About Us
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Sam Crabtree began sailing in 1968, primarily in the San Francisco Bay Area. He has
owned and at times raced an El Toro, a Sunfish, an Oday Day Sailer, and a Catalina 22
(which his son David still owns). As a self-employed civil engineer, he enjoyed a boss who
allowed him time off to go sailing. For many years he did deliveries of OPBs (Other Peoples
Boats) up and down the Pacific Coast and from Hawaii. In 1978 he purchased Catch The
Wind, a 1971 Cal 39, which he raced in the 1980 Single Handed Transpac from San
Francisco to Hawaii. Sam got his master’s license ion 1983 and chartered Catch The Wind
for several years, and also taught Coastal Piloting and Navigation courses at College of
Alameda and Diablo Valley College.
Susie was a self-employed traveling bookkeeper in the San Francisco Bay Area who began
sailing in 2001 when she was invited onto a friend’s sailboat. She discovered it was fun and
joined Single Sailors Association to get more sailing experience.
Sam and Susie met at Single Sailors Association. Susie liked to sail with Sam because he
didn’t drink or smoke and he had a great smile. Sam liked Susie because she had the
initiative to learn and he didn’t have to repeat instructions. Susie asked Sam out on a date
and said she didn’t care when Sam said he was too old for her. Turned out they both liked
to dance (Sam learned when he was 12 and Susie learned when she was 48) and attend
community theater productions. Interestingly enough, they even discovered they are both
allergic to kiwi and neither of them likes to drink coffee! With so much in common, it seemed
like a perfect match. Susie crewed with Sam on a race boat delivery from Hawaii to San
Francisco in 2002 (not a comfortable trip) and she still stuck around.
When Sam found out in 2004 that he had to start withdrawing money from his IRA when he
turned 70 1/2 years old in 2005, he decided it was time to retire from engineering and finally
go cruising. After years of teaching other boat owners how to navigate and pilot their boats,
so they could go cruising, it was finally his time. So Susie closed down her bookkeeping
business and Sam officially retired from engineering in the summer 2005.
On October 2, 2005, Sam and Susie got married at Angel Island. On October 15, 2005,
they departed from Richmond Yacht Club and began sailing and motoring Catch The Wind
down the coast of California. And on October 31, 2005, along with two additional crew
members and Susie’s 4-year old grandson Hunter, they joined the Baja Ha Ha Class of 2005
and sailed to Mexico. They enjoyed Puerto Vallarta, Banderas Bay, Mazatlan, La Paz, and
many of the small villages and anchorages along the inside of the Baja Peninsula.
In 2008 Susie had her first knee replacement surgery - in La Paz. In January 2009, she had
her second in Hermosillo. Unfortunately she got an infection in the first knee, so that was re-
done in Hermosillo in September 2009. In October 2009, Sam and Susie decided to return
to California, to find employment (obviously they have bad timing) and work to rebuild the
cruising kitty. They are presently living in Antioch, California; Catch The Wind is berthed at
Richmond Yacht Club and still goes out for day and weekend sailing adventures.
Who knows what the future holds? For the present, Sam and Susie are enjoying square
dancing several times a week, sailing on occasion, and visiting with family and friends.
owned and at times raced an El Toro, a Sunfish, an Oday Day Sailer, and a Catalina 22
(which his son David still owns). As a self-employed civil engineer, he enjoyed a boss who
allowed him time off to go sailing. For many years he did deliveries of OPBs (Other Peoples
Boats) up and down the Pacific Coast and from Hawaii. In 1978 he purchased Catch The
Wind, a 1971 Cal 39, which he raced in the 1980 Single Handed Transpac from San
Francisco to Hawaii. Sam got his master’s license ion 1983 and chartered Catch The Wind
for several years, and also taught Coastal Piloting and Navigation courses at College of
Alameda and Diablo Valley College.
Susie was a self-employed traveling bookkeeper in the San Francisco Bay Area who began
sailing in 2001 when she was invited onto a friend’s sailboat. She discovered it was fun and
joined Single Sailors Association to get more sailing experience.
Sam and Susie met at Single Sailors Association. Susie liked to sail with Sam because he
didn’t drink or smoke and he had a great smile. Sam liked Susie because she had the
initiative to learn and he didn’t have to repeat instructions. Susie asked Sam out on a date
and said she didn’t care when Sam said he was too old for her. Turned out they both liked
to dance (Sam learned when he was 12 and Susie learned when she was 48) and attend
community theater productions. Interestingly enough, they even discovered they are both
allergic to kiwi and neither of them likes to drink coffee! With so much in common, it seemed
like a perfect match. Susie crewed with Sam on a race boat delivery from Hawaii to San
Francisco in 2002 (not a comfortable trip) and she still stuck around.
When Sam found out in 2004 that he had to start withdrawing money from his IRA when he
turned 70 1/2 years old in 2005, he decided it was time to retire from engineering and finally
go cruising. After years of teaching other boat owners how to navigate and pilot their boats,
so they could go cruising, it was finally his time. So Susie closed down her bookkeeping
business and Sam officially retired from engineering in the summer 2005.
On October 2, 2005, Sam and Susie got married at Angel Island. On October 15, 2005,
they departed from Richmond Yacht Club and began sailing and motoring Catch The Wind
down the coast of California. And on October 31, 2005, along with two additional crew
members and Susie’s 4-year old grandson Hunter, they joined the Baja Ha Ha Class of 2005
and sailed to Mexico. They enjoyed Puerto Vallarta, Banderas Bay, Mazatlan, La Paz, and
many of the small villages and anchorages along the inside of the Baja Peninsula.
In 2008 Susie had her first knee replacement surgery - in La Paz. In January 2009, she had
her second in Hermosillo. Unfortunately she got an infection in the first knee, so that was re-
done in Hermosillo in September 2009. In October 2009, Sam and Susie decided to return
to California, to find employment (obviously they have bad timing) and work to rebuild the
cruising kitty. They are presently living in Antioch, California; Catch The Wind is berthed at
Richmond Yacht Club and still goes out for day and weekend sailing adventures.
Who knows what the future holds? For the present, Sam and Susie are enjoying square
dancing several times a week, sailing on occasion, and visiting with family and friends.
| TO CONTACT US sailsamandsusie@yahoo.com MAILING ADDRESS 2726 Shelter Island Drive #322 San Diego CA 92106-2731 CELL PHONE NUMBER 925 683 4855 |