Five Years on the Wind Before Turning to the Dark Side

We appreciate all the stories we read and receive of sailors finding and discovering life aboard their new or first sailboat. We rarely hear from anyone who will publicly admit they’re giving up the sailing life and moving to a powerboat — a stinkpot, as some call the windless boats. And as for the sailors themselves, they’re forevermore branded as having turned to “The Dark Side.”

While browsing through “Boats for Sale” in our Classy Classifieds the other day, we spotted Rich and Laura Brazil’s 1987 Nauticat 43 Tally Ho for sale. Our hearts stopped, with our first thought being, “Are they OK?”

A quick email to Rich put our fears to rest as he replied with what we thought was a beautiful elucidation of everyone’s sailing dreams. Only for Rich and Laura, it was a dream turned real.

“Luke. Come to the dark side …

“For many years, I’d read issue after issue of Latitude 38 magazine, living vicariously through the lucky sailors who not only purchased a boat, but were also able to cast off the lines and head south to the warm climes of Mexico. Ahh, one day. I could hardly wait until the next issue arrived at the local chandleries, filled with more fabulous stories of warm breezes and cold cerveza. One day …”

“Well, one day arrived seven years ago when Laura and I purchased Tally Ho, our Nauticat 43 sailboat. Holy crap! We have a sailboat capable of sailing around the world. She’s a cutter-rigged ketch with an asymmetrical spinnaker and code D light-air genoa. A watermaker, wind generator, genset, dual helm stations, and loads more. Yikes! What have I gotten myself into?

“Our goal was to sail to Mexico and commuter-cruise for five years. After two fun-filled years of sailing S.F. Bay to learn as much as possible about Tally Ho, we joined the 2019 Baja Ha-Ha and had a drop-dead date to cast off. Sailing the California coast was quite an adventure and not to be taken lightly; big seas, too much wind, sketchy anchorages, kelp, crab pots, and middle-of-the-night false alarms from the iPad anchor-watch app kept us on our toes. Finally, San Diego and a dock to tie to. Whew!

“Fast forward five years, otherwise, this story would turn into a novel. I can now say I am one of those lucky people I had dreamed of and drooled over. Fortunate enough to sail with a warm, never-ending, 15-knot breeze off the beam, see dolphins frolicking from the bow, whales spouting so close I could smell their bad breath, mobula rays breaching the surface and performing back-flips, anchoring in pure white sand, jumping from the boat like a little kid, stunning sunset after stunning sunset, eye-popping sunrises, drinking the coldest anchor-beer, toasting to life. There is a never-ending tale of adventure I can tell. I’m humbled to have seen the bioluminescent trail of a pod of dolphins in the black of night, streaking toward Tally Ho like torpedoes while crossing the Sea of Cortez from Cabo San Lucas to Puerto Vallarta.”

“We’ve achieved our five-year goal in Mexico, made many dear friends we will never forget, shared our journeys with visiting friends, and created lifelong memories. We’ve since listed Tally Ho for sale. It’s an odd feeling. Sailing/cruising has become essential to my life, yet I know I can’t sail forever. I’ve seen too many capable boats sitting idle in their slip, waiting for someone, anyone, to take them for a walk. I refuse to be that person. We have our health, and we realize sailing doesn’t get easier. It’s hard work. It’s part of the sailing/boating life, I guess. However, there is a bright side: We will only be boat-less for a short time. My lovely wife, Laura, who had reservations about my initial ambition to cruise Mexico, is now firmly attached to the idea of another boat, a powerboat; yes, the ‘dark side!'”

“We will seek a capable trawler-style boat in the S.F. Bay Area to ply the local waters. Fear not, fellow sailors, for my heart will forever reside with the wind in my sails.” — Rich Brazil, SV Tally Ho, Nauticat 43.

There are those who might fear being ostracized, but Rich and Laura Brazil, longtime friends of Latitude 38, are not worried about the naysayers. They’ve spent enough time aboard to amass several lifetimes’ worth of adventure and memories. And for this couple, turning to the Dark Side is not the end of their seafaring lives; rather, it’s a way to ensure that they can continue to enjoy on-the-water experiences at every opportunity.

If you’re looking for a new boat, check out Tally Ho and other boats for sale in the Latitude 38 Classy Classifieds. And if you then want to sail to Mexico, check out the 2024 Baja Ha-Ha — signups open at 12 noon on May 9.