East meets West
Rick and Connie met in 1994 at the Sandpiper in Laguna Beach. She’s a Jersey girl recently transplanted to California (1993) and he’s a California boy from Arcadia.
Rick built the Rhino, a Westsail 32, from a bare hull starting in 1975 and launched her the first time in 1980. We married in 2006 after Rick finished re-building Rhino that had been on the hard since 1988. Rhino was re-launched on March 15, 2006 and they were married that September.
Rick is a self taught boat builder and did all the engineering, wood working, electrical, mechanical and plumbing himself. Rick & Connie’s dream is to sail to the South Pacific and revisit Bora Bora aboard RHINO.
They chartered a boat and sailed Bora Bora, Tahaa, Huahine and Raiatea back in 2000.
They discovered their mutual love of cruising in 1996 when they chartered a boat in the British Virgin Islands with his best friend and his girl friend.
Dana Point is their home port in California where they sail the coast, Catalina and the Channel Islands.
Their first significant off-shore excursion in Rhino was sailing down the length of Baja in the Baja Ha Ha in 2009. Using La Paz as a base we spent approximately 7 months visiting many of the different bays and island. We then did the BASH back up the coast of Baja to our home port in Dana Point. Now we’re preparing to do the Puddle Jump (as they call it) and head to the South Pacific.
Connie,
We heard about your cruising plans at a neighborhood get-together. We would like to see your Westsail 32 which we have admired since the 70′s. We have cruised in Scandanavian waters for 11 summers and 5 weeks in the Greek Isles. If you do not mind we would like to stop by and see the Rhino at your open house this afternoon.
Ciao,
Al Morrison
I hope you have a great and safe trip. Was it Donovan’s Grief at the Wharfside that got you into boating? We still talk about the time the tide rose and you tried to get Christine into the boat after a 6′ drop. You tried to balance a cooler on the rail for her short legs. You’re the best. Have a great trip and keep in touch. Will you ever sail to NJ?
Very excited to watch the adventures of your trip!
Looking forward to reading about your sailing adventure on the Rhino.