Tim Owen picture.
Now how can I tie this man and that song to my blog? I will try and tell you how.A local pub in Hout Bay Harbour has a live band on sundays,they struck up the band yesterday and one of the first tracks they played was Black Magic Woman,my mind went back about 27 years to Simonstown in False Bay.
I had a friend in False Bay,his name was (still is) Jonathan,he had a nice self built Hartley 28 GRP sailing boat but it sailed less well than he wanted,seems it would not go to windward very well? So looking at the design,Jonathan decides to give his boat a deeper keel,he removed the boat from the water and added about 500mm onto the bottom of the full length keel.
Now Jonathan had a different problem,the boat would point better in a light breeze but given any kind of strong wind,it was super tender now.one day we were having an afternoon braai at Jonathans home,it was high above the harbour and False Bay Yacht Club,I asked Jonathan about his keel extension,he told me how he bonded the new extention to the existing keel,I then asked him what he filled the void inside with?
Foam,he told me,so we now knew why the boat was so tender! he had in effect increased the boats displacement with foam,which in effect was attemting to turn his boat over when ever there was a breeze or he tacked? I did some calculations and showed Jonathan he could probably open the void and pack it with 450kgs of some heavy stuff,what he used I have no idea but the boat was a heck of a lot better at sailing after he did this.
Some years later Jonathan had plans,big plans and decides to head north,he eventually arrives in Hawaii,where he sort of swallows the hook for a good while,his yacht De Ja Vue was berthed in a mangrove swamp I think,Jonathan takes on various day jobs,he also starts a rock band,as he plays lead guitar.
The band was a success but Jonathan still takes on day work,one such job was gardening for a complex with rental cottages,he was doing the garden to one cottage and happens to note who the ocupant is,yes,its Carlos Santana himself! Jonathan gets talking to Carlos,mentions he has a band and one number he does is Black Magic Woman,next thing is Carlos Santana is giving Jonathan some guitar lessons!
Note,last I heard Jonathan had returned to his family home in Durban.
February 2nd 2012 and news in today from Jonathan on Hawaii !
Jonathan is now a published author,not the easiest of things to become,anyone can write a book,can you get it published is the question?
Check his book out here http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0070F2TL6
News from Jonathan today:
Wow!! I am very impressed with that almost flawless account of my life in a nut shell! I had no idea you had written that, hats off to you, and thank you very much for sending me that.
I am still here on Kauai, it' a beautiful island and I regard myself as very blessed to be able to live and work here. I am painting houses now for an ambitious young paint company called Quality Painting :) We do wood work as well, and have an excellent cabinet maker who builds high end custom cabinets. I make Adirondack chairs when there are orders, also make electric guitars (my other love ) and generally get in the way ;)
Thank you for all the news re South Africa and your family, please give Jean my regards :)
More on Jonathans book, which just a few days back had already sold 300 copies!
Jon - if you get this note – I am so impressed with your book! I discovered it on Roy’s Blog through his post on you and Carlo Santana. Bought a copy for myself on Kindle and my old Dad has taken to reading it too. What a great story! – all the more interesting as it is true – its exactly my kind of read. I will post something on the HBYC website for it shortly as well.
As a (self-taught) keelboater I can relate so much to what you say – but the people side of it is even more interesting. I happen to know (or know of) many of the SA folk you mention – Dick Manten, Timberhorne, etc.
Best wishes from Hout Bay!
Regards
Justin
Kindle Price: $4.99 includes free international wireless delivery via Amazon Whispernet
A most compelling and gripping read!, February 15, 2012
By Justin Phillips (Cape Town, Western Cape South Africa) - See all my reviewsAmazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Days of Déjà vu (Kindle Edition)
I chanced upon this book through mention in a friend's blog. I happen to live just a few miles from where Jonathan started this adventure - and even know some of the characters he mentions. I was drawn initially by the fact it was a "local book", and the fact that I love sailing stories. However this book is SO MUCH MORE! Its a (true) tale of adventure, romance, growing up and travel all in one. The writer (Jonathan) comes across in a modest way, in ordinary tale-telling language, almost like a very well written ship's log. It is very comparable with Slocum's book (Sailing alone aroud the world) - set a few decades later. However, at the same time, there is an obviously professional touch to the way it has been arranged, and it makes for a most compelling and uplifting tale. I must confess I am just halfway through it now, but can't put it down! To add interest, I emailed Jonathan a few minutes ago in Hawai (Kauai (sp?) island) - to congratulate him on this book - and he responded immediately. You won't be disappointed with this one. Buy it before the price goes up!
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