I guess we will be getting a little touch of winter again the week. This past Friday I fought traffic through snow and storm making my way to Newport, Rode Island for the Southern Cross Boat Owners Association meeting. It was a three day event starting as we met at the Best Western Main Stay inn in Newport, RI Friday evening for dinner, followed by drinks and conversation in the hospitality sweet. We started our meeting early Saturday morning with presentations first by Keven Brown, and Naomi Rappaport on their trip from Padenarem Ma (New Bedford) to Rockland, Maine and back. After their presentation Mike and Nancy DeSisto gave a presentation on trading up thier 31ft Southern Cross, Aileron to Lucky Stars, a 35ft,Southern Cross.
We also had presentation by Joe Ballerini and Dan Seefahrt doing presentations on sailing the areas of Eastern Maine and Long Island Sound respectively.
Fred Manchester came in from South Carolina to do a presentation on The Completion and Commissioning of Hull #52, the hull was laid in 1978 but Cara Mia was never completed until Match 2014 that was an exciting presentation because the completion of a 31ft Southern Cross is only limited by your imagination.
I was also nice to see Donald Carol who drove down from Ohio for the meeeting.
Finally Bill Duggan did a presentation on the rebuild of the engine on his boat Moon Cusser.
Our guest speaker for the evening meal was Hooper Brooks who gave a talk on the restoration of the
S.S.Colombia Project, that is in the process of being restored for use again on the Hudson River.
This was my 16th rendezvous with the Southern Cross Boat owners since I bought my boat in the year 2000. I always consider it the beginning of the years boating season since from here on in with the boat show in a couple of weeks and the delivery of the sailing vessel Ker Mor from Savannah to Miami the week of March 5 the season will come up extremely fast and I will be wondering how I will have time to finish the jobs that have to be done on the boats before they go in the water.
If you are thinking of sailing with Captain Ed's Sailing this summer this is a good time to start thinking about reserving your spot since the weeks of summer will fill up fast.
Count down to Spring Next on the list will be the New England Boat Show at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, February 13th through February 21st. This is a good reason to get out of the house and start thinking of boats and summer.
Shortly after the Eagle festival spring will be upon us! Boats will need to be uncovered, painted, prepped and launched! Then we can really get excited about summer, which is as you can see not far away!
Thanks again for a great 2015 sailing season.
