Update: Who's in for 2010?

[Mario G]

I'm figuring on food being the biggest expense, the wife eats like a bird and thou I'm only 165lbs I eat enough to feed a small village.  I'm more in to trying local cuisine (eatting is a hobby I can always take with me)

I don't have a lot that could go wrong on my boat and as long as I can get the parts should be able to do any and all repairs. I'm about to spend a few months retro fitting it for this trip.  I still have a few weeks of sailing left ;D

They better hope I come back...lol

[ronc98]

I would love to make this trip with my C-26 but this year did not turn out like I was hoping it would.   I am not sure I am comfortable enough with its swing keel to take it that far off shore.  You have any fears Mario with yours?

[Mario G]

I was in a heavy storm this last weekend and the boat stayed fairly stable. I have heeded my C-22 to having the port windows in the drink  a few times. I think I might go for a new stainless keel mount and pin assembly.

What is it I should be worried about?  I'm taking it to the coast soon to test the waters.

[SV Wind Dancer]

Sounds like you're dealing with the issue that would be the greatest concern...I lost the swing keel in a storm trying to get home in a small Sailstar, surfing a two ton board with all sail and no keel is a heck of a thing!

[Lynx]

For those with a swing keel I suggest that you go south down the coast and cut orver at Ft Lauderdale. That way when the seas get bad you can get into a safe harbor quickly.

[Mario G]

Our rule was "sail close enough that you can see the smiles on the faces of
the people on the beach"...   a quote from the capt of the flying pig when ask about sailing south.

This will make the 1st mate very happy. 
This trip is very important to the wife and I, I'm sure we won't be the first to sail a swing keel to the Bahamas. 

I really like the size of my C-22 it has this comfort and ease about her.  And for the 1st mate its that the Chrysler C-22's e-tec no sink design that still makes this our perfect boat

[ronc98]

That is a perfect plan Mario.  If I get things squared up in time that is the same route I would take my C-26.  not as fast but it is a possibility. 

[CapnK]

Right now (barring some sort of cash windfall  ;)) it looks like Katie and I will make the start @ Lookout and sail out with everyone, but instead of going to Eleuthera, we'll turn SW about 150-200 miles offshore, sail in that general direction for about another 150-200, and then turn back in for Winyah Bay.

In short, due to budgetary and (moreso) time constraints as a sole proprietor, we'll do a Scoots-worth+ of offshore distance sailing (~650 miles) mostly non-stop, but be able to wind up back at work in a lot shorter time than if we were to go down to the Bahamas.

I'd MUCH MUCH rather end up on a warm sandy beach, but the above is do-able without losing too many clients/too much business, which would otherwise further delay my eventual, non-returning, ultimate sailFar getaway even farther into the future. :)

[Mario G]

In short, due to budgetary and (moreso) time constraints as a sole proprietor, .

I'm locking up or leaving mine shop in someones hands. :P

I'd MUCH MUCH rather end up on a warm sandy beach, but the above is do-able without losing too many clients/too much business, which would otherwise further delay my eventual, non-returning, ultimate sailFar getaway even farther into the future. :)
[/quote]

You almost had me scraping the whole thing and continue working an already most difficute to servive economy but you had to meantion "warm sand beaches."  Again they better hope I come back, sand between the toes always has me.

[sailorflo]

Im still in. I have a new boat that should put me in the sailfar category
. see you all there!

[Captain Smollett]

I'm surprised The Scoot threads have not had a chatter in the last week or so.

Anyone staging in Beaufort this weekend?

Is Auspicious the only official Scooter to actually GO?

[bladedancer]

Maikel here, s/v louise michel, pearson ariel. Planning to leave Brooklyn in september, go down ICW and cross to Abacos in late november/early december - hear there's a weather window then. After that a leisurely cruise though bahamas.
Am buying charts for western caribbean just in case..... Looking forward to hooking up with other sailfar members.

[Pappy Jack]

I'm just curious. What is the status of the Scoot ???? Who all made it to the start and who finished?

[Godot]

To the best of my knowledge, the idea pretty much died for various reasons.  Financial (damned economy) being the number one issue.  A fair share of other personal issues as well.  Small boaters appear to be poor (as in broke) boaters.  I think while the initial two year plan seemed generous at the time, the reality is that it was probably pushing things a bit.

Another issue probably affecting the outcome was the firm "non-event" nature which perhaps stretched the concept too far, diluted the focus, a pretty much left no one to drive the event.  Now I know why organizations are set up for this type of thing.  They are bloated, expensive, annoying, busy bodies; but they keep things moving.

Of course, I can only speak to my own interfering financial and personal issues which while fairly sever, are hopefully temporary.  When I finally dig myself out of my hole, I hope to do the trip at some point.  Although by that time, calling it a scoot would be moot.  :)

Lessons learned.

[Auspicious]

Adam sailed back from the Bahamas with me. If he proved nearly as much to himself as he showed me then he knows he can sail anywhere he decides to go. I got seasick for the first time in my life and Adam was right there for all the ugly stuff that needed to get down. I'll sail with him again any time; that's a pretty short list.

If things crank up for anyone in 2011 I have some weather thoughts. *grin*

I might give it a whirl again in 2011, for whatever that's worth.

[Pappy Jack]

Well, at least we had two people make it and that's what counts...right? I suppose the question is, are we going to try again in a year or two or three  or just give it up. I for one would like to see it come fruition but that's just me.

I know that the economy did me in and now I'm trying to get over a herniated disk( my second in five years :'( but there is always the future. At least it's something to think about...who knows.

Fair winds and full sails,

Pappy Jack

[CharlieJ]

While we didn't even try to do 'the scoot' Laura and I did sail the Bahamas.

Does that count at all?  ;D ;D

[CapnK]

Well then, it looks like Dave & Adam and CJ&L had (are having) their own Scoots of a sort, which is what it is all about. :) Maybe in the future, as things financial and otherwise stabilize for folks, we'll see it become more of what was envisioned, with a group(s) of Scooters starting out together, bound for some common distant goal...

I had my own setbacks which made it so that I couldn't make the spring jump-off as hoped. Nonetheless, the motivation & the idea of the Scoot helped keep important things important, and I am on track to have the boat sailing again soon. I'll be Scooting in some way this winter, and while it's not the trip I had hoped for 2 years ago, it is still what a Scoot should be - a step towards the ultimate dream (which in my case involves crossing oceans...). A couple of months behind the original date hoped, at least I'll have the boat at a minimal state of what I wanted it to be for the journey, which is a giant step of the ultimate plan, and then within a few more months, I will be using it that way, to some degree or another. :)

Ideally this winter, I'll be able to head straight to the Bahamas from here. If a good weather window doesn't open when the time comes, or if for whatever reason that can't/won't happen, then I figure I'll bounce down the coast, outside as much as possible, spend a few weeks/month+ traveling aboard Katie, maybe meet up with Maikel/bladedancer somewhere, visit sailFarers in other places, put some miles under the keel and try out various systems and plans and get a much better idea of what I've done right so far, and what is further needed, before Me + Boat is ready to start looking for distant islands to come up over the horizon...  8)

As Dec and Jan are so slow for my business that there isn't a lot of point in being around, what better thing to do then? ;D

[Auspicious]

At the risk of being indiscreet, I'd like to point to this: http://sailfar.net/forum/index.php/topic,3038.0.html

The webinar is educated by the Scoot, my transatlantic, and more deliveries this year than I expected. I don't explicitly mention SailFar or the Scoot, but now that I think about it that might be a darn good idea. If little boats can do it, what are the big guys whining about?