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[kmhappel]

This could also be titled, youth is wasted on the young. ah yes/… Consider this the first tale under the awning somewhere...

Before Lynne and I were going to take off in a 54 foot Hylas sloop and see the world, we bought a 21 foot Catalina and tore it all the way back to fiberglass. We rebuilt everything so we knew how it was constructed, installed, maintained and what we would need if we had to fix it. Then we spent a lot of time buying drinks for those sailing in from the blue (or gray as the case was). I had also learned to sail on the North Sea off the Dutch coast in some weather that I still can't believe I was stupid enough to go out in.

Even with all that, including being the only people the Coast Guard would allow out of the harbor entrance when the harbor was closed for weather (they had watched us refit "Amazing Grace" - not the Disney one), nature almost had the last laugh. One day there was a large south swell and the entrance was covered by both the large south swell and large waves reflecting back off the Camp Pendleton harbor wall as we went out.

We had friends with us and the sea outside the harbor had swells but was going to be fun... As we were motoring out with everyone including me at the wheel, sitting on deck, lifejacketed and tethered by lifelines into the rigging a huge roller hit us. As it approached, our guests said, "Do you every get wet?" As I answered, "Nah, just some spray." Just then a reflection swell hit the incoming roller we were now climbing and the two waves were now one, that was the sum of their individual heights (higher than our mast). We were completely underwater (sailboats are made to survive this) and we popped out the back of the wave and surfed down its back out the harbor entrance.

Had we left a cabin door open, not had everyone tethered and not been in a boat that had no maintenance issues at all, I might not be telling this story. I appreciate that God has decided to leave me some of the strength of my youth, but my real compensation is the caution I have gained in measure as my strength wains.

I live in Vista, CA. That’s north San Diego county. We are selling our house and downsizing into something much smaller and our new Vegas. We are going to call her the same name as our Hylas, “Tiowa” which is Hopi for, “You can see the Creator in His creation.” Lynne and I are looking forward to meeting all of you at some time.

BTW, thanks for the links. Am already studying them.

P.S. I read a link in the intro forum area from a much younger new to the rv-life member who is practicing his hook-ups in his rv parking place so he will be familiar enough to do them as routine on the road. He is smart. I have a nightmare of fighting a sewage hose in the dark and somehow not getting sloped downhill... You can guess the rest.