I scored a 1966 Islander 30' sloop off Craigs here in Hawaii back in 07, I painted and fixed and replaced and and...had so much fun (and so many beers) on that boat. Then my methhead cousin trashed it, and I sold it. One of the saddest days of my life. RIP KoolThing.
Punch your cousin in the face for me next time you see him. Those are cool boats, but methheads keep trashing them! There was one in our marina like that. A friend of mine bought her, or rather offered to buy her, but the marina said 'meh, we're scrapping that boat, so salvage what you can by next week'... so he did. Pathetic the marina did that because it was still a nice boat; just abused and neglected.
I bought a Cal20 on craigs that time, for like $1200. In seaworthy condition. Sort of. All the running rigging was damnear close to shot, and the sails were all bagged out and hideous, but we sailed her like that for awhile as I fixed her all up and got her like newish. She's a '64, I kinda gave her to a friend when I bought the big ol gal I gots now.
Incidentally, he has one of the only Mercedes 300CDs with a stickshift [in the USA] that's in pretty sweet shape he just offered to sell to me for stupid cheap because he still feels like he owes me for the boat. Karma, I guess. CAR ma. Now to talk the wife into the idea. Or maybe I'll just buy it and that can be that. It'll be nice to have a car I don't have to smog! Idunno what I need another car for... and the two we have now are nice. Idunno. It would be a shame to pass up that thing, though.
My Islander was the prettiest boat in the harbor, man. Fuckin druggies ruin everything. I know, I used to be one, but I took care of that boat. 3GM Yanmar inboard diesel, built like a tank, just like the boat. With the sails trimmed right it would steer itself for miles. I would hang off the back, and let it drag me through the ocean. CRAZY...but so fun.
Uuuugh...
I should get back to work.
I gotta get her back to being the prettiest boat in this part of the marina again! I got some serious competition with the guy a couple slips over, but he cheats and hires out to have all his brightwork done. It looks great, I should maybe call his guys... but godammit, a REAL sailor does his own paint and brightwork!
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