You're my boy Blue!

I love this boat.  Amber, the kids, and myself still go out on it quite often.  Sure we have the Hunter 26 but that is kept on the gulf about an hour and a half away.  This, which you have seen in many posts before but I never did and actual 'about' post, is our 60's - 70's O'day Daysailor 17.  It is so easy and quick to hook it to the back of the truck, toss in a cooler, and put in at any of the MANY lakes around us.  And we live near Lake County so this is not a understatement. 

The Buck Board from my grandpa was my first introduction to sailing but the O'day (named "Blue" from the Will Ferrell Movie 'Old School' where he says "You're my boy Blue!" in classic Will Ferrell fashion) introduced me to the greater possibilities of sailing.  We could stay out all day, bring food, anchor and swim.  It was a new world coming from the previous background of fishing boats which you don't clamor in and out of jon and bass boats very much.

We were very lucky to have gotten the boat in perfect working order with basically new sails.  The only change I made was to swap the trailer the boat came on with a bigger one that I put all fresh bunks, bunk hardware, carpeting, rollers, winch, and electrical. In the future we will split the hull and redo the fiberglass that is getting weak where you stand and redo the rub rail all the way around.

Every time we take out Blue we say how much we love the boat and we've decided that regardless of what other boats we have we can never get rid of Blue because "You're my boy Blue!"

Docked at Eaton's Beach on Lake Weir

This picture is from years ago. Notice the port side line (red) is pulled too tight.  This is a mistake I made when I first started sailing "Blue."  The Port line should be loose and the starboard line tight to create optimal sail shape.  I can admit when I'm wrong!

She lost a tooth!