Long White Cloud

Friday night, Stephen and Paula Pepperill of New Zealand spent the evening at the Barrington Yacht club, presenting the story of their six year voyage on the 45 foot Herreshoff Mobjack ketch, Long White Cloud which they built on their front lawn. The journey brought them many adventures and so far, halfway round the world. They are preparing to sail for home via the Panama Canal after hurricane season. Check out their sailing blog for fabulous photos and compelling stories. God speed on your journey home.

Bull & Bear Sailing team at IYRS Newport, summer 2007

I photographed the pair of sandbaggers Bull & Bear at the International Yacht Restoration School in Newport during one of my visits there in August 2007. The pair of 28 foot sandbaggers are replicas of working boats used on the New York harbor in the 1860's. They were built by John Brady in 1996 and 1997, based out of the Independence Seaport Museum in Philadelphia, PA. Bull and Bear are are serious boats and a serious operation, helping youth organizations learn to sail, get experience on the water, learn leadership and just enjoy themselves. The Bull & Bear Sailing team also donates time and effort to race for charities.

Black Knight undergoing rebuild

There is an article in the April issue of Points East describing a major restoration project being undertaken by Buzzards Bay Yacht Services on the 83 foot motor yacht Black Knight, which served as the 1983 America's Cup committee boat. I photographed Black Knight last summer at the International Yacht Restoration School in Newport. Black Knight is an 83 foot Eldridge McGinnis design, built in 1968 by Goudy and Stevens of East Boothbay, Maine, who also built the replica of the original schooner yacht America.

I was overwhelmed by Black Knight's beauty, craftsmanship, elegant details, and finish during my up-close encounter last summer. What a gorgeous yacht. At first, I had a hard time believing that such a restoration was necessary, but my own experience with maintaining older boats should have made me realize my impression was unrealistic. The photos of the restoration available from Buzzards Bay Yacht Services show the effects of 40 years of ocean exposure despite obvious considerable maintenance effort.

Scales & Shells Restaurant & Raw Bar, Newport, RI

Here is a photo I shot in August 2007 of an attractive sign for Scales & Shells located at 527 Thames Street in Newport. I haven't eaten there, but the reviews sound terrific!

Points East content is available online

Points East is a great publication focusing on the New England recreational boating scene. The magazine is supported by advertising and is distributed free of charge at boat yards, yacht clubs, and other marine businesses from New York to Maine. The publisher is Joe Burke of Portsmouth, NH, who took the reins a couple of years ago, and continues to grow and improve on this fine publication. One of the things I like best about Points East is that it doesn't cater only to the upper crust of high budget yachting like many of the glossy boating magazines. There are many of us who treasure being on the water while operating on a shoestring budget. Points East stories have a down to earth realism that everyone can relate to. The articles used to be available only in the print version of the magazine, but I was happy to learn when I visited their website today that most of their articles and features are now available on the web.

The online content includes articles from the current issue, adventures, profiles and destinations dating back to 2000. Check it out. I'll still enjoy the print copy, but I'm going to become a more frequent visitor to http://www.pointseast.com/.
Best,
Chuck

Lobster boats & dingies at Ogunquit, Maine

Last October, my wife, VJ, and I visited Ongunquit, Maine where we had honeymooned 27 years earlier. She went to high school in Kennebunk, which is where my in-laws lived until the time of their passing. Visting the area brings back great memories.

Best,

Chuck

The 2008 Providence Boat Show

I attended the Providence Boat show Saturday, which was scheduled a week earlier than usual. Too early for me. I'm not really ready to start thinking about boating yet, but I wanted to renew my two boat registrations and my Safe/Sea membership.

My quick impressions:

• I arrived on Saturday just after 3:00 pm. I expected it to be packed, but the main floor was quiter than I expected.
• The show filled the RI Convention Center, but not the Dunkin Donuts Center this year so it was quite a bit smaller than recent years.
• There were almost no sailboats. I saw a couple of Hobies, some sailing Kayaks and a Sturdee Cat Boat, but that was about it for sail. Despite the price of fuel I guess that we are still pretty hooked on petrol.
• I was hoping to see some windsurfer dealers, since I bought a board this fall and am looking for a harness and to line up some lessons in the spring, but there were none to be found.
• Safe/Sea was offering 3 years for the price of 2 on membership renewals, which I think is a great deal. On top of that Captain John Andrews offered an attractive discount for my second boat, so don't be bashful about asking what they can do if you own multiple boats.
  
• The 5:00 pm seminar by Charley Soares field editor of The Fisherman Magazine on mid summer striped bass fishing was also almost empty. Charley's presentation was as usual full of fish, good advice and opinionated but enjoyable and informative.
  
• I met Joe Burke, Publisher of Points East Magazine and told him the story about how I lost the Points East hat that I had won in their Mystery Harbor Contest a few years ago.
• I finally gave in to the temptation to buy a set of guaranteed for life Bad Dog Drill bits which are made in Bristol, RI and have been sold at the show for as long as I remember. Seeing the demonstrator drill though a bastard file, then a brake rotor and the head of a hammer convinced me. I'm rebuilding the windshield on Lots A Luck and have to drill out about a hundred 35 year old stainless screws in the aluminum frames. I'll let you know how that works out.
• One of the neatest things I saw were some very reasonably priced laser cut wooden tool and tackle boxes made by Van & Company of Pawtucket, RI. It's sadly rare, but refreshing to see some fine craftsmanship made in the USA at very reasonable prices.