“New” Boats
Alan a relatively new Wembley SC member was looking to buy a Laser. We had exchanged a few emails on the subject and he was asking for some advice. I was in the same position a year ago. I was looking for a boat and I could see quite crap boats changing hands for silly money. At some point I was so frustrated I mentioned it in this blog. I called it Laser Jokes. So, I had said to Alan that when he would eventually buy a boat, I was willing to go and get it with him, since I have a tow bar on my car.
Last Saturday I went with Alan to pick up a boat he saw on Ebay and after he contacted the seller off Ebay, they agreed on a price which was quite good. We went there to check the boat and it turned out to be a real bargain. It’s a 174xxx Laser Race 2002. It had been sailed only once! It had some extras like a Holt XD Kicker and Rooster Booster control lines. The sail is clean and crispy and the whole package looks really good. We picked it up from Queen Mary’s, where the previous owner kept it, and we brought it at the Welsh Harp where we made sure, all the rigging is fine. So, on Sunday, Alan sailed his new boat.
On Sunday I saw Pero’s GP14. That is a much older boat which had some serious damage. It was leaking from the centreboard box joint. He had it fixed and as he was trying to make sure that all the problems were sorted, he went a bit over the top and he ended up restoring her. The boat looks fantastic. White GRP hull, wooden deck (re-varnished) with all rigging new, in black. Really nice boat. I said to him I am looking forward to going out for a sail in it. He promised me he will take me out soon.
I am really glad for both of them. Alan can focus on improving his sailing, now that he has his own boat, and Pero should start sailing more often since he has a really nice boat.