Catching up...

Hey!  I'm back...sorry it's been so long.
It turns out that I'm not as good at the blogging thing as I am at the sailing thing, and I'm not really all that good at that, either.

When last I left you, we were considering the purchase of a derelict Catalina 38.  We made the trip to Rochester, New York to meet with the broker.  The boat in question was an older (early to mid '70s...can't remember exactly) C38 that had been abandoned for years, and was suffering from neglect.  Cosmetically, some challenges.  More importantly, there were some structural issues - damaged floor stringers, rotted completely away in some cases.  the mast step was rotten, and the starboard side bulkhead was rotten from the side deck to below the chainplate.  Lots of work.
Price was good, but the broker would not go lower, and we couldn't justify the investment considering the risk.  So, we moved on.

You may want to re-read the list of boats that I posted some time ago.  You will certainly note that the following stories confirm that sailing is a disease.  One from which there is no recovery, and often, no idea the path you will take on the way to your demise....

There are some sailing related items to come...but first, a story about a rescue boat.  (No, dear, it's not on my wish list...I get it.)

Well, hello again!
It's been longer than I intended since I last wrote.  There's been a bit of a plot twist in the Tempus Fugit Narratives.  Suddenly, there's a very real possibility that we're going to sell her.

For a few years now, I've been planning/dreaming/wishing about the idea of taking our sailing lifestyle to the next level.  Ultimately, full-time cruising would be ideal.  However, being of the non-wealthy type, that's just not in the cards at the moment.  I haven't figured out how one generates enough income to eat (never mind maintain a boat, or afford liquor!!) while cruising the world on a boat.

During that time, much time and effort has gone into answering the question - 'what kind of boat would be a suitable coastal/bluewater cruiser for our family of 6?'  I made a list.


38 foot Hughes Northstar
36 foot S2 11M
Whitby 42
Brewer 42 or 44
morgan 41
Chris Craft Apache
morgan 382
C&C Landfall 38
hunter cherubini 37
S&S Catalina 38

As you can see, the list stopped when I found the S&S designed Catalina 38.  A big boat, but not so big it couldn't be single-handed.  Lots of interior space and appointments, so the family would feel safe and comfy.  Fast enough to be interesting on the race course.  All of these are factors in the ideal boat for us.

Here's what they look like, when done properly.

I've been watching online for one to come available.  There are several on Yachtworld at any given time.  They are out of my price range.

And then....it happened.

Hi!  Welcome to the blog!
Chances are, you already know something about me/us, but just in case you don't, here's a bit of history.
Tempus Fugit is the name of a sailboat.  This particular sailboat is an S2 (manufacturer) 8.0 meter (length) B model.  She was built in 1978, and is currently berthed in Port Dover, Ontario.

This blog is primarily a light-hearted look at sailing, boats, boat projects, and life in and around Norfolk County.  (Mostly, as it relates to sailing)  The blog was inspired partly in jest, to supplement (or compete with, depending on how you look at it) another blog by a friend of ours, Mr. Brian Jones.   Brian writes a blog called 'Dock Six Chronicles' on this site, with similar goals in mind.  The difference, as in real estate, is location, location, location.

While we share space in the same Marina in Dover, Tempus Fugit lives on Dock 2, while Brian and his Georgian 23, Whiskeyjack, abide on Dock 6.  There's quite a bit of friendly rivalry about which location is better, and why, and I invite you to read and follow both blogs, and decide for yourself!  A link to 'Dock Six Chronicles' (henceforth to be shortened to D6C) will be posted here, just as soon as I can figure out how to do that.

My name is Andy Elkin.  I'm the skipper of Tempus Fugit.  My lovely wife, the Admiral Yvonne Elkin is owner and consequently chief decision maker for the vessel.  We've got 4 young(ish) kids who enjoy boat time and sailing in varying degrees, from obsession to take-it-or-leave it.  You'll learn more about all of us in bits and pieces as the blog develops.

Some things to look forward to in future editions:

• Do-it-Yourself mainsail making
• various boat projects
• the building of a plywood stitch-and-glue dinghy
• various links and information about sailing Lake Erie

Now that you've found us, please come back often!