What to do when a boat picks *you*...?!

[CapnK]

As long as I've been at my marina, there's been this sailboat within a few hundred yards of Katie. Not a bad boat necessarily, just not my first choice, given the option. A boat from a time period I generally have regarded with somewhat of an admittedly snobbish dismissal, due to the movement away from "traditional" by designers at the time - the introduction/mass usage of split-underbody design, wider beams even more accentuated by wineglass sterns, more linear and 'modern' looking doghouse and deadlights, and so on. Obvious design transition to anyone who's spent a fair amount of time around boats. So, as far as they go in my opinion, this boat is a good example of 1970's 'plastic classic'.

I've gotten to know the owner over a few years through casual encounters on the docks, or occasionally up in the bar at happy hour, and he's a likable guy. An ex-Air Force vet of a couple tours with MAC who then moved on into the private sector and wound up working in Georgetown. He has a son who has a boat up in Annapolis. Yet he very, very rarely actually used the boat. There was a flurry of activity about 5 years ago where she was hauled and some blistering problems addressed, the engine given a work-over, some attention paid to things like running rigging and her canvas, but prior to that and even after, I'd only seen her get taken for a sail on 2 or 3 occasions. Walking past her the other day on my way to see the Packers (Best Team Ever, BTW) beat up on yet another NFL team, the sun was at an angle that I could easily see the 6-8" 'beard' of grass she's grown on her hull.

Coincidentally or not, when I got to the sports bar for the game, the owner was there, and in conversation I mentioned to him that he was going to have to clean the boat before using it, that she had an underwater jungle growing on her. His reply was that he just didn't care anymore, that life had gotten to the point that he wasn't going to, had no plans to use her, and just wanted to get rid of her as soon as possible. This stunned me, being something so far from my ken that I asked him to repeat it, which he did. We talked about it for some time, and I asked him what he was thinking price-wise, and was flabbergasted when he told me.

I've heard of people getting boats at incredible deals, and this was one of those. Just *too good* to pass up. So, making a long story only a little less longer, it seems that I've been picked by a boat. She's a 1977 Islander '36. I spent the first nights on her last week, and have been gradually moving aboard. She is SO much bigger, I am still somewhat taken aback every time I get onboard. For all that, I think that singlehanding her should prove to be no problem, and the extra room is really nice, I can see how it would enable longer trips. Rigged as a sloop only, I will be adding some type of inner forestay. Right now the only foresail is a genny on a roller snarler, and while I may keep that, I will definitely have the option to hank on as desired and easily/quickly. The main is a traditional slab-reef, although at some point in time it had a Dutchman system on it which has since rotted away.

She's not *too* complex, WRT systems - there is a water heater, and pressure fresh water (jury is out on those two things), an icebox with a cold-plate system (same thing - works well, not sure yet what the energy penalty vs my Engel is, but if it's more than double, it's on the block), Perkins 4-108 50hp diesel (not optional really in a boat this size). She currently has wheel steering and a Autohelm steerer, but has a place for a tiller and as that is how they were originally designed, I will likely remove the pedestal and associated gear in favor of KISS. There is a gimballed CNG stove/oven that I will keep, switching to propane eventually. There used to be an A/C, thankfully someone removed that so I don't have to do the work. :D

That's all for now. I'll pop up a pic or two.

[Capt. Tony]

Well, Barque looks at home already. 

Is this the end?  The beginning of the end?  The end of the beginning?  Hey, good things happen to good people, Kurt.  Keep the karma bank full, man! ;D 

[Jim_ME]

Congrats (again), Kurt,

Can't look a gift boat like this in the anchor-rode locker.  ;)

I am looking at the boats specs and drawings...
http://sailboatdata.com/viewrecord.asp?class_id=1890
Which shows the tiller version that you mentioned...

I like that its keel has quite a bit of slope to its leading edge and a more vertical aft edge, giving it more lateral plane area to it than some of the more extreme fin keels. Plus the skeg-mounted rudder. Has a whole Ariel worth plus 500 pounds more of lead ballast with that 6 feet of draft, so should be quite stiff.

Grog to ya!  :)

[CapnK]

Tony - Only Barque's shadow knows... :D It's gonna be real nice to be able to work on Katie without moving gear around all the time, and then sleeping in saw/glass dust...  8)

Jim - This one is the shoal draft version (Thank Deity) with a regular rig according to the PO. That means they lopped off about 12-15" of draft from the keel, moving it to the trailing edge (giving even more of a real full keel-looking fin), and also adding ~150#'s more ballast. PO also said this one has the cast iron ballast, but from what I've read they only used that from '73-'75. Of course, I hope it's lead. Sail Calc shows her having slightly better than the Ariel in regards to offshore numbers (capsize, comfort), and a number of these have been successfully solo-circumnavigated, even non-stop, so I know she'll do whatever I want, given proper preparation. Part of that would be some reconfiguration of the (comparatively) vast space below to allow for more handholds/less 'flying space'. ;) Once in the calm, the room is nice to have, I can tell that, and I don't think that I'll have any problem stowing aboard my favorite toys - surfboard(s), fishing rods, folding bike. It would be awesome if I could fit my SportCity 250cc scooter in, but I think that will be too much to ask... :)

[gregorygraham]

Lovely classic plastic from the 1970s.  Makes me feel right at home because I have a 1977 Northern 29.  A smaller boat, but the design is very similar.  Enjoy your Islander.

[Jim_ME]

Jim - This one is the shoal draft version

Of course. I now remember you mentioning that previously. Yup, the sailboatdata page shows the shoal draft version at 4.8 feet, which should be more convenient, and the longer keel helping her tracking ability.

As for flying space, I like the interior grab rails that some of the builders put below the cabin trunk rails, using the same fasteners. Not only nice for grabbing, but a convenient place to tie berth lee cloths up to.

[Tallswede]

I love those boats (at least from looking at them, I've never been on one) and there is one for sale in a marina next to mine. I'm sorely tempted, price is in the $30K something range.

Kevin

[CapnK]

Jim I will probably be adding the overhead handgrabs. Besides leecloths, they make good clothesline hangars too. ;)

Hi Kevin - You could probably get them down a bit, unless the boat is in *stellar* shape. I've seen some fairly nice ones down closer to $20k, that look to be in 'sailaway shape', pretty much. Saw one that was really nice, had been taken care of to the point of the deck gelcoat having been re-done, and IIRC it was at an asking price of $28K. Go take a look - never hurts to check out a different boat. :)

[CharlieJ]

One of the better additions I made inside Tehani

[CapnK]

I'll need to submit the Documentation paperwork soon, so I have been playing the "Name Game" in my head. She's currently "Esprit" which, while a good name and concept, doesn't quite seem 'right'. I'm sure you know how that is... ;D

One thing I noticed a few years back while listening to "Southern Cross" is the lyric which it says "She is all that I have left, and Music is her name...". Ever since then, I've thought that 'Music' would be a great name for a boat. I love music of almost every kind (except for opera - never have gotten into that... :D) and a sailboat underway is to my eye and thinking, very musical in it's nature. The only 'problem' is that there is a whole slew of boats named "Music" out there - Documented there are 26 of them named plain "Music", out of 138 vessels with "Music" in their name...  :o

Then while reading yesterday I noticed the author was using lots of Greek god & goddesses names, so I began to look them up to see whose name he was 'borrowing' for the particular character, which led to a sort of general overall reading about Greek gods & goddesses, where I chanced upon "Euterpe" (pronounced 'u-ter-pee', see http://media.merriam-webster.com/soundc11/e/euterp01.wav).

Euterpe was one of the 9 Olympian Muses who were daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne; more specifically Euterpe is regarded as the muse of Music, and a literal translation of her name is along the lines of "Giver (or Bringer) of Delight".

How cool and apropos is that? ;D

So, I am thinking that may be her new name. There is only 1 other documented vessel with that name, a 35.5' steel hulled boat which now hails from Portland, but was built in 1958 by Kok Boat Builders of the Netherlands.

One other possibility is "Aoide" (pronounced 'ay-O-dee'), the original Muse of music from even older Greek mythology, whose name translates literally as "to sing". There is no vessel documented with "Aoide" as their name.

Hmmm... :)

[Tim]

I like "Euterpe" it had a good short consonant-vowel roll. Easy to send on the radio. Classic names are the best if there aren't too many of them around, looks like you found one.  8)

[CharlieJ]

Euterpe sounds great to me

[Frank]

I'b be afraid people would hail "you-twerp" on VHF   ;D :D ::)









sorry....couldn't resist   :o

[Tim]

Well of course

I'b be afraid people would hail "you-twerp" on VHF

That's why you repeat it.

"You twerp, Euterpe"   that is what they say when going to the grog locker after the Capn. has been aboard.  ;D

[Jim_ME]

Maybe since she is such a big boat, naming her after one of the Amazons would be most apropost...?

I think that the Amazons were all notable for being big...or maybe it was just being warlike? Or a very early mail-order retail company that specialized in ancient Greek marble consumer goods...?

Another idea would be to steal the name of my grand niece "Isla", named after the unincorporated township in Texas,--possibly also named after a Mythological Greek Amazon Warrior of some sort...?  ;)

[Tim]

Maybe since she is such a big boat, naming her after one of the Amazons would be most apropost...?

I think that the Amazons were all notable for being big...or maybe it was just being warlike? Or a very early mail-order retail company that specialized in ancient Greek marble consumer goods...?

Another idea would be to steal the name of my grand niece "Isla", named after the unincorporated township in Texas,--possibly also named after a Mythological Greek Amazon Warrior of some sort...?  ;)

LOL Grog for that Jim

[Jim_ME]

Thanks, Tim :)

Kurt, what did you decide on for a name?

[Sunset]

I always liked "Against The Wind", Bob Seger

Scott

[CharlieJ]

I always liked "Against The Wind", Bob Seger

Scott

Often have felt it was written about me :D