1st Sail On Plastic Classic

keelbolts · Post by **keelbolts** » Sun Oct 01, 2006 8:27 pm

I had my first sail on a P.C. today. Went out for about 3 hours on a Pearson Ariel. Pleasant, cool day with winds 10-15, backing around from from east to west. She sailed very much like the boats I'm used to. Obviously, in 3 hours I didn't get to put her thru her paces and test her in differing weather conditions, but I was pleased. The other plastic boats that I have sailed didn't impress me; this one did.

Mark.Wilme · Post by **Mark.Wilme** » Sun Oct 01, 2006 11:32 pm

There is an Ariel 5 slips down from me, gets used more than it get's tinkered with. The owners seem to enjoy it a lot.

AJ · Post by AJ » Mon Oct 02, 2006 8:51 pm

Was this a test drive, then? *nudge*nudge* At any rate, sounds like you had a lot of fun! Hmm... 3 hours... where have I have that before...

Five passengers set sail that day,
for a three hour tour, a three hour tour.

;-)

AJ

keelbolts · Post by **keelbolts** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 1:46 pm

Yes, it was a test drive of sorts. All I've ever owned was wooden boats. I've owned Favona for 15 years and, in all those years, I've never sailed a boat that I would trade her for. She's fast, comfortable, weatherly, and beautiful. I once took a 70 knot squall, straight on the beam, with a full main and genoa up and she rolled till the toe rail was in the water and would go no further. I've never been passed to windward. Plastic boats, at best, were not to be taken seriously. At worst, they were butt-ugly and unsafe. The problem is, I'm starting to think that keeping up a 50-year old wooden boat is a job for a younger and/or more prosperous guy than I. I tripped across Tim's site and, fom there, to classic plastics in general. I theorized that a plastic boat with the right form would sail like a wood boat with the same form. Sunday's sail, while brief, indicated that plastic isn't synonymous with tubby and unsafe. So now I'm thinking of a Triton, or a Ranger, or a Tripp 30, or a...

Summersdawn · Post by **Summersdawn** » Sun Oct 08, 2006 1:22 am

Was this a test drive, then? *nudge*nudge* At any rate, sounds like you had a lot of fun! Hmm... 3 hours... where have I have that before...

Five passengers set sail that day,
for a three hour tour, a three hour tour.

The SS Minnow was recently sold. It was moored about a half hour drive from where I live. The boat has gone through a major restoration, which was something we always had to check out any time we were up at Schooner's Cove. I have posted a link to the listing, for those wanting a trip down memory lane.

Rachel · Post by **Rachel** » Sun Oct 08, 2006 1:43 pm

Summersdawn,

You weren't kidding! It was the S.S. Minnow. Funny, but I remember a shot they had in the opening bit that showed the boat careened on the "uncharted desert isle" with a hole in the hull --- and I remember thinking that it looked like such a big boat - practically a ship! I guess that was a bit inaccurate. Maybe the "S.S." influenced me. Or it was just that everything looked bigger to me then.

I don't remember the defining moment of finding out that Santa Claus wasn't real, but I do remember the exact moment when I realized: "Wait, they aren't going to figure out how to get off the island -- they couldn't, because then the show would be over. It's a successful show, so of course they don't want it to be over, so...." Talk about a loss of youthful innocence :-)

Summersdawn · Post by **Summersdawn** » Sun Oct 08, 2006 3:46 pm

Yes - fond memories of after school snacks, and watching Gilligan's Island.

I believe they had a couple of boats they used in filming - I believe this was the one in the opening credits leaving the harbour (I think it was Honolulu). One was careened on the beach with the hole in the side, and I think they had a third, on the set, for the up close shots - like when they tried to glue the planks back on with the coconut glue the proffesor made.