Maruska checking in...

[Dale Tanski]

As many of you may be aware, I have been somewhat absent from the site and have not been sailing our 365 for the past several years.  Obersheimer Sailor Supply has been doing well and we continue to grow and get better at this thing called a chandlery.  We sold our house last year which was a incredible thing to have experienced, 39 years in the same place. Still looking for things I know I kept but can't seem to find.  Two kids married, two to go and so it goes.

The Pearson hasn't been wet for about six years, in fact I gave our slip up about four years ago. The business put a time crunch on that activity. We did keep sailing, racing the families J22 and on customers boats.  We started looking for a slip again last year but government overreach has made availability of a suitable slip hard to acquire.  In Buffalo the number of slips has dwindled rather than increased.  This week however we were lucky enough to purchase a share in a privately owned marina and Maruska now has a place to float. So... starting next year we will begin leisure sailing all over again.  The ability to store the boat indoors on site at our past house also added to the time away from water, as it was an out of site out of mind kind of deal.  The boat was transported on its trailer last fall to a near by boat yard after we closed and she saw the great outdoors for the first time in all of those years.  She has been homeless sitting there ever since.  I went aboard a couple weeks ago and with the exception of little varnish she wintered Ok.  I actually took some time to roam her decks and sit behind the wheel, it had been a long time. Such a nice boat, a nice boat indeed. 

We are looking forward to float her in the spring and get the masts aloft once again.  I will have to purchase a new main as I sold mine to a customer a few years back that needed one NOW. I still have not shelved the idea of cruising and leaving her in Maine for a period, but one step at a time.  So, I suspect you will see a lot more of my ramblings on the site in the coming months as I turn my thoughts to launch season.

Good Sailing
Dale Tanski
Obersheimers, Buffalo NY

[S/V AMITY]

Good to hear from you!

[Jim S]

Good to hear from you.

[SV Alfresco]

Good to hear from you. Did you consider Rhode Island verses Maine? Longer sailing season ,fewer lobster traps, and you can watch great whites swimming next to your boat (just kidding, they bypass us for the cape). I'm moored in a hurricane hole and there is a 365 moored next to me.

Mike

[S/V AMITY]

Good suggestion S/V Alfresco!  Narragansett Bay, Newport, Cuttyhunk, the Vinyard, Quicks Hole, Hadley's, Osterville, Padanarum, Jamestown, Menemsha... on & on & on.  Less fog too.

[SV Alfresco]

Plus tons of good restaurants and things to do nearby when the weather isn't conducive to sailing for the Admiral.
I'm in Allen's Harbor. Check it out on Google maps. Run by the town of North Kingstown (you don't have to be a resident) and costs a lot less than other places. We can paddle board when there is white caps on the bay.

Mike

[S/V AMITY]

  Allen's Harbor... haven't been in there in years.  Our yacht club (EYC, Essex, CT) used to stop in there for a night or two on the club cruise.  Maybe they still do.  We kept our yawl for many years just down the bay from you in Dutch Harbor.  Nice spot.

  Yep, campaign is on for Dale to keep her in RI or somewhere nearby.  Still, a damn long trek down from Buffalo to go for a sail.

[Dale Tanski]

Thanks for all of the suggestions. Here is what you guys don't know... Our season starts when spring breaks in Buffalo, usually around end of April. From that moment up until around the fourth of July we are 14 -15 hrs a day, 7 days a week.  We are in the store and when we are not we are working on boat after boat.  After the fourth we close on Sundays as people are typically no longer working on their boats rather using them.  We get busy (sort of) again late September early October for haul out. There is no way in hell I can make the time to use my own boat.  We have trouble finding the time to race on Wednesday evenings.  After all, when some one sees me on my boat the question arises... you don't have time to work on my boat but yet you have time to use yours? 

The concept behind Maine (or Rhode Island) is, come July, August, September some time frees up.  My Kids runs the business for the most part especially that time of year (I do the repairs and installations) so, I could escape for a week once a month. The key is it would have to be far away from my customers and far from the phone.  To drive 8 to 10 hours doesn't phase me at all.  We would drive at night (less traffic) get there, sleep on the boat wake up and go.  The ultimate goal would be to head back and pass one of our kids heading to the boat. 

Maine has a unique feature.  The season is shifted approximately one month because of the temperature.  This makes July, August and September the most desirable time to be there.  That happens to correspond with the stores time frame.

We get customers often that say they are thinking about selling their boat because they just don't use it that much any more.  I always tell them before they do that, move the boat.  Take the boat hours and hours away.  They have seen everything there is to see where the boat currently resides and its is too close to home  Close enough that a soccer game or cutting the lawn start to take time away from the boat.  You seldom will return 4 or so hours to cut the lawn.  If they still don't use the boat, then sell it. Kind of the same concept.

Dale Tanski
Maruska

[Dale Tanski]

Just checked Allen's harbor out. Looks nice!

Questions...
Is it remote or mobbed with people?
You say "cost less", what does that really mean?  A mooring up in Robin Hood Marina in Maine was $1000 - $1500 a season. 
Winter storage?

Dale

[SV Alfresco]

Dale,

I think it's about $1800. Includes a free dinghy dock. There is storage right across the street and RI Moorings. $50/ft storage. They have a travel lift. They are trying to require to have them do your work for new customers. Don't know how that's going to work for them. There are a number of other places close by. A number of boat yards in Wickford. I don't know the details on any of them. There is also Clark's in Jamestown. Dutch Harbor is a place to stay away from, not protected.

Allen's Harbor Marina 401-294-1212
RI Moorings - 401-295-2502

[SV Alfresco]

Forgot to add Allen's harbor is quiet.  Facilities include free pump out, restrooms and a couple of showers. A couple of transient moorings and a couple of people anchor there some weekend. Very nice people and kept very clean.