Bristol-Blue Lake Michigan Sailing Adventures

This weekend I finalized the transaction on our new boat a Mirage 24! This boat is a Canadia Sailboat Hall of Fame boat, designed by Cuthbertson & Cassian ( C&C yachts ).  This is the boat I went to look at back in January when it was 14 degrees out and blizzarding.  It was snowing so hard we actually stayed at a hotel instead of coming home that night.  These boats are built with amazing quality and care.  While not as weighty as the Cape Dory"s neither of the Mirages I looked at were decaying from core rot that seems to plaque so many other boats of the time period.   This particular Mirage is the Tall Rig version. Which set it ahead of the other Mirage I looked at off the bat.  The Tall rig has a slightly taller mast equating to a bit more speed.  Not that we are planning on racing but some times a bit more speed can help us cruisers  get to our destinations a little sooner and can help us duck incoming poor weather.  Ov...

Some people were surprised that I sold our Typhoon. Truth is, the Typhoon is a great boat but it was time to move on.  We simply want to be able to make some slightly longer passages have a bit more room for overnight camping and the Typhoon just was too small to do those things with.  For some time, I have been looking over the horizon and creating a list of cool boats.  Here it is.  Note: you will not find a boat over 25 feet on my list.  The annual dock costs double for any boat here over 25 ft.  So, while there are a lot of great boats over 25 ft long, financial costs have to be considered. The Classics:   Albergs, and Hershoff's Herrshoff Eagle  22  is one of my favorite boats.  A great classic look, that topsail in just too cool.  The killers here are the cabin size is to small for our family weekending purposes and the desire to stay away from any mechanical swing keel boat as we plan on doing mo...

Waking up early to look at boats. Mackinaw City is four and a half hours from my house.    6 AM roll time. January heading up north for most means Snowmobiles or skiing. I feel a bit out of place wearing my deck shoes and getting ready to walk on a boat.  The marina storage has a giant windmill. Keel smile, that's not a good sign on this model boat. Boat out the water for several years and a bilge full of water and rusty keel bolts. I think we have found the cause of the keel smile. Sure the outboard can be pulled up, that's why you modified the rudder. Well with the soft deck and other issues this boat turned out being a bust.  At least lunch at Audie's was great. Also, fit in a trip to Big Mac before heading home.

This weekend we really started the hunt for a new boat.  Well I've been hunting a while but we took to the road to look at two boats. Neither ended up being the one but oh the cool treasures you find along the way....See photos below and sarcasm. Sea cocks you can remove by hand. I mean remove from the hull. Storage plans for not the boat you are on. A Loran, so we will never get lost. I think I can relaminate that tiller, Its probably fine. Climb under the shrink wrap the tiller is delaminated the decks probably fine right. Mythical Creatures Count the plugs, yeah that is the Atomic 2. Good luck finding parts for a tune up, hope nothing major goes. This compass works well with the Loran. More boats to look at soon.

Sold :  "Kraken"   1978 Cape Dory Typhoon    This is one of the finest Typhoons and well-documented vessels you will find.  Kraken is no dry rot trailer trotter.  We sail her 1-2 times per week during the summer season.  This boat has seen exceptional care since being re-commissioned in 2012.  You can read all about the little tweaks and tunes at  http://bristol-blue.blogspot.com/   Polished Brass and Gleaming Teak this boat gets compliments every time someone walks by on the dock. You will be hard pressed to find another Typhoon as well equipped and ready to sail today.  Cape Dory Typhoon Name "Kraken" Year: 1978 Current Price: US $7500 obo Located in Saugatuck/Douglas, MI Hull Material: Fiberglass Engine/Fuel Type: Long Shaft Evinrude outboard 7.5 hp Full Keel Bottom reconditioned 2012 Draft  2'6" Sails:  Loft: Sail Rite  Main 2011 Storm Jib 2011 100% 2013 ...

Venetian Festival!!!!!   Each year in Saugatuck Cow Hill Yacht Club puts on Venetian Festival.  Cow Hill is not really a club for boaters.  It is a charity group that raises funds for the needy in the community.  They Start Friday night with a big party.  Kids games, Beer tent and some great live music. I'm proud to say that my wife serves on the board of Cow Hill and helps put this event together along with a few other events throughout the year.  Saturday afternoon after the Venetian dingy poker run had cleared out we took to the harbor and headed out to Lake Michigan for a sail.  It has been a long while since I have removed the cover from my knot meter. It appears the poor center ring has fallen to the bottom. However, the miracle is, it works. I don't think it has ever worked before, but today it was. Although it doesn't agree with the GPS on speed. According to the knot meter, we are flying along at 6.5 knots....

Some days you have to just call it.  Today is one of those days.  We left our breezy little harbor for Lake Michigan to find this, the whole of Lake Michigan sheltered by the dunes on shore.  Grr east winds. The lake was glass flat except for the power boat waves. After an hour of drifting and bobbing we had to call for the iron genny to get us home.