Ron's "New" Boat

So... I leave for NYC for Katie's Graduation, and what does Ron do?
He races off to the lake and buys a sailboat! 

That's a little exaggerated for effect, even though it is factually correct.  We had talked about it and decided that if everything was okay with this one, this would be the one to get. It's not like I'm that knowledgeable about boat-buying, so I didn't really need to be there. I care about things like lighting in the cabin, how much air circulation goes through there, or if the cushions look nice. Ron only cares about "how she sails." So he went on up to Lake Texoma, where he looked at 3-4 boats he had been studying online.  After testing a few, he decided on this one. The name was already chosen long ago, Venus.

The Venus is 29 ft. 11 inches long, with a beam (the inner cabin part - very important to me/not so important to Ron)  is 10 feet, 2 inches wide.  It has a 13 HP inboard Volvo diesel engine. It has 3 single berths and 2 double berths. So we can sleep a few people. It really looks like a pretty sailboat.

While the 4.5 hr. drive from our house to the lake is quite a bit longer than I wanted, Lake Texoma is a fun lake. We've had lots of camping fun with friends there - we used to go in the summer with friends from Sheppard AFB in Wichita Falls.  Even though I would have preferred Lake Belton, Texoma is a really good choice for a sailboat. Lots of wide open water and even some islands to explore.

Josh and Alyssa have already explored the fishing situation at Lake Texoma. It's an odd lake, in that more than half of it is in Oklahoma and the other half is still in Texas - it's right along the Red River. The lake has a surface area of 74, 686 acres! If you find Lake Texoma on Google Maps, you'll see how the state border is all over the place. In some places, it's right off the Texas shore. Fortunately, they offer special Lake Texoma fishing licenses because it's difficult to determine whether you're in  Texas or Oklahoma!

The Venus was actually built 40 years ago! In 1968 - I was only 7!  With most purchases, this would not be a good sign. But not a Bristol sailboat! Ron is so excited. He says that the newer boats just aren't built as well as this one. With all the boats he looked at, this was the only one that the bilge was dry. The owner took great care of the Venus.

We've had other boats, more of Project Boats, needing lots of work. Michael and Ron would work on them together, and we'd take them out on the weekends and swim off the side. This one is bigger than anything we've had before. Plus, it's already in really nice shape.

Katie and Alyssa are both excited for a sleepover at the boat! I think it will be a lot of fun this summer. Katie likes the quiet that sailboats bring, listening to the squeaking and the rigging. Alyssa, on the other hand, likes a little more adventure. I'm sure it won't be long before she wants to tie a Jet Ski to the side, so she can speed around!

The camera lens they used really distorts the cabin in the photos here. It makes the galley area look much longer than it really is. Still, it's plenty of room for us.

I've grown up on lakes: Lake of the Ozarks as a child, Lake Ray Hubbard outside Dallas - I love boats. I have to confess, though, I've not really been a sailor. It's a lot of work, and honestly, sometimes when the boat tilts, I get a little nervous. Ron thinks I should run down to Corpus Christi and take a couple sailing courses, just so I'll know what to do. That's probably a good idea. What would I do if he got knocked overboard? Don't ask me, I haven't taken the course yet!

Ron is hoping to retire in a couple of years, and he can really see himself puttering around on this boat. He's had to let hockey and horses go, so this is a nice retirement hobby! So if you can't find him, he'll probably be on the boat!