Jacaranda has Arrived
After a long day's motoring, my worst pastime, I finally have Jacarandah at home and it feels great. Within just a few minutes of taking over possession and wheeling her onto the street, I had; one offer to buy, an offer of assistance and a "what are you going to do with her?" query. I told the last guy I hoped to "sail her keel off".
Not knowing how much strength was left in the rusty trailer, I opted to load her onto a trailer. In hindsight I could probably have got an Unregistered Vehicle Permit. But, I was worried, the trailer had not been used for a decade.
While setting the loading ramps, a young guy actually parked up, walked across the street and asked if I would like a hand. Wow! Just like my old Mirror Dinghy, this boat attracts Random Acts of Kindness. My next visitor was was Large Walking Man. He bawled out: "That's a beautiful little boat" and then "I would love something just like her".
When I answered a direct question with "a little over a thousand dollars" he sounded a bit pissed and said he wished he'd known ... "I would have gazumped you". He salved his battered ego by saying he sailed "offshore ...racing ... nothing under forty feet". I really wanted to challenge his cockiness by relating the sailing tenet that the Fun Factor is inversely proportional to length of the boat. But instead I just told him that this little dinghy had been sailed to Cairns. He then loudly denied that it was even possible. I let it sink in with him, while I took that denial as challenge for another day.
After loading and rumbling off down the highway, I pulled over to check how everything was settling into its lashings. Wow! She is beautiful ... and shippy! She's growing on me.
Ready, loaded.
The 85k trip home was also event free. I happily unloaded her in the fire station theater park and prepared to take her to her new home. I was surprised at her weight behind the Land Rover. This piqued my curiosity as to how she would feel under canvas and how she handled a breeze.
I was getting ahead of myself though. She needed a check over her rig; halyards, sheets, fittings and chainplates. Then the trailer needed a good dose of TLC. All this on a budget less than what most people would spend on a year supply on cake and pastries. Maybe I should sell my sea kayak? But for now, the sun was dipping and there was a risk it may rain. I reluctantly tied a canvas over her, admiring her strong little bowsprit and deep varnish just a little longer. I promised Jacarandah a snug fitting cover and reluctantly turned away, realising what all those timber sail boat owners were going on about all these years. I am smitten.
