Meet Adios

I have been dreaming of sailing, or more importantly sailboat cruising for a long time. I was in my tweens when my neighbor and good friend Micheal enlighten me with his dream to cruise the oceans on a sailboat. Sadly, for him sailing was not the life he had hoped it would be, and he found his love in other venues, however, I was captivated by the idea and carry on the dream he started to this day. Since then cruising has been a bucket list item, but not until I was nearing my 20 year mark in the military did it start to take on renewed importance.

I had had my sights set on the Alberg 30. An Ontario, Canadian built little sloop that had proven its ability to sail around the world more than once, had a good reputation, and a huge following. Perhaps setting my heart on a boat that I had never actually been aboard may seem a little foolish, especially now, but I digress. So one evening while hiding from the mosquitoes in our screened in porch, Serena and I were solving the problems of the world over a few beers, and I said to her, "lets get a boat and go south next winter". And the rest is history. She may eventually live to regret that alcohol induce decision, but it was too late, I had the go ahead. So we went looking for a boat that we could buy and outfit for 30k (ha ha ha), yeah, its funny now. We looked at several that were on the list, but they just didn't fit the bill. We even looked at a fully ready to cruise Alberg 30, that would have cost us in the neighborhood of 24k, but alas, the boat was just a little too tiny for Serena, and truth be told, I was a little surprised by the size as well. I would have gone south in it, hell, I would go south in a bathtub if that's all I could get my hands on. After all, what's adventure without some good ol' adventurous discomfort.

Meet Adios. In the same Yacht Club as the Alberg was a Bayfield 29 for sale. I like the Bayfields, but they are not really known as offshore boats. And although I may never take the boat on a real passage, to say Europe, I wanted the ability to do so. However, for a trip south to the Carribean, the Bayfield was a near perfect boat. Shallow draft, roomy for a 29 footer, diesel engine, and most importantly, still small enough that either one of us could handle her alone. So we called the owner, and within a couple of weeks, we were the proud new owner of one 1983 Bayfield 29 named Adios. Unfortunately she would sit in the slip at the Yacht Club for the entire summer, as we were building a house, and had no time for a boat. Serena says that is my most endearing quality, purchasing expensive items for a life I don't yet have(hmmm).

So here she is. She is currently undergoing a name change, and until we get the go ahead from Transport Canada, even that is up in the air.

Isn't she a beaut. Very classic looking. We have only had her out for one little 6 day trip up the Trent River system(mast down), but she never failed to get oohs and ahhs from passers by. I can't wait until this is what I call home.

I am obviously way behind in this blog, having started it in Oct, where as the boat was purchased in Jun, however, better late than never. Most of my posts will be like that, as I slowly get my thoughts in writing. Besides that, you don't want to know about the research and development process before the decision is made on changes, trust me, you don't have that much time to read, and I don't have that kind of time to write, retired or not. Until next time.....