Greetings from a Newbie.

[ash]

Hi Andy

I see that you joined some time ago so a belated Hello. If you've been lurking then you'll have noticed that Silkie, the prolific poster and TAASC sails a Hurley22 so I've no doubt that you'll get plenty of good advice from that quarter, and maybe a wee taster of the joys of sailing a 22 if you ask nicely!

Ash

PS When I was 25, I had hopes of retiring at 55, but it doesn't seem very likely now unless the Lotto comes through.

[Silkie]

Welcome aboard Andy. You are clearly a man of good taste and refined sensibilities so you should fit right in here. I take it you'll have come across the Yahoo Hurley group and Oscar Vermeulen's site. The new HOA site isn't up to much yet though I'm afraid.

How much sailing have you done?

[claymore]

I'd be careful before buying a Hurley - you need a liver that an Ox would be proud of.

[claymore]

Oh you'll be fine company for the Pope - that's one of Silkie's nom de foams by the way - he likes to tread water on occasion.

[DaveS]

I would simply echo others' welcomes.

Three weeks at a time on the West Coast could give some really great trips!

I think your choice of starting boats is eminently sensible. I'm fed up with the letters and posts you see elsewhere along the lines of "what would be the best 36 footer for a first boat? Oh, and we want to buy new of course."

Re. retiring before 50: I take it you do know that from 2010 it won't be possible to draw pension before 55?

FWIW for many years I planned to retire at 55, then earlier this year I was made redundant / took early retirement at 54

Grand stuff the Lagavulin - particularly when its cauld.

[Silkie]

Did I mention I like Lagavulin?

I think a berth just became available on the good ship Silkie.

[Silkie]

You'll be very welcome with or without the water of life.

[ash]

My ideal yacht, one which I've long hankered for is a Twister, but at current prices it might have to wait a while.

If you can't afford a Twister - then look at the Vega - similar (folkboat) inspiration but relatively cheap for a 27 footer, and lots around the Clyde.

Ash

PS - Of course I'm not biased

[ash]

I couldn't find this link during my last post.

Click Here, then click on Yachts, then enter Vega as Text and Class ID as Field.

Thesed are just the Vegas involved in racing on the Clyde.

Not that I'm involved in racing, or even on the Clyde for that matter

Ash

[Silkie]

Beginning of April is the target in order to get a wee shakedown sail prior to the Chentleman's Cruise which is the first weekend in May IIRC.

[ash]

Sorry, Ash, but the link isn't working for me.

Jings - You're too quick for my two (one at any one time) typing. I've changed the link, and made it more long winded - but it works.

See Vega Website

and Nick and Kathy 's travels in their Vega

for more info.

Hey - mention bottles of malt and get lots of responses. TAASC - an incentive if the forum goes quiet ?

Ash

[Silkie]

we're about to heave-to off Fetlar for the night while we wait for the weather to abate.

Now there's a sign-off you don't hear as often as you should on a sailing forum.

[ash]

How do you get around the prop being beyond the rudder, other than through careful planning?

Planning doesn't come into it - she does what she likes - same as any other female.

Marina maneuvers aren't her strong point - between long keel, angled prop shaft, mechanically feathered prop as origional, prop behind the rudder so no prop wash.

Try to do everything whilst continously moving forward if possible. Reverse at a fair speed to get some effect from the rudder and go where she wants rather than fighting her.

This is my exit stategy from my berth



Anyway - who cares - she is a sail boat after all - and a good one at that.

Ash

[ash]

My ideal yacht, one which I've long hankered for is a Twister, but at current prices it might have to wait a while.

SWMBO and landed up at Euroyachts version of the second hand boat show at Largs by mistake - honestly.

Some family commitment stopped us going up to the boat that weekend.

We decided to go for a walk along the front at Largs on the Sunday and walked to the marina - by intention - to find that it was the weekend of the S/H boat show.

The pontoon gates and all the boats up for sale were open, so we felt obliged to just have a look.

Anyway the point of the story is that there was a 1970 Twister ( all GRP from memory ) up for sale at £20,000. Knowing her reputation, I had to have a look, but have to say we were both disappointed at the cramped accommodation both inside and in the cockpit. We sail as a couple with occasional additional crew in the form of young grandchildren so we wouldn't be expecting a lot.

She doesn't appear on their on line brokerage so I assume that she sold.

Euroyachts do have an Achilles 24 for sale at Troon. See Here

I have no association with either Euroyachts or the Achilles. This disclaimer is placed so that the TAASC doesn't ban me.

Ash

[ash]

as we all know, yachts are a compromise.

Yes, and a very personal one.

We had a Leisure 17 for 3 seasons, and SWMBO and I were the nautical equivilant of tyre kickers.

When we half decided that we would buy something bigger, I realised that what we really needed to do was pick up keys and look inside as many makes of boat as possible to find something that suited us, ie SWMBO finds quarter berths and aft cabins (in an aft cockpit) too claustrophobic (Jings - I wish this forum had a spell checker), and I could manage without a dedicated chart table, etc. I could then read up about the performance and decide if she suited me from that point of view.

Ash

BTW - Where about on the North Sea are you? Google Earth wouldn't find Fetlar for me.