Celebrate my good fortune

[tomwatt]

Most of you know that things have been a bit lumpy for me the past couple of years. However, I have somehow muddled along to a good place: a very nice lady has come into my life, well actually two of them! One of them is a nice blonde-haired lady with whom I went to high school, and we have hit it off wonderfully, plus she is willing to learn to sail, and more importantly, go cruising (at least to some extent). The other is this little gal:

A 1977 Nordica 20 that will become my new, trailerable hole in the water (the Southcoast 26 is going to be for sale, once I have completed a clean-up and haul-out, in case anyone you know might be interested).
At any rate, life is good, and appears to be getting better every day.

[Jim_ME]

Tom, congrats. I've always thought that the Nordica 20 (and similar Halman 20) is an interesting funky salty small boat design.

Glad to see that you will have the ability to trailer-sail to destinations, perhaps distant ones. (I think also of Charlie's plans to trailer-sail to the East Coast next year...)

Yesterday I worked on repairing a trailer that I recently found. I plan to use it to trailer-sail a 19-foot twin keel boat that I also recently picked up--quite a project. (Still hope to eventually do the cruising on a larger boat, but am very much looking forward to trailer-sailing, too.)

Wonderful to hear that your "life is good, and appears to be getting better every day".

That's great news. Grog to you.

-Jim

[tomwatt]

Thanks Jim! I'm elated, not only was the boat a decent enough deal, it's in very good shape with only a minor fix required (cracked portlight). Salty little boat indeed, and yes, I'm thinking of being able to trailer over to various areas and put-in as desired. Lake Champlain or the New England coast are future possibles, Pensacola a definite destination - I've always wanted to sail out to Ft. Massachusetts in the Gulf. And my newly-found lady love (her name is Stephanie) is excited to try getting out on the water, although I think we're going to try to convince her one step at a time.
I'm still getting my ducks in a row to pick up the boat, so a few days away from being able to pet on her, but I sure look forward to it.

[CharlieJ]

Deeply felt congratulations Tom, for both events.

I did, and still do, love Tehani- she's a heck of a sea boat.

But I think that being able to go to windward at 65 mph is going to really open up my cruising. On the trailer, Necessity is 3 days from the Chesapeake Bay, instead of 3 months ;)

[Tim]

Great news all around, Congrats, have another grog Tom

[Frank]

GREAT!!!   Sturdy and salty looking lil boat for sure. I've always admired them. They have a decent website as well....just search "nordica 20" and you'll find it. I was in the factory (sheds) about 1979 or so. Small operation and friendly folks. Have fun!!  Love the boat.

[maxiSwede]

Good on ya mate!!  nice looking little boat and a new woman too!!  No wonder life is good  ;D

[tomwatt]

Thank you all very much. I have to confess to being very stoked. And my (new) lady is saying "when are we going to go get your new boat?" I think she's more excited about the boat than I am.
Actually, that's not possible. I have haunted and lurked the Nordica Boats website for years, shopped and tried for several of these over that time, and could never get there fast enough with enough money to catch one. This one just happened to be sitting in the middle of hard-to-find-nowhere and I ended up being the first person to really knock around on it. Check immediately sent (the bank sent a swell credit line check with a deal - $50.00 total cost for use of their money for a year, so I bit). Deal all sealed.
Yes, while this boat won't trailer like a WWP 15, it also won't be heeled over quite like one, a definite plus in trying to convince the lady that cruising can be safe and fun.
Extendable tongue on the trailer means a more likely to be able to launch nearby here, too. We'll see how that goes. Hope to get some on-the-water time in late into the season, before the heavy frost sets in, including some nice weekend anchorages on the Arkansas River.
I just feel so blessed.
And looking forward to getting into some far-off spots with the boat, too.

[Jim_ME]

...before the heavy frost sets in...

Yikes... frost... too soon... ;)

[Captain Smollett]

Congrats, Tom!  Sorry I missed this news when first announced.

Looking forward to many pics of memories being made, along with humorous lies stories.   ;)

[Oldrig]

Congratulations Tom:

Great deal, great luck -- and looking forward to some great stories.

Best,

--Joe

[tomwatt]

Me too! It's going to be a fun year, I can already see... my lady friend (Stephanie) is adventurous, but wants some comforts... so I'm thinking about adapting Larry & Lin Pardey's "sitz bath" design to our needs aboard the Nordica, since not bathing is going to make for an unhappy lady. We'll see how that works out, reporting and pics along the way.
Fair winds, friends!

[tomwatt]

Trekking north to pick up my new Nordica tomorrow morning. Will be trailering her back down here to central Arkansas, just had my Jeep transmission worked on (leaking, yikes!), but still haven't any air conditioning, so I'm thankful it will not be as hot as it has been. It's going to be a fun day!

[Travelnik]

Sounds exciting!  :D

I hope all goes well for you on the trip!

BTW-Nice lookin' boat!  ;D

[mrb]

Tom,   What part of central Ar. will you be sailing.  I keep my boat on Lake Dardanell.  Pretty good community at the Dardanell St. Park Marina in Russelville.  We have one liveaboard who keeps his dock open for all of us.  Good place to stop and chat and share coffee.

[tomwatt]

I'm really attracted to river cruising the Arkansas - we'll see how well that goes. Otherwise, it will be putting in at lakes Maumelle, Ouachita and others. Dardanelle is a possibility for a weekend trip. I'll have to look you guys up when I get that way.

[tomwatt]

Boat trailered nicely, although the rain and hail along the way wasn't too fun, since my Jeep's windows are stuck in the down position.
:(
On the road in north Arkansas, as I was at a stoplight on the highway, a young lady pulled up alongside me, rolled her window down and said "Nice boat!" Made my day, let me tell you. And cleared away any doubts I might have had about the decision to spring for the boat.
I have it parked in its slot at the nearby boatyard, until I move it over to my new girlfriend's warehouse (yes, she owns a huge warehouse, and suggested I park my boat there) in a week or so.

[Seafarer]

What kind of Jeep do you have? I've owned 6 or 7 of them and still have the 3rd one, though the body is about all that's still original.

[tomwatt]

Jeeps are: a 2002 Wrangler Sahara and a 2007 Liberty Sport. I know, I'm a glutton for punishment, as both need some work right now. It's always something.

[Seafarer]

The Wrangler was a nice pick- those are good vehicles.

Mine is an '89 Comanche 4x4 shortbed. The entire drivetrain is a mix-match of other Jeep parts, from the engine to the axles.