November 23, 1985: My 39th Birthday
	July 12-15, 1985: My Sister Judy Visits Dallas
	Return to the Index for 1985

With the work involved in getting the townhouse in shape slowing down, Grant's thoughts are turning to getting back out on the water- either by bringing his boat down from Chicago or buying one here.

One of the friends I already had here in Dallas was my accountant, Richard Lowe. He and Grant hit it off immediately, because they were both interested in sailing. Richard had a medium-sized sailboat that he kept on Lake Lewisville, and Grant was interested in either bringing his own boat down from Chicago or buying one here in Dallas so that he could continue his avocation for sailing.

In mid-July, the weekend after Judy returned to North Carolina, the two of us went up to Lake Lewisville to see Richard's boat, which was a nice one. We went for a sail and had a good time. I think Grant was hoping I would like it so that I would be amenable to allowing or helping him to buy one of his own so that we could use it together.

Grant really enjoyed helping Richard get the boat ready to go out, he helped him with the sailing duties, and he helped Richard get the boat cleaned up and docked properly. this was my first introduction to sailing (save for one abortive attempt many years ago in Boston) and I was impressed with how detailed and careful both Richard and Grant were. I could also see how much Grant enjoyed the activity. Before we left to return home, I asked Richard to take a picture of Grant and I, and that picture is at left.

Sure enough, it wasn't long before Grant found a sailboat that he liked and could afford. It was right down the street at Inland Power and Sail. Grant went down there a couple of times to look at it, and I went down with him to meet Carol Hazelwood, one of the brokers. Grant liked it, the cost was reasonable (although I noted that it cost as much as my Dad paid for our house in Charlotte in 1951) and so he bought it early August.

Above are a map showing the route from our townhouse up to Lake Lewisville and the marina at Easthill Park where Grant has put his boat. It takes about 45 minutes to get up to the marina (mostly because some of the expressways shown on the current map weren't actually built in 1985. On the aerial view, you can see that the floating marina is outside the lake proper, in an area at the southeastern end of the lake, reached via a channel that leads out into the main body of the lake.

I brought my camera along today so I could take some pictures of Grant in his element.

At left you can see my first picture of Grant and his new sailboat on Lake Lewisville. He bought it at the beginning of August and then spent a great deal of time getting it "shipshape", according to his standards. Since his Chicago boat is "Obsession", this one became "Obsession II". He has it in a slip at the marina now (the slip rental being $75 a month).

Of course, he is going back and forth to Lake Lewisville quite often; there is a chandlery down at Inwood Power and Sail and that's where he gets all the little fittings he needs, lines and such, and where he had the name painted on the boat. Carol Hazelwood is a really nice person, and we've been to her house once already.

It is a very nice 8.0 meter boat (some twenty-six feet long), and Grant has already begun fixing it to his liking, including painting the new name on the back. Grant has taken the boat away from the dock for a ways, and is circling back to pick me up for a sail.

When I got on board, following Grant's directions on where to step, where to sit and how to help him, I was able to get a few pictures of the boat itself.

(Picture at left) This is the interior of Grant's new S-2. The cabin is great, with a forward berth, two bench seats in back, and a small galley. There's even a stereo system. Grant likes it a lot.       (Picture at right) Here we are, heading through the inlet into the main part of Lake Lewisville. From the area where the marina is to the main part of the lake you have to pass through this relatively narrow cut, kind of like going out of a harbor into the open ocean.

This was my first sail on a boat Grant owned, and it was very enjoyable. This would definitely, however, not be our last sail together- just one of many. Grant told me why he was doing what he was doing all the time, although by the time we'd been tacking back and forth for a while out on the lake I had figured things out for myself.

Perhaps I didn't mention, but Richard Lowe arrived out here today as well, and when Grant and I came into the marina from our first sail, we greeted him and I went out on his boat with him so I could take some more pictures of Grant. So for this picture, I am on Richard's boat as Grant is sailing by us.

November, 1985

I could have put the picture at left on a different page, since it was taken a month after the rest of the pictures on this page. We have come up for another sail today, and now that it is over we have brought the boat back into its slip, and Grant has gotten it all battened down before we head home.

We have done a lot of sailing in the last month- almost every weekend. Richard Lowe has joined us on occasion. Grant has been talking to Carol Hazelwood who has been telling him about another marina out east of town on Lake Ray Hubbard, and it sounds like a nicer place than here- with a Yacht Club and everything. We may go out there and have a look at it at some point.

In any event, I can easily see why Grant is so enthused with sailing; it is certainly a great deal of fun. And I know that Grant likes that fact that if he were still in Chicago, he would already have had to take his boat out of the water lest the water freeze and crush his hull!

You can use the links below to continue to another photo album page.

	November 23, 1985: My 39th Birthday
	July 12-15, 1985: My Sister Judy Visits Dallas
	Return to the Index for 1985