How could I say no?

by Lydia Mullan, Sail Magazine
The Laser was a little worse for wear. It was an old one, a little too heavy with chips and gouges that left the fiberglass exposed. Half the parts had gone missing over the years. The sail was new, but it was a full rig. A radial would’ve suited me better.

Still, the boat’s previous owner made me an offer I couldn’t refuse. He said I could have it for free. He said he’d give it to me with the trailer. He said he’d fix the wiring on the trailer so that it was street legal. He said he’d drive two hours to drop it off.

How could I say no?

Like every new boat owner, I had starry-eyed ambition about the adventures the Laser and I would go on—and the abs I’d have after a summer of hiking. And like many new boat owners, I bit off more than I could chew. – Full report