I HATE SHOES

I spent the past two weekends racing Weatherly  in Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. It was really my first introduction to racing at that level, and what an introduction it was. We had a lot of wind in the Vineyard and managed to break two halyards and sheared a 1/2" diameter steel bolt that was holding the boom vang to the mast. I was in the bow, which was tough, wet work, with multiple headsail changes, flying and packing the spinnaker and a ton of coordination between it all. Upshots were that I learned a ton, attended some pretty high-brow dinners and parties and had a raucous time getting to know my fellow sailors on the other 12 meters. Here are some photos, in the first one, I'm the one on Weatherly (US 17, the one leading) hanging over the side in the red jacket. In the second, again in the red jacket tending some winches. There are a ton more pictures on the website, check them out!

After I managed to get Soveraine  to Newport, I needed to find a job for the remainder of the season. I applied to be a launch driver for the New York Yacht Club at Harbor Court (which you have to say with your teeth clenched to get the full effect), but the pay was lousy, I wouldn't be sailing and not allowed to accept tips! A friend who worked on another 12 meter told me a spot had just opened up on Weatherly , whos claim to fame is winning the 1962 America's Cup. I sent in my resume and within two days was sailing with them and offered a full time position for the remainder of the season. Somehow, I always manage to land on my feet. Either through tenacity, a positive attitude, sheer dumb luck, or most likely a combination of the three, it works out. Weatherly  was designed by Phillip Rhodes, who also designed the Rhodes 19 which was the boat I learned to sail on in Boston Harbor. It was the only 12 meter to win the America's Cup designed by him (the rest by Sparkman a...

I've gotten myself into some hairy situations with my past dinghies. From breaking free at sea, breaking free at anchor, sinking/resurrection, theft, rowing in 20 knots of breeze with a 5 knot crosscurrent, etc. I have a new one to add to the list today: a clan of three of Newport's finest. I left the local pub Benjamin's at about midnight this past Monday. It was a short walk to the Ann Street dinghy dock a quarter of a mile away and, unbeknownst to me at the time, I was being followed. When I arrived at my humble chariot, I pumped out the water, pumped up the port side tube that never stays inflated, hopped in and pushed away from the dock to start the engine. Within seconds, three bright beams of light illuminated me, in front of a stern voice instructing me to return to the dock. I didn't panic though, that's exactly what they want you to do. They're looking for a reason to throw the book at you, the trick is to never give them the opportunity. I obliged, ...

The title of this post was the original sales slogan for the Allied Seawind 30, which Soveraine  is one of. She is a 1963 model, hull number 42, I think. What I do know for certain is that a 1962 hull, the first year they were built, did a circumnavigation. He didn't know it at the time but Alan Eddy was to become the first person to sail around the globe in a fiberglass boat. When he returned he wrote a short book on his experience that the Allied company used as promotional material. It can be found online here . Another fascinating circumnavigation was done in an Allied Seawind 30 in 1971 by Scott Kuhner and his new wife Kitty. They kept a great photo journal and their son was kind enough to upload the entire collection to the internet (click the link on "the entire collection")! It is all very well done, and although it may take awhile I would highly recommend going through all the pictures. It's a great story and I've already got my head spinning with diffe...

I went back and forth for a long time trying to decide on an appropriate name for this boat. I first toyed with family names, such as Andrew for my departed cousin and Beatrice for my Grammy. Neither of these would work though, just too close to home. I then thought of past loves, and deemed none of them appropriate either. Bernard Moitessier, my favorite sailor and author of all time ever, had named his boat Joshua  after his favorite sailor Joshua Slocum. Could I name my boat Bernard? I mean, if such a great sailor could give his boat a masculine name, then I surely could as well. I thought I had made up my mind, but I just couldn't shake the thought of my boat not being feminine. I decided I would sail her first to truly let her make my mind up. And after the trip from Watch Hill to Newport, I knew it had to be a lady. But what could the name be? I thought I'd try and incorporate what my goals with this boat are: self-sufficiency. I found a thesaurus and the word sovereig...

The journey started with a quote, as we all piled into the Metro in Newport, bound for Watch Hill, "your souls had better belong to Jesus boys, because your asses are mine." Not sure where I had heard that before, but I figured it was appropriate given that I apparently have a reputation for wild adventures on the high (and in this case not so high) seas. Dan and Seabass (Captain Seabass) had agreed to share in this adventure since they both had off the following day. It took about an hour to get down there, and since it was were Seabass grew up we stopped into a place where he knew the owner and had some $1 tacos and margaritas when we got there. I attempted to put on a collared shirt, but was promptly told that this was not that kind of place. Nine tacos and eight margaritas later we piled back into the Metro for a couple of miles to the boatyard. 5:15 am came early the next day. Sunrise was at 5:30 and we were puttering along at 5:45. I had the dinghy hip-tied to the b...

As soon as I had my stuff loaded into the Metro, I blasted out of Sarasota with my eyes firmly on the road ahead, never looking in the rear view mirror. Orlando and my brother were my next destination, apparently a 12" tire is about as common in Sarasota as someone who doesn't have a gym membership. Brent had found one on Orange Blossom Trail, go figure. It also happened to be poker night with him and some of Crystals coworkers. I was out quickly, after trying to bluff with an early all-in. Brent had to get up at 4 for work the next morning, so I did too, and hit the road a solid two hours before the sun rose. Not that I was unaccustomed to night watches, and with the light traffic out of Orlando and the crisp northern Florida air I was glad to be moving again. The following two days were two of the most life changing I have ever experienced.  If you're ever going through some shit or fighting some demons inside, I highly recommend taking a 19 year old car on the verge ...