Lively Lady, Master Mariners and Sailing week

[Ted Hoppe]

Maybe this thread belongs above decks.

I bought my old boat back to sail the Master Mariners Regatta this week and get her ready for a new owner in the month to come.

Lively Lady a modern mahogany plank on frame spartan racer is a very special boat to me and historically speaking significant to boat design. During a 5 year period she was the fastest 30 footer in San Francisco and maybe in the United States with glory and accolades to match. The top boat designers of the era took notice of her, took hull and build construction from her and tried to pass it off as their own genius. Sparkman and Stephens returned to the drawing of Gary Mull and began to offer custom boats that he had drawn while working for them. The CCA to IOR boat of the late 1960s was everything. Lively Lady was on the top of this great list of boats.

I currently own 2 of the best wooden sail boats ever built for San Francisco.

[Ted Hoppe]

I sold Lively Lady two years ago at the beginning of the pandemic. I poured thousands of hours of thought and labor into bringing her back to life and making her strong enough to race and sail in the San Francisco bay. The man now a close friend that I had sold Lively Lady to lived more than 2 hours a way and has a very busy life with a young family. I selected him during Covid to take her over - i do not really sell my boats but look for the next caretaker. With him, I have had some of the best sailing days sailing side by side in my boat and as crew with him.



He asked if I could take her back. Although I has sold her to him, I had been a willing caretaker since he lived far away. It was easy since she was docked next to my boat and her sister. I know what she needs and she does not need that much to be polished.

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[Ted Hoppe]

[Ted Hoppe]

The night before the regatta boats have traditionally gathered at the Encinal Yacht Club, here in Alameda. Lots of lovely boats.

Watching the video below I realized how things have changed and our friends lost. The boats themselves with the love of the past remain.

[Jim Bow]

Wonderful stuff. Love the music choices

[Ted Hoppe]

Thank you Jim. Fun look back and much to look forward this week.

In 2012 I bought and raced a 300 dollar hard chine sloop off Craig's List in the Master Mariners Regatta, an event that goes back to 1867, making it one of the oldest regattas in north America and the oldest in the west coast. I am unsure now - but it was at one time the largest wooden boat regatta in North America for decades fostering a boom in wooden boat desirability and traditional sailing. Not all boats qualify to be Master Mariner boats. I backdoor her into the organization since she was made of plywood and epoxy despite her being of significant design and import. She was a wonderful inexpensive boat and we kicked some real a$$ besting boats that had hundreds of thousands of dollars of work. In this long video you can see what a sailing adventure this is and why WoodenBoat and Carl love this nearly as much as I do.



After this race, i spent so much time restoring her too. Made her rock solid to sail. Sold her to a doctor in Marin - he left her abandoned for 7 years in the water under the golden gate bridge with modification holes in her cabin and cut open cockpit. She was recently cut up. I did shed a tear when i heard she was ground up. Me and my son spent a great deal of time on her. Black Jack was the last of 12 boats that were the wonders of San Francisco and what later influenced Ben Seaborne's Thunderbird class. Boat for boat - this Nichols Buccaneer was faster than any old or new thunderbird and more comfortable too. Interestingly a very young Gary Mull had helped built her in Oakland as he learned boat design and while becoming a national Finn sailor champion.

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[Paul Pless]

its gonna be fun being back on her
looking forward to next weekend

[Ted Hoppe]

its gonna be fun being back on her
looking forward to next weekend

It should be a great weekend. I am so glad you finally are joining me - it is something really, really special. It also may be the last time i can sail on my own boat in this regatta.

I am reaching out to friends to see if they are up for sailing with us. I may have some open spaces aboard if someone here on the forum wants to join us. Also I have the second boat close for them to stay aboard besides Lively Lady.

https://www.sfmastermariners.org/2022-regatta

[Paul Pless]

sweetness

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[Ted Hoppe]

10 hours of clean up, scrapping and sanding. A little paint too. Consmetically she has a little more to do. As being put together to really race. One more halyard and she will be a contender.

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[Ted Hoppe]

Work continues. 10 more hours of sanding, filling and painting. She is coming together after two hard years of use and putting her away wet plus a several months of winter months sitting in the water.

bringing down my mask and snorkel this morning to dive scrub the boat bottom plus begin starting the varnish work

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[Katherine]

What's the temp and weather supposed to be like out on the water this weekend?

[Paul Pless]

^ crew member #4

[Katherine]

^ crew member #4

I would be in the way for the race. Also, I need to see a man about some horses.

[Paul Pless]

you already have two horses!

[Paul Pless]

and a man . . .

[Ted Hoppe]

What's the temp and weather supposed to be like out on the water this weekend?

It should be 60f with some significant wind and fog at the Golden Gate and along the city front and 75 as a high in Alameda. San Rafael and Marin will be 75. If the Inland remains hot the natural ocean air conditioning could make it light sweater weather.

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San Mateo County (South of San Francisco)

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[Paul Pless]

^ shorts and t shirt

[Katherine]

It should be 60f with some significant wind and fog at the Golden Gate and along the city front and 75 as a high in Alameda. San Rafael and Marin will be 75. If the Inland remains hot the natural ocean air conditioning could make it light sweater weather.

Paul should have warned you. I have low iron anemia. It can be 100F here in phoenix and I will be earing a jacket.

[Ted Hoppe]

I think you will find the weather pleasant. A relief from PHX. It is a sunny 80 here today. 95f - 5 miles from me.

I am hoping you two drive down the coast to Monterey. It is beautiful. In your next life you will want to live there.

[Katherine]

I think you will find the weather pleasant. A relief from PHX. It is a sunny 80 here today. 95f - 5 miles from me.

I am hoping you two drive down the coast to Monterey. It is beautiful. In your next life you will want to live there.

So Paul keeps saying. The problem is no mere mortal can afford to live there.

[Ted Hoppe]

So Paul keeps saying. The problem is no mere mortal can afford to live there.

You are no mere mortal. There are plenty of places east in Carmel Valley, Salinas and plenty areas that are almost obtainable. Good engineering jobs there too! I think you could make it work. Pauls business would do well too.

On another positive note - KC has recovered well enough to get dinner with us. The week keeps getting better.

[Katherine]

You are no mere mortal. There are plenty of places east in Carmel Valley, Salinas and plenty areas that are almost obtainable. Good engineering jobs there too! I think you could make it work. Pauls business would do well too.

On another positive note - KC has recovered well enough to get dinner with us. The week keeps getting better.

Oh, I'm so HAPPY to hear that KC is doing better! I look forward to meeting her. Do you think she'd be up to driving to wine country to see the horse facility?

[Ted Hoppe]

Me too. What a harrowing week! I don't know about that yet. It might be a bit too much since she is just starting to regain her color, dynamic energy and taking short walks. She is working today from bed and her desk. We will know more closer to Friday. I am sure you will get along well. She does like to duck out on most of the wooden boat stuff but finds it interesting enough.

The end of the race at the Encinal Yacht Club and meeting my group of wooden boat folks and seeing these lovely boats will be quite entertaining.

[Katherine]

Me too. What a harrowing week! I don't know about that yet. It might be a bit too much since she is just starting to regain her color, dynamic energy and taking short walks. She is working today from bed and her desk. We will know more closer to Friday. I am sure you will get along well. She does like to duck out on most of the wooden boat stuff but finds it interesting enough.

The end of the race at the Encinal Yacht Club and meeting my group of wooden boat folks and seeing these lovely boats will be quite entertaining.

Is there a dress code for the yacht club?

[Paul Pless]

shorts and t shirt
mount gay cap

[Katherine]

shorts and t shirt
mount gay cap

You do have nicer cloths. Would it kill you yo wear them once in awhile?

[Paul Pless]

i will start wearing long pants again
and underwear
when we move away from az

[Ted Hoppe]

Is there a dress code for the yacht club?

it is a post race event. A few will be dressed nicely, most will look like Paul in his Abercrombie & Carhart shorts runway appearance.

Paul is stepping it up a notch wearing underwater.

[Katherine]

i will start wearing long pants again
and underwear
when we move away from az

Michigan can get rather chilly at times.

[Katherine]

it is a post race event. A few will be dressed nicely, most will look like Paul in his Abercrombie & Carhart shorts runway appearance.

Paul is stepping it up a notch wearing underwater.

I won’t pack one of the long evening gowns then.

[Ted Hoppe]

I won’t pack one of the long evening gowns then.

Only if you want to find another husband that can keep you in horses and hay. You already got the shine that says you like wooden yachts.

[Ted Hoppe]

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[Paul Pless]

how does vectis id as a sloop and ll id as a cutter?

[Ted Hoppe]

how does vectis id as a sloop and ll id as a cutter?

They made a data entry mistake switching the two boats. On the up side - since we start at the same time, we can come along side and get you on Vectis right before the race. Vectis will be doing a shorter course.