Sailing

After many years of dreaming and saving and chickening out . . . I have finally decided to get a sailboat and start sailing — again.

I say again because my first sailing experience was in high school and later in college. My oldest brother had an O’Day 22 that we sailed all over lake Sabine in Port Arthur. He loved that boat and I was always excited to get to sail with him. Later he bought two small boats — a 10 ft. catamaran and a 10 ft. monohull. I sailed the monohull on Taylor’s Bayou and had great fun. In college we only used the Lamar sailboats once. Lamar had several Lasers that students could use.

I always enjoyed sailing and wanted to sail but never committed the time or the money. Maybe it  is nostalgia, maybe it’s middle age crazy, or maybe it’s just time to sail.

Sailing Links

SailingTexas.com – A great source of information and listing of boats for sale.

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I searched Craigslist and sailingtexas.com for several months. After reading reviews of Catalinas, Hunters, Odays, MacGregors, Santanas and several others I finally decided on a Santana 21. But . . . the Santana was being held for another person to come and check it out. I was told that this other person was sure to purchase the boat.

I checked the web sites again and found a new listing for a MacGregor 21. I called about it and made an appointment to see it the next day.

It is a 1983 MacGregor 21, mostly standard/stock. It is in fair to good condition with a few repairs needed. The trailer was solid and the owner had the title in hand. After knocking around on the hull, stepping the mast and going over the boat for a serious hour I gave the man $900 and became a boat owner.

The MacGregor 21 is the first model that MacGregor built. It is the pefect trailer sailer weighing only 1175 pounds. It will sail in a foot of water and has a 400 pound swing keel that extends 5.5 feet. The sail area is 206 sq.ft. with a main of 115 sq.ft. and the jib of 95 sq.ft.

I’m looking forward to getting it out on the Lake Richland Chambers.