lovely C & L Sea Ranger 37' trawler. G shared a Ranger 26 day-sailer with friend Lynn.
Cool boats, many great times.
And our boats were just a few slips apart!
How did C & G get together? It sort of involved Chuck's many skills and a cranky outboard or leaky thru-hull on Gigi & Lynn's sailboat! In 1984, C & G bought the CT-41 Garden-design ketch La Mouette. She was a seasoned boat, sailing the South Pacific with her first owner, but staying close to home in Marina Del Rey, CA with her second. We brought her north to Alameda, and lived aboard while we worked in San Francisco, and outfitted her for a cruise to Mexico and south.
We learned to sail her on SF Bay and offshore. Ripped out the galley & improved it, replaced the engine after a failed but hidden fitting filled it with water a few times, installed big winches, bought sails, stripped and barrier coated the bottom, removed and painted masts, varnished, studied navigation, got a life raft, foul weather gear and more and more boat goodies, burned the mortgage,
attended cruising workshops, took friends sailing, anchored out in the Bay and coastal towns, joined a sailing club, and loved it all.
attended cruising workshops, took friends sailing, anchored out in the Bay and coastal towns, joined a sailing club, and loved it all.
Well, MOSTof it was pretty great.....!
We attended goodbye parties and watched several friends depart. At last, we quit our jobs. Our own sailing party was held in June 1989, and a week later we sailed under the Golden Gate for the last time.
Slowly, we harbor-hopped down the CA coast, explored the Channel Islands, and anchored in San Diego Bay. There, we joined in the many San Diego parties held for the eager sailors who impatiently mark off the days to November 1, the end of the Mexico hurricane season, the day to head south.
Then, suddenly, we were on our way with the “class of ‘89!” Our experiences in this first trip to Mexico would exceed all our expectations.
Then, suddenly, we were on our way with the “class of ‘89!” Our experiences in this first trip to Mexico would exceed all our expectations.
Ultimately, C & G would return to San Diego in January 1991 to find jobs and prepare for a
longer cruise. We'll tell you more about our sailing days later!
longer cruise. We'll tell you more about our sailing days later!
In the meantime, we'll be keeping you up to date about what we're doing now.
1 comment:
Wow, you failed to mention a REALLY important part of this saga! At one point, Gigi and friend Lynn became Gigi and Chuck. Legally, morally, and most of all. . .nautically!
Did Lynn get a sex-change operation and become Chuck? Or did Gigi become Mrs. Chuck Taylor? Did she jump ships? I'm sure she'll 'splain it somewhere. . .Ricky
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