Yet another Gulf 32 passed through Friday Harbor this weekend. I was on Aeolus working on my bow hatch when two guys walk by and comment on my boat. They said they had a friend with a Gulf and sure enough, they had just pulled in to Port together. "Jester" is a somewhat unnamed Gulf that has apparently gone through several name variations without one sticking. The current owner, Jake, has not quite settled on a name yet, but his friends call her "Jester" because that is the name on one of the cushions.
In any case, she is a beautiful Gulf 32 and Jake does a remarkable job of keeping her shiny. She is the first Gulf I have ever seen that has a polished stemhead fitting. The fitting is brass, and corrodes instantly in rain, and yet he keeps his shiny by constant attention. Amazing. He also has his ancient gelcoat looking like new, and does the hard work to keep it that way. She is an older Gulf too, like "Merry Me" that passed through last week. It's pretty amazing how many changes they made in their layout and details between his 82 and my 88. Too many to list.
Jake is off to explore Jones and Stuart Islands, world class destinations, and have a grand time cruising around for a bit. I'm happy for him, and glad to have seen his Gulf. I learned a lot that will be of use to me on Aeolus.
One thing I'll mention is that he installed a flat screen TV in a way that lets him see it from the main salon and Vberth. It is a Sharp Aquos, and he got it because it has an external transformer, which he cut off and runs directly off his 12V system. Awesome. And, he has a CD/DVD car stereo for music and movies. How great is that?
Jake was a great guy and I appreciated his willingness to share his boat ideas. Yet another Gulf 32 here in the NW.
1 comment:
Wow, I see this boat "Jester" for sale on Yachtworld right now.
Thanks for creating this blog! It really helps me research Gulf 32s as I think I would like to get one in a couple years, when I can save up for it. (I live on a Catalina 27 now.) It seems that the low sail area/displacement ratio is not too much of a concern for you, from the posts I've read so far. Does it ever annoy you or make you feel that you wish you could sail in light winds as another boat could?
A pilot house is really important to me as a long-term liveaboard boat in terms of retaining cabin heat while sailing in all weather. I would like a boat that I can eventually take into larger waters, and the Gulf 32 seems like a boat that will be safe and comfortable in those conditions. You seem to use the cockpit more than the pilot house, and I read you once didn't sail because of rainy weather, and I wonder why that was prohibitive given the pilothouse?
Also, I see you mention Fisheries Supply a lot. I've been a cashier there for about 1.5 years! I wonder if I've run into you before.
-Sarah
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