This week, I drove up to the Ft. Worth area to pick up a boat my Brother parked over 15 years ago. After a bout with skin cancer, he gave up activities that would expose him to direct sun. It is one of the origonal 20 fin keel boats built in 1974 (Hull #14) and should work very well at my waterfront home on Lake Livingston. I found 'Traipsin' Griselda' in rather sad looking condition. One side was covered below the plastic tarp with green alge and the other with black algie. The tires were sunk below the rims in the dirt with grass growing up to the hubs. The deck, cockpit and cabin top were covered with a heavy coat of dirt and there were birds nests in the side decks. The good news is that the interior is in good (but dirty) condition, the cushions, sails and sail covers had been stored indoors and the bottom has been stripped and ready is for new botton finish. It has an almost new full batten main with three rows of reef points, #1, #2 & #3 jibs, a 150 Genoa, the origonal main and a bright pink spinnaker (all in good condition). The boom is rigged with vang and lazy jacks and all lines are led aft with stoppers. It is equipped with a good bulkhead compas, depth sounder and a low hours (but non running) 4 hp longshaft Evinrude. Over the next few weeks, I plan to clean up the cast iron keel and re-bed it with new keel bolts and put barrier coat and bottom paint on. Depending on how it looks with the algie removed, I may wind up painting the topsides. I am documenting my work with high quality photos and will publish a story of the restoration on the MSOG site. It will be nice to have Griselda back to her former self. I have been sailing for over 50 years in everything from my old home built Glen-L sailing pram to 75 foot ocean racing yachts. A recent capsize in very cold water in my BW harpoon and being unable to right the boat by myself has made it obvious that I just don't have the agility or strength to singlehand a big centerboard dinghy. I think Griselda, equipped the way she is is the ideal boat for a man of my age to singlehand and still fast enough to go racing with the grandkids as crew. I am not about to retire to a rocking chair and spend my time fishing from a pontoon boat. Once a Sailor, always a sailor. Ron Keeler _________________________________________________________________ Enjoy 5 GB of free, password-protected online storage. http://www.windowslive.com/skydrive/overview.html?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_Refresh_...