I've got that very same Chapelle Sharpie sitting unfinished in my driveway right now, while I focus on getting my 18' Culler Daysailer a new deck for the sailing season next year. Your piece resonates because, at age 72, I wonder just how many more seasons I can expect to be able to raise her 22' mast all by myself. That light and nimble Sharpie looks more and more appealing.
Nicely written piece. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experience.
My first larger boat was a knarr. Wooden and lovely, it turned into a demanding taskmistress almost overnight., then a slave driver.
But lord she was pretty! And spartan compared to the average 30+ footer.
After i learned to build my own under the hand of John Gardner at Mystic, a grand world of small boats opened for me..
Sailing fast along the shore, watching fish and seabirds at close range with a simple rig is a fine thing, especially when it ends with a good meal and a warm dry bed at home that night.
Or rowing to a favorite reef, sitting on a bucket and cooning up fresh oysters is a hedonistic delight.
Working as a long range delivery slave or skipper, or crewing on offshore races gave me more than enough big boat experience.
Small is lovely, especially when you created the boat.
Adventure on the water is proportional to the ratio of the body of water size to the boat size. Large boats require more water to have equivalent adventures. When we used to sail our 16’ Devlin Eider from our launch point at Zittell’s Marina on Johnson Point in south Puget Sound and sail through Drayton and Balch Passages around McNeil Island, then up Carr Inlet to Lakebay, THAT was an adventure. Larger boats wouldn’t even take the trouble (or have the crew) to put their sails up.
Very well written. I think most of us prefer your course. I have a little 14' Storm Petrel. When I'm out on that boat I can be anywhere my mind puts me. It reminds me of my early days of sailing my Sunfish on a small lake in Central Illinois. I imagined my self following Robin Lee Graham on his solo circumnavigation. I've sailed and taken care of large boats. Mostly taken care of as there was little time to do much else. As the saying goes, "Less is more". And sometimes a lot more.
With 70 plus years on this body it is a joy to be able to row my Portland pudgy dinghy to the dock and back to the Gemini catamaran where I live and am anchored in the bay. Your thoughts expressed my feelings also.
I've got that very same Chapelle Sharpie sitting unfinished in my driveway right now, while I focus on getting my 18' Culler Daysailer a new deck for the sailing season next year. Your piece resonates because, at age 72, I wonder just how many more seasons I can expect to be able to raise her 22' mast all by myself. That light and nimble Sharpie looks more and more appealing.
Nicely written piece. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experience.
Great writing, and a very cogent thought!
My first larger boat was a knarr. Wooden and lovely, it turned into a demanding taskmistress almost overnight., then a slave driver.
But lord she was pretty! And spartan compared to the average 30+ footer.
After i learned to build my own under the hand of John Gardner at Mystic, a grand world of small boats opened for me..
Sailing fast along the shore, watching fish and seabirds at close range with a simple rig is a fine thing, especially when it ends with a good meal and a warm dry bed at home that night.
Or rowing to a favorite reef, sitting on a bucket and cooning up fresh oysters is a hedonistic delight.
Working as a long range delivery slave or skipper, or crewing on offshore races gave me more than enough big boat experience.
Small is lovely, especially when you created the boat.
Regards
Rick Pratt
Doesn't sound like real seller's regret to me! I love it that you can do so much with such a small boat.
Was it Larry Brown who said something on along the lines of "who really owns who" when it comes to owning a big boat.
Well said .
Adventure on the water is proportional to the ratio of the body of water size to the boat size. Large boats require more water to have equivalent adventures. When we used to sail our 16’ Devlin Eider from our launch point at Zittell’s Marina on Johnson Point in south Puget Sound and sail through Drayton and Balch Passages around McNeil Island, then up Carr Inlet to Lakebay, THAT was an adventure. Larger boats wouldn’t even take the trouble (or have the crew) to put their sails up.
I love my Guideboat! For utter simplicity of daysailing there is a Crawford Melonseed in my not too distant future.
Very well written. I think most of us prefer your course. I have a little 14' Storm Petrel. When I'm out on that boat I can be anywhere my mind puts me. It reminds me of my early days of sailing my Sunfish on a small lake in Central Illinois. I imagined my self following Robin Lee Graham on his solo circumnavigation. I've sailed and taken care of large boats. Mostly taken care of as there was little time to do much else. As the saying goes, "Less is more". And sometimes a lot more.
With 70 plus years on this body it is a joy to be able to row my Portland pudgy dinghy to the dock and back to the Gemini catamaran where I live and am anchored in the bay. Your thoughts expressed my feelings also.
As 86th birthday approaches I still love rowing my Adirondack Guide Boat, (Vermont Pak Boat) after 13 years.
Valid….
Well done
You’re preaching to the Choir here!! Small boats rule!!