Happy Birthday, Everyone!

[CapnK]

Seven years ago yesterday on a cold, blustery December night, I sat aboard my 'little' sailboat that held my biggest dreams and wondered about, or even if, there were many other people like me out in the world, and if so what they were doing right then, who would they be, what would it be like to share experiences and thoughts and "life" with them...

It gave me the idea to start a website where we could maybe get together and find these things out, so I registered the sailFar.net domain, and put together a plain page with the logo and slogan "Small Boats, Long Distances..." to post on the server.

A couple of days later, with the software setup complete and configured, most of the current Moderators and a few other friends joined here and started to post, and then, gradually and after a while, some other folks started to trickle in, and before long sailFar had become the beginnings of what we have today. :)

In 7 years (wow, 7 years...), we've met and made friends with folks from all over the world, learning of their experiences and sharing stories and tips and ideas. Quite a few sailFarers have made the transition from "virtual" to "real" small boat voyagers, some have returned or continue to post, others have moved on to lives beyond. Some fewer of the members, thankfully, have sailed their very last voyage for a distant shore, one which the rest of us have hopefully a long time to yet to reach.

In the past 7 years, despite discussion and even a few attempts to do so, we've never been able to nail down an exact definition of what it is that *we* are, this community, of having a definitive statement that "This is What We Believe at sailFar", and you know, the more that time goes by, the more I think that is appropriate. :) There is a gut feeling that overall we lean towards 'old school' and "KISS" and smaller boats, but at the same time there is no mandate for any one way, thing, or thought, and so there is no exclusion, and our community is overall the richer for that. We have a great mixture of people and all the things they bring with them together in one spot where the most important things are sharing and civility and enriching each other in regards to our shared passion for the 'sailing lifestyle', and somehow, well, it works.

Thank you all for that - you are the reason for it.

Our whole story isn't yet written. I think there are still a lot of 'our kind of people' 8) out there who've not heard of the site, who don't yet know about the wonderful community we have here, a good kind of folk who will one day run across some mention of the site somewhere, check it out,  and then join in and continue to help make sailFar the rich mixture of places, experience, philosophy, and friendship that it is. I look forward to meeting them.

Thanks again, y'all. And Happy Birthday to all of you. Spread some extra Grog around to your fellow sailFarers, and let's have us a party... ;D

[CharlieJ]

Hear hear and thanks Kurt, for making it happen.

In my cruising, I've met a number of SailFar folks- all great  people. Looking forward to meeting more, in some future anchorage, somewhere.

[Tim]

And a Birthday grog for you Capn. for making it happen!

[Travelnik]

Happy Sail Far Birthday Everyone!  ;D

[David_Old_Jersey]

Yeah, happy birthday  8)

[SalientAngle]

A most excellent resource, cheers and grog on the 7th anniversary !!!

[Captain Smollett]

I remember the birth of the best sailing site on the Internet.  A Joyous Day.

I've met several friends through this site, and am thankful for it.  This place has been a spiritual haven for me, not just on sailing topics.

Here's to Kurt - a HEARTY thanks for that moment of inspiration in 2005!

[Frank]

GEEZ.......7 years!!!! Congrats Capt K and thanks for all you did to set this up and continue to do in keeping it going.
Just think....7 years later and I haven't yet been scolded for not using the "search" button!   ;) ;D :o

[s/v Faith]

I must have missed this thread, kinda tough to keep up when you are out cruising...

Glad to be aboard, and that this place continues to attract some of the least sane best Sailors one could want to hang out with.