I had Sprite #110. This was an early 1962 boat that had a lot of problems that eventually led to my cutting her up when the lead ballast, which is external on the early boats, began pulling away from hull. Other than that, she was a wonderful boat to sail, putting her rail down till it just kissed the water and sailing like that for hours.
The early boats are weird compared to the later. With no internal pan, the cabin furniture is all "stick built" and prone to rot. The insulation on the built in icebox compresses down and basically becomes nothing. and my boat had neither an inboard or a well. The outboard was hung rather precariously on the overhanging stern where even the smallest of waves would raise the prop clear of the water.
I miss #110. While my M17 is a better boat for where I sail, there was something about the looks of the Sprite that turned heads in every marina. In a sea of wide sterned floating vacation homes, the time honoured looks of the classic Alberg design stood out, not like a sore thumb, but like a piece of artwork. Everyone asked about her.
I had Sprite #110. This was an early 1962 boat that had a lot of problems that eventually led to my cutting her up when the lead ballast, which is external on the early boats, began pulling away from hull. Other than that, she was a wonderful boat to sail, putting her rail down till it just kissed the water and sailing like that for hours.
The early boats are weird compared to the later. With no internal pan, the cabin furniture is all "stick built" and prone to rot. The insulation on the built in icebox compresses down and basically becomes nothing. and my boat had neither an inboard or a well. The outboard was hung rather precariously on the overhanging stern where even the smallest of waves would raise the prop clear of the water.
I miss #110. While my M17 is a better boat for where I sail, there was something about the looks of the Sprite that turned heads in every marina. In a sea of wide sterned floating vacation homes, the time honoured looks of the classic Alberg design stood out, not like a sore thumb, but like a piece of artwork. Everyone asked about her.