To cruse the San Juan Islands in a sailboat, any kind of sailboat, probably ranks as many sailors ideal memorable experience. I think so and I haven't even sailed there… yet. As I earlier posted, the GRAND PLAN was to take my current sailboat, Ava Chantel, up to the islands this spring and then sail as much as possible. Lose myself. I thought of all the exploring I could do, the quiet, the time to write. I planned on a few months at first, then as my knowledge and comfort at sailing grew, I started wondering if I could stay longer. Why not? Ava would suit me well.
In hindsight I guess I knew in my heart that I’d always have an eye out for that next boat, the few extra feet, that boat that wasn’t all fix-it-up from day one. Ava was still my focus but with the addition of Sarah to the crew, my full time sailing partner and so much more, the idea of that next boat, the desire to find that one boat to be THAT boat, became a wish, and that wish became a reality.
The Baba 35 was designed by Robert Perry and built by arguably the best ship yard of the time, Ta Shing of Taiwan. The Baba 35 has earned the reputation for respectable seagoing manners, sound construction and some of the best quality interiors to be found on cruising yachts even to this day. In all about 74 of these amazing boats were produced. Sarah and I chanced upon the sixtieth one, currently registered as S/V Odyssey. Built in 1984, I believe she is one of the best maintained Babas that still sail.
Where does that leave the GRAND PLAN? Intact, unchanged, in place. Well, except we will not be sailing Ava up in the spring. Odyssey will become that boat, already in place and ready to go. Sure, there are a few things to fix, finish or replace, but all in all she is a much safer and more comfortable boat then Ava. The big bonus is that with Odyssey at the dock, in the islands, I no longer have to worry about the trip up.
So the journey begins.
In hindsight I guess I knew in my heart that I’d always have an eye out for that next boat, the few extra feet, that boat that wasn’t all fix-it-up from day one. Ava was still my focus but with the addition of Sarah to the crew, my full time sailing partner and so much more, the idea of that next boat, the desire to find that one boat to be THAT boat, became a wish, and that wish became a reality.
The Baba 35 was designed by Robert Perry and built by arguably the best ship yard of the time, Ta Shing of Taiwan. The Baba 35 has earned the reputation for respectable seagoing manners, sound construction and some of the best quality interiors to be found on cruising yachts even to this day. In all about 74 of these amazing boats were produced. Sarah and I chanced upon the sixtieth one, currently registered as S/V Odyssey. Built in 1984, I believe she is one of the best maintained Babas that still sail.
Where does that leave the GRAND PLAN? Intact, unchanged, in place. Well, except we will not be sailing Ava up in the spring. Odyssey will become that boat, already in place and ready to go. Sure, there are a few things to fix, finish or replace, but all in all she is a much safer and more comfortable boat then Ava. The big bonus is that with Odyssey at the dock, in the islands, I no longer have to worry about the trip up.
So the journey begins.
Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than those you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from safe harbor. Catch the wind in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.
Mark Twain
Mark Twain
RSS Feed
