On 7 Sep 2011 00:11:26 GMT, "DoN. Nichols"
wrote:

On 2011-09-06, Gunner Asch wrote:
On 6 Sep 2011 04:18:02 GMT, "DoN. Nichols"
wrote:

On 2011-09-05, Gunner Asch wrote:

[ ... ]

There are a couple big reserviors smack dab in the Mojave desert
too..and then we have Lave Havasu not far from Death Valley on the
California/Aridzona desert.

I grew up in South Texas -- and the only nearby water (other
than cattle tanks) was the Nueces river -- which was mud most of the
year. Lots of cactus, not much sailing opportunity. :-)

[ ... ]

Nice enough -- and lots more choices than I grew up around --
until I moved back to the Washington DC area with my folks (I was with
my grandparents), and where my father kept his boat in a river just off
the Chesapeake. For many of the years, it was a Wianno Sr. (25' gaff
rigged wooden-hulled, centerboard sloop), and the last years it was a
fibreglass Gladiator Marconi rigged. The centerboard gave quite an
advantage during certain races, because the Chesapeake has a lot of
shallow areas. :-)

[ ... ]

Ive owned about 10 sailboats in the past 20 yrs.

Quite a fleet for an individual.

Like machinery..if you have a knack for looking..you can often find
them..and in some of the damnest places.

Currently I own a AMF Force 5 (13' mostly single hander), a mid 1970s
Esenada 20 and a '78 Hobi 16 and 3 windsurfers.

Hmm ...

Im giving the Hobi away to a friend to putter with. He has been storing
the Ensenada 20 for the past 12 or so years...he wanted to buy it..but
never put in in the water. So I told him if he wanted the Hobi..put
tires on it, drag the Ensenada back to my place, and haull the Hobi
home. He agreed readily.

O.K.

I recently gave away a '78 Chrysler 15 fishing boat, to a guy in
Bakersfield.

Not exactly a sailboat. :-)

But it IS a boat G

https://picasaweb.google.com/1040422...atForSaleCHEAP

I rather miss my old Thistle (1308) which I sold some years ago, as I
wasnt racing anymore and was short of crew..and I wanted someone to
enjoy it.

And a crew is really necessary except for minimum wind
conditions. I was accustomed to being crew. :-)

Ayup. Over 12 knots there about..one man in a Thistle is utterly
screwed..and probably wet when she goes over.

Since the other half left..taking a huge chunk of my expenses with her
G last month,

Hmm ... sort mixed feelings, I guess, since she took the
expenses with her. :-) It all depends on how much you miss her now that
she is gone.

Im getting over it. Came as quite a shock..but I should have seen it
coming. Good days..and bad days. Like a death. Shrug. I was only
married to her for 38 yrs, off and on..mostly on. Last time she
ran..2001 or there abouts..I told her she would never be allowed back if
it happened again. And I do keep my word. She had serious medical
issues..and Ive cared for her for 10 yrs. Now that she decided she didnt
like living in a small town, and refused to work..wanted me to provide
everything on her terms..and left when I couldnt give her enough of
what she wanted..money and entertainment..shrug... its forever done.

I do honestly love her..but I cant provide life to her specs. So she
now gets to live with her son and daughter in law, two grand children,
in a basement apartment in Utah. All on the sons Social Security and the
daughter in laws welfare.Good luck on that.

She called and asked to be paid $200 a month until she could find a job
or get Social Security...and I told her Id think about it. And I
certainly did think about it. For an entire 100 nanoseconds. And the
answer is....no.

Shrug.

Now I have to get used to being by myself again, its not the first time.
Shrug again.

But..sigh...I do have good days..and bad days. And when she calls ..Ive
had to simply not answer..let them go to the voice mail. Ive zero
interest in talking to her any longer. I hope the feelings dont turn to
hate for her. Really. So now that she is gone....I try to keep her out
of my mind. Ill probably wind up hating her though, after some thought.
Which isnt all bad.

Im going to have to make some tough decisions. Doing
what Im doing..fixing machinery..hasnt been particularly lucrative for
the past 3 yrs...Californa manufacturing is..dying..Im probably going to
have to shut down my company and go to work for some oil industry
related firm, so Ill be home a lot more and will be able to use my toys
a lot more.

Good luck with that.

Still havent decided what to do yet..but Im going to have to do
something before the first of the year..or before. And frankly..after
working in LA for the past 12-14 yrs..driving down on Mondays or
Tuesdays..and coming home Fridays...Im getting damned tired of it.
It cost me a marraige in part...shrug...

It is a killer of a schedule, for sure.

160 miles each way..tends to wear out vehicles, eat up money for service
and fuel and tires...320 miles a week just to get to work. And at the
price of fuel/registration/parts etc etc....Its almost more than I can
afford. Not having very many customers anymore doesnt help either...10
went out of business..7 have left the state for friendlier climes.

Anyways..I went out to Buena Vista Lake this afternoon for Labor
Day..took a couple friends with me...no one had a sail boat out there.
Which surprised me. Perhaps sailing isnt as popular as it was once,
around here.

They would rather burn up gasoline?

Evidently so. Or they dont have the money to fix up the boats..and the
sit rotting in back yards.

Gunner, about half done fixing up his '61 Royal Enfield/Indian
motorcycle.

Good Luck,
DoN.

--
"The danger to America is not Barack Obama but a citizenry
capable of entrusting a man like him with the Presidency.
It will be far easier to limit and undo the follies of an
Obama presidency than to restore the necessary common sense
and good judgment to a depraved electorate willing to have
such a man for their? president.. Blaming the prince of the
fools should not blind anyone to the vast confederacy of
fools that made him their prince".