While sailing yesterday, I spotted an Ericson 35 I often
see on a mooring, up on it's side on the beach yesterday.
At frist I thought it was agound. When I saw that it was
covered with shellfish on its bottom and looked like crap
-much the way my boat looked when I purchased it, I
decided he might be careening it.

Later I saw a few people working on it and realized it was
being careened. Still later it was flipped over to present
its port side to the waves.

Today, while out sailing I was checking out the boat. I
got caught in a front coming through and forgot about the
boat for a while fighting wind and current until things calmed
down. It was looking pretty good-clean bottom, and on the
way back to the marina, I sailed over to the 5' depth line,
parallel to the shore and checked it out. I thought I saw
someone I recognized and waved. When I got back in, I
decided to drive over, say hello to my friend Pat, and
introduce myself. The deck and topsides are all done, and
now that the bottom was clean, it was clear the boat was
nearly done.

I felt like I just met a brother I never knew I had. We were
nearly the same age, close to the same height, etc. Both
of us were soaking wet from the rain--despite our foul
weather gear. Like me, he'd spent many years sailing in
California too-he grew up there. He started sailing about
the same time I did. Like me his Ericson came cheap
-his one for only $50-a bit better deal than mine because
it was in much worse shape, and he was fixing it up on his
own for the most part. Like my my 46-his Ericson is a
1973 model designed by Bruce King. His boat needed lots
of core replacement on the deck, new paint and engine work.
My boat has one deck area where I'm debating some core
replacement-but I'm fortunate in that it is not serious. I just
replaced my engine and painted the hull a few years ago. He
repaired his engine and paint topsides and deck. He
replaced all his hatches because they were missing-gone
completely, mine are all there, but I need to replace one that
leaks.

He was getting ready to put in a three burner stove, and I had to
laugh as I have a three burner stove purchased and was getting
ready to put in soon! I'm going to invite him over to the yacht
club, because I know he is looking for a slip for the boat too.

The funny part was when he was telling me about racing a
Beneteau and how he literally sailed circles around it three
times. I love to do that. I think I have a new friend. Doug,
next time you come up I'll introduce you to him. We can go out
looking out for Beneteaus. Should I paint shark's jaws on my
bow? It is a small world.