Dick,
I had one of those flush decks berthed next to me in Newport. They were
Kendalls.
As to those guys, well, we must have crossed paths sometime then, but we
weren't close enough that I can remember them now 30 years later (gulp).
It was truly a magic time and I'm glad I took time off from life to do
it. As it turns out, the time I took off I made up for very quickly when
it was over due to the contacts I'd made. I'm still in tight contact
with one person and loose with another couple who was there then.
I may have mentioned, but I bought a Tayana 42 just a little while back
and sailed it singlehanded all along the east coast from ME To Fl and
out to the islands. That was a handful especially docking in heavy
currents. The sailing was ok, but the docking and storms, well, that was
wearing.
I have several friends who've moved to Seattle lately. One is an avid
boatbuilder / boater. He just finished some project or another.
I think if I do it again, and I hope to, I will follow you down the
powerboat route. I did a delivery on a tug very like yours and enjoyed
the freedom of 'see it go there' the power gave me. Also landing the
boat with twin engines was so pleasant. Add the enormous room of the
boat's layout and I was easily sold.
I'm single now my wife of Westsail days having died. If I do remarry
someone who wishes to sail say, down to Fiji I'll be back on a sailboat,
but if it's me alone again and afloat, I'll probably be on a tug or a
trawler.
There is a third type of powerboat you can see on
http://www.setsail.com/dashew/do_PARADIGM.html
which I'd like a lot, but I'd need a smaller one. The one pictured has
twin 150 hp engines yet goes quite well. That combines economy with
speed. I have no interest at all in sport fishermen boats. I did some
crewing on those and will only go out on them again if paid.
-paul
R.W. Behan wrote:
Hey, Paul,
Didn't mean to let the conversation drop, but did get distracted.
When you were building boats in southern CA did you ever run across a couple
of guys named Bosko Bailey and Patrick Cotten? They're friends of mine here
(Lopez Island in the San Juans of Washington state), and were part of that
scene. I think Bosko might have worked on some of the early flush-deck
Westsails--they were called something else before Snyder Vick bought the
molds, but I can't remember the name. Bosko and Patrick were building ferro
hulls of Patrick's design--notable for a high poop deck, they looked like
old pirate ships. Bosko's was called "Silverheels" and Patrick's larger one
was "Harmony." They sailed the boats to Tahiti and beyond, I guess, for a
couple of years.
No, I never did get offshore. I know now I started too late (about 63 at
the time), but learned the difference between dreams and fantasies, anyhow.
So we sold the W32 and bought a Lord Nelson Victory Tug a couple of years
ago. (72 now.) We took her to Alaska and back this past summer, and that
was a dream, indeed. Circumnavigating under sail was a fantasy, but a
beautiful one, and in the years we owned the Westsail there were lots of
memorable trips and experiences. Sailed once in 55 knots, double reefed
main, reefed stays'l, and furled yankee, and had a ball. Boom-end dipping
the waves.
We lived in Flagstaff for 17 years, so we appreciate the Southwest. But the
northwest was home, and we're here to stay. I can peek out our living room
window and see "Annie" on her mooring in the bay, and beyond that, on the
horizon, is Vancouver Island. Life is good.
Have to say, though, I peek at CAPER on the broker's website now and then
and wonder if I should buy her back....
Cheers,
Dick
"Paul Cassel" wrote in message
...
Hello Dick,
That is one gorgeous W32! I really like the white enamel you've done to
lighten up the interior. We did an enamel overhead, but also painted the
hull white then did slatting with spacing to give a lighter look.
How do the tan bark sails hold up in the long run? We all agreed that they
looked nice and went along with some song, but I figured they'd
deteriorate due to UV quickly. However, I don't have any long run
experience with them.
We were the first hull with a brown sheer stripe. Some guy ordered the
boat as a complete unit, backed out so we got ours partly built at a steep
discount due to Westsail applying his money to our boat.
Westsail would sell the boat or part in any stage you chose. There were
several standard kits: liveaboard, sailaway, hull and deck and so forth.
You could also buy any parts so you could buy a hull and deck unjoined
although I know of no one who did so. Also the company would sell you a
boat and then the standard parts to finish up. Most folks hired some or
all of the work out. Thus many 'kit' boats are finished to very high
standards. Westsail did employ a high grade of craftsmen, but they didn't
corner the market. For example, during our boat building, I was in some
demand as a finisher myself. I worked on Frank Sinatra and John Wayne's
yachts (not the same boat!).
Living in Balboa and then Dana Point, working on our boats, being a race
crew, working on stars' yachts - well that was one exciting time.
We were a huge boat building community in and around Costa Mesa then. I
guess we were one among maybe 50 W32's and 42's going up at the time plus
some other brands were also booming along.
I'm now in Albuquerque. BTW, I just returned from a sailing adventure. I
got the sailing bug again so bought a Tayana 42 in ME. Sailed to Newport
where I did a refit (neat port!) and then single handed the boat down the
east coast spending maybe a week offshore, then putting in, touring around
finally ending up in Palm Beach where I did the Gulf Stream / islands
routine for a while.
I'm now back home in NM. Where are you? Did you ever take your W32 far?
-paul
R.W. Behan wrote:
Hi, Paul,
Pretty close. CAPER was #522
Your second post was interesting; I thought the kits were sold at about
the same stage of construction, i.e., all structural parts assembled. If
some folks DID do the hull/deck joint, there could be some shaky boats
out there. CAPER was a kit boat, and mostly well done, except for a
couple of charming quirks. The door in front of the electrical panel was
not quite level, and the butterfly hatch was a bit skewed. Just showed
the guy who built the boat was human. Other than those items, he did a
first rate job of joinery. She's back on the market now, and if you'd
like to take a look, try this link:
http://www.yachtworld.com/core/listi...neservicenter&
Most of the pictures are ones I gave the broker when we sold the boat.
The one on the title page actually shows me at the helm--but you need to
look closely!
Nice to hear from you. Where are you located?
Dick
"Paul Cassel" wrote in message
. ..
R.W. Behan wrote:
Hi, Rob,
We owned a W32 for nearly 10 years, and dearly love these boats.
Dick,
I was W32 hull #474. What were you?
-paul