Sandmans omnipresence in defence of classics

[Vezo, Part II]

Did you learn to sail the fish? I had my first beer with my BF, his older sister, and her girlfriend had fake IDs when the drinking age was 18 in Jersey. I was 13? That little sail boat and those girls were quite fun on Toms River!

Vezo, Part II

[gofastsandman]

Originally Posted by Vezo, Part II

Did you learn to sail the fish? I had my first beer with my BF, his older sister, and her girlfriend had fake IDs when the drinking age was 18 in Jersey. I was 13? That little sail boat and those girls were quite fun on Toms River!

Vezo, Part II

I have no memory of the sunfish/sailfish.
I`ll ask Pif more about her memory as I was maybe 3 or 4.
Her memory of childhood sucks, so I may not get much more there.

She did say I laughed nonstop and she thought Mom made him sell the boat
as Mom thought one of us might drown.
That would have been me I guess.

BYC.

Barnstable Yacht Club was anything but a yacht club.
It was a wonderland for squids.

No phone.
No electricity.
No running water.
A hand pump on the pier by the water to be primed for use.

I will never forget the taste of that well.
Hard and full of stone, salt, and minerals.

It cost little to join in relative terms and times.

The pier went down to the sway of the gangway and the floating docks.
The last dock had the flipped skiffs. This is where we started.
Flip the skiff. Row the skiff and have races. We learned about wind, tide, and work.
Haul the skiff up on the dock, flip it and tie a line down.

Bunny Howard was the owner of a fine wooden boat shop on the property.
He was one of the kindest men I have ever known if he liked you. I tested him a bit.
His shop had a phone, electricity, and running water.

He was a sailor`s sailor. Say that again. His name is on many cups.

I was 9 when I first met him.
I was 10 when I started learning.
Beetle Cats.

https://beetlecat.com/

Bunny built a utopia for us.
Two clay courts and a plywood backboard.
Tennis anyone?

Sand volley ball?

We all rode our bikes to Beale way everyday we could.
If it rained, we got wet.

The Clarkes had clambakes many Fridays.
Backyard affairs. We squids rowed out to the sand bar to harvest clams.
Stomp and dig. Put your sneakers on and go to the east end of the bar
for Quahogs.

[gofastsandman]

Beetle Cats were much like Whaler 13`s for squids. Simple and safe. Craft which were
well suited for curiosity and education.

Bunny taught sailing to those who wanted to learn. We all wanted to learn and we did
with varying degrees of success. I had already been exposed to whalers and other
powered vessels. Pulling a tiller back and forth to find wind in the doldrums was not
my idea of propulsion.

I remember Bunny saying a squid would have a hard time capsizing a Beetle Cat when
he was expounding their virtues to our parents.

Challenge taken.

There were regattas all summer long and the racing was taken quite seriously.
I crewed for Pif a few times, but I soon learned it was just about as boring as riding
a pony.

There was a race one day and Pif was crewing for a boy who was already involved
with Lasers and Hobie 16`s. He was from a family of cup winners. He was one of those
smug sailors.

Bunny always ran the committee boat. A 17 Montauk. Papa had leased a Beetle
for the summer to gauge our interest. White Cloud was her name and many clouds
were indeed faster. She was just slow for many reasons. Decades of paint. Poor
sails and a mast which was stepped badly.

Well as luck would have it, the afternoon had a great blow and I was bored.
I took White Cloud out around the race. I watched the start and sailed back to watch
the tack. It was rare to have gusty wind and many smiles were on display.

I took a tight course back to the dock. I was sailing beyond my ability by myself.
I pulled a flying jibe and the fun began. I almost cleared the main sheet.
I not only capsized a Beetle, I had achieved full turtle. Maybe sailing can be fun?

I had tacked to set myself up to come in and dock. I was in deep water.
I had not checked the tide. It was outgoing. I looked at my situation and
decided to swim the boat in to the beach. Well that quickly proved to be a losing
battle. I thought about just swimming in, but that would mean abandoning a boat
Papa had leased.

A few minnows later I see a boat that looks remarkably like the committee boat
headed on point. Bunny was not happy at all. He was downright exasperated.
If his eyes had been lasers, I would have perfect vision today all these many years
later.

The tricycle front end Farmall was driven to the tide line. A line was swum out.
The mainsail was brought down or upside down depending on your perspective.

I was not allowed to put her back on the mooring.

Bunny went back out to finish his duties. I`m not sure if he got back in time,
but I could venture a guess.

I was my parents worst nightmare. An upper middle class redneck townie wannabe.

[gofastsandman]

The main pier and floating docks were always well maintained.

Bunny`s pier was kept in a state of confrontation. Planks missing. Many barely
nailed down. Sketchy stringers. Pilings leaning to and fro.
Just the way Bunny wanted it.

It was the easiest fishing ever. Grab some mussels off the pilings and bury the hook.
My Zebco 101 and flounder.

[gofastsandman]

Low tide was my favorite time of day in the harbor.

Little necks.

I`d like to take some time here to clean up the name of clams.

I just cringe when I see all of our culinary friends laughing at us.

Clams have a great sense of humor.

Cherrystone clams are little Quahogs.

They do not only vacation in Ipswich.

[Vezo, Part II]

I have no dog in this fight, nor do I mean any offense. As a born and raised Giants fan, who does not care much for Philadelphia, How bout them Eggles, I mean apples? Made me think of Sandman. My roots seem to be in NE. Go Pats!

Rum Dumb!?!
Michael.

[gofastsandman]

It was easy rowing out to the sand bar at low tide.
The sun and salt. The orders from land.

Everyone loved clams.

[gofastsandman]

I started driving the fire roads. They went to many new neighborhoods.
Not to the front door, but close in road seconds. I mostly kept track of
favorite trees and my compass in the sun.

I did fail my friend one morning. I was coming down to the plank bridge
across the brook. It was covered with winter pine needles. I pulled the string
tight as I settled the slight turn over the apex.

My first meaningful lesson in trailing throttle over steer.
She snapped right off and into the mud and water.
Tout Suite.

No water was ingested by either player.
Hard to believe, I know. I walked back to the house and Paul helped me drag her back
on the trail. Off I went to mark trails with spray painted trees.

I continued to broaden my map of other neighborhoods and points of access.

A Sunday afternoon was getting cooler as a fire truck went by.
Another went by. This was big news. I was alone at the house.
I went after them.

Why?

Excellent question.

No plate?
Check.

Public road?

Yes.

Sirens in front of you?
Yup.

Luckily, they turned left on Woodland rd. and stopped shortly there after.

I saw a kitchen fire fully involved.

Maybe 20 people were there.

As luck would have it, the parental units were coming back from their foray.

Papa asked me how I got here.
I said on the fire road by Mr. Eame`s house.

Three houses away and the deflection was working.

Not so fast.
Pee Wee`s dad came over after the fire was out. He was not happy at all.

I see a trend here.

Mr. Perkins had been behind me a bit in his personal FD pickup.
He saw the whole mistake and made a point of my discretion.
He invited me to the fire house. A very large firehouse for a one light town.

He did not call the parental units.

Thanks Mr. P

[lelandtampa]

Bump for wanting more yarns from sandman.

[NoBones]

Talked to sandman while he was driving his rented Kia Soul in Vamont on his way to board a Spirit flight home this afternoon !

Funny how we miss him when he is away...

He got to see his sister & brother-in-law in Maine yesterday...


Had to send me this one as well !



Back to normal tomorrow ..