Where is everybody?????

[Graham]

There are what? approximately 70-80 Telstar 28's? How about getting on line and telling us your experieinces, etc. And don't use the excuse that you are sailing and don't have the time to communicate. There is more communication with the 26 people than with the 28's. BTW are dues due Ron?

[Ron]

Graham -

I mentioned a few months ago that there may be no reason to collect dues this year, other than from new members - sort of an initiation fee because we paid the $10 when we joined. We've got minimal expenses and more than enough in the bank. If this changes we will obviously start collecting again, but not before next year in the April or May time period. If Dan eventually does the data conversion to convert and load the messages from the last forum he will need around $300 for some software but we have that covered as well. Ditto for an improved web site.

I'd say that less than half of the 28 owners are paid-up members. Over half seem to own the older boats or are looking to buy either the new one when back in production or one of the older models.

By the way, I could use some help around here. I've been nearly single-handed for most of the 2 years.

[Graham]

Ron,When it comes to computers I'm the one you read about in the papers Even my children just shake their heads and tell me I just don't understand. But I am getting better. Being constantly busy just doesn't give me the time to sit at a computer and figure it out. But I will be glad to help you in any way that I can. In fact maybe we can get the other members that are in or close to New Jersey to meet maybe once every 1 or 2 months and accomplish the groups goals. Graham

[drsm]

I'm launching tomorrow. Things get a little delayed up here in the north land. I'm looking forward to trying out the new prop Ron talked me into--just installed that yesterday. Mast is up and sails rigged.

Steve

[Gringo]

I signed up. tried to look at the Classified. Nope. Won't let me.

So I did some digging and reading and found out you guys want money. Okay. I can handle that, within reason. So I pay pal'd ya $ 10.

Still won't let me look at Classified ads.

Hey, whassup?

[Ron]

Gringo -

I've got no record of you joining, maybe because I could not match up your user id (gringo) to a real name or an email id. Tell me the approximate date that you sent the money thru paypal AND the your actual name and the email id that you used on paypal. You can do it thru a PM if you don't want your name on the forum. I'll straighten it out then.

[Ron]

Gringo -

You must have sent the $10 via paypal about 30 minutes ago. You're in now. Note that this procedure is not automatic. I get an email from paypal (didn't come yet) and I have to then manually add you, assuming I can figure out what user id you have on the forum, to the member list. This could take a day or two depending on how often I log in, and maybe a lot more if I'm on vacation or traveling. There is NO backup. I also have to go thru the new registrations and find the one or two out of 50 or 60 who are real people and not spammers trying to break in. I'd rather be sailing.

[Gringo]

No problems...I should have just used my real name. I am SO accustomed to this Gringo handle that I automatically plug it in where it asks for a name.

Thanks for letting me in. This looks like a good place to get educated on the Telstar 28's. We run a 28 ft. long center console right now, with a 300 horse outbord. But we have gotten all our ducks lined up and hope to be buying either a Gemini or a Telstar right about October of this year. Third quarter stuff....

I think we would prefer the Telstar for these waters (Turks and Caicos Islands) but if we can't find one when the money is here we might have to go with the catamaran.

Anyone ever sailed one of the Telstars from Florida down to the southern Bahamas? We are just 50 miles south of Mayaguana. One of the reasons I wanted to start talking to Telstar experts will be making the decision whether to ship a boat or sail it, and just ship the trailer. I don't think the boat will fit in a container, will it.

[Ron]

No problem, almost no one uses his or her full name - and the forum software does not capture it. But it's not always easy to figure out who is who on the forum when you have a real name from Paypal.

The Gemini is a decent boat. But it's not really that comparable to the trimaran. Totally different class. Other than the obvious missing hull, its's got much more room on board, more weight, can't fold, is slower, you need a boat yard for hauling or mast work, draws more water, etc. Like apples and oranges. It depends on what you want and how you will use it. If you're going cruising for a month or so the Telstar may not be the best choice. Several days in total and maybe 200+ miles per day no problem. I don't think trailerability is an issue for you, other than being able to get the boat out of the water yourself and moving it to a protected area if a storm is coming.

I've made it to the southern Bahama's a few times, but on much larger boats (monohulls). I don't think sailing there is an issue if you can pick your days.

[Gringo]

Trailerability is a BIG issue for us, actually. There are very, very few full time marina slips here. And while I have not checked for a Telstar, I did check the cost for a Gemini at a friendly, local marina where we know the owners. They quoted us $ 700 a month for a Gemini, and that's treating it like a monohull because of the narrow beam. I suspect I could get into another marina we have used, which has the only travel lift in the nation, for something around $ 400 a month if I asked the right person.

I have installed chain tie-downs for our Contender in the driveway. I would much rather have my boat(s) here at the house chained to the ground on a trailer than sitting in the boatyard next to other boats. We have this blog we have been posting for several years now, and after we got hit with two hurricanes and two tropical storms in one week ( Hanna and Ike) we were taking photos of the damaged boats that had been put on the hard in the boatyard here. We posted damage photos of boats and houses for people who were in the US but keep boats or have vacation homes here. ( http://2gringos.blogspot.com/2008/09/yi ... amage.html if anyone likes looking at hurricane damaged boats) The damage was from the boats next to them in every case. Some of them got blown over like dominoes. We lost a boat during Hanna. Since then, we keep it at home.

Another, more recent issue here is theft. I know of five boats so far this year that have been stolen, stripped of anything useful, and cast adrift. Two of the five have not been found at all. And those are just the ones I know of. The locals blame it on the DR and Haiti people, but the truth is that 70% of the criminals caught here are local guys. I really like the idea of keeping the boats at the house. This is also one of the things I like about the Telstar over the Corsairs.

We had of course planned to sail a Gemini home from either FL or the US or BVI, or hopefully, Puerto Rico. Much easier trip than down through the Bahamas. If we are able to find a Telstar when we are ripe to buy, it almost doesn't make sense to sail it as it will cost about as much to ship the trailer as it does the whole boat. But that is something to look into. 200 miles a day?? Wow. We could get here from Miami in less than a week???? Almost worth it for the adventure.