Three days, three classics and Pandora’s headed to the hard.

Recently I wrote of Brenda’s and my last cruise but something that I didn’t mention is that we saw a beautiful classic schooner as well as two beautiful old Trumpy yachts, all within three days, three for three.

As we headed down the CT river on our way to Sag Harbor, the beautiful Trumpy, Enticer, launched in 1935, one of the three “sightings”, passed us heading up the river.   I wish I had taken a photo of her.   She is a familiar site as we have passed her when underway many times over the years, when on the Intra Coastal Waterway, and once as we headed to Key Largo in the Hawk Channel, south of Miami.  It’s always a real treat to see such a beautiful boat in top shape.

In 2009 Brenda and I were able to tour Enticer.    Unfortunately, we weren’t “official” guests, as she was on display and open to visitors at the Wooden Boat Show at Mystic Seaport.   At that time, I wrote about our time aboard, not knowing that sometime later, years later, I’d again be aboard her, and this time as an official guest for “sundowners”.

Being aboard Enticer as a guest was amazing while I was on the NY Yacht Club cruise last summer, a visit that even included “valet parking” for my dink.  I was included as Pandora was invited to join the cruise as “tender” to a member’s boat that was participating as a racer.    I wrote about that visit in a post.  She’s a beautiful boat and was being chartered by several NYYC members and came complete with a 12 meter that was tied up along side.  Nice package deal…In 2015 she underwent yet another major restoration, although she looked pretty amazing when Brenda and I saw her years before that.  Now she is better than ever.  She has been “restored” a number of times, as is the case with all well maintained classic wooden yachts.  Her prior restoration, in 2002 was done at the Brooklin Boat Yard in Maine, known for doing some of the most magnificent rebuilds of classics as well as new builds in wood composite construction.

Her glamor shot after emerging from the shop shop in Brooklin. Hankering to get out on her yourself?  She is part of a program where, you can own a share as part of a fractional ownership plan.  Wouldn’t it be fun to put your feet up in the salon after a long day on the water?  “Garson, please fetch me a dram of rum.”  No, no, that’s not up to snuf.  “Garson, a Pims, if you will, and be snappy about it.”Too nice to stay inside?  Not to worry, you can enjoy your Pims on the aft deck.  And, it’s a nice place, trust me.  Been there, done that.  Although, for me, a G&T if I recall. Not up to your standards?  How about Enticer’s sister ship, Freedom?  A fractional program is available for her too for $350,000.   And for that fee, you will bask in the glow of 5% ownership and 10 days of annual usage.  Want to use her for a single day?  That will set you back $4,800 plus provisions, fuel and crew gratuity.

We saw Freedom when we were in Sag Harbor.   What a sight passing by at sunset. As you can imagine, buying, crewing and maintaining such a yacht is not for the faint of heart and a lot goes into keeping her up to snuff.  However, with fractional ownership, you will never have to pick up a varnish brush.

It takes a massive amount of work to keep a boat like Freedom in proper shape.  Check out this video on her restoration.  The video is about 5 minutes long and gives some very interesting history and what went into getting her where she is today.  Now, in the foreground of the image above of Freedom is a lovely schooner, number three on our three-sightings weekend.   Yes, she’s in the photo above, but she deserves a shot of her own.  Meet Kelpie, a 1928 schooner built at the Harvey Gamage yard in Maine.  This video shows her underway and in a race win in Falmouth, UK, shortly after her recent rebuild before making her way “across the pond” to Sag Harbor.  The video includes some shots of other really spectacular yachts, some of which I have seen in Antigua over the years.  As they set various sails, you really get a feel for just how big everything is on a yacht of this scale.
In order to own such a boat, her owner must have a long attention span and a very healthy checkbook.  Her current owner. Breakfast is ready…  Well,almost. Now Kelpie is under new management and ownership and is being actively chartered out of Sag Harbor.  She was still in the neighborhood when Brenda and I were there last weekend.  I wonder where she will be this winter.  It would be a shame to see her out of the water for the winter.  Kelpie?  Looking for a delivery crew?  I’d work for food.

So, there you go, three for three.  Three days and three beautiful classic yachts and it’s a wrap for this season.

It’s worth noting that that Pandora’s season ran from last fall when she went back in the water and headed south to Antigua, to South Florida, the Chesapeake and back home to New England where she will be hauled for the long New England winter.

Pandora covered nearly 5,00o miles over the last year and was commissioned for 13 months since her last layup.   In all honesty, with the whole virus thing and the months of lockdown in the Caribbean Brenda and I had to endure, it wasn’t all that idyllic a season.  However, I’m counting on next fall and winter being terrific so there is something to look forward to.   Given how terribly the virus has been managed here in the US, experts are now predicting that things won’t be under control until mid 2023, which would be horrible and put’s next season’s cruising plans at risk for us.

What a nice way to end the season, three for three.  Three days and three classics.  Check, check and time to haul.

So, here we will be, stuck in the frozen north this winter.  I sure hope that we will at least be to snow and lots of it so it will feel like a real winter.

I guess it’s time to begin working on that winterizing list and beginning to tackle the many projects planned to make sure she is in top form come spring.

I’ll be looking forward to a nice sundowner aboard Pandora next summer and winter.  Unlike these three beautiful yachts, Enticer, Freedom and Kelpie, I guess I’ll have to serve myself.

At least the view will be nice.Yes, it feels like winter, cold and rainy.  Time to put on a sweater.

Brenda likes sweaters.