossroad. Time keeps pushing me down one road but there are still numerous other roads out there that I would like to take.

I feel like the life I "should" be living is the typical "get a job, get a wife, get a house, get some kids...etc." I can't really tell you where this belief that this is "typical" came from but its something I want to actively avoid because it seems boring to me and if I'm bored and in a routine, I'm not happy.

Then there's the life I would like to be living "go to grad school, get a better paying job, get some experience, open your own office...etc." Still doable and more fun but not quite enough.

Then there is the life that is somewhere between need and dream about which is "buy a boat, fix it up, sail around the world, make millions...etc." I would be OK with this.

The tough thing is fitting all the things I want to do into a livable life and be able to sustain both myself and my future family.

I'm sorry for the Quarter-Life Crisis I seem to be vomiting all over the page here but its been on my mind lately. My attempt at doing everything is hopefully going to look something like this...

1. Buy a boat/go to grad school while keeping my current job (I'm not sure which one I'm going to do first but I really want to buy a boat and if I live on it, its a much better option that renting an apartment - Cheap Rent in DC for 1 year $700x12 months = $8,400 which is money much better spent on, invested in a boat - let's be real.)

2. Having saved money by keeping my job, I finish grad school while planning and preparing for my circumnavigation. (This means fixing up the boat I bought and making it appropriately seaworthy if she isn't already).

3. Circumnavigate the globe while continuing to blog about my adventures.

4. Return home, maybe write a book, and maybe open my own office/figure out a way to get paid for sailing. 

5. Make millions.

Sprinkle starting a family, and racing in the America's Cup in there somewhere too. 

I am aware that this looks like it flies in the face of my "Unplan" post I did earlier but I am actually listing this under goals and general directions and not setting it to any kind of timeline. I'm not just floating and drifting about anymore, but taking the things I want to do most and trying to get somewhere.

My First Post

Hey all. 


Welcome to Captain's Black's Sea Chronicles. I've laid out a bit of what you're going to get by reading/following these chronicles to let you know where all of this is headed and also, to keep me focused.


What You're Going to Get: This is basically going to be about me and my sailing adventures. 


That includes my continuing work towards my captain's license, my weekend outings out on the Chesapeake and connected waterways, possibly some Wednesday & Sunday night races (if I can work out some type of deal at work to leave early on Wednesdays), repair/general work notes, maybe a bit about shipping, sailing related thoughts and musings, my inevitable attempts to buy a boat, prep work for my circumnavigation and eventually the log entries of my circumnavigation. 


I have a lot to do so there is no time like now, the beginning of sailing season 2010, to get started.