Marjory J is my Catalina 36. She was launched in 1983 and has all the beautiful wood and fittings from that era. She's been continuously updated since then.
The Catalina 36 was designed by Frank Butler and built in Woodland Hills, CA. Marjory J was launched in Bay St. Louis, MS by Pass Christian, and has spent the majority of her days in the Clear Lake area on the coast and several years inland on the lakes around Dallas-Fort Worth.
MJ was named after my mother (who gets seasick thinking about stepping on a dock). When I was thinking about buying MJ in Dec of '97, I called Mom to discuss it. Was I really ready to take on a large boat and everything one entails? Mom's advice: "You only live once...go for it!". Happily, I did.
Photo gallery coming soon. The video at left is fairly high-res and loads slowly.
Galveston Bay provides fantastic sailing eight months of the year. The predominant winds are from the SE. You can stay for a good day sail in the Bay and make it back home by sunset. Double Bayou is a day trip and lunch at Marker 17 is an experience in itself. The more adventurous sailor can proceed east in the bayou and see a variety of wildlife, from birds to the occasional alligator.
Galveston Island is just a few hours south. The Harbor House docks are back after Hurricane Ike, and provide a good berth while exploring the Strand. The ICW beckons east and west, and the Gulf of Mexico is just past the jetties. I single-handed to Freeport last year (where the video on this page was filmed) and couldn't have enjoyed the trip more. There's little settlement between Galveston and Freeport, most of the shore consisting of bird sanctuaries and a very occasional building or fishing shack.
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