[sblunden]

If I might be allowed to introduce myself...

In the late '60s I graduated from an upstate New Hampshire (USA) high school, attended the University of New Hampshire and proceeded to a normal life at IBM that culminated in 2006 as one of the two large account managers responsible for all sales, service, maintenance, consulting and support at the 2nd largest commercial insurance company in the US. I was then pulling down serious six figures and we had recently purchased a new 2004 SabreLine Fly Bridge Sedan. This should give anyone enough information to ID me. Eligible for full retirement at age 53, I made it to age 56 and totally burned out. Applying for a job as a marine mechanic in the Brewer Yacht Yard system, for some strange reason a management job opened up and there I sit to date.

Gentle readers, while my low level Deck Officer 100GT Master, Motor, Steam or Auxiliary sail Merchant Marine license pales in comparison to the average participant in these fora, I would take the liberty of saying hello. We sailed our 24' (8M) C&C Niagara from our home base in Westbrook, CT, twice through Cape Cod and the Canal to Provincetown, MA with the aid of a lot of wine and a Sea Spot handheld RDF and a lead line. Following that, our C&C 29-II served us well on similar passages for 21 years until we switched to power. Our sea stories number in quantity, if not magnitude with many who participate here. A tribute to our dearth of skill, probably!

Some of you may sooner or later meet me in my yard and I would welcome the chance to sit down with you and chat. We do not get many "mega" yachts due to access problems but we hold our own. Best regards, Steve.