patrick.net

Onvacation says

Any other sailors out there?

I have several beer can races under my belt. As horsepower to crank these winches and weight to put on the high side. =))

Back in the day - nothing like being on the water, especially offshore. Freedom. Peace.

Not a sailor, but I'm in the Pacific Ocean every week surfing. The waves and weather have been great in California this past month. Beautiful sunrises and sunsets with offshore breezes keeping surface conditions smooth to go along with some big surf.

Anyway, we are over the hump. Days are now getting longer!

You know there are many people who have never been on a sailboat, let alone own one.
For this reason, I’m asking Bill Gates and Warren Buffet to fund my “sailing lives matter” yacht.
I will take the Riviera Beach single mothers (and soon to be single mothers) out sailing.
No children will go, it’s an insurance policy issue.
Because of ballast issues, huge females can’t go either.
Bikinis will be provided in case the poor dears don’t have them.

clambo says

Bikinis will be provided in case the poor dears don’t have them.

Why? If they want to run around naked I say let them.

Actually it's the longest day of the year. But the southern hemisphere gets to enjoy the extra light.

I have a friend in Santa Cruz who has sailed all over for years. He showed me a picture of his 'crew' when he was in South America sailing south from Rio. It was two very young girls in teensy thongs. Other pictures are of him naked on his boat.

I guess all kinds of people, including retirees on pensions, volunteer to crew on people's boats as crew just for the ride and the thrill without the ownership hassle.

Ceffer says

I guess all kinds of people, including retirees on pensions, volunteer to crew on people's boats as crew just for the ride and the thrill without the ownership hassle.

It's typical to help out with expenses when crewing on someone else's boat.

Onvacation says

Any other sailors out there?

I sailed some Hobie Cats when I was my 20s. Capsized every one of them trying to max speed. Capsized a keel boat as well on Lake Folsom, but not my fault as the buckle jammed when I was letting out sail. Girlfriend aboard dumped me right after that.

Boat flipper here too! <----

Tenpoundbass says

Actually it's the longest day of the year. But the southern hemisphere gets to enjoy the extra light.

Thanks @Tenpoundbass I did not know this.

https://explainingscience.org/2015/08/24/september-18-the-shortest-day/

Giant hydro foiling windsurfers seen in New Zealand!
https://www.youtube.com/embed/p7Yxu48s8FU

Sailing is the funnest thing to do outdoors, with the possible exception of surfing.
Anecdote herewith:
I went to a cool town in Mexico in 1981, Valle de Bravo.
It has a nice lake.
I went to some club and some guys had sailboats and one invited me to sail on the lake.
The boat was a J-24, from Rhode Island, among other cool sailboats on the lake.
I later wondered: “How much did the guy pay for transportation and the boat all the way to the middle of Mexico?”
I used to dream of getting a Hobie cat down to the Sea of Cortez and sail around and see the various islands there.

Full Moon Cruise

So jealous!

Recently I rented a 20’ sailboat on the bay in San Diego and sailed around with the family. Was fun for me and my son. My girls just complained. Bah! I haven’t had much sailing experience but I have the basics and got the boat to do more or less what I wanted.
Boring!
According to the girls.

We just back from SD. I've rented little sailboats at the Mission Bay aquatic center before but they were closed this year.

I have loved San Diego ever since I was working out of La Jolla Embassy Suites back in '96 and was able to rent a sailboard and putter around the bay in nothing but a pair of shorts on December 15.

"If you're on a boat throw away the clock.

If you're on a sailboat throw away the calendar."

Old Sailor Saying

Heading out.

Nice!

It is getting so hard to tell what is real. I just looked at all the cash in my bank and feel like splurging on my boat (always more projects). Is money in the bank going to be worth more than some blocks, pulleys, and a new sail? Which one is going to give me more pleasure?

I do know that I have worked hard from a young age. I have earned multiple degrees and certifications. I know trades and technology. I am as self sufficient as anyone else in this country who gives half his money in taxes to people; more self sufficient than many. I have saved for the future.

What good is a portfolio? What good is a house if the government can confiscate it at any time?

Lately I have been driving around a little and talking to old friends. A couple have retired because they could. Others put on their mask and go to work everyday because they have to. A few, including myself, do the best job they can communicating over zoom. They all feel that the covid reaction is a fraud. Not all of them believe that the election was. They just want to get back to "normal". Some are more than willing to take a shot of poison in the arm to do it.

I love(d) my job, I know I am helping people and enjoy (gaslighting myself here) the day to day tasks. I get paid well, have a LOT of time off, and a sense of accomplishment. I am lucky to be on a team that really care about the job and each other.

So what to do? I could retire and survive, especially if I moved out of Cali. I could suck it up and continue to work on the screen at all hours, further blurring the work/home boundaries, in the hope that this is temporary.

Or I could head over to the chandlery and spend a couple hundred bucks on some shiny new blocks that would let my jib sheets fly more freely and go sailing, putting all other decisions off until tomorrow.



I kind of like that idea.

If your lucky you will get 50,000 sunrises and sunsets in your life. Take advantage.

Onvacation says

So what to do? I could retire and survive, especially if I moved out of Cali. I could suck it up and continue to work on the screen at all hours, further blurring the work/home boundaries, in the hope that this is temporary.

Me too. I'm done if I want to be, and moving out of California would make it easy to never work again.

Still, I'm a bit worried that Biden will be as bad for my stocks as Trump was good. And the dollar could turn to shit. So I do nothing, for now.

Onvacation says

It's brave of you to fly the flag of freedom near San Francisco. They regard it as the enemy flag.

Patrick says

So I do nothing, for now.

I'm sitting on the boat with four of those new blocks. I didn't get to test them today but I can tell they're going to make my tacks and jibes smoother.

And back to the screen (work) when I get home.

Onvacation says

If your lucky you will get 50,000 sunrises and sunsets in your life. Take advantage.

I had a strategic spot in my last apartment but for the last 2 years I miss both. Was just thinking about that the other day: Maybe time to move.

Padmapper says: no.

Not much available and rents have risen.

Ready to go on a sunset cruise.

Onvacation says

Benioff's tower looks like a giant middle finger on this pic.

I think of it as the representation of his dick.

He probably does too.

FuckCCP89 says

Onvacation says

Benioff's tower looks like a giant middle finger on this pic.

Looks like it is leaning right!

Close to another day

Heading out for the sunset

Onvacation says

Heading out for the sunset

I was freezing my butt off in TX that day. I think I have PTSD.

Social distancing again today.

Into the sunset.