Today’s my Birthday (49)

Last night I left an email response to a Craigslist ad posted by a Steve in Oakland who had a sail that no longer fits his boat because he changed masts. He wanted to pass it along for just $15! That would be a fine replacement for my mainsail that the previous owner left out rotting on the foredeck. Luckily I hadn’t missed out, and Steve called about 10 am and we set up an appointment in Alameda, CA, which is about an hour’s drive north.

I met Steve at 1pm in Alameda at Gate 7 next to Svendsen’s Marine boat yard. It looks like a nice sail, fully battened with that Mylar plus reinforced Dacron thread making it resemble postal tape. It has a small rip in the foot where the rope is but Steve said it wouldn’t be hard to fix. He said his boat is a 1960 vintage and I didn’t recognize the maker, but he’d changed out the mast and this sail became a leftover. He mentioned he himself bought it (used) a few years ago for $300, but now it was just taking up space, and he didn’t want to see it become a dropcloth.

 Those battens are long, at least 10 feet and the fiberglass strands left me itching all afternoon. I better take some 400 grit sandpaper to them!

Steve asked about my boat and when I described the condition of the Nor’sea he asked if the guy gave it to me. I wish!  As it was I overpaid by a few thousand. Between the water damage and frozen engine, I think my boat’s condition isn’t that different than Talofa Lee, which sank at her berth and was written off by the insurance company and sold for just a couple thou – except Talofa came with nice sails!

Steve mentioned a lot of folks are walking away from their boats, houses, too he said, but boats are easier to abandon.

I agreed and mentioned I have been looking for a Yanmar but found that they are about half the price if they come with a boat.  There was, for example an Ericson 27 listed in Craigslist – Sausalito for $2500 that had a freshwater Yanmar 2GM-20F, self tailing winches and probably sails. That could make a good Frankenstein for a dismasted Norsea!  I emailed right away, but there was no response.

I walked our dog around the docks and we found a green hull Norsea 27 in slip #.  It had a furling jib and no name on the side. The home port, san Francisco was just visible. I could read the boat’s hull number and goings it wasn’t listed in the database, which was kind of exciting. I took several pictures if this boat, a Flicka I found in the grand Marina with synthetic rope data ding rigging and a couple other boats with neat teak decks.