Any Boatbuilders?

[Menehune Man]

Re: Any Boatbuilders?

What a sweet Hope you build it. Already got the plans, or still in the dreaming stage?
Previously I was "Buddy2" so I have the plans for Phil Bolger's Micro, but not for this boat.

Not a problem. I sailed a 7-footer across 32 miles of open ocean between islands.Once.
WOW! Where from and to and when? So cool. I've sailed to Lanai, Maui and The Big Island. Inside of Vancouver Island and down the coast of California. Of course I cheated and did it on bigger boats than that one.

Or as I like to say, "God does not deduct from our lifespans the time spent out on the ocean."

I think you're right. Sure makes life seem more worthwhile anyway.

Thanks LikaNui !

[timkona]

Re: Any Boatbuilders?

I sailed a 25' Santana from Keauhou, Hawaii to Lahaina, Maui....like a Nantucket Sleighride in the channel makin 8+ knots on the GPS with a wide open broad reach on a quartering sea....on a couple of those down hill parts I swear we made lift-off.

Comin home from Manele Bay on Lanai was a different story....giant head seas with wind....no way to sail....9 hp Evinrude puttering away gettin drenched on every fluffy wave top....we are wearin face masks cuz of the spray.....terrible bad for 16 hours .... ..... ..... ..... then a dead calm off the coast of Mahaiula....we outta gas....sails are flappin in the stillness....but the current is running to the south slowly...and Keahole Pt is within sight....by sunset we used the last cup of gas to motor into Honokohou....we must have looked a sight, cuz a good friend of ours, out of pure sympathy, gave us his freshly purchased 6 pack of Anchor Steam....we motored home to Keauhou, safe and sound....phew!

[Menehune Man]

Re: Any Boatbuilders?

Right on! Here's my Pearson 26' named "Blue" that I did most of my interisland sailing in. The photo is from the first week I owned her, or did she own me? Hmmm. Frank Rice of the boatyard gave me a livaboard slip for $100/month, Ha! I got no peace so only kept it for a month and went back out on my own anchors. One time anchored off of Kamaole 1 (Maui) for a couple of weeks, I met a lady who took me back to Catalina Island with her a month later, oh but I digress. From there to Honokohau took twelve hours of choice surfing! As the waves (8'ers) would try to cause Blue to round up I just surfed her along. What a Blast!

[Menehune Man]

Re: Any Boatbuilders?

Trying for photo again...

[LikaNui]

Re: Any Boatbuilders?

I sailed a 25' Santana from Keauhou, Hawaii to Lahaina, Maui....like a Nantucket Sleighride in the channel makin 8+ knots on the GPS with a wide open broad reach on a quartering sea....on a couple of those down hill parts I swear we made lift-off.

Great fun!
If you get a chance, try a downwind run in the Moloka`i Channel on a blustery day, on an ultralight 70-footer. We did 16 knots... on the back of the waves... and surfed to 29 knots on the faces of the waves.
"Fun" doesn't even begin to describe it!
Take this big ol' grin here ----> and multiply it a few hundred times.

For even more fun, try it at night. With no moon.

[Menehune Man]

Re: Any Boatbuilders?

Hey! Let's start a new thread in Mixed Plate called Sailin' Stories. It's good to remember and share those times and the ones to come!

[kimo55]

Re: Any Boatbuilders?

great idea!......

[Menehune Man]

Re: Any Boatbuilders?

great idea!......

I did it, Kimo! Please share yours.

[kimo55]

Re: Any Boatbuilders?

ok, tomorrow aftah java



sailin stories. missed opportunities. great sailin story books. people. magz.
(latts and atts..)
whootah.

[Menehune Man]

Re: Any Boatbuilders?

Lattitudes and Attitudes is the best!

Hey Kimo. Do I get Green Gum for this idea?

[Menehune Man]

Re: Any Boatbuilders?

I went out sailing with my buddy this morning. After a while we motored through the Keehi Lagoon anchorage and I discovered this cute little 20 footer. She had a for sale sign on her and I called the owner. I'll meet up with him tomarrow and if all goes well...
I'll be a boat owner again!!! It's a 1971 Bell Boy Marine Sailboat.
Wish me luck! Named JAVA at the moment though after I put some love (and money) into it, I'll rename "Menehune Man" of course.

[Menehune Man]

Re: Any Boatbuilders?

As with most things... "Buyer Beware", especially boats.

Met the owner and I went out to the boat.
WHAT A MESS! Couldn't believe it.
Most of the interior has been cut out, including major structural items to make more room?! Could be rebuilt, but sheesh.

I asked yesterday about what type of keel and was told it's a fixed keel (solid), but discovered that it was a swing keel that all the mechanics of moving it had been removed and now is through bolted in the down position. I never have liked those anyways.

All the standing rigging (what holds the mast up, wires and turnbuckles) needs replacing. The mast step is corroded / broken along with the chain plates.

So, this is a boat that I wouldn't want to take on even if given to me.
Oh well. There's more fish in the sea. HaHa!

[Menehune Man]

Re: Any Boatbuilders?

My friend Don bought a Alberg 30 sailboat hull and cabin.
It had been gutted by previous owners so the good part is that he has added hull stiffeners and has also started on the interior. Don has many of the necessary large ticket items already, diesel engine, stove, head(toilet), etc.
Luckily he works in the marine industry in Idaho so gets everything at super wholesale prices. The boat will be extra stout in every aspect. He has sailed to Hawaii 3 times along with many other stops across the Pacific. He and I have sailed inter-island here and around Vancouver island together. And been friends over 20 years. Should be ready to go by the end of this year and I'm invited! Mrs. Menehune has always said I can go if I get the chance!!!
Here's a link to a blog on his boat restoration. More has been completed since.
http://alberg30.blogspot.com/

Here's an email I just received.
"Ya man!

Whats the best time to sail from the coast: difficult question.
The best time to avoid the hurricanes sweeping up from Mexico is to leave after November,......
having said that, the north Pacific storms start in September and by October one does not want to be off of the north Pacific. Sooooooooooo, the compromise is to get the vessel to a southerly jump off point by road after November and before March (December - January would be ideal).
Gary says he can truck us to San Fransisco, take a couple long days driving with stops at night.
To go to San Diego is twice the driving distance and not what he wants to do.
San Fran is an ok jump zone, there is a potentially rough zone called the "potato patch" as you leave San Fran but it shouldn't be anything the vessel would be concerned about,.....just a little rough on the crew if anything at all,.....could be calm also. Lots of options from there; go down the coast with a stop in Mexico, or head straight to Hi etc. All depends how much time the crew has (you) and what they want to do.
Crew is you, me, and Jesse, a fit young man (18 or 19) who is a Starbucks barista and races mountain bikes in the summer and ski's in the winter. He has given me his phone # and wants to come and work on the boat anytime and really wants to go. I'll have him over to see the boat and see if he knows what he's getting into and still wants to go.
I'm targeting December 2008 January 2009 as the launch date. I'll know by September if I'm gonna make it. All the structural work would need to be completed by then to make it work.

Anywayz,....gotta get back to work.

Love ya!

[salmoned]

Re: Any Boatbuilders?

If Jesse backs out, Can I apply?

[LikaNui]

Re: Any Boatbuilders?

Very cool, MM!
Did he cut a hole in the hull to change engines? Looked like it in one photo on his blog. Yikes!
The run down to Mexico would be good for you and Don to see if Jesse can handle being at sea. If he can't, easy to tuck back in somewhere and drop him off, as opposed to heading straight for here and suffering a couple of weeks of misery.
On the other hand, it looks like there's an awful lot of work to do if he wants to leave end of the year. You know how schedules end up. Especially with sea trials to work out the bugs. How about planning for a July '09 departure from Los Angeles, and leave a week or 10 days before the TransPac start? That would give you lots of help mid-ocean if you needed it.
Hope it all works out for ya!