Any other sailors here?

[Gringo]

We moved from the USA to the Turks and Caicos Islands seven years ago, with the intention of making these islands a base from which to sail a cruising catamaran. Things, situations, and times change. It took us all this time to get established, build a house, and buy the catamaran. We done that.

And in the process we bought an Airstream and some property in the Rockies.

Now, the modified plan is for us to spend three or four months a year in the Airstream (hurricane season) and the rest of the year essentially sailing. I am curious as to whether any of you other AS folks are doing anything similar to that?

[SteveH]

Nothing like what you are doing, but for years I was into streetrods, and having given that up a while ago, I decided I would try sailing. I've been a trailer/lake sailor now for a year or so, and of course still learning.

I am happy that to date, I've not turned it over, or seriously hurt anyone. I'm sailing a 17' Siren, and a 23' Precision, mostly on Canyon Lake, TX.

[DanB]

As a "working class" guy, we had to choose between boating or camping. Airstreaming won, and we haven't regreted the decision one bit.

My son races big boats competively, so the skills have been handed down. And it's on the best kind of boat - somebody elses!

I still have the Hobie in the backyard calling out occasionaly. Great boat for Lake erie.

Still thinking a Zodiak or Hobie sailing kayak would fit nicely on top of the Suburban....

[Kosm1o]

Currently own a J80 and race in Lake Erie. Sailing is my passion. Camping is my wifes passion and the Airstream was sort of quid pro quo. But now that she got me into it , I have to say I am thoroughly enjoying our trips. And camping, btw, is far cheaper than owning and racing a boat. So in a couple of years, I'll give up the racing and spend more time camping.

[AdamFL]

I did for a number of years on a CSY 44 bumping between FL and South America. Your location there saves you a good part of the upwind slog to the Eastern Carib. Know your boat, have good tools and spares. Most people either get off the boat in Hurricane season as you mention, or sit around in South America waiting for November. Venezuela used to be a good place to haul out and store the boat. Not sure what the situation is now. Either way it is a lot of fun, but you need to be pretty self sufficient on a variety of fronts.

[Gringo]

My career was all on and under the ocean. I'm okay with the boat part. We just did a thousand mile shakedown cruise to get the old cat back to the islands. After that, the systems on an Airstream are delightfully simple.

And I doubt you could physically get further than a days drive from help while in a trailer. In a boat....it's a whole different game.

We like them both. What we don't like, is living in a house. We might have been nomads in a previous life.

[Gringo]

Originally Posted by DanB

As a "working class" guy, we had to choose between boating or camping. Airstreaming won, and we haven't regreted the decision one bit.

My son races big boats competively, so the skills have been handed down. And it's on the best kind of boat - somebody elses!

I still have the Hobie in the backyard calling out occasionaly. Great boat for Lake erie.

Still thinking a Zodiak or Hobie sailing kayak would fit nicely on top of the Suburban....

Check out the Hobie Tandem Island.

[DanB]

The Tandem cost more than my first Airstream! And it's plastic!

[Smartstream]

I bought my first sailboat in 1973, remember the fuel embargo. Started with a Santana 21, moved to a Newport 30 and in 1980 to a Peterson 44. We lived on the Peterson for ten years in Los Angeles, probably the single most important factor in maintaining our sanity.

The biggest problem today is fining time to enjoy these hobbies.

Cheers, Dan

[bolerama]

We bought a Hobie Tandem Island this year and absolutely love it... I can easily get it on the Jeep with a Thule Goal post on my front receiver hitch and tow the Airstream

Also here is a video of someone sailing a Tandem Island around Turks and Caicos. I'm very jealous..

Hobie Tandem Island Kayak Sailing on the Caicos Banks, Turks and Caicos Islands - YouTube

Paul

[DanB]

My previous response was probably overly harsh. I'd love to have a Tandem, they have some amazing engineering going on. I just wish the price point was less.

[Gringo]

Originally Posted by bolerama

We bought a Hobie Tandem Island this year and absolutely love it... I can easily get it on the Jeep with a Thule Goal post on my front receiver hitch and tow the Airstream

Also here is a video of someone sailing a Tandem Island around Turks and Caicos. I'm very jealous..

Paul

Hey! that's my tandem island...along with my wife, my dog, and 'my' island!!
As far as we know, it's the only one in this country.

And you have one with your Airstream, now WE'RE jealous. We were looking at Horsetooth Resovoir just last week thinking how much we wished we had the Hobie with us.

We're thinking seriously thinking of shipping the old i14T inflatable Hobie up to the US, but as you know, once you've sailed the Tandem Island everything else is pretty lame. We love that boat.

Hows the front receiver hitch working out?

[La Gringa]

Originally Posted by bolerama

We bought a Hobie Tandem Island this year and absolutely love it... I can easily get it on the Jeep with a Thule Goal post on my front receiver hitch and tow the Airstream

Also here is a video of someone sailing a Tandem Island around Turks and Caicos. I'm very jealous..

Paul

Hey! I have a shirt just like that!

[bolerama]

Originally Posted by Gringo

Hey! that's my tandem island...along with my wife, my dog, and 'my' island!!
As far as we know, it's the only one in this country.

And you have one with your Airstream, now WE'RE jealous. We were looking at Horsetooth Resovoir just last week thinking how much we wished we had the Hobie with us.

We're thinking seriously thinking of shipping the old i14T inflatable Hobie up to the US, but as you know, once you've sailed the Tandem Island everything else is pretty lame. We love that boat.

Hows the front receiver hitch working out?

The front receiver hitch works out well.. Loading the Island is easy. I just drop the Thule goal post down to it's lowest setting and lift one end of the Island on to it. Then I push the Island on to my roof rack (which has Hobie tandem cradles attached to them) and adjust the goal post up to it's required height. It can be a one person procedure if needed.
We also bring our dogs...They don't like it when it gets choppy..

Paul

[Gringo]

Thats encouraging. We dream of a second TI kept with the trailer. Our problem there is storage. We'd have to come up with some way of storing it inside the trailer.

Our little dog loves the TI. of course he's very accustomed to boats since he's been riding along with us since he was literally a pup. We don't even have to tell him to move to the windward tramp when we tack. He does it automatically.

I think La Gringa has posted some video of us sailing it in 20 knots somewhere on youtube. We take a few wraps on the mast to reef it a bit when we're seeing that kind of wind speed, but the boat handles it well. We've hit 11 knots of boat speed a couple of time, and ten knots a lot of times. That really feels fast when your rear end is that close to the water.

[Eagleye]

You are pulling on our heart strings! Had a 27' Bristol in the Chesapeake for several years. Bought a farm and a house on Cat Island in the Bahamas, want to sell the farm, get an Airstream, live on the Eastern Shore with a 32' or so. Will see how the real estate moves, time to dream!

[rodsterinfl]

Yes, I enjoy sailing but have no outlet for the "hobby" now. I owned a 16' racing Hobie and sailed the neighbor's 39' Island Packet around our area. Also sailed in the Mediterrainean one summer on a catamaran. That is about the extent of it. I really enjoy those pics. I would love having a sailing craft too but can only afford one hobby and right now that is my aluminum baby.

[Del Gurney]

Here's a pic of my former 1974 Hobie 14 that I spent all last winter scavenging parts for on craigslist.....hulls/tramp/rudders from some guys back yard.....mast and boom tackle from the Marine Exchange (bone yard), main, jib, halyards some guy s. Seattle. 100% original boat that Hobie stopped making late '70. Had it out once and barely got my money out of it!! But the guy who bought it loves it.

[Condoluminum]

Another sailor now boatless... I started in Beetle Cats and Sunfish racing at YC in Rhode Island as teenager, and we bought MacGregor 22' on trailer in San Francisco area in mid-80's.. Sailed in Lake Tahoe, Sacramento Delta, Clear Lake and the Bay.. Did some racing, but never won much.. Gradually kids grew up and uninterested, and wife uninterested, and friend/sailing buddy moved away, so sold it around time we bought Airstream.. Tried to replace with Sunfish 3 years ago, but still too much of a challenge to launch and sail completely solo.. Now content to sail on "Friend Boats", as we did off San Francisco Waterfront during America's Cup World Series in August...

[Gringo]

We're thinking equal proportions might work for us. Four months sailing, four months in the 27FB, and four months in the house here.