Hello, it's been a while

[Spindrift]

Hi to all.
I Was a member of the old forums (same username) when version 6.7 was released many years ago.
It was Larry Paine who brought me into VS through his stories about his virtual adventures and I am glad to say that I was fortunate enough to have a few online races with Larry. It was a huge loss to the community when he passed away. RIP

So,
I am about to relive my virtual sailing experience once again and I am wondering about boat and scenery add ons
and where I can download them from?

I remember Alan Winter made some great add ons back in the day and others like Adam Galazka, Ron Visser and many more talented people.
Are some of these add ons still around to download?

Also a shout out to everyone , old and new and all from the old salts forum if anyone is reading, happy to meet you all.

Many thanks

Tony

[Victor]

Well, you certainly brought up a few names from the past. Good to see any old VSer back. The new VSNG is up and running and improving all the time. Get yourself a copy and enjoy. You'll find a lot of ships and sceneries in the library and they are all useable in the new version. Enjoy ! !

Victor

[Spindrift]

Hello Victor,
Good to see you.
I am working my way through all the addons and scenery etc. Thanks
I forgot how much fun this is and really enjoying playing around as the hours seem to slip by at a rate of knots and before
I know it, it's almost time for bed!

Thanks for the welcome my friend!
Best wishes

Tony

[Sailorjohn]

Let me add my "Welcome Back", Spindrift...as a VS'er from 6.5 onwards, and VSF'er from day one. I agree wholeheartedly with Victor's assessment of VSNG...just when you think it can't get any better, Ilan pops another update adding to the immersiveness and realism of this sim...and further addicting us 'old salts'. Like Victor, I spent a career at sea as an officer, and a lifetime of recreational boating. And VSNG lets me keep on sailing into my eighties.

Like Victor, I too enjoyed hearing Alan, Adam, Ron, and others recalled from the 'old days', and they did indeed help push the VS envelope to where it is today. I still have some of their models. But the pool of exquisite vessels and sceneries has expanded exponentially, blurring the line between virtual and actual reality. Sharpy even modeled two of my former real-world boats, the 34' Marine Trader trawler Tioga, and the 33' Nauticat motorsailor Windsor Knot...with full interiors painstakingly authentic (using my pictures from every angle, of every detail).

Enjoy your return to Virtual Sailing, Tony. BTW, nice avatar name. As a teenager, I named my little sailing dinghy "Spindrift".

Fair winds,
SailorJohn

[Spindrift]

Hello Sailorjohn and thanks for the welcome.
I replied to your post a few days ago but I guess I forgot to hit the submit button!

I am enjoying my Virtual sailor experience once again and it brings back old memories and also, as our 7.5 metre sloop was sold some time ago
so my real life sailing has come to an end....for now.
This fills the gap nicely and what better way to kill some time!

I am adding more boats/scenery as I find them but there seems to be a lot that are now unavailable sadly.
There were some great modellers around during my time on the forums, I remember Adam Galazka was going to model my old dad's little fishing boat
and requested many photo's but it was never finished sadly. I remember him being a junior Doctor at the time so I'm guessing he didn't have much time to spare. Must be a treat to have something modelled after your own boat.

I really enjoyed his Mazury scenery and loved racing the Opty's around there during the Virtual Sailor yacht club's racing series. I think Botig was usually the umpire in those days,? then later we also had a Larry Paine's memorial race too if my memory serves me correct.?

In regards to my avatar name, I have always wanted to name a sailboat Spindrift so at least one of us got lucky eh? Ha

Very good to hear from you SailorJohn,

And thanks for welcoming me back.
Cheers

Tony

[Sailorjohn]

Ahoy, Spindrift

Ah, Adam Galazka, from Poland I believe...the doctor. My fondest memories of him were his models of ducks and floating beer cans. And he introduced us all to "Pat and Matt", the animated Soviet era comic duo. I still have them bookmarked, and watch 'em every time I need a good laugh!

I too enjoy Mazury. Reminds me of the Muskoka Lakes region in Ontario, CN...where I spent every summer as a kid. And yes, I sailed "Spindrift" there, as well as a variety of other craft, including a leaky old wooden rowboat with an oar and bedsheet for a sail. Like you, now all my boating is virtual...for now. But wifey knows I'm never too old to get just one more 'final' boat...

Fair winds,
SJ

[aonyn]

Hi all,

Another long time member who just joined back up on the forum. Seems we have to rejoin fresh now and then.... I guess I just don't visit enough lately.

Hi @SailorJohn, I just visited Sharpy's shop link, and it says error 404, was hoping to check if your fine vessels are getting an update to the new VS? Is the store relocated?.. everything ok with Sharpy?

Regards,
Dave

[Sailorjohn]

Hi Dave
Welcome back to the fold. Alas, I know not what happened to Steve Sharp..."Sharpy". We frequently exchanged emails for years; he even called me once from HI to chat. He was working on a beautiful model of a Vagabond 47 ketch upon which he planned to live aboard in retirement...it was nearly finished, and he kept forwarding latest versions for me to tweak elements. And then all communications ceased abruptly about 3 years ago...absolutely nothing since. I tried frequent emails to no avail. His website remained online for a year or so, then it disappeared. I fear the worst; maybe someone here can fill in the blanks??? He was a modeling genius, sorely missed.

[aonyn]

@Sailorjohn,

Oh, I am terribly sorry to hear that. He was (or rather I hope... IS) indeed a modeling genius, absolutely beautiful work. Of course don't underestimate your contribution through your nautical expertise. The models sail as nicely as they look.

Anyway, I still have the VSF versions alive in my current install. Hopefully they remain working for a long time to come.

Again, I am very sorry to hear.

Regards,
Dave

[Axeonalias]

Ahoy Mateys! My those 14 years went by in the blink of an eye! Nice to read these post from familiar names, new forum layout is pretty dismal though, no subforums? I always thank VS7 and Ilan for starting my 3d modeling career, it was my drive to create sailing ships within the sim that taught me to model, and have been modeling full time ever since, nice to see you guys back here and still active

[ArnaldoS]

Ahoy there! Old memories, remember those times when we race online!!
Cheers to all those good people