Thanks for the kind replies to my "first sail" post. The "Bob" name was intended to mean "bob," like a cork, of course, with a side reference to a family in-joke. We're always dragging home puppies, kittens, guinea pigs, lost birds, etc and if the animal doesn't already have a name, we call it Bob. We've had quite a few Bobs in the family. We like to do this to infuriate my husband's long-time business partner Bob (who doesn't quite get the size of this boat and is expecting my family to invite his family on board for cocktail hour). M15 #478 is pre Bob Eeg, but if he wants to join me in some mischief, he's welcome to name his next boat "Grace" and we can both vehemently deny that we have ever met. I salute your wife for reading something about sailing. Here is my plan for husbands to get non-sailing wives interested in sailing: You must remind her that she is a saint to put up with you. You must fearlessly account for every penny that you spend on sailing and insist that she spend twice that amount on her own interests. All the time spent working on the boat, dreaming about the boat or sailing the boat must be matched minute for minute by asking how her day went, cleaning the bathroom, and entertaining your in-laws. If she consents to go on the boat with you, you may not say anything, I repeat ANYTHING, critical about how she sails; that includes all commands, instructions, teaching and "helping." Each time she takes the helm, she gets a diamond. If she falls in at the dock, she gets a new car. If she suggests going for a sail, you fly her to Hawaii to renew your vows. Yes, Pinto Lake is near Watsonville, CA. Today, when the kids are done with their last day of school, they and I go on our second sail, trailering "Bob" about 60 miles to Del Valle Lake for a couple of days. We feel very daring that since we're not allowed to be on the lake after dark, we're camping in a "pull through" space and sleeping on the boat. At least, I'll be sleeping on the boat. The kids will be on the ground, pulling bucket duty, providing the soothing splash-against-the-hull sounds that I like. I bought a temporary-style swim ladder and a bucket-attach potty seat, and following my "spouse laws" this provides my saint husband with enough money to take a friend to drink about a dozen $10 beer at a Giants game and stay home to take care of Bob the bird and Bob the dog. Unfortunately, he won't be there to back the boat into the water, but I figure I'm getting pretty good at going around and around the parking lot; and if one of those power boaters gets impatient with me clogging up the launch ramp, they can get a bunch of their friends, and we'll all hand carry the boat down. And no, I swear, I wasn't letting no Potter 15 pass me. We were approaching from opposite ends of the lake, and each time we passed, I made sure we were on a starboard tack, so that we could cut devastingly close to his bow, and fire off the cannons and brandish our cutlasses and let Bob the parrot scream nautical obscenities at him. Happy sailing! grace M 15 #478 "Bob" (maybe) No, I have never met Bob Eeg in my life. I don't even know how to pronounce his name. Does it rhyme with "lobe"? --------------------------------- Sick sense of humor? Visit Yahoo! TV's Comedy with an Edge to see what's on, when.