Monday, February 14, 2011

What Was Your First Boat?

I get asked a lot if Skylark was my first boat. The answer to that is no. When I lived in Virginia 10 years or so ago, I had a 1971 Coronado 27 on the lower Chesapeake Bay. She was a great boat that I bought from a guy in the Navy using her as a live-aboard while stationed in Norfolk. He kept it in great shape and had is set up nicely for single handing.
I had never sailed before so I had to find someone that would get me started. Fortunately, there was a retired sailor living in the marina that would go out any time for a cold beer or two. He taught me the basics and got me out there. For about 3 years, I learned everything I could and spent a lot of time on the water. The Coronado was a great starter and was quite forgiving. Made for a perfect Bay boat and would certainly do well down in the Keys. Tons of room below for a boat that size, she was very comfortable. If you are in the market for something in the 27 foot range, take a look.

So what was your first boat? Let me hear from all you out there.

8 comments:

  1. Ha! Mine is a Coronado 25, and you are right, it is a great learning boat!....Allan

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  2. My first boat was a 23 O'Day she was lots of fun & we had a great time learning to sail.

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  3. My first real boat was an early sixties Bristol Corinthian 19' on SF Bay. Great little Alberg designed full keel hull. Very forgiving and bulletproof.

    By the way, had a great sail last saturday on the Cal 34 on the Columbia River. Steady 10-15knot breeze. It was the first real sailing I've been able to get in with the new boat, and I have to say, I really love how she moves.

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  4. My first boat was a Laser. Then I sold my first Laser and bought a second Laser. Then I bought a third Laser. Then I bought a fourth Laser. Then I sold the third Laser. Then I gave the second Laser to my second son who later swapped if for some ice hockey gear with my first son. So I still have my fourth Laser and my first son has my second Laser. I'm thinking of buying a fifth Laser soon because you can never have too many Lasers.
    .

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  5. Our first boat,a freebie, was a Grampian 26. We didn't know anything about sailing, except that it looked like a blast. We read a book called "Learn to Sail in a Weekend" and headed out, only to promptly run aground. This was November on the Chesapeake, and we were seriously stuck. The only thing we could think to do, was to get in and push. So my partner, stripped down to his birthday suit, and pushed us off. As he was getting back in, a little fishing boat passing by got inadvertently mooned, but at that point we were laughing so hard, it was all we could do not to get stuck again. We were right- "sailing" was a blast and we were hooked.

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  6. Catalina 22, which we were on every day from May 1, 1981 till late Sept. After work sailing and fishing and getting stoned. What a great boat for us, bought it at the boat show in Seattle and took delivery May 1. We towed it to Fl and back then we moved to Me and them to Miami when we finally sold it about 91'. We loved that boat named Foolish Pleasure.

    Thanks for asking!

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  7. Our first boat was a fractional boat program with a 33' Hunter. We are now shopping for a Liveaboard. Nothing like the sailing life style and community.
    Doug and Tina

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  8. My first boat was Coronado. She was a great boat.

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