Show us your yachts/boats & tell us about you (part two)

Here is our '83 46' Ocean SS in Chicago...

With all the traffic we have, I thought more people would have responded. Thankfully, there's a few of us that have a sense of community. Here's a list dating back to the turn of the century...

TENDERS:

1974 16’ Donzi Sport
1975 18’ Donzi 2+3
1982 21’ Shadow
1984 21' Shadow
1977 27’ Magnum
1986 24’ Skater
1996 28’ Skater
1991 25' Powerplay

YACHTS: (some family owned):

1952 81’ Air-Sea-Rescue Conversion Yacht
1947 46’ Chris-Craft
1969 65’ Chris-Craft
1974 58’ Chris-Craft Roamer
1967 57’ Chris-Craft Constellation
1986 36’ Trojan Sportfish
1992 38’ Ocean Sportfish
1988 45’ Hatteras Sportfish
1974 57’ Hatteras Motoryacht
1982 72’ Broward

ME:

A hydrodynamic engineer specializing in water-jet propulsion and high speed stabilization. Pioneering research in the areas of; dual stage axial flow water jet pumps, intake gullet enlargement/reduction systems, variable geometry venturis, surface piercing jet pump drives, deployable hydrofoils, super-cavitating hydrofoils, ventilated hull designs and waterborne surface effect vehicles. Extended and associated work included; research in the areas of reflex impellor and stator technology, high speed stabilization appendages and self-sustained propulsion systems. I remain a consultant to several major defense and transportation manufacturers.

I grew up on the docks of Bahia Mar. Dick Bertram and Frank Denison were friends of the family. They helped guide me toward Naval architecture, but I was more interested in sub-surface development. A long story, shortened... I've written for several marine publications since then and I was the managing editor of one of them. I was preparing to publish a boating magazine when I realized a better way... the net.

Captain John S. Keller here:

My brother and I are currently shopping for a used boat to co-own between 37'-48' now that I am retired. I have been a Great Lakes Pilot for over 30 years, and worked on every kind of vessel imaginable from 10' to a 1,000', and played aboard even many more. We are both avid Roamer fans by the way as we both have worked mostly on steel hulled vessels while in the Merchant Marine.

I am also an author of four books that can be purchased online at Booksurge.com under the pen name of Dunkin. And one of the books was actually writen for first time boat owners, and has much to lend itself to long time boat owners as well as it is writen in a satorical voice. Two of my books are poetry books (One of those is Love Poems, and makes a great gift), and one is a Fantasy novel: If you are into dragons, and wizardry, and King Arthur mythology check it out.

When the boat is laid up for the winter I enjoy flying, and model trains, and talking to other boaters on the internet, when not writing.

Sylvain here from Ft-Lauderdale

My wife and I own 2 boats, a Wellcraft Coastal 2800 and an Endeavour 42 on which we live along 15th street. I was always into boating but it only got serious when I moved to Bermuda almost 10 years ago (from Montreal). Now, boating is all we think about and spend our free time doing.

Brian from Plano, TX. We are down to one boat (46' Maxum) after selling the Chaparral 23 last year. We don't have the deep blue water, but we have a very active boating community on our local lakes.

Former life was an F-15 pilot in the USAF, now a Captain for a major airline. Wife is retired Air Force and now teaching. We have two boys - a freshman and sophmore at Texas A&M University.

We have our retirement property in Sunset Beach, NC and plan to head there after the government makes me hang up my spurs in about 11 years.

Anyway--a boating family from the Dallas-Ft. Worth area if ya'll get down this way.

A change of life

No up to date photo's since we have completely re-fitted

By
Ian & Carol Graves
We are the average couple but with a big dream, “sailing forever”.
To explain our dream I have to take you back in time somewhat.
I, a stroppy Englishman left for Africa in 1969 age 11 and arrived on a glorious sunny day at Jan Smuts airport Johannesburg South Africa. South Africa was a Country in which, a veneer of welcome conceled a feeling of intense dislike for all things English. After fighting my way through this life we move to Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). What a difference a few miles makes! We where made very welcome became a part of the community and respected.

Well I joined the Rhodesian army to fight the tyrant communists, needless to say war wasn’t all it’s cracked up to be and I was seriously effected by this one. Near the end of my service I met and married a wonderful lady called Carol who has been my partner for 25 years now and may I say stopped me from going insane. From our endeavors we managed to birth and raise two young men Bradly and Jason.

Now through all the trials and tribulations, war, young parenthood and losing all we had when leaving Rhodesia we had a dream of seeing the world. Me I had a dream of owning my own boat, and seeing these countries from its deck. My wife didn’t quite share my dreamed up method of transport as she suffers from a malaise whilst traveling on any form of propulsion, and one that rolls around just wasn’t on. So our dream remained just that, “a dream”.

We quit South Africa in 1995, as we are very cynical about our 3rd world brethrens ability to manage any type of enterprise never mind a whole country. Examples north hastened our departure.

We arrived in UK and since 1995 our efforts have born the fruits of comfortable living. Our eldest son has joined the British army (my influence, I am not as proud of as I should be since Iraq) and our youngest is in College. So we where routing through some old papers and found a list of future ambitions we made together in our 20’s, lo and behold we had achieved most but not the boat. To my immense surprise my wife pushed and shoved through encouragement and nagging and now we own a boat “Ucinga” (history and picture at www.ucinga.com).

Ucinga a 37.5-foot motor sailor design based on the William Garden “Truant class” was lying neglected in Hout Bay, Cape Town. Now she is almost ready for the greatest adventure of our lives and is waiting for us to move on board after the sale of our house.
So watch our web page and if this is published by this web site keep popping in for updates and pictures from all over.
Ian & Carol
M/s/v Ucinga

"Tin Tonic"

My little 1967 Chris-Craft Roamer Riviera 37' (it does have a pretty long model name though, eh?) and me - beached this summer off the Potomac River at Pomonkey Creek - a popular hangout for local layabouts.
Designed by Dick Avery (CC's chief stylist 1962-82) - she's aluminum-hulled, and now powered by "hi-po" 454s (vs. the stock 327Fs).
Fairly well-restored by yours truly, her factory mahogany interior reguarly "restores" our faith and lowers the blood pressure of our numerous sailing compadres. Heck, we can even wake-board out back now!
What did Fexas say about the ideal-sized "yacht"?
See the whole thing here: www.geocities.com/tin_tonic

This is a pic from the Ft. Lauderdale Christmas Boat parade. This is what I do... when I'm not on the computer! Actually, the transmitter in my hand *IS* a computer... with a more powerful processor than an original IBM PC!

Here is my 320 Voyager

This shot was taken last summer on the British Columbia coast, north of Pender Harbour.

We cruise the south coast of BC from April through September although many people here cruise all year.

The Carver is my 3rd boat. I previously owned a 24 Rampage and a Phoenix Blackhawk. I hope to step-up to sedan in the 40 foot size range next year.

I am in the marine business. We operate a full service wholesale distribution company serving all of Canada.

SO your the guy I heard about landing a RC chopper on the front deck of steve's(OSO) cigarette about this time last year in intercoastal ... LOL that's great

I am guessing it was him then. Some of the toledo crew was down their and idling along side steve and said the way this guy controled it was just plane insane. Came down on the deck like a feather, you have to know your good and have cahonies of steel to pull that off.