We are saddened to tell that member Bob Prescott’s wife Marjorie suddenly passed away on December 8, 2004. Marjorie was thought to be recovering from a summer’s illness, but it was not to be. Our sincerest condolences are extended to Bob and his family.

2005 WINTER RENDEZVOUS

The Annual Alberg 37 Winter Rendezvous, held at Harrison’s Chesapeake House on Tilghman Island, MD on March 12, 2005 was a great success. The evening began with cocktails in the "Living Room" at Harrison’s followed by a great dinner in the dining room.

Members attending were: Wayne and Sherrill Bower (TEELOK); Charles and Jane Deakyne (SCRIMSHAW); Tom and Kaye Assenmacher (SHEARWATER); Bruce McFarland (AERIE); Bill and Heather Beaver (HALCYONE) and Jerry and Becky Knop (ex-SOLSKIN II). Lots of good "boat talk" and exchanges of photos took place. Photos of the event have been posted on the Alberg 37 web site.

2005 ALBERG 37 SUMMER RENDEZVOUS

The 2005 Summer Rendezvous will be held at the Port Whitby Marina in Whitby, Ontario on June 25-26, 2005. The Rendezvous will be hosted by A37IOA members Wayne and Cindy Milroy (LEEWAY II) of nearby Oshawa, Ontario. The Port Whitby Marina is adjacent to the original Whitby Boat Works facility where most of the Alberg 37s were built. There is additional info in this newsletter and on the A-37 Web Site. Begin making plans to attend!

RECENT TSUNAMI WEBSITE

Photos and narrative from a sailboat in the recent (December 2004) tsunami – check out this amazing website –

http://www.yachtaragorn.com/Thailand.htm

NEW MEMBERS
There are no new members this quarter.

EVERDEN'S TURNED NORTH

By Geoff and Bunkey Cunliffe

Friday, February 18, 2005 - It’s been a long time since I sent out an update on our travels. Truth is we've been sitting in George Town, Exumas for months and I figured you wouldn't want to hear about the endless stream of Beach Volleyball, Walks along the Beach, Happy Hours on each others' boats, Pot Luck Suppers and Bonfires, Snorkeling, and Fishing Trips, so I won't say a word about them. I won't even tell you how many lobsters I caught! What we did have though, was a lot of wind, which made for some wet rides across to town in the dinghy - see that made you feel better didn't it?

So finally we left GT on Wednesday and are now at Highbourne Cay on our way up to the Abacos via Ship Channel Cay and Royal Island. We caught a good sized Mahi-Mahi (Dorado) in Exuma Sound on Wed, and have dined very well ever since. The cat turns her nose up at dry cat food now. Today we were about 2 miles north of Normans Cay and met Lap Cat (Adrian and Wilma) on their way south. They quickly turned round and we rafted up and anchored in a perfect dead calm on the banks, had a good long chat, and finished off the fish for lunch.

Bunkey is still determined to sell the Everden when we get back, and buy a Catamaran. We're hoping to charter a Cat from either Moorings or Sail Abaco, in Marsh Harbour, to get a better feel for sailing and living aboard one. Then we'll be heading back to Florida some time in March and renting a car and checking in with all the brokers there who specialize in Multihulls. Over the past few weeks we've gone over and chatted to the people on every new Cat we saw, and of course got to tour round most of them. We even had three people who took us out sailing for the day on their boats. Trouble is, the more you see, the more confusing it all gets. We even met people on an interesting 37ft 'SeaRunner' Trimaran, then went sailing on its 34ft little sister and had happy hour on its 40ft big sister. So now the 40ft Tri is an option too! In true scientific style, I made a list of all the requirements we had for a new boat, and drew up a spreadsheet to compare all the ones we'd seen. Trouble is the answer keeps coming out wrong (disagrees with gut feel!). Maybe I should throw the computer out; I'm supposed to be retired.

We'll keep you posted on our journey north and the latest from the roller coaster decision process. Hope the rest of the Winter's not too bad for you, and look forward to seeing most of you in the Spring. Best wishes.

Geoff and Bunkey Cunliffe aboard The EVERDEN

NEWS FROM MEMBERS

Jerry and Dorothy Senecal of Edwards, NY, have recently changed the name of their 1969 sloop to DRY BEAN from her previous name ONTARIO GIRL.

Joran Gendell of Williamsburg, VA recently wrote of several projects he has done on his 1984 yawl ELIXIR (A cockpit cover; a mast collar; and improved access for a water heater installation). More extensive write-ups on these projects are available on the Alberg 37 web site at http://www.alberg37.org/Projectdb.htm.

Gord Martin recently sent the following: “This is from the Great Lakes Alberg Association newsletter. Don Campbell was replacing gate valves on A30 #528. When he turned the engine intake valve the thru hull fell apart. The thru hull fitting is not a proper marine fitting, consisting of a washer and tube, assembled by swaging. His fitting had corroded, and could have sunk the boat. My 1975 A37 sloop, MAGGY FIELDS IV, has these fittings on engine intake and head intake. While mine had not corroded, I'm not taking chances. It is 25 days til launch, and I still have lots to do.”

Tom and Kaye Assenmacher’s A-37 MK-II yawl , SHEARWATER has spent the winter at Whitby Boat & Specialty Wood Work Ltd. She was trucked up there in late November, and the work is now finished, awaiting transport back to Kinsale, VA. Alex Magnone refurbished the topsides, cabin top and deck (lots of gel coat cracks along with some water intrusion in the cabin top and decks). “Kaye and I made several trips to Whitby during the winter and early spring to check on progress - SHEARWATER now looks like a NEW BOAT! – our hats are off to Alex and his crew for their craftsmanship and attention to detail. We hope to have her back in Kinsale soon.”

Ian Dunn’s 1967 MK-I sloop, VECTIS also spent the winter at Whitby Boat receiving an extensive interior and exterior rework. Her exterior work, while not nearly as involved as that done on SHEARWATER included repainting the topsides, decks and cabin top. Ian indicated the following interior work is being performed:

· New floor

· New countertop

· Replace refrigerator

· Replace stove

· Convert the port bunk to a pull out double. This also creates an 'L' shaped seating area.

· Remove wood stove/heater.

· Remove table and replace with a hinge down table, storage rack.

· Install "Candy Store" including bar, chart drawers, SSB shelf and book racks. (in starboard pilot berth)

· Replace various drawer fronts, etc so they match the new fixtures.

· Add a "v" insert in the forward cabin to make it a double. (This includes splitting the door down the middle so it becomes a bifold.

“I also had the forward cabin hatch replaced and one added in the main cabin and a small one in the head. Alex put a skin on the bulkhead to cover various holes. The large gas tanks I had on deck were removed (as was most everything else from the deck) and are being replaced with smaller tanks in a seat being added behind the helm. I also moved the main sheet from behind the helm (where it was dangerous) to the cabin top and eliminated the traveller.”

Paul and Carol Dunne sent the following Email in February: "SOLAR WIND I is on the dry in Green Turtle Cay in the Bahamas. Carol and I will be going down in the beginning of April to install a new Garmin 2010c GPS as the Magellan FX324 from Thales Navigation does not have electronic charts beyond Hispaniola. We have rented a cottage so will be doing little jobs on the boat and relaxing. The boat was trucked down from Ontario to Summerfield Boat Works in Ft. Lauderdale by South Coast Marine Transport. The price was right and we didn't have to remove our bow pulpit. Telephone 519-429-0248 or 888-222-7021. We stepped the mast, installed a new Zodiac 6 person Open sea life and ACR Globalfix cat.1 EPIRB among many other things. We then sailed to West End GB and onto the Out Islands as far as Elbow Cay then back to GTC. Everything worked perfectly on the boat, which is rare after a major refit. From experience this will not last much longer. The boat survived the two hurricanes well on land. It had been hurricane chocked. One of the hurricanes "Jeanne" passed directly over GTC. The eye sat over the boat for 30hrs. The wall of the eye of Hurricane Francis brushed the south end of GTC. The only damage was the loss of canvas pieces covering the hand rails, wheel pedestal and companionway including bridge. We may leave the boat in the Bahamas for a few years before we take it further south. This is the third boat we have taken to the Caribbean. In our previous boat we took to the Caribbean, we sailed as far as Grenada and sold it in St. Lucia.”

Lois Jacobs and Merle Galbraith sent the following email (and Photo) in early January, but too late to get into the last newsletter – They have been cruising their 1981 yawl INTERLUDE in the Caribbean for years and are currently in Trinidad:

“New Year's Day 2004 was busy, as were the three weeks prior. Lois organized and emceed the Trinidad SSCA New Year's Day GAM as an international potluck. It was held at Power Boats Marina and attended by over 100 people from about 50 boats and 10 countries. Many volunteers helped, but special commendation went to the 11 year old girl from Ireland who made cards with the name, country of origin, and colorful flag for each dish on the buffet!

On January 2, began the first of several frustrating experiences with insurance this year. As Merle completed a turn, a speeding maxi taxi (12 person van) smashed into the rear door and wheel of our little car and did about $1500.00 (US) damage. Fortunately, no one was hurt, but both the maxi and its driver were improperly licensed, the police were disinterested, the maxi's insurance company continues to ignore our claim, and the government regulatory agency is "investigating". We're not holding our breath!

In March, we helped a neighbor move his sailboat across the Gulf to Venezuela and back. The good part was buying Venezuelan grocery treats not available in Trinidad. Bad luck began when two-legged urchins swam to the boat while we were away, searched it, and stole...not cash or cameras, but cookies and candy, including special chocolate bars for which we had risked life and limb to purchase in Carupano. Carupano was a 5 hour round trip "por puesto" (shared taxi) ride at breakneck speeds on a narrow, two lane road, without headlights for the first 30 minutes after dusk! The really bad luck began after we departed by sea. Two hours from Trinidad, the engine stopped. Eight hours later we discovered the inexcusable: of a 400+ gallon fuel tank, 2 gallons remained. It was a sailboat, right? No problem....but it's design wasn't meant to actually sail, it's sails were rotten, it's deck hardware broke in 20 knots of wind, and the entire boat required electricity to operate (radios, electronics, stove, flush toilet, winches etc), and it had NO backup solar or wind generators. The only option was to limp downwind back to Venezuela where we discovered that the port captain deemed it illegal to sell fuel to foreign flagged vessels! Three days later, a clandestine operation to procure emergency fuel was carried out in full view of the Guardia Costa. With anti-American sentiment in the Venezuelan government, we worried about being arrested, never to be heard from again! Landing in Trinidad four days later, we practically kissed the ground. The adventure became..."the Trip from H--- on the Boat from H---- with a captain to match".

In April, a major change in the way premiums are calculated on a twenty year old American Chemical Society group life insurance policy resulted in unaffordable premium increases of 1200%! Four state insurance commissioners reported that they regulate outrageous practices of insurance companies, but not group organizers. Group insurance customers beware: you may be betrayed when you least expect it.

In June, Michael, the most meticulous, conscientious, and reliable Trinidadian worker we've ever employed, broke his neck in a car accident. It gave us insight into the local health care system. He was in the public hospital for five months and continues his recovery at home. He is irreplaceable and we miss him desperately!

In July, we discovered that Merle's new health insurance policy does not cover expenses incurred overseas. So, when he developed a growth on one eye, we weighed the cost of Plan A (doing the surgery here) vs. Plan B (flying to the States). Eventually, we opted for Plan B which, in retrospect, was a blessing in disguise as Plan A would have put us in Grenada for Hurricane IVAN....and tested our marine insurance for the first time in 23 years! Given our poor batting average with insurance this year, we were happy to miss that test! (Hurricane IVAN destroyed 90% of Grenada's housing and damaged or sank hundreds of cruising boats sheltered there.)

The Annapolis show was interesting. Prior to 1985, we attended the show regularly, exhausting ourselves for days to evaluate equipment for Interlude and never bumped into anyone we knew. This year, during a quick 2-hour survey of the show, Lois discovered that Interlude needed nothing and ran into five cruising couples we'd known in Trinidad or Venezuela. Small world.

Lois and Merle

If the Annapolis sailboat show was a small world, the Antigua Charter Yacht Show was a whole different world! Lois accidentally mistook a "little 39 footer" to be a dismasted casualty of Hurricane IVAN. In reality, it was the "tender" to a lovely 153 ft sailboat across the dock! WELL.....the "tender/yacht length" ratio was similar to ours (39'/153' vs. our 10'/37'), but there the similarities abruptly ended! A salon on a 300' motor yacht was larger than the combined living and dining room and kitchen in our Ann Arbor condo. The captain of a beautiful 150' Feadship motoryacht mentioned that its construction cost $1,000,000.00 per foot (or meter?). Details aside, we won't place an order this year. Finally, we understand Ann's 1985 comment about Interlude (an Alberg 37 yawl) "she's a nice, little dinghy sailer"!

Lois's eyes are now back in her head and we are very happy with the simple, classic elegance of our humble little Interlude. She's easy to sail and has no need (or room) for crew. Merle & Lois wish you fair winds, calm seas, safe travels and adventures and a...

VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS & A HAPPY, HEALTHY NEW YEAR

Rob Lee, of Denver, CO, recently provided an update on their 1981 yawl, HERON. “We spent last June on HERON, which is still in Oriental, NC. Had a great time as always, but we’re thinking of bringing her back to the Chesapeake Bay the next time we visit her, as we’ve pretty much done everything there is to do around Oriental, and we would like to do more exploring on the Chesapeake. I’m finishing school in August and hoping to get back to work. Being a student, maintenance and upgrades of HERON have been deferred.”

Kathy and Joel Baum of Toronto, who own the 1970 yawl WIND MISTRESS wrote in early February: “We spent some time in Miami over Christmas as our two kids were racing Opti’s in the Orange Bowl regatta- very breezy and a lot of fun. We hope to make the Summer rendezvous, at least by car if not by boat. We do check the webpage every so often. The recent articles regarding folks' experiences in the Tsunami were quite something.

Bill and Heather Beaver, of Annapolis, MD, who own the 1972 yawl HALCYONE wrote in late January: “Thanks for the latest newsletter. I always enjoy reading them. The links to the tsunami site was particularly captivating. I'm pleased to hear that you've opted to let Alex due your deck gelcoat repair. I think you came to the right conclusion with the "Life is too Short" reasoning. About the time you were probably pulling your boat out and trucking it north, Heather and I were putting her boat back in. After a very protracted painting process, we finally made it back in the water the second week in November. Just about ever 60 degree day we've had since then (6 actually - including new years day and last Thursday) we've gotten out and gone sailing. It's a strange sensation to sail the boat rather than just work on it. Stranger still when stuff actually works. So that's the progress, but not the big progress. Turns out Heather and I are working on a family as well. She's due July 10th, which means we are out of the picture for the Whitby summer rendezvous. We do, however, intend to make the spring get together at Tilghman Island. Note, ever the optimist I said "Spring", rather than "Winter" rendezvous. I've included a picture of the boat (because pictures always look good) to tide you over until Heather and I can sail it down your way to show off a bit. You are one of the few people who knew where we started. Since our last update, we've completed:

· replacing the opening ports with NFM stainless ports

· scraping many (10?) layers of bottom paint

· applied 6 coats Interprotect 2000 to the hull (no blisters)

· applied 2 coats Micron CSC bottom paint

· paid for a topside paint job

· rebored and bushed the rudder pivots

· added zincs to the rudder fittings and shaft

· replaced all the through hull from the mast aft (I got lazy and left the ones in the head as they at least had working ball valves, as opposed to frozen gates)

· installed new B&G speed, depth, and wind instruments

· installed new pulpits, stanchions and lifelines

· stripped and painted all the spars with Awl-Grip

· replaced the SS mast track with Antal sail track

· replaced the main halyard drum winch with a two speed conventional winch

· installed an new Harken furler

· rerigged the mainsheet with a Fredricksen 4:1/8:1 system

· replaced all the standing rigging on the main mast with new wire and HyMod fittings

· replaced all the electrical wiring in the mast

· restepped the mizzen (Yea! we are a yawl again)

· finished off the propane locker, and installed new regulator, solenoid, tubing, sniffer, etc. and reinstalled the oven

I'm currently working on electrical stuff: installing 4 AGM golf cart batteries, Link10 monitor, new alternator, and smart regulator. Once that's the done I can finally finish the LectraSan hookup (probably just in time for the Coast Guard to declare them illegal) The to-do list still looks quite long, but I hopefully we are over the hump. Take care, and hope for spring!

Bill & Heather

SOLAR WIND I - Journey to the Bahamas 2004

By Paul and Carol Dunne

May 27^th SOLAR WIND I arrived in Summerfield Boat Works, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The trip by South Coast Marine Transport took approximately three days from Hamilton Ontario. The boat was lifted from the truck directly into the water. Over the next 7 days, the boat was made ready for the journey across to the Bahamas. The first chore was to attach all the rigging and lights to the mast. Next we installed a new Zodiac 6 person Open Sea Life Raft on the deck under the boom and then a new ACR Globalfix Cat.1 EPIRB to the stern rail. Sails and bimini were installed. Fuel and water tanks were filled and then provisioning of food. Because the weather was so hot and humid most of the work was done in the early morning hours. The afternoons were spent shopping, lunch and then more shopping. There are a lot of nice marine stores in Fort Lauderdale.

June 3^rd Left Summerfield Boat Works at 12 noon and after passing through four bridges, we were on our way to West End, Grand Bahama Island. Seas were 2 feet and the winds 5-10 knots. Perfect weather for a smooth 14 hour crossing. The full moon provided plenty of light as the dolphins played on our bow. Arrived in West End at 1:30 in the morning where we anchored in the shallow bay just outside the harbour entrance. With the use of a Magellan FX 324, the crossing was uneventful and very pleasurable.

June 4^th At 8 am, we entered Old Bahama Bay Marina and since we had reserved a slip prior to leaving Florida, there was no problem docking. Immigration and customs was very straight forward but expensive. The $300.00 US payment will allow for the boat to remain in Bahamas for one full year. The Marina and Hotel complex is very nice. The weather was very hot (over 30 degrees) and with no wind, much of our time was spent in the air condition comfort of the restaurant. We inflated the Dinghy and secured it to the foredeck since we will not be towing until we reach the out islands.

SOLAR WIND at Spanish Cay, Abacos

June 7^th Left Marina at 10 am to pass through Indian Cay Channel and waited in the outside bay until one hour to high tide. The route to Mangrove Cay is about 26 miles with the first 5 through very shallow waters (7-10 feet). The Magellan GPS provides comfort as we navigate from way point to way point at a very steady slow speed. We have the Explorer charts as well as the NOAA Charts, Electronic Charts and Yachtsman’s Guide to the Bahamas but the most helpful is the Cruising Guide to Abaco by Steve Dodge. Reached Mangrove Cay at 3:30. Placed the dinghy in the water and attached the outboard. With very few boats here, the evening was very pleasant as we enjoyed a spaghetti dinner. The concentration required for the navigation coupled with the heat and sun made for a early night to bed.

June 8^th If the anchored moved last night it was minimal. The Lewmar Concept 1 windlass is working very well. In fact, everything is working well. Pulled anchor at 8 am and headed for Great Sale Cay. Winds are light from the ESE with scattered rain showers. During the 22 mile passage, we sailed through two rain showers which kicked up the seas. Arrived at 12:30 and dropped anchor behind several other boats. The anchorage is a popular overnight stop for boats headed to Abaco. It was a nice evening until the rain started and winds increased to 20 knots. The boat was hit by lightning three times. Very scary. We set our anchor alarm on the Magellan which worked well.

June 9^th Headed for Allans-Pensacola about 15 miles away. Winds are light from the SSE with scattered showers in the forecast. This deserted Cay was actually two separate islands before a hurricane joined them. Several boats were already anchored when we arrived at 2 pm. After a nice dinner, we showered in the cockpit using the pressure water from the galley faucet. A 12 volt outlet was installed in the V-berth today and this will be used for the fan and the GPS (night watch). The boat is becoming very organized now. The winds came up again during the night with heavy rains. The holding is not the best so the anchor alarm is set again.

June 10^th We pulled anchor early to make our way to Spanish Cay which is about 12 miles away. It’s always comforting knowing that a marina has a slip waiting for us. Calling in advance really makes a difference. Arriving at 11 am, the slip was easy to get into. All the Marinas have dock hands that are a very helpful and pleasant. The Marina complex is complete with all amenities including a wonderful restaurant and clean showers. There are 5 beaches on this privately owned island and we enjoyed them all during the afternoon heat of the day. Sharks are common in these waters.

June 12^th Weather is good again with winds light from the ESE. Left dock at 9 am to start our 15 mile cruise to Green Turtle Cay. Very anxious to make storage arrangements so we can relax for the remaining two weeks of our holiday. Arrived at Settlement Harbour and for the next three days we will re-provision and change the engine oil. The people are very friendly here as they have been through out Abacos. Many fine restaurants and shops in GTC make the visit here very nice. There is a shortage of water on the island as they do not have RO. This makes for difficulty getting the laundry done and filling of water tanks.

June 15^th We head for Great Guana Cay today in calm SE winds. The route requires passage through an open channel named Whale Cay Channel. The winds increase to 12 knots and with the seas choppy, our speed is hindered. This area is the most difficult and treacherous in the Abacos (according to the cruising guide). The channel is shallow (12 feet) and is susceptible to a rage sea condition when ocean swells come from the NE. Luckily today, the seas are passable and the trip uneventful. On the last leg of the route, there are several channel markers which were used by Cruise Liners several years ago. They would anchor off Bakers Bay and take passengers to shore. The complex which was apparently owned by Disney has been abandoned since 1993. After anchoring in Bakers Bay, we quickly load the dinghy with our swimming and snorkeling gear and head for shore. The beaches are very beautiful and swimming here is worth a million. We ran around like children in the shallow water pointing out interesting things to one another. A short walk to the ocean side of the island provides another splendor. After our famous spaghetti dinner and cockpit shower, we enter the way points for the next day’s cruise.

June 16^th We pull anchor at 9:30 and cruise to Settlement Harbour, Great Guana which is about 4 miles down island. Orchid Bay Marina is a new complex with very clean showers, laundry facilities and a great restaurant. The nice advantage of taking a slip is the access to water for washing the boat and filling the water tanks. The most entertaining place to visit in the Abacos (some say in the Bahamas) is the famous Nipper’s Bar and Grill. The ocean view is spectacular with the endless white sandy beach and the oldies music makes this a very fun and memorable visit.

June 19^th We left the slip 2 hours before high tide to start our cruise to Man-O-War Cay. There are only a limited number of moorings available (first come first serve basis) and we manage to get one. The entrance to Man-O-War is very tricky and requires good light as the depth at low water is 6 feet. The islanders welcome visitors and make the stay a pleasant one. No alcoholic beverages are allowed on MOW cay. The famous Albery Boat Builders reside on this island. Paul had stopped here 31 years ago (in a Tanser 22) and remembers the father (now deceased). The protected bay provides a very clam anchorage and a pleasant sleep.

June 21^st We left MOW on a rising tide so we can make easy entry into Elbow Cay about

2 hours away. With only moorings available, we had reserved in advance. Hope Town is a very pretty place and the harbour is a natural hurricane hole. Once the mooring was secured, we placed a tarp over the boom to provide shelter from the sun and rain. There are many nice shops, groceries stores and entertaining restaurants here. The candy stripped light house was built in 1863 and still uses a kerosene fueled mantle and rotating glass fresnel lens to send light up to 20 miles. The view from the top is spectacular. A fourth Hella fan was installed in the main cabin which really makes for a comfortable stay when the weather is hot. They only draw 300 ma or .3 amps on high.

June 24^th Since we only have a few days left, we start our trip back to Green Turtle Cay where we will leave Solar Wind for the year. Winds are still light from the SE so passages are non eventful. Arrived in Black Sound on June 26^thand prepared for the haul out. Over the next few days we give the teak a coat of Cetol, flush and fog the diesel and o/b engines and pack the boat for storage ensuring all loose canvas and running rigging is secured. We place canvas covers on our wheel pedestal, handrails, lazerette, windlass and companionway. The manager of the yard is very competent and has earned our trust in his facility.

Solar Wind I will stay on the dry for the next year. Our plans are to return to the Abacos and explore the Bahamas over the next three years. Long term plans are to cruise to more southerly latitudes.

SOUTHERN CROSS HEADING NORTH
By Karen and Marcel Steinz

After cruising for the past 7 years in the Bahamas and Florida, we have decided to bring Southern Cross north. This year we stayed in Florida. The boat endured 4 hurricanes this past year and suffered a lot of water damaged inside. In the past we have never had a problem but the hatches popped due to the pressure of the winds during Charlie, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne. Luck was with us and the boat did not fall over but there were 14 boats in our yard that did. We launched the boat January 5th in Titusville after six weeks of hard work to bring Southern Cross to Bristol condition. We can claim to be experts in the removal of mold and mildew.

We spent most of our time after launch in Vero Beach (aka. Velcro Beach). This harbour is just off the ICW where you can rent a mooring for $10 per night. The Vero Beach Municipal Marina is a great spot to hangout for the winter months. There are 50+ moorings, great showers and washrooms, laundry facilities, Captain Quarter's with TV and internet along with FREE bus service to the shops and library.

Since both of us have commitments at the end of March in Oakville, Ontario, we decided to have the boat trucked to the Chesapeake. It was not possible to ship the boat home to Ontario due to the snow and the yards still full of boats.

We where glad that Tom Assenmacher put us in touch with a local transport company in the Chesapeake area. Boat Lovers Transport is owned and operated by Kip and Linda Newbould of Coles Point, VA. After having arranged the transportation, the boat was hauled at Cracker Boy Marina in Fort Pierce. This is a top notch operation. One must make reservations to be lifted or launched. We spent a few days on the hard removing and wrapping the mast for transport, strapping the dinghy on deck and general boat stuff readying the boat for transport. The boat was loaded on the flatbed on Monday, March 14th and was delivered to Coan River Marina early Wednesday, March 16th. Coan River is approximately 10 miles off the Potomac River and is a first rate marina. They have just been recognized as a Virginia Clean Marina. They offer very reasonable rates for their services.

After the boat left Fort Pierce, we drove north visiting friends in Beaufort as well as Tom and Kaye Assenmacher in Kinsale, VA. A few days were spent at the marina putting Southern Cross to bed for the summer.

We both highly recommend Cracker Boy Marina in Fort Pierce, Florida (772 465 7031) - Boat Lovers Transport, Coles Point, Virginia (804 472 9223) - as well as Coan River Marina, Lottsburg, Virginia, (804 529 6767)

(Click here for more photos)

Southern Cross Ready For Trip North
(Karen got to ride with Marcel)

GEAR FOR SALE/WANTED

MK-II cockpit cushions for sale. They are open cell foam inside of vinyl covers with zippers to get at the foam. They are in good, serviceable condition with no rips or tears in the vinyl. Five pieces in all for $100.00US plus shipping costs.

~~Cockpit Cushions~~

~~Contact:~~

~~Tom McMaster & Rose Hansmeyer~~

~~S/V Sojourn~~

~~612-825-4022~~ SOLD

Spintek Model Triumph 2000 Roller Furler for sale

Scandinavian design, California built. Previously on a A37. Can fit boat up to 50'. Excellent condition, works very well. $900 US - located in California, can ship it. (Click here for link to SPIN-TEK)

Call (510) 388- 2113

E-mail : naoned@earthlink.net

WEB SITES OF INTEREST

(Disclaimer – A-37IOA has no financial interest in any products listed.)

Crawfords Nautical Books of Tilghman Island – A very comprehensive listing of Nautical Books.