# Greetings from the Chesapeake



## JohnRPollard (Mar 26, 2007)

Greetings Everybody,

I have been a member of SailNet for a LONG stretch -- since 1999. Back then -- in the days of dial-up -- it was laborious to participate in all the forums, so I mostly focussed my attention in the Pacific Seacraft forum.

When I finally got a broadband connection (late adopter ), this "Introduce Yourself" thread didn't exist so I just jumped right in to the forums. So I thought I'd post a belated introduction.

For those who don't know me, I'm a Chesapeake based mono-hull sailor, and I've been a moderator here at SailNet since last year. My first sailing experiences were with windsurfers back in the late '70s. But I really got the sailing bug in college when I had the opportunity to crew aboard a Rival 38 in the Med, visiting places like Corsica, Sardinia, Cote D'Azure, Balearic Islands, mainland and Peloponese Greece, Aegean Dodecanes and Cyclades, Ionian coast of Turkey, etc.

I've done some limited off-shore passages (longest was about 6 days, Brewer 44), and have raced quite a bit on the Chesapeake in the early-mid-90s. We campaigned my brother's New York 36 pretty successfully, and later another brother's Melges 24 (somewhat less successfully, including some "roadtrips" to do the Figawi). I've been to Key West Race Week as crew on a friend's J30 -- which was a blast -- and helped another friend campaign his Pearson 30 and later an Evelyn 32 on the Chesapeake as well.

Many of my family members have owned sailboats. Besides the NY36 and Melges24 mentioned above, we have or have had an Albacore, O'Day 22, Catalina 22, Tartan 27, Beneteau First 285. I've spent a fair bit of time aboard all those boats.

When my wife and I started a family, the racing bug sort of left me. We got our first cruising boat -- a Pacific Seacraft Dana 24 -- when two of our three kids were still in diapers. Now we sail a Pacific Seacraft Crealock 31, which seemed big when we got it but has somehow shrunk as the kids have grown. Besides the mothership, we have a Dyer Midget sailing dinghy and an 11.5' sailing pram that my kids and I built ourselves a few years ago.

I also admit to liking certain kinds of powerboats. 

Here's our homemade dinghy beached at a favorite swimhole:










And, so you can put a face to the name, here's a photo of me and my dad.










I hope to see you around. - JRP


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## camaraderie (May 22, 2002)

Which one is the Dad?    Nice ta meet ya JRP!


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## JohnRPollard (Mar 26, 2007)

camaraderie said:


> Which one is the Dad?    Nice ta meet ya JRP!


Yeah, no kidding. He is twice my age, but I age faster. It's the stress of being a SailNet moderator.


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## CalebD (Jan 11, 2008)

Hi John,
I thought that everyone who had been here for a while knew who you were by your gentlemanly responses. Your on-line persona reminds me a bit of Robert Gainer (rest his soul) who was always polite and to the point but he probably knew a little more then you do.
It is nice to know a bit more about the man behind the red-button so thanks for that. 
Since I currently own a Tartan 27 I am curious if there is still one in your circle of family sailboats? 
I have also sailed a little on the Chessy out of the Rhode River and years ago the Rappahonnack in VA. I assume you are in the general Annapolis area?
Cheers.


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## JohnRPollard (Mar 26, 2007)

Thanks Caleb.

I appreciate the compliment, but I both resist and am humbled by any comparison to Robert Gainer. And you are wrong about him knowing a "little more" than I do. Should have read "tons more". I miss him too.

Yes, the Tartan 27 is still in the family. My brother and childhood friend bought it about 8 or 10 years ago from our sailing mentor for $1 (one dollar), including double-axle trailer! My brother is very mechanically savvy and has treated that A4 to all kinds of goodies, keeping Moyer Marine in the black. I have sailed on it quite a bit and am constantly amazed at how well that vessel sails. The T27 is one of those boats where the designers got it all right.

And yep, we're just south of Annapolis, and know the Rhode River very well!


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## CalebD (Jan 11, 2008)

John,
I suppose I was just comparing your style to RG who was a guy who had a lot of class. I could not expect you to know what he knew from all the adventures he had in his life (crossing the Atlantic in a 22' sailboat, hurricane in the Caribbean etc). 
I am curious what hull # the T27 is? I started a 'T27Owners' group over on yahoo before I found sailnet and we are close to 200 members. The pace is sleepy compared to here though but the group needs as many mechanically savvy contributors as it can get. I am also a moderator on that group.
I am quite partial to the area around the Rhode River. My friend keeps an Endeavor 32' at a place in Mayo. I hope to get down there in mid spring for a Chesapeake fling.


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## WouldaShoulda (Oct 7, 2008)

We usually daysail between Thomas and Bloody Point Lights.

See you on the water!!


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## T37Chef (Oct 9, 2006)

A round on me if we happen to meet up somewhere on the bay this year.  

Thanks for all the efforts here, a tough, thankless task you and the other Mods have.

Cheers, and welcome to SN:laugher


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