Hello From Kamloops, BC
 

Hi there,

I'm new both to sailing (recently heavily, and I believe incurably, addicted to sailing) and to this forum. I live a few hundred kilometres from the saltwater (hence the user name), but my wife and I both love exploring our coast with our kids. We recently became 1/3 owners of a rather crusty old 1968 New Horizons 26 moored in a large lake near here. It has been a wonderful way to get involved and learn to sail, but I have to admit, I'm already dreaming/looking for the "next" boat-- something that I won't mind investing elbow grease into!

Re: Hello From Kamloops, BC
 

Hi SaltFree

Welcome to sailing, the wife and I took up sailing this year ourselves. Can't wait for April to come so we can get the boat back in the water. We keep ours at a local yacht club. We can take it to lake Erie fairly easily when we are ready for larger water.
Which lake to you have your boat on and how do you like that lake. I'm asking as I'm from Merritt but live down here in Michigan now. But I/we do go back to visit my mother every 4-5 years. Take care and have many happy sailings.

Lawrence & Charlene

Re: Hello From Kamloops, BC
 

Welcome to SN... always nice to see more BCer's on the board.

Chartering the coast should be on your 'to do' list....

Re: Hello From Kamloops, BC
 

Welcome Saltfree, finding your next boat is always fun...Dock walking, poking about and such...good stuff.

Re: Hello From Kamloops, BC
 

The Kamloops & District Yacht Club has a decent facility on Shuswap Lake. We keep the boat moored there, have use of the KDYC wharf, the boat ramp, and can keep the boat onshore at the site so the mast can stay up over the winter. Shuswap Lake has plenty of space for exploration (not extremely wide, but very long lake, with four distinct arms) and has been very popular with houseboaters, but I will admit, the wind can be a little inconsistent/ non-existent during the summer months... at least that was the case this summer! I think Nicola Lake, right beside Merritt, actually has better wind, as does Kamloops Lake. Both those lakes are a little lacking in facilities for launching, mooring and recovering a bigger boat though.

Re: Hello From Kamloops, BC
 

It definitely is on my list... though I realize I`m jumping the gun when I say that I'm actually more interested in purchasing.... Yes, I do know what BOAT stands for, but I've seen a few enticing looking deals on day/weekend type boats in the 25 to 35 ft range... seems like 2 or 3 charters would be = money to buying a boat!

First on my list is actually more training and more experience, especially on saltwater, but there is this one boat that's been calling to me...:D

Actually I'm looking for the successor to our current boat, that I co-own with two other guys. It's been great fun and great for learning on, for very little money-- but it was pretty neglected by it's previous owner and I think it's well past the point of being worth the time or money for a proper restoration.

Re: Hello From Kamloops, BC
 

Saltfree

The only problem with sailing on Nicola lake is finding a spot to launch a larger boat. While it has been a few years since I was home, I seem to remember that there is only 3 or 4 spots to launch boats from along Hwy 5A. None that I remember had much room to launch a larger one especially one with a mast.

Lawrence