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Hello!! Saling newbies from Kentucky!!

9K views 125 replies 13 participants last post by  Lou452 
#1 ·
Hi All - finally made it on here to introduce ourselves. We are new sailboat owners, and newbies to sailing. We are retired and very excited to start this new and exciting adventure.

My husband and I hope to learn everything we need to know in the next two years and then head down the Tenn River, etc and down to Apalachicola, Fl. Maybe further South at some point. But at least to that point and we will be fine.

I've enjoyed reading the forum and have already learned a lot. Thanks to all of you great contributors! We've already removed our marine head and holding tank and sanitation hoses and have ordered an Airhead Composting toilet. Can't wait to get that installed.

Other than that, this winter we are just using the boat like a floating hotel and chilling. We've already winterized, but we are at a marina, and have shore power, so all is good.

See ya and look forward to becoming part of the Community!
 
#3 ·
Good morning, bljones and thank you for the welcome aboard!

Our boat is a 1977 Columbia 8.7. She has an Atomic 4 engine that runs very smoothly. We may at some point go all electric, but, at this point we are keeping the engine. We will be adding solar panels in the future.

She has a beautiful interior and, after I can post pics, I'll do so. She has been well maintained. We've spent a couple of nights on the boat and are looking forward to many more.

Right now we are trying to figure out where everything goes. And, what do we really need. Outfitting the galley, etc has been fun. We have a 2 burner Origio stove that has never been used, and we are looking forward to learning how to cook on a boat with this style of stove.

Sea ya!
 
#4 ·
Welcome. It is so nice to see a new member from Ky. You must have had a cool night if you were on the boat. It must be fun to have a plan and a dream. KY is big on pontoon and bass boats. The price of gas is getting a few folks to look at sailboats. Looks like you will not be limited by how much fuel is in the tank. You will enjoy how much more there is to a sailboat. The choices you can make about how to set them up so the boat fits you. You are already deep in the setting up department. I will guess you are at LBL in the west? I am at Cave Run Lake. I am also kind of new. We have a club CRSA with a nice web sight for activitys. The club has a web sight but it is not an active posting form like sailnet. The members a very helpfull. Cliff has a Catalina 30 or 34 ? over on kentucky lake. He is an ASA instructor. I have a Cattalina-22 and an Flying Junior. Both my boats are on trailers. Merry Christmas. My kind Regards, Lou
 
#5 ·
Hi Lou and thanks for the welcome! And from a fellow Kentuckian! Woo! Pretty nippy right now, eh? We are not on the boat right now, too close to Christmas, but, we did spend two nights after Thanksgiving and I think the temp got down to 28. We have a little electric heater that keeps the salon very warm. The v-berth was a little cool, but, we like that, so all was good. Plus I slept in a stocking cap, I was fine.

Where is Cave Run Lake exactly? We've done boating over on Barren Lake and Dale Hollow. We love Dale Hollow and would move over there in a flash, if we didn't want to move down to Florida. LOL

What is a Flying Junior? Is it a sailboat?

Merry Christmas. Best wishes!
 
#29 ·
I spent a week on Dale Hallow for spring break, must have been 1979 or so (I was in Jr High School) but did not sail, just rented a skiff and spent the week fishing with a friend and his father. Nice place. I used to have a house boat on the Ohio, and I grew up in Cincinnati.
 
#6 ·
Hey Magnolia , Cave Run is Off I-64 Near Morehead ,KY. It is the better lake for sailing in East KY. It does have the twin Knobs and a lot of cliffs. This makes for some interesting wind shifts. The rest of the lakes Laural, Cumberland have more motor boat traffic and large high cliffs in many areas. The Cave run sailing club has some nice pictures on the web sight. I am not sure of all the ww/ stuff but this should get you close cave run sailing www CRSA . org ? My FJ is a 13ft dingy that has a main,jib and spinnaker. It is old and I am working on it. It sets up faster than my Catalina-22 and will fit in the very small lakes minutes from me. I am using the FJ and the Catalina to learn. You can find a lot of pictures and history on the FJ. I had a Sunfish for the small lakes and miss it. I am going to look up your boat on the internet. Boats are so much fun. They build them for so many different types of use. How you adapt a boat to fit your needs is the best part. Did you find yours in KY.? Take care ,Lou
 
#7 ·
Hi Lou, yes, I know where you are now. I was drawing a blank, very pretty area up that way. Thanks for the CRSA website, I will check it out.

We are looking forward to making the boat ours. She is coming along in the short time we've had her. Our new Airhead composting toilet came in yesterday, so we are looking forward to getting it installed. We've been buying storage bins, etc. We missed the window on getting all of our storage lockers painted, will have to wait until the spring now.

We did buy our boat here. In fact, she was in the same slip we are in now. So that made it an easy transition for us. We moved her to the boat yard during our survey, then had the bottom sanded and repainted with anti-fouling paint. Now we just wish it was spring so we can learn how to sail. ;)

Happy day!
 
#11 ·
Hi imasaluki! Are you ready for the snow? Heard you are to get around 3". We are not expecting anything our way as we are too far south. We live about 30 miles to the Tenn border.

Good luck to you and your sailing, as well. Once we get settled in the boat good, then this winter we'll really start studying the books, working on our knots, etc. Yay!!

Happy Holidays!
 
#15 ·
Greetings from Kentucky as well. Really new to sailing myself, have a lot to learn and really looking forward to it. Cave Run will be my sailing grounds as well. Dreaming big here but hoping to visit the east coast at least 2 times this year with a trip to the keys next January or February! We see how that goes. Tell us how did you get the sailing bug? Not sure where it comes from living in Ky but it sure does appeal to me. Ever been sailing on the ocean? Congrats on your new adventure!
 
#16 ·
IronSpinnaker go to college there? Spent many a day hunting around Cave Run Lake when I was in college at MSU. Have done quite a bit of Horseback riding there as well. Never did get out on the water the 4 years of college I was there. Hard to do when you are a brokeass with no money to buy a boat or any friends with one. Hunted lot out around what we called the Goose Ponds. Backside of lake we hunted primitive weapons area. Fished off the banks and spillway some.
 
#18 ·
Good morning, Kyhillbilly!! I am so glad there are so many of us here. And, all new to sailing. How fun!!

Kyhillbilly - you ask how we got into this, and if we have ever sailed on the ocean. Well, long story is...I've always wanted a boat, always, but, marriage, child, work, got in the way and we did other things. And while we went camping at lakes during the summer, or motor boated on friends boats, we never thought we would have one of our own.

We have taken many, many cruises in the Caribbean, and taken quite a few sailing charter trips. But, only as a paid customer, never to where we actually handled the boat/sails ourselves. There is nothing like being on the water. Nothing!

So, 2 yrs ago, my sil & bil bought a sailboat and have spent 2 years working on it, getting ready to head to the Caribbean and up & down & around, wherever they want to go, they'll go. This past Sept, or late Aug, I forget, they told us about a sailboat for sale, we finally looked at it in early Oct, had it surveyed and bought it Oct 15. So, thanks to them, we are now sailboat owners and have something to do during our retirement. That's our story and we are sticking to it! Ha!
 
#19 ·
Good for you two. Know what you mean about the draw to the water. Never could understand how me being from Eastern Ky I would have the sailing bug, its what dreams are made of! I have always been a daydreamer add sailing to the mix, its like throwing gasoline on a fire. Your in-laws are living my dream. Know what you are saying about life getting in the way. Gotta say the kids are worth it though. Job if didn't have to have one I wouldn't. Columbia 8.7, looks like you have a good boat. So what are your long term plans? Planning on taking her to the coast someday or learning the ropes and moving on to bigger things?
 
#21 ·
Kyhillbilly - our plans for the next 2 yrs are to hang around Lake Barkely, Ky Lake and the whole LBL area. Getting to know our boat, the lakes, etc. Then, possibly/hopefully, take her down the Tenn River, Tom Bigbee, Mobile, then over to Apalachicola area. That is where we want to retire. We'll see what the next 2 yrs brings. ; )

Imasaluki - I awoke "again" this morning to no snow. Which is ok I guess as they were also calling for some sleet. That I can do without. My thought is, if it is going to be so darn cold, at least let us have a little of the white stuff. Ha!
 
#24 ·
Kyhillbilly - our plans for the next 2 yrs are to hang around Lake Barkely, Ky Lake and the whole LBL area. Getting to know our boat, the lakes, etc. Then, possibly/hopefully, take her down the Tenn River, Tom Bigbee, Mobile, then over to Apalachicola area. That is where we want to retire. We'll see what the next 2 yrs brings. ; )
Magnolia,
My husband and I have recently purchased our first boat and will be sailing the same grounds as you (Kentucky Lake area) and have similar dreams of sailing further south. Our boat is at Lighthouse Landing but is pulled out for the winter. We are looking forward to the spring and setting sail!
 
#23 ·
At least the days are getting longer now. We are to get more snow tonight. I want to sail one time in the snow just to say I did that. Once will be more than enough. Look up Ernest Shackleton. I just go outside on a cold day and think about how blessed I am to sail in the sun in fair winds Regards Lou
 
#26 ·
Happy NYE!!!

Imasaluki - I guess you are in Florida now. Have fun soaking up the rays!! Bring some back for us. We are now into our Gray winter Ky days. Boo!

Lou - we went to the boat Sat/Sun and on Saturday it was snowing. It was very beautiful at the lake. We received no accumulation. Sunday morning the decks were covered in thick frost. Very treacherous when we were leaving.

layerst - Hi! We drove through Lighthouse Landing about a month ago. I loved seeing all of the sailboats there. Maybe, sometime in the summer, we can meet up and visit. Good luck to us both on our wishes to move south. ; )

ThirdCoastSailor - thanks for the welcome! How is your weather, warm? Yes, Ky to Fla does seem a bit off the beaten path, but, very doable. I already checked our clearance and we are good to go. Just have to get us and our boat ready. : )

Well, gang, we installed our new Airhead Composting toilet on Saturday. We had removed the old head, holding tank, sanitation hoses, etc about a month ago, so am thrilled not to have to go to the bath house any longer. Especially when the temp dropped to 21 on Sat night. Brrrr

Ta-ta
 
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