San Francisco, CA (37° 37' N, 122° 23'W) - After two very busy days inspecting, sea trialing, and negotiating, I closed on the purchase and am the proud owner of Polaris. She sailed well in 10-12 knots of breeze, and the engine, rigging, and sails are in excellent condition. As with any used boat purchase, there is plenty of work to be done to restore her back to glory. With less than a month before go-time, we seek to install several new through-hull fittings, upgrade the electronics, revarnish the rails, install new lights/fans, add a wind scoop and more. In addition to purchasing the boat during the short three day excursion to Puerto Rico, I was able to explore a bit. My dad and I hiked through a mangrove swamp, checked out a waterfall within the national rainforest, and swam at a remote beach. Puerto Rican food was amazing and I highly recommend the local specialty, Mofongo Relleno, which is fried plantains with grilled beef, chicken, or fish.
