I rebuilt this old boat from a hurricane Hugo salvage in the Virgin Islands. I renamed her Sea Rose to give her good luck.
It took years of very hard work, a mountain of mail order how-to-books and numerous parts gathered from dozens of ports. Some arrived by mail. Others were collected along the way. Some came 1400 miles on the grocery boat. The 42 foot mast traveled 3000 miles by truck then another 1200 miles on a Windjammer ship named Amazing Grace. I had to travel mast-less by motor to a different country just to rendezvous with the ship to collect my mast.
I worked on yachts as professional crew when I wasn't home rebuilding my boat. Some times I was gone for weeks or months traveling far and wide leaving my little boat, a work in progress bobbing in the harbor while neighbors and friends kept watch for my return.
No one thought a girl could do it alone.
But I didn't care what they thought.
I did it anyways!
The crazy girl that could and did.
Fun facts...
I sailed her with a compass. No electronics.
A salvaged solar panel provided power for lights, fan, water pump and marine radio.
I caught rain water and used that to fill my tanks so I could shower, make coffee and wash dishes.
The wind in my sails. The sea as my home.
Those were some mighty fine times.
Where thou art, that is home.
She's beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI think you need to write another book. We need to be able to read more tales about your sails. It sounds like it was a fascinating life and you would get to relive it.
ReplyDeleteLinda, thank you for the great idea! I appreciate you sailing by today. More tales about sails!
ReplyDelete