From Horses to Catamarans

We have a small problem. My wife of two decades has fallen
for horses as hard as I fell for boats back when I was a kid.

Now we have to figure out how to move a horse farm with 8
of our horses, 15 boarded horses, 65 lesson students and
a 12 stall barn onto a boat.

You see, the two boys, Ian 15, and Ryan who just turned
9 want to go sailing on a catamaran. Ian was born in
Tortola British Virgin Island and spent his first five
years aboard our thirty-six foot aluminum sloop NAIAD.

He has dim memories of jumping off the stern with a waist
inflatable ring tied to a long rope. I have vivid memories of
watching the tidal currents snatch him at three or four knots
until the rope came up tight and I would haul him back in
to do it all over again. And again. And again...
If that rope ever broke...

Ryan knows nothing about boats, but has the urge from
listening to us tell stories as we flip through the gazillion
photos we took back then. Remember when you actually
kept the pictures somewhere other than your hard drive?

As the boys have always been homeschooled we decided
now was the time to go back to sea. Ian might not be with
us that much longer as the fumes will soon get him.
Per-fume and car fumes that is.

Mom agrees but what do we do with the horse farm? We
can't leave the horse business in someone else's
hands. I can see it now. I get an emergency message
by bottle in the Sea of Cortez that my farm manager has
abandoned the horses and we have to save them. Not.

Still, Mom is upset already. She understands we need
to find a catamaran and go, but it certainly doesn't make
it any easier. With much research - (sheesh I wish we
had internet the first time I did this!) - we have agreed
a catamaran about 40 feet is the way to go.

Boys on one side, us on the other, dogs and cats wherever.
I am drooling over the possibilities with a forty-two inch
draft.Think of all the places in the Bahamas we could never go
with our previous six foot fin keel. We used to call it STK-
that stands for Shine The Keel. And it was shiny I promise
you!

So lookout! We are coming back! It has been ten years
since we sold NAIAD and moved back ashore. Collecting
the junk we have was easy. Getting rid of it all will not be.

I am eager to teach my boys as much as I can about the
cruising life. I cannot think of a better way to complete
their education into men.

And have a ton of fun doing it!