Yep, folks:
It's that time again. Well, a bit early but nothing wrong with some advance planning!
Let's get an idea of who's interested in attending this gala event and when we're all available, then we'll figure out where it'll be.
Mr. Elk is available in January and if my memory serves me well, we've held it in that month previously. For me, that's a good month...how 'bout ya'll? As you remember, we usually try to pick a location that's somewhat central for all of us. I don't mind a drive if it's to hang out with good friends and enjoy a nice meal.
Well, what say ye?
Bob23
Hmmm, let's see... NJ, DE, MD, PA, VT. Guess that would make it Tavern on the Green in NYC! Nah, just kidding. Need money for that Honda! No matter what, if centrally located, it's a long haul for MD and VT. They may want to spend the night at a motel. Should be easy access to I-95, NJTP or GS Parkway. One thought - Harold's New York Deli Restaurant in Edison, NJ. I've eaten there a number of times with my Volvo friends. No complaints (although, it can be a bit noisy). Real good food, even better prices. www.haroldsfamousdeli.com/ Not the same ambiance as The Captain's Inn, The Hulmeville Inn or Lambertville Station Inn, but you can't have everything.
That's my 2 cents,
Marty K.
Need change for you 2 cents? Haha!!!
Fortunately, we're in the very early planning stages. Edison is where I grew up...not very far for me. I realized that almost anyplace will be a hike for Brad and Sean. Let's see what cooks up here, ayuh, mates?
Bob23
Lily & Brad both drive for a living, so that is not a problem for us. Overnight? We'll just come with our pick-up truck and slide-in camper and find a Wal-Mart and utilize their parking lot to sleep in or use a rest area on the turnpike, although we usually go north and south on non-toll roads.
Elk River
Actually, is anyone up for meeting in NYC? I don't know my January schedule yet but it would be nice to see you all again. NYC is about four hours for us which does make it a lot closer than the Jersey coast.
The NYC boat show is January 21 - 25. Any interest in meeting for that and then lunch/dinner? Or is that mostly just powerboats?
We could look for sights like this: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ebsJot-wv_Q/TSyS3sSdAKI/AAAAAAAAFhw/wxg2uRbfvQE/s1600/2265c1d645eb044d_landing.jpg
Yeah! That's the way to travel, evidently, back in the day. My favorite is the closing scene of "Romancing the Stone". At least that's a sailboat.
Marty K.
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRSgb10WuXkJ-vFNF2d5Tc8ujsBn9iL5Vn6PsbAvJrmRJWcr4w9
Great picture. I'll have to see the movie now.
Just watched the ending. Gives a new meaning to "trailer sailor" doesn't it?
What boat is that?
I'd take either one. I love classic old powerboats. But I love my Koinoina more!!!
NYC boat show, ayuh? Interesting idea...that would be a hike for Brad and Lily even though they are drivers. It's pretty close for me..maybe and hour and a half.
It's early yet, so let's see who is in. Well, I am.
Bob23
I was thinking NYC was within four hours for Brad and Lily but maybe not. How far is it for you folks?
The old wood hull powerboats can be gorgeous. Ever been to the Adirondack Museum? Wonderful boat collection there.
We can make the Rotten Apple in about three hours time. Lily says she knows more about driving there than she would really like to. Be prepared for me to take more compromising photos... But, we are definitely in. Actually, the price for NOT publishing compromising photos might cover our fuel expenses...
Elk River
I see you learned Joisey politics rather quickly, ER. However we don't take kindly to threats of extortion from outsiders. Heck, that's what WE do! Besides, I saw you on the beach at BBB with that blonde. What would Lily say about that? Oh , that was Lily! :)
B23
Apparently the sailboat is a Mason 43 named "Angelina". Worth about 1/2 a mil. Romancing the Stone was rated one of the best pictures of the year and won many awards. It still is extremely funny and I'm glad I haven't dumped my VCR! Besides I always had a thing for Kathleen Turner, remember "Body Heat"!
Re: the old wood hull powerboats - my dad owned a 59 Chris Craft Cavalier with twin Gray Marine 6's. Boat was 30' with a plywood hull. Looked a lot like the one on the trailer. It only weighed 7,000 lbs. which made it plenty quick. It was very roomy in the cabin, sleeping 6 and still had a huge cockpit.
Marty K.
Nobody is talking extortion, Bob, just justifiable compensation for services not rendered...
Depending on the time of day for this event, we may stay in Jersey City at the Liberty Harbor RV Park (libertyharborrv.com) and take a bus over as the ferry doesn't run in the winter. It could also be a place to meet and either carpool over in one vehicle or all take a bus over, depending where in the City the event is to be held.
Elk River
I think a luncheon would be preferable. I like the idea of "Lunch on the Hudson". Just where would that be? ER, good idea about carpooling or a bus. Toll into New York is $13.00, and then, of course, you need to park somewhere; no need to use several vehicles.
Outdoor restaurants by the water Upper West Side, Manhattan, NY
On the West (Hudson) River:
http://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=outdoor+restaurants+by+the+water&find_loc=Upper+West+Side%2C+Manhattan%2C+NY
Restaurants with a water view New York, NY
On the East River:
http://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=restaurants+with+a+water+view&find_loc=New+York%2C+NY
And, just for good luck:
http://www.zagat.com/l/new-york-city/best-waterfront-restaurants-in-nyc?gclid=CjwKEAjwwdOhBRCG0fPrlfO1gGUSJAC1FmHXDjVA45_3v7kTqSJ7aQF9ib7vwVl_SLaF8cyhJSNhnhoCBynw_wcB
There's about a zillion restaurants to choose from!
Marty K.
What if we did a brunch at 11 or so and those who wanted to could then go on to the boat show in the afternoon?
Hi Guys,
I'm still lurking here and Suzie and I will be interested in joining you once again.
Set a time and place and we will give it a shot.
-Allen
That'd be great Allen. Stay tuned....a d remember the rules: non attenders pick up the bar tab!;)
Bob23
All you non-attenders need not worry, Mr. 23 himself will be picking up the tab for the potato chips... (some of us just can't let go)
Elk River
All the salt and vinegar chips you can eat at one sitting are on the house!
Bob23 the generous!
What's this "non-attender" thingy? Do you mean that BBB 2013 attenders don't count? Or did you forget the Madame and I were there. Let me remind you.....lost dingy...... :)
Now am I grandfathered in?
hi guys.. just looked at my boat yesterday.. i think that still qualifies me as a sailor! we are free january.. tied up the weekend of the 13th in Feb.. location is not a problem.. we like road trips.. even to NYC... thanks for planning ahead bob.. jt
Allen:
Hint accepted. You are grand daddyed in! Just to clear up any mysteries, what Allen is referring to is a strange occurance during BBB 2013 where it "appeared" that I'd forgotten to tie up Little Fellow and while we were gabbing, it was noticed he was some distance downwind looking for an escape. I emphasize "appeared" because we all know I'd never forget to secure the dink! Fortunately, he was re-secured and has been with me ever since. Come to think about it, that little boat has tried to steal center stage at almost every BBB!
JT:
Yeah, you still qualify. Having survived the Dingy-dunk wiht Marty and I ensures that, like it or not, you and Janet are in it for life! Making any progress on the boat or would you rather not talk about it!:)
Stay tuned.
Bob23
It will be great to meet these new people (new to us at least) and to meet Jason in person.
Cheers,
Sean
Well, this has been simmering for a while so I thought I'd give it a stir.
I'm rethinking the location of the MWG and am shifting my focus from NYC to the Princeton, NJ area. Pretty central for all of us and some great restaurants. Any thoughts/objections? Actually, I'm only looking for your thoughts...:) More soon. January is coming up fast!
Bob23...still sailing.
Still sailing? You dog! Oh well, there's always next year for me and Pegasus. Looking forward to the MWG. How can I help?
Marty K.
No objections but more complicated and expensive for Emily and I. NYC is fairly close for us and only has heavy traffic near the end of the trip. We also have a place to stay for free in the city. But it doesn't make sense to rearrange things just for the two New Englanders. Also, I won't be a Com-Pac sailor in the near future but would like to keep in touch with the group and maybe sail together again some time. I bought a 1974 O'Day 23 with a partial pop-top (convertible top). The cabin arrangement works well for me and the standing room in the cabin (top up) is 6'4". Overall size, weight, beam, etc. are very similar to CP 23. Even the ballast ratio is close. Shoal keel (like CP) but with a centerboard in the keel (like the newer CP designs). Not as pretty a boat as the CP-23 but pretty enough and seemingly quite solid. The partial pop-top versions of the 23 were only made in 1974 and there were only about 145 made. This older boat has an iron keel (which means more maintenance) but has 8 stays (so the mast can stay up even if a forestay or aftstay fails).
Was also looking at a Rhodes 22 (cabin too tight for me) and a Catalina 250 WK (great boat but too expensive for the near future). The O'Day weighs about 3100 lbs. and so is towable (and has now been towed long-distance) by my RV conversion van. It cost $500 because the owner really needed to get it out of an expensive marina. He had no trailer but I found a great one.
The picture below was made by the previous owner a couple of years ago. Boat looks the same now but will have my motor on it. Needs a bit of work but not much. Some cleanup, some new standing rigging, time for new sails (in the spring). Also plan to rebed all the deck hardware in the spring. Decks all seem solid though.
Maybe we can grant it "honorary Com-Pac" status?
(http://www.reidreviews.com/oday1.jpg)
Cheers,
Sean
When NY City was proposed, Cathay and I were silent as that didn't appeal to us for a lunch trip. After 4 years of school there, and living just north of the city for a couple of years, that cured me from wanting to go back there much! Too expensive, too much stress and hassle with driving, parking and transportation.
So Princeton works much better for us. Depending on the date, we'd definitely consider attending.
Sean, good luck with your O'Day! Sounds like a nice boat.
Hi Mike,
Thanks very much. I know that many people aren't crazy about NYC. Ironically, getting to NYC involves *much* less traffic for us than getting to the BBB did (though it was worth it). But have a good gathering all and please keep us in the loop about BBB 2015. I want to keep the O'Day as a fresh water boat (salt makes things more complicated for the CB slot in the iron keel) but anyone who wants crew next year for another BBB, let me know.
Cheers,
Sean
Count us in for Princeton in January. So far, the 17th has a dental check-up for us and that is the only Jan. commitment. Let me know if anything needs to be done to help (short of picking up the tab for the entire MWG).
Sean: good luck with your new-to-you boat. It sounds as though it should be just what will fit your needs.
I will be posting some news about the North Carolina Driftabout soon.
Elk River
Thanks Brad. The new boat seems promising and the price couldn't be beat.
Sean,
Hope you have many happy sails with the O'Day. 500 bucks! Good deal. Glad you were able to find a trailer.
Marty K.
Thanks Marty.
The trailer was interesting too. It is a 2011 trailer custom made, by a company in Maine, to fit an O'Day 23 (maybe a 25 also). It has never been in water and came with a 1973 O'Day 23 on top. $650 plus $300 fees to the charity auctioning it (Boat Angel). So I have an extra boat either for spares or to sell in the spring. The 1973 came with a 9.9 horse 2-stroke long shaft that I think works (but haven't tested yet). Both boats have roller furlers for their jibs so I'll use whichever one works best.
So, $1450 for two boats, one outboard, two jib furlers and a really nice trailer that had only a couple hundred miles on it. I'm happy. Sails on the 1974 are OK but old and should be replaced sometime soon. It can pay to shop at the end of the season when people want to get rid of whatever boats they aren't using. Some great deals out there. $500 was the advertised asking price for the 1974, no negotiations needed. I may give the 1973 to my sister and her husband if they want to refurbish it.
Cheers,
Sean
hi Bob.. Princeton sounds great! i need to check my duty schedule for the month of jan. thanks for getting things in motion :)
Sean, great looking boat and a wonderful deal.. best of luck - i bet you are excited for next year.. too bad we have a long winter ahead of us :( of course, i imagine that you enjoy some winter activities in your area as well...
Marty.. good to see that you are looking forward to the winter gathering.. it will be nice to catch up with everyone.. jt
So to further run with the MWG idea- let me know which dates in January are good or not good and we'll keep the ball rolling.
Sean-I know it may be further, but don't count it out just yet. And to sweeten the deal, I'll provide Emily with the largest bag of her favorite chips if she can convince you to come. :)
Bob23
Quote from: jthatcher on November 10, 2014, 09:19:20 PM
hi Bob.. Princeton sounds great! i need to check my duty schedule for the month of jan. thanks for getting things in motion :)
Sean, great looking boat and a wonderful deal.. best of luck - i bet you are excited for next year.. too bad we have a long winter ahead of us :( of course, i imagine that you enjoy some winter activities in your area as well...
Marty.. good to see that you are looking forward to the winter gathering.. it will be nice to catch up with everyone.. jt
Hi Jason,
Yes, I am excited to try it out in the spring. It's fairly warm right now so I've been doing some cleaning, small fixes, removing the standing rigging to be checked by a sailmaking shop, etc. I have tarps coming in for both boats but won't put them on until I have to. It's funny that the site has me as a "rigger" right now because that's just what I've been dealing with.
Best,
Sean
Quote from: Bob23 on November 11, 2014, 04:39:27 AM
Sean-I know it may be further, but don't count it out just yet. And to sweeten the deal, I'll provide Emily with the largest bag of her favorite chips if she can convince you to come. :)
Bob23
Hi Bob,
I'm sure she'd love that but we'll probably see you all next on the water. I'll be following the discussion for BBB 2015. Or...if there's a group that wants to sail Lake Champlain next year I'd be happy to help organize that.
Cheers,
Sean
Hmmph, figures that young Emily gets the potato chips offer...
Elk River
Quote from: Elk River on November 11, 2014, 05:36:49 PM
Hmmph, figures that young Emily gets the potato chips offer...
Elk River
My great regret for the BBB was that I bought only two bags of chips. The next time we sail together I will bring many.
Best,
S
Who would've thought that potato chips would be such a big thing. Elk- if you're a good sailor, maybe Santa will bring you your own bag.
Bob23
Quote from: Bob23 on November 11, 2014, 06:56:22 PM
Who would've thought that potato chips would be such a big thing. Elk- if you're a good sailor, maybe Santa will bring you your own bag.
Bob23
If only they were available at stores everywhere without a prescription. Maybe someday...
BTW, Bob, I think it was you who reminded me to look at the O'Day 23 and 25 again. Thanks for that. I've known about them since I was a kid but hadn't looked closely until this fall.
Cheers,
Sean
Bob,
Thanks again for spearheading this event. Suzie and I would really enjoy meeting up with the gang again. We are pleased with the Princeton choice and January sounds good. The job is still intense so a weekend getaway will be welcome. Pick a date (away from the holidays preferred) and we will give it a shot.
Many Thanks,
- Allen
Ok gents: The ball is in motion. While we're all here, maybe we could come up with a list of who would be interested in tarnishing their reputation by attending yet another MWG and what dates are good and not good. I'm thinking mid to end of January. So, what say ye? As for my end, the Admiral and I will be there and we're open the entire month.
Next up?
Bob23
Her Highness, Lady Elk and myself will be there. The dental thing on the 17th is just a check-up and is early in the morning, so that won't delay us for The Grand Event.
Elk River
Hi All,
It seems like Sunday, January 11th is the only weekend date that I have a conflict. I think I'm clear on any other weekend day (barring weather).
Marty K.
Ok, time to shift into a higher gear:
How does Saturday January 24th look for everyone? And I'll need some kind of idea who and how many are interesting in participating in this epic event. I'm still thinking of something in the Princeton area so I'll be checking out places or picking brains. Your thoughts, mates?
Bob23
works for us! jt and janet
Works for me! Looking forward to the MWG! Hope everybody can make it and that the weather is good.
Marty K.
My wife and I are hoping to make it. We're about 40 minutes from Princeton.
Looking forward to meeting everyone and particularly interested in the proposed Erie Canal "voyage". Tried this a few years ago in a Hunter 23 starting at Waterford, NY, and the boat's keel presented enough launch ramp issues that I sold it and bought my C16. Have not made it back to the Canal yet, but hope to do it this coming season.
That sounds good for us, Bob!
Suzie and I will make it a MWWGG (Mid Winter Weekend Getaway & Gathering).
Let's hope for good weather.
-Allen & Suzie
I've heard back from Mr. Elk River himself with a thumbs up so that makes us a dozen for January 24th. I have not picked a place yet but I'm eying Princeton...if any of you have personal experience there, speak now with some advice. Otherwise, I may drive up in the Wonder Wagon to check you the area.
If I could only get Mike and Brenda Greene to travel back east...
Bob23
Recommended to me by one of the Longs (as in Long Motor Company, Volvo of Princeton).
Teresa Caffe
21 Palmer Square East
Princeton, NJ 08542
609.921.1974
We feature simple Italian inspired fare in a neighborhood trattoria style atmosphere with an emphasis on Pizza, Pasta and Salads and a comprehensive wine list.
Marty K.
Thanks, Marty:
This is one of the places that caught my eye. I'll check it out.
Bob23
Sorry you had to P.M. me, Bob, but you mentioned something about picking people's brains and I got a little scared as I am not sure just how much of that matter I possess...
For the legal record, then, I hereby state that Lady Elk and myself will attend.
Elk River
This is great! we have a confirmed dozen Compac-o-nauts with a possible few surprise guests that may show. Yes, Mr. James Buffett himself gave me a call- doesn't know if he can make it but he'll give it a try. This will be the biggest MWG thus far. And to think, it all started with a humble get together at Tices Shoals a few years ago. I wonder if Hunter owners have this much fun?
Bob23
YO! Bob23, Ahoy!
It's, like, two weeks to the 24th. Has our reputation preceded us and we've already been thrown out of every place in Princeton? Is the BBBMWG to be held as a tailgate party in a K-Mart parking lot? Get thee out of thy guideboat and guide us to a fine food emporium or do we have to bring our truck camper and have Her Highness, Lady Elk, prepare a meal and entertain everyone in the camper...? Well, you can do the entertaining.
Let us know your thoughts, oh Great One.
Elk River
My apologies to everyone for apparently dropping the ball. I haven't. I'll get the name of the place in a few days. Been busy trying to make sense of life- I thought it would be easier but it's a full time job.
I'm looking forward to this and, without going into details, there may be a surprise guest or two.
Again, sorry for the delay. The Errico Builders Christmas party is tomorrow night. Yeah, a wee bit late. Seems like this late habit is gonna follow me around.
Bob23
Ahoy! Despite my apparent absence, the BBB 2015 mid winter gathering will take placethis coming Saturday 1/24 as planned with the eatery somewhere in Princeton, NJ. I'm currently serving a short prison sentence iin New Smyrna beach Florida but am due to be released early on 1/21 for good behavior. Fooled em again! When I return to the wonderfully frozen state of NJ, and get out of this horrible sunshine, I'll nail down the actual venue that will accomodate this wacky gathering of compac-o-nauts. As faras time, how does around 5pm sound?
My apologies for leaving this till theclast minute but the authorities abruptly whisked me away to serve my sentence. See y'all soon!
Bob 23
our faith never wavered, Bob... actually kind of adds the the excitement of getting away! we have been kind of tied to the farm.. thought it was a big deal to sneak away on Saturday night for an ice cream in the booming town of Nescopek which is 5 miles down river from us... actually, it was a big deal.. great ice cream and plenty of it! jt
Hey Bob:
We're still in. Perhaps you can have a couple of "representatives" from Guido, Guido & Guido, uh, "suggest" that more folks plan to attend the HOTCR. Just a "friendly, NJ suggestion", mind you...
Looking forward to seeing your tan.
Elk River
Gee, Bob, sorry that you're suffering so much in Florida, you dawg! (sea-dawg?). Really sorry that you missed being trapped in your Surf City hovel instead of basking in the FL sunbeams. We couldn't even get out of our hovel on Sunday when we had 3" of ice water flooding our front walkway to the driveway. The driest place seemed to be in Pegasus. My waders were in the storage box at the end of, you guessed it, the driveway! So, spent a good portion of the day reading "50 Places to Sail before you Die" and stoking the pellet stove.
Getting back to a semblance of reality, 5 pm is fine. Got any idea of where? It takes me a day or two to program my GPS.
Marty K.
MWG:
I'm back from serving my sentence in Florida State Pen- New Smyrna Beach and just looking at the weather. Does anyone think this is going to be a major event that will impact the MWG this Saturday 1/24 in Princeton, NJ? If this turns into a major event, will in hinder anyone from attending? Let me know here or via PM. I'm going to make the reservations anyway and we'll keep an eye on this. Depending on the forecast one chooses to listen to, this could be major snow or 1/2".
What say ye?
Bob23
Bob,
We are still in and will be watching the weather. When you can, give us a location so we can get a room nearby.
Sorry about your misfortune in FL......
-Allen
Looks like rain in the am. Maybe a touch of snow. According to Accu-weather, Philadelphia.
Not a big weather event, but just enough to be annoying.
we are in as long as it does not turn out to be a major event.. jt
Hold onto your seats, mates: I've nailed down where we're gonna hold the infamous Mid Winter Gathering of the East Coast Compac-o-nauts, version 2015.1:
The Alchemist and Barrister in Princeton, NJ at 5:00 pm this Saturday January 24th in the year of our Lord 2015.
http://www.alchemistandbarrister.com/about.html
The reservation is under my name: Bob Errico. I think all of you have my shoephone number or you can confirm here.
Again, I'm sorry to be leaving this to the last minute but it's been a very busy last 2 weeks. Hope to see you there,
Bob23
FYI - Parking is a nightmare in central Princeton, so I checked with A&B regarding where to park. Drive past the restaurant at 28 Witherspoon Street and make a Left on Hulfish where there is a garage. The A&B will validate. BTW - On street parking is by meter at $1.50 per 1/2 hour! After 7PM the parking is free. The meters take Smart Cards, nickels or quarters.
Hope the weather doesn't put the kabosh on our best laid plans!
Marty
looks like a great find.. looking forward to seeing friends and to meet folks who we missed at BBB 14 jt
Allen,
I wish our house was "guest ready". Sadly, we are still recovering from two years of construction/destruction!
If you're looking for a nice hotel/motel fairly close to Princeton, I'd recommend the Element in Ewing. http://www.elementewing.com/?PS=LGEN_AA_DNAD_CGGL_TPRP
Barb & I spent a weekend there for a Volvo club event and we were very impressed. It's quite modern and "Swedish" (my interpretation).
You can simply Google Princeton B&B's for a list. I have a friend who knows all the great B&B's in the area. New Hope PA, Lambertville & Hopewell NJ have nice B&B's. Message me if you want more info.
Marty
Marty,
Thank you very much for the thoughts. Suzie and I decided to leave tonight. We found a really great special for a nice hotel near the restaurant. We will get in before the storm arrives and have a relaxing morning before the dinner.
See you all there,
-Allen
It's shaping up to be an epic MWG although I've had an official cancellation from 2 secret guests, who'll remain secret because they can't make it. Ok, the one and only PeterG and Becky aka Pedro and Ann can't make the trip due to Peters advancing age! :) But I believe everyone else will be there including one more secret guest who's presence on the Compac site is known to all. But you'll just have to be there to find out who this mystery guest is.
See you all in 26 hours,
Yours for the cause,
Bob23
(Thank you Marty for checking out the parking situation...I didn't even give it a thought! My minds still in Florida!)
Bob, I'm glad for your mind! Bet you wish your body was still there!!!
Marty
P.S. I checked with "one who knows" regarding the fare at A&B... "Yummy".
A&B was recommended to my by no less an authority than our own PeterG. There were a few options but this looked and sounded great and the hostess I spoke with was very accommodating. Hope well have a time to remember!
Bob23
hi bob.. a little more snow that we expected, but we can shovel out in time :) jt
Good. It wouldn't be complete without you and Janet. Just rain down here.
B23
Central Jersey is now OK. Couple of hours of moving snow, but we should be able to make it.