You’ve been out a few times with friends on their sailboat and now, you’ve caught the sailing bug and, be well advised, there is no vaccine or cure for this addiction.
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I had a Pearson-26 for 52 years and only replaced the mainsail once after a hurricane blew the cover off and tore the sail to shreds. Admittedly using the sails were limited while raising my kids on an island off Maine, but they are still old and in great condition. I just passed the Pearson to my son in New Jersey and he is happy as a clam at high tide. Meanwhile, up in Maine, I stumbled on a 1967 Bristol 35.5 in perfect condition, having been stored winters indoors. It needed a new engine and is now in great shape. The keel of the Bristol weighs as much as the entire Pearson. It was overbuilt in 1967 as they did not know how much fiberglass to use, so they used a lot. The encased keel fiberglass is 1.5 to 2 inches thick. It sails well but also built like a tank.
I love stories like this, where a long time family boat is passed on to a son or daughter. Thanks for sharing that swcolton.
And yes indeed, Bristols, particularly in those years were built link tanks! We have a 1967 Bristol 27 that just arrived at our club and looks like it has seen a few battles.. but she’s still a solid and heavy boat.