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Masons and sailboats

Mike Cameron

Registered User
Are there any Brothers here that are into Recreational, Live aboard, or full time cruising? Describe your vessels and experiences. I am just getting into sailing and I'm interested in buying a sailboat to live on and one day cruise full time.
 

Txmason

Registered User
@mike Cameron

Bro. Cameron,

I've never sailed before but a great place to learn is Cape Cod, MA. Where are you located? Don't have a sailboat but a 24 foot pontoon boat. I would check with local clubs in your area or ask if there ate any brothers in your lodge that sail. And of course ask on here too. I'm on Lake Conroe.

Best,
Bro. Jerry Johnston
San Jacinto Lodge #106
Willis, TX

Arabia Shrine
 

Brent Heilman

Premium Member
My dad taught me to sail years ago. Of course, I probably could not even remember the first thing about now though. I have always wanted to start learning again. My dad used to have a 24' boat and loved learning on it. Hopefully someday I will again set sail.
 

Mike Cameron

Registered User
I am considering boats in the 35' to 40' range for now and stepping up to a 40' to 45' Catamaran later.

My dad taught me to sail years ago. Of course, I probably could not even remember the first thing about now though. I have always wanted to start learning again. My dad used to have a 24' boat and loved learning on it. Hopefully someday I will again set sail.
 

Brent Heilman

Premium Member
I have looked into schools around here for learning, but in Oklahoma the extent of what I am able to learn on a lake is pretty limited. The 24' was good for learning on but not so much for anything else. Someday I would like to get one in that 35' range. I have seen some real nice ones for a reasonable price. I have never been on a catamaran how much different are they?
 

Mike Cameron

Registered User
I', still learning too but everything I'm told is that fundamentaly sailing is sailing but cats do have a certain amount of differences in the way they behave. I can tell you that they dont roll nearly as much as a monohull, very difficult to sink (respectively), they have much more room, shallower draft, and are MUCH more expensive.

I have looked into schools around here for learning, but in Oklahoma the extent of what I am able to learn on a lake is pretty limited. The 24' was good for learning on but not so much for anything else. Someday I would like to get one in that 35' range. I have seen some real nice ones for a reasonable price. I have never been on a catamaran how much different are they?
 

Brent Heilman

Premium Member
I can see where they would be much more stable. It would be fun to try out sometime. Of course it makes sense they would be more expensive with twice the number of hulls. Anyways, everything that is fun seems to be expensive. I guess there is always a price to pay somewhere.
 

Mike Cameron

Registered User
Yeah it aggravates me sometimes that things that are just good clean fun are so expensive. Once you get over the initial investment it is inexpensive to continue. Very little fuel burnt.

I can see where they would be much more stable. It would be fun to try out sometime. Of course it makes sense they would be more expensive with twice the number of hulls. Anyways, everything that is fun seems to be expensive. I guess there is always a price to pay somewhere.
 

Brent Heilman

Premium Member
I reckon that the fuel would be one of the big pros to a sailboat. Running out of gas would be the least of your worries, but the mainsail and such I bet is a bit pricey.
 

Michaelstedman81

Premium Member
Always wanted to try some sailing. A friend of mine that lives right down the road from me has a small sailboat that he NEVER uses. Well, he has an American flag up at the top of the mast, but that is about it...lol Don't ask me what kind or the size of the thing, cause all I know is it is a sail boat and has a cabin in it. When I used to go dive on Lake Travis in Austin, I would see a lot of sailboats like that out there and wondered what it would be like to just head out on the water and stay out for a day or two. Maybe would be even more fun to head out into the Gulf with one for a couple of days.

Of course, right before I deployed that last time I was out on some lake up in DFW area (Grapevine lake I believe) with my ex on some jet skis. Saw this nice sail boat just blowing past. However, I'm not kidding when it was riding the water on its side to almost a 90 degree angle..lol I mean the mast was just almost parallel to the water. I just kept watching for one of those bad waves to reach up and catch the tip of the mast and pull it the rest of the way down. Thankfully, whoever was on the boat finally ended up getting it right a bit before it got to the dam...lol That kind of freaked me out about sailboats cause I didn't think that they could end up doing like that haha.
 

M.Prejean

Registered User
Bro. Cameron,

I have a Morgan 382 (1979) that I'm about to put on the market. If I start going on about the boat, it'll sound too much like a sale's pitch, but Google the model and see what you think. I've been sailing my whole life on all sorts of boats, and a Morgan was my first choice (within a reasonable price range, of course!).

I just had it surveyed & am waiting for the report. As soon as that comes back, I'm planning on pulling it out of the water in Rockport, TX and slapping a new bottom job on her. Price will most likely be somewhere in the mid-$40's.

If you haven't browsed it yet, check out www.yachtworld.com.

Also, if you're planning of doing any real cruising on the boat you buy, I highly recommend reading one of the Paredy's books before you purchase. The Paredys are a couple who have been cruising for decades & their books are full of good information; little details that you'd never even think about until it becomes a big deal. Their whole thing is more of a reality based approach, meaning they don't assume that you've recently won the lotto and are looking for something to do with your time and money.
Here's a link to their blog, I've never really checked it out, but I've read a few of their books. http://www.landlpardey.com/

Hope this helps. Good luck to you. Even if you're not interested in my boat, I'm always happy to talk sailing. Shoot, if you buy one, I'd be more than happy to get you comfortable on it too.
 

Txmason

Registered User
Any masons sail here on Lake Conroe in Montgomery, TX?

Bro. Jerry

Sent from my iPhone using Freemasonry
 

jwhoff

Premium Member
Brother Cameron, you might look into a 28-35 foot Island Packet. Good all-round boat that will take the weather on passages. The longer the water line the better for speed. Wing keels are cool for tracking but a good full keel boat is the answer for distance sailing.

Should you not be monied by nature, you might start out with an older boat. Don't worry about the paint job but check out the hull for bubbling, etc. Check the bonding between the keel and hull as well (MUST BE STRONG.) Make sure you have at least storage of 150 gallons of water.

Then go after the standing rigging. YOU must have a back stay for open water sailing! They won't be out there with you when the wind picks up. Same goes for the mast(s). They should be well seated to the keel, not compressed to the deck alone. Running rigging should be in tip-top shape before you venture past the dock.

However, remember, less than 10 percent of the boats you see in Keymah and Galveston every venture out for crossing. Thirty to forty percent never leave the dock. If you're one of those SAILORS (#@^@#) ... of paramount importance will be location, location, location. You must pick the right slip in which to keep your boat!

You'd want to be close enough to a community shower and head to keep yourself presentable. You'd also prefer to be close enough, but not too close, to the yacht club restaurant and bar to stay in touch with the community's goings on.

Later, when you grow "older but not up" you will realize what are the two greatest days in your life: the day you bought das boat and the day you sold das boat.

just a few meanderings from an ole salt of years gone by who's "metabolic rate is pleasantly stuck."

:15:

p.s. There is a legitimate place for those SAILORS (#@^@#) in every anchorage. They usually throw a good party with plenty of the good music with pretty lasses on display. Too, when they get the urge to sail you can get them to stock the stores and coolers in Keymah and drop them off in Galveston (blue to the gills) and sail off in peace and quiet ... with, that is, stocked stores and coolers.

They call it learn'N the lines land lubber ... learn'N the lines.

"I'd rather die while I'm living than live while I'm dead."

quote lines attributed to master Jimmy Buffett, I'm Growing Older But not Up
 
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Mike Cameron

Registered User
I sailed last weekend on a Voyage 440 catamaran based in the Kemah,Tx. We had a great time! The vessel was beautiful and the skipper was very accommodating and professional. If anyone is interested in chartering this vessel, contact me and I'll pass on his contact info. Yep, sold on a cat. This thing was so big and stable we could have played horse shoes on it.
 
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jwhoff

Premium Member
Yeah brother, they are great. However, if you're ever sold one, you might not be able to afford the horse shoes.

Know what they say: the best two days of a man's life are the day he bought that boat and the day he sold that damn boat.

:15:
 
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