I only planned on buying 1, now I actually own not 2 but 3 all in the span of one week.
Here's how it all went down. Tuesday I jetted down south heading towards Stuart to look at a 28' Lancer. 10,999 it was ready to cruise, Yanmar and a dingy that had a 5 horse auto pilot, all the bells and whistles. Well on the way I decided to crash over at a (John) house in Cocoa. We played guitar well into the night and I asked John if hje wanted to take a trip down to Stuart, and he said that he was waiting on this guy to come up from Miami to look at his boat. He had just put it on the market. Well I told him to show me the boat, well low and behold it was a Cobia with a 70 HP Johnson Ski's and a trailer. He wanted 2K for it. We took it out for a spin and now the boat is mine.
Never got an opportunity to even look at the lancer as David a friend I took down who happens to be an alcoholic decided to play his obnoxious card to the point I had to take him back to his tent in the woods. I took off Thursday to upgrade the cobia, I managed to purchase to brand new
seats and the swivel stands for just $80, bought the book on the engine and boot oil, etc etc etc...
Friday comes along and I drug up another friend of mine up to look at a couple guitars I say at the pawn shop on the other side of town while looking for a cheap wake board, and a camper for my buddy David to live in. The camper was joke, but the guitars were a hit, I managed to pick up a Gibson and a Fullerton for $150.
Well we go and eat lunch and I happen to lose the local trader paper, so I hit one of the convenient stores to find that the latest sailboat mag is out. I call about a couple of Hobbies that wind up being gone. I can’t remember who was it that said it but my mind set went from being focused on finding a boat to live aboard and one day take to the blue, to a boat that will help me shrink my learning curve, at 38 I have a lot of time to make up, and trying to learn on a big boat came across to me as someone trying to learn on a surfboard that was too small for them, the way I figured it would only stunt my growth, and at this point that is the last thing I needed. So my focus after all the research I put into my new Journey was diverted to looking for a small sail boat.
And there it was a perfect mirage in the midst of the desert of indecision. I call up Mike who placed the add in the boat, and he starts running off a list of things he had done to the boat, it was a list that would have made Saint Nick proud. He had it advertised for $2,700, being in West Palm Beach I asked him to make me an offer on the price I couldn't refuse and I would jet down there that night. This was about 4:30 PM. He said he would knock $400 off the price since there was no motor (Mike did however install a motor mount on the transom).
I told Mike that I would be home in about 1/2 hour, and then I would immediately head down his way. Well while at the house I decided to browse through the mag to see what other boats had appeared on the
radar, called Denise up on a boat I had already forgotten about and she said it was sold and told her about the Mirage and she said it was a fast boat. That had me even more stoked. Well browsing through the mag even further I came across the Tartan for $3,200. Basel answers the phone and tells me to come down and take a look, I get down there and notice that the boat had a 9 HP outboard engine. that was just what the doctor ordered for the mirage which happens to be a flat bottom boat, looking forward to see how fast it goes with the motor.
Well after scanning the boat and noticing it had a 300 battery, a generator, Motor, sails and
rigging in running order, a hull that had just been repainted in August, a gas
stove, slip paid for the month in the most perfect location I could have ever dreamed of for the money, I offered Basel $2,500 he accepted I gave him the cash and was on my way down to Stuart for the night.
The next morning I get to Mikes house and low and behold our resident fireman had painted her fire engine red. It shiny, he did a good job, bottom had a fresh coat, the top had a fresh coat, the boat was clean and looked like it was brand new. Upholstery was in fair condition. He showed me how to raise the mast, and while talking to him it was obvious that he did not want to part with her. But between his stump grinding business, two boys, and another sailboat he was restoring he had to let her go. The boat is simply a dream IMO. I will have to show some pics soon...
Well anyway that is how I became the possessor of 3 boats in all of a span of 3 days. Now I can take the girls sailing, fishing and skiing. Salt Life~!! I am looking forward to working on the Tartan, yesterday I went over there and cleaned off the deck, took the generator and motor off the boat. I am putting the generator in the garage, and the motor on the mirage this week while taking the sailing lessons. I cleared off the deck of all the unessential items, wrapped the rope up in a circle that was on the dock, that was a moment for me. I plan on running a tight ship. I am hoping that sailing will help instill in me the discipline necessary to shore up the reactor leak in my brain that has my energy bleeding out in every direction, I am looking forward to this experienced in the hopes it will get me on a position to where I am more focused on my objectives. I am sick of my scattered brain existence, I have far too many things going on at once, time to slow the gear down to a complete stop, in the hopes I can manage my energy into a potent laser on my objectives, rather than the watered down approach I tend to have in general.
On the way back to Jacksonville on A1A yesterday evening I happened to see one of the redest skies to memory, I pulled off to the side of the road and enjoyed the spectacular view Guana that was an excellent setting, it was truly a delight. Rant off...
Look's like I am a Tartan Man~!!
Linear Mode
