First Sail

[tmorgan]

What a wonderful adventure I had last week!  I picked up our new Sun Cat at the factory.  Peter from Prinz Yacht Export met me at the factory on Monday.  I got to meet Gerry, tour the factory and talk to the guys who put the boats together.  It is a neat operation. 

I took the boat to the Dunnedin Municipal Marina, a few miles from the factory, and got her into the water by late afternoon.  Tuesday, I got my first sail in before the rains came....and did they come!  The wind was light but it was fine for putting the sail up and taking it down for the first time. 

Wednesday was a wonderful sailing day.  Winds were 15-20 mph with 1-2 foot waves.  The Sun Cat was a joy to sail, it exceeded my expectations!  It was very easy to single hand in the conditions.  I got to sail all around the bay (2 X 5 miles between the causeways). 

I got another sail in Thursday morning before I had to take the boat out of the water and head for home.  It was really nice to sail "SunShower" before bringing her home to Virginia.  Dunnedin Municipal Marina is a great place to stay.  The harbor master, Bill, was very helpfull and very nice.  The marina is very protected.  I spent four nights on the boat, used their bath facilities (old but clean...and they are breaking ground on new facilities this spring) and found everything I needed within walking distance of the Marina. 

The trip home was uneventful with the boat trailing easily.  My wife Gretchen and I are very excited about owing a Sun Cat and we're looking forward to many years of great sailing.

[Craig Weis]

tmorgan,
Enjoy the Sun Cat and have many more fine nights on her in VA. Did you buy an optional hull color...I have noted many in colors other then white coming out of Sister Bay, Wisconsin.
If fact the guy who I bought my C-P 19 from after the death of his wife, later purchased a Sun Cat. Less boat, crew of one.

Nice to meet Rich Hutchins? I have talked with him several times at the All SailBoat Show in Chicago and always track-up his boats with my shoes plus talk-up his boats to people walking by at the show.
That's so much fun. Should have taken Rich sailing for that 'personal' touch and tricks...then report back to this site any tricks. Again enjoy. skip.

[tmorgan]

I did meet Rich and chatted for a minute or two but worked mainly with Gerry.  Our boat is the white hull.  We owned a green Lightning at one time and decided we just did not ever want to own a colored hull again.  They are gorgeous when new but take a lot of work than we want to do to keep them in that shape!

[Craig Weis]

I had a Lighting when I was a kid, plus a Penquin, and dad had a Star.

The 'L' was white hull, the 'P' was cream yellow with black accents, the Star was white also.
We sailed a friends Rhodes 19 that was red. The schooner was black and teak, and the houseboats were all kinds of colors...skip
I do like white best.

[patch]

thanks for the info.heading there this fall after the NH sailing season.thinking of joining the clearwater fl sailing club.i sail alone thats why i chose the suncat.i will check out the marina.

[Jack]

Congratulations on an excellent boat choice - I've had a SunCat for two years, daysailer in the gallery, in fact just returned from all day on the river - I should go take a bath. You're dragging your boat North, I bought my boat in Maryland and drug it south.

Great sailing,

Jack