Hi Sean, thanks for sharing that! Even with the queasiness it sounds like a fabulous trip and sailing in CA. Glad the Dauntless is doing well! She does look pretty! Like you say with older boats there is always a deferred maintenance list. But I keep on working on it. I just got a proper outboard for my 23 as the former owner had a short shaft on her and it barely made the water. And did not make the water in rougher weather when you really want the motor to function without popping out constantly. The biggest improvement to the boat is my wife who is signed up with Womanship in Annapolis for lessons this month! Compared to that, nothing on the list of jobs is worth mentioning!! I am getting all the interior cushions redone and a cover made to act like a cockpit tent/sail cover and cover the boat from the mast back. That will be nice as the boat has some birds with nests under our large dock and they like to hang out on the boat and ride the dock lines up and down. I am looking to get back on the water more after a couple weeks of backpacking in NM and this heat wave knocked us out of boating for about a month. Take care and thanks again! Robbin M-23 and M-10 On 7/8/2012 9:59 PM, Nebwest2@aol.com wrote:

Thanks Robbin, those are really kind words. As everyone knows, 'cause I never shut up about it....I love our boat. She's 30+ years old and as such...there is always something I'm working on. Honestly, the video makes her look a little better cosmetically than she really is. But that's Ok. I rationalize it by telling myself she's not a shelf trophy, she get used and that's a good thing!

My love affair with her only continues to strengthen as we grow our skills together and our adventures get more and more ambitious. Problem with that is....there seems to be no quenching the thirst for the adventure. One seems to lead to another....and another....lol. She just keeps showing me over and over that as long as I do my job and configure her for the conditions...she'll take care of us. It's really a cool thing to feel the confidence that I do in her, as it allows me to focus on the pure sailing without undo worry. I've never sailed boats that did that for me other than the Monty 17 and 23. Both of them are incredible little boats.

The video thing is fun. I like doing it. It is taking me longer and longer to make them as I try to keep making them better and better but it takes a while to put them together. I have some really nice footage of flying the asymmetrical during the race (BR2) itself....but ...mmmm I gotta be honest....although Big D was taking good care of us.....King Neptune was messing with my stomach on this particular trip. That curtailed my desire to look through the lens a bit! That combined with the fact that we were eventually sailing in the 7+ range for extended periods and it was one of us on the tiller and one on the sheet trimming the chute...meant not a lot of video. LOL I do have some footage I am putting together though. Should be up soon and you know.....I'll be blabbin and sharing the link! LOL

How your 23 doin??

:-)