Thursday, March 11, 2010

Moving Aeolus to Seattle

Well, the big news in our world is that we will be moving Aeolus down to a slip in Seattle. In fact, this weekend I will be moving her down if the weather on Saturday does stay below 25 knots SE. Hope to go the Admiralty Inlet route but it exposes me to more fetch from the S. We'll see.

The reason for the boat move is that I have begun a new position in Seattle and will use the boat as a crash pad on some nights. Although I will miss having her here in Friday Harbor, it will be a lot of fun to join a more active sailing community and explore a different region. Sailing around an urban water front was always a ton of fun when we learned to sail in San Diego, and I look forward to that in Seattle too. One thing is for certain, it will be a whole lot easier and cheaper to buy parts at Fisheries Supply and not need them shipped!

This blog will begin to be filled with stories about sailing the greater Seattle environs instead of Jones Island and the San Juans. I'm sure we'll still bring the boat up for trips in the San Juan and Gulf Islands, but it won't be our backyard anymore. Oh the changes that make up a fascinating and fulfilling life...

7 comments:

gramma tutu said...

Thank you so much for your blog. I own a 1984 Gulf 32 Pilothouse - s.v. Namaste, located in Hawaii, which I live aboard. The information in your blog is has been invaluable. I'm getting ready to refinish the sole as I was so inspired by how easy you made it look :). Thanks again - Carol Reese

Brian W. said...

Hi gramma tutu,
I really appreciate your comment and am delighted to hear that something on this site has been useful to you. I hope to keep it going on future projects.

I sure like the name of your Gulf and wish you all the best with her and in general.

Cheers to a fellow Gulf 32 owner,
Brian

Mike said...

Hi Brian: Mike and Lori here in Secret Cove, BC. We have an original 1966 Gulf 32, one of only 36 made. Lots of subtle differences between the Capitol built boat and the older Bill Gardens, and not much info out there. Thank you for your blog, it's inspiring and keeps me looking at PALA with an eye to improving her. As you can imagine, a '66 is going through some serious system overhauls pretty regularly, like today, replacing the syphon tube from the fresh water tank. I'm dealing with a tank that i believe is monel and a bronze fitting but beyond that it's all guesswork. No inspection hatches, concrete floor over top, and sucking bubbles up from the tank so time for serious surgery. Are Capitol built yachts with a water tank under the v-berth?

Mike said...

As usual, the tank was fine and it was a crummy little corroded valve that was hard to find but easy to fix. Patience is the order of the day, as these boats will last a lifetime with basic vessel husbandry. We took her to Princess Louisa Inlet last Christmas and the wood stove really earned its keep. I'd love to take a summer off and take her to the Charlottes and Alaska...

Brian W. said...

Hi Mike,
Glad to hear it was only a crummy little valve. The later Gulf's like mine have a plastic water tank under the Vberth. Holds 70 gallons! I've only had minor trouble with the pipe fittings coming out and don't look forward to a day when I would have to replace the tank. It is solidly glassed in place.

Good luck in doing those travels. We've always felt the planning and anticipation is one of the best parts of doing any trip! We have a kerosene cabin heater on Aeolus and it does a great job at anchor. And since I installed a Heater Craft cabin heater for when we are motoring the cabin is now 70-75 degrees even in the cold and rain of winter as we move along!

We went out this weekend and had a great time as always. Hope to see you and your PALA someday.

Capt Doug said...

Well I know 10 years has passed but I recently got the gulf 32 whole number 19 and wondered what was with all of the concrete inside the salon floor

Brian W. said...

That's odd. I've never seen concrete on a Gulf 32. The salon floor is just screwed into fiberglass.