| Dear John, (I think that is the appropriate way to start)
you really have my sympathy with this problem you have. I am sure
there are many others also who have shed a tear at your plight. We are so
lucky to be left here with ice, snow and no sailing worries. Your note makes
me realise how lucky I am. O.K. so have a nice time and get in plenty of
practise so you can watch my rudders disappear over the horizon in front
of you. Glad Ed suggested you add to your apparel I don't think fleet 28
could take it otherwise. Please be sure to tell us all what a good time
you had when you return. :-)
Bill
(who is not going to Aruba)
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| i just got back and here is what i found out about sailing in aruba
first of all, it is great, the wind blow 24 hours a day at 15 to 30 knts.
the hotels are all on the south side of the island. the wind hits the north
side as does the waves. this means that the south side has sandy beaches,
no fetch, and very shallow water.
Power boats are available at the oranjestad harbor, the only harbor and
only city, so it is easy to find. the sail boats are chartered in front
of a group of resorts on the southwest side of the island. Almost all
the hotels are in this area. The major supplier is a company called
coconuts which will rent you almost anything.
windboard $10 hr
sunfish $15 hr
paddle bt $7.50 hr
16 cat $20 hr
daysailer $20 hr
they also have a 36 foot cat that is used for tours and snokelling (sp), but
they will rent it out. i didn't get a price, but they smile a lot when you
talk about doing such a thing.
i was told there is a second place about a half mile down the beach. they rent
hobie cats. I didn't get a chance to rent from them.
the remark about shorts is a very good one. I wish i had a set of shorts with
POCKETs on them. The people are very honest and will hold on to any valuables
you may have, but it is nice to have shorts that will hold your wallet etc on
the trip to the resort. you never wear pants down there, so you best have a
place to put your money etc.
i was glad i brought my own gloves. they don't give you any, and the salt in the
sheets is really rough on the hands. You will need sunscreen and a good set
of sunglasses that will not come off should you flip the boat. (easy to do
with the wind down there, since there are no wires to help hold the boat down.)
that's it. If any of you get a chance to try it, have fun as this has got to
be one of the greatest places in the world to go sailing.
john
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Well I went to Aruba for the 5th time in 8 years (do you think I like
this place or what?). To rent a Hobie, you have to go to Red Sail Inc
at the Americania Hotel. They are the only ones left as windsurfing has
taken the island by storm. Rates for a 16 are $27.50 an hour with a
half price special from 9-10 am. This is a good time to go, cause by
noon the wind is nuclear!!! The boats are about 5 yrs old and in good
condition (compared to the ones last year with the rudder ripped out of
them ;>( ). There are lockers inside to store you personal belongings.
I trashed my shoulder and collar muscles from sheeting the double
reefed main with the traveler 12" out. I still had trouble keeping the
beast in the water. Needless to say, I had a great time, even learned
to look in a new direction. I was beating for a mile or so back to the
center of the island when some hotdog on a sailboard warp drives past
me. I let out the travelers, fell off and started trying to reel him
in (an excercise in futility). From in front of me about a quarter mile
comes a 28 ft power boat on a collision course with me. I then adjusted
to go behind him and started looking for my windboard buddy. Then this
power boat cuts back his power so I am on a collsion course again,
and we are getting close fast. I put the cat up into irons. At this
point I notice a line, but it goes UP and not down into the water. When
I look Wayyyyy above the mast, there is one of those paragliders.
Evidently he was protecting his client!
Rest of the morning I gave them ( a second paraglider showed up) lots
of room. When I got ashore I was pumped. But there was this retired bozo all
pissed off cause I was late bringing the boat back (hey, it took 40 min
to fix a problem before I took it out). I told him he really should
wait till the next morning to go out anyways because it was really
blowing hard and the seas were up. So now Joe Whiner says, "You weren't
having any problems by yourself and I own a aquacat on lake huron...".
I replied I have lots of experience on one of these and I was only
trying to warn him it was not going to be easy. Then his jerk-water
friend starts in, totally clueless to what I am talking about. I left
the retired morons griping to the operator about a tear in the main,
wondering why some people need to be such jerks on vacation.
john
P.S. besides gloves, bring old sneakers, without trappese wires, you are
using the trapoline straps which will rip off any skin that you may
still have on your feet.
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