Is it a sin to “lust after another man’s boat”?

[Frank]

Pulled into a tiny rock strewn harbour on a remote island and once tied up, saw this work of art just up the dock. It was immediate lust! The lines are perfection! She is a proper little shop and was both built and maintained with obvious love! Came to find out she is a classic Atkin 20fter "Maid of Endor"
I can honestly say she is one of thee most beautiful boats I've ever had the pleasure of looking at. Both built and sailed by the same man for 36 years, her state of repair reflects a love affair long from being over. The pictures simply do not do her lines justice. Just a proper ship in miniature!

[CharlieJ]

Gorgeous boat. But SURE am glad I don't have to maintain that varnish, here on the Texas coast!!!

[Norman]

There has only been one, not near as pretty as that Atkin.

A little more bluff at the bow, near flat bottom with an iron clad centerboard.  Gaff rigged mizzen overhanging the stern by 5 or 6 feet, and like the Atkin, the jib was the only sail that required tending when tacking.  That was a big feature, as I intended to do long sails in narrow water, as the sole sailor on board.

The interior was commodious for such a small craft, as it had a beam a foot or so greater than the Atkin.  Coal fired square top cast iron coal stove with cast inch high fiddles on top, for cooking under way.  Swing up table leaves on each side of the centerboard trunk, kerosene lanterns, and comfortable headroom for my 6 feet.  Of course, stand-up only with the sliding hatch open.  All in all, a very comfortable cruising craft, and that was my desire at the time.

I owned a Lightning, and actively raced on a well prepared lightning with an excellent skipper, but that small cruiser was my desire!

For very practical reasons,she was painted mostly white, with the contrasting wood in brown, appearing to be varnish from a distance.  The interior did have varnish, but a lot of white to keep it bright at night.

What amazed me was that when he had all his canvas up, on a down wind run, he outran my Lightning.

He often went for weekend sails, and came down to the boat after work, fired up the coal stove to fix a cup of coffee, and bowl of soup.  If I smelled coal smoke when I checked my boat in the winter, I went to see him.  It was cozy even on very cold days, with the stove going.

Beautiful?  No.  Pleasant to sail, and easy to maintain, absolutely!

It was old, in 1958, so necessarily a wooden boat, but well built and dry.  It had a very small, wrap a rope started, inboard air cooled engine, max speed under power about 3 knots, used only to get out of the slip.  He was a patient sailor.

[Frank]

Nice story Norman.
Would you have a picture of it or one similar?

[Norman]

Frank, no pictures, even of my Lightning. :(

My expensive camera never went close to water, bought in Italy, a German Voitlander Vitessa pocket size folding camera, cost about my monthly income.  I don't remember now whether it was just a bit more, or a bit less, but I guarded it carefully.  It took many hundreds of excellent picture in Europe and later at home.

After it broke, and the repair facility in this country asked $400 to fix it, I went digital.

Back to the boat, the owner said that it was New England built, I forget just where, and he was not the first owner.  He was a WW 2 veteran, and worked at the Pentagon, as a civilian.  With less than a 5 minute drive, an easy trip to the marina to relax after a tough day.  He only drank coffee when I was aboard, and I think that was his only drink.  I always assumed him to be single, as he spent so much time on the boat, and never spoke of going home.

I think he was Army, but had a sailing background from growing up, possibly in New England.  Certainly he found more comfort and rest on board than any where else.  I would have enjoyed getting to know him better, but conversation never seemed to leave sailing much before it returned.

Hindsight, I have since known some men from the coastal New England who were difficult to get into conversation, kept rather private, but after many restarts, became relatively friendly.  He was most likely of that character.  I would see him working on the boat, stop and talk for a bit, and go on.  Cool or cold days, smell the smoke, knock on the cabin top.  He would slide back the hatch, and after the conversation had gone a minute or two, ask if I would like to come aboard, the heat is escaping.  I would visit for a while, and go my way.  He was neither social nor antisocial.  I always admired his sailing skills, but never was invited to sail with him.  Not particularly any sort of an insult, as I never saw any one with him when he sailed.

I may have miss remembered the engine, that may have been another vintage boat, he normally walked it back holding a piling, swung it, and walked pilings to the channel, and sailed away.  The little put put was on a small bay skipjack.  A very small, cramped, and not particularly lovely work boat with copious leaks.

Norman

[CapnK]

Great stories, Norm. :)

Purty boat, Frank.  8)