[Capri25] FW: Let me introduce myself... and I hope I didn't get you at a bad time...

[John Speltz]

Shnool,

 

Thanks for reaching out.  The Capri 25 is more like a Dodge Rambler, but
that's not important now.  The Capri 25 fleet at Wayzata Yacht Club would be
more than happy to supply a story or two for your readers' enjoyment.  We
have a large and active fleet with lots of good sailors that provide for
challenging competition.  

 

I have taken the liberty to forward your communications by email to our
fleet and I am hoping you might hear from a few of them.  If you have a
specific topic or story line, feel free to let us know.  

 

John

 

 

 

 

From: SHNOOL Schramm [mailto:shnool at yahoo.com] 
Sent: Thursday, November 15, 2012 11:15 AM
To: johnspeltz at comcast.net
Subject: Let me introduce myself... and I hope I didn't get you at a bad
time...

 

The folks over at the Catatlina 25/250 and Capri 25 association conscripted
me to become the "Technical Editor" for the mainsheet magazine for the Capri
25.  I've not got quite the history with the Capri 25 as your group has, but
I've sailed for a lot of years, formerly a Capri 22, and prior to that a
Capri 14.2.

Anyway, I am contacting you in the hope of reaching out, first introducing
myself, and second hopefully to establish communications between myself,
yourself and your group. 

What I'm ultimately after is some articles from yourself or your group that
we can get published in the mainsheet magazine.  I think the Capri 25 is
(other than in your group) a much forgotten and maligned little race boat.

Some things about me... 
I've been sailing myself since I was 10 years old... and been crew going
back actually earlier.
I only crewed on passive PHRF races as a kid until I was in my 20s, so
nothing real serious.  I just love sailing.  In that time I spent most of it
crewing with my father on his various boats, which included a Montego 19, a
US Yacht 27, and a Kells Coaster 23.  We also chartered a few times and I
was his primary crew on boats up to 40 feet on the chesapeake.  We slipped,
or trailer sailed on the Barnegat, and Chesapeake bays.

When I turned 28 I bought a Capri 14.2 and sailed it solo for probably 10
years to various inland lakes around my PA home.  Trailer sailing was the
rule... Money was tight.
2 years ago I got the bug to get sailing "serious" again, and bought a Capri
22, got a slip for it, and started sailing 2-3 times a week.  I got to a
point where I wanted to race again, but felt the Capri 22 as a "slow" boat.
The wing keel I got was also great for trailering, but terrible for
performance.

 

June this year I sold my Capri 22, and the same day purchased my Capri 25.
I missed the first race of our clubs series while I was doing that.
However, I managed to get my boat in the water soon enough to race all the
rest of the season.  I have NO CREW (well unless you count my 9yo daughter
who sails sometimes with me)... and managed to place ahead of some of the
fastest boats in our fleet in several races, 4th in overall placement for
our fleet for the season despite having missed our first race.  Now the fun
part.  I did this with 30yo sails (nope I did nothing to upgrade the boat -
YET)...

 

Anyway, through your email list I got Harry Pattison's name, and talked to
him over the phone, and finally ordered new sails for next season (just a
number 1 and main for now) and am looking forward to a much better season
(especially if I manage to get a bottom job done on the boat as well)...  I
think Elliot Pattison as a company has worked well with you guys to keep an
open line of communications on how their sails are doing, and insodoing have
probably the best possible shape for the boat (lets hope I got that right).

 

WHY do I tell you this?  Because I want to say I am more than just a little
enthusiastic about this boat.  It reminds me of the "Dodge Dart Swinger"
sleeper cars of the 60s.  It's turned some heads in our parts, and she might
be ugly at 30, but she's still a quick little boat (certainly surprises the
S2 guys of which we have several).

 

So what I'd like to do is give you my email addy, shnool at yahoo.com, and also
my contact phone number of (973) 229-3545, and if you've got some stories to
tell that might draw some attention to your club, fleet, or the boats
themselves... maybe we can get something together in the future and get it
published.  I'll work with whatever you have.  It could be upgrade
articles... or tweaks, sailing tips for the boat.  While it's not in
production anymore I still think there are a decent amount of Capri 25s out
there that people could benefit to some detailed how-tos (especially if they
are people who are less inclined to search the net for that info).

 

PS:  I've toyed with the idea of making the long (14 hr) trip out to visit
your club... since I am an admitted NOOB to the boat, I think I could learn
a lot from anyone in your fleet.  I'd probably make for lousy untrained
crew, but I'm always willing to learn.  If nothing else I make great
moveable ballast!

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