We know the old saw about the “the two happiest days of a boat owner’s life are the day they buy a boat and the day they sell it” but most of us have at least one sale we’d like to take back.
In 1969 I got a new Boston Whaler Squall, a 9ft 2 in sailing dinghy and my first sailboat. An early incarnation, it was extremely well built and versatile. My youth was spent on Nantucket Sound but that little boat transported me up rivers, across lakes and was integral in countless character building adventures. It helped form me and I kept her for decades until I sailed away on another boat and sold her to friends. She was far too heavy and large to stow aboard and I’ve never been a fan of towing a skiff. Sometimes practical decisions can be painful.
Sheldrake, a 40’ wooden yawl with 6’ draft would have been sold had we not wrecked on a reef off Great Inagua in 1973. We’d learned offshore cruising didn’t suit us and so we were on our way back to the US to figure that out.
Our next boats were a 14’ Hobie and 17’ sailing canoe. After years of camp cruising in the Bahamas, The Hobie went to a local Bahamian and the canoe to a lake outside Atlanta. We had no regrets since we’d already commissioned Phil Bolger to design a shoal draft boat with a cabin. We cruised Dugong for years in the Florida Keys then gladly sold Dugong to a friend in New England when we moved on to 18” draft, 36’ Beachcomber, to cruise the Bahamas.
Years after we sold Beachcomber, who was a one-off gem of a shoal draft cruiser, she came up for sale again. By then we were sailing a Bullseye on Cape Cod and no longer live aboard cruisers. Even so, I remember saying to Michael, “Do you think?…..we should?….”
And for just the flicker of a lifetime moment…I imagined us again as we were…and it was sweet.
My first "real" boat was my Sparrow 16. I got in 17 years ago thinking it would be a starter boat. But all these years later, I still have it and I feel lucky to have found it right off the bat.
Bought my Sabot pram when I was 12. Sold it when I moved abroad at age 32. Should have stored it! An ideal tender, the kids could have learned in it, quick and easy for an afternoon sail. Now retired with a Walker Bay 8 as a tender. Good for an afternoon row, but no sail.
After my Hobie 16 mast came down and knocked my tooth out (another story) I sold it and bought a new Neptune 16, which we named Roo. Put my name on the waiting list at the Marina for a 20-ft slip--the smallest they had--and was told it would be seven years. At that time, they would allow a 16-ft boat in, despite its short length. In the meantime, some friends let me use their private slip. Took Roo to Catalina nearly every weekend in the summers, even around to the back side (if you've done that you know how much longer it takes) and daysailed several times a week around the outer harbor. By the time my name came up (it was seven years), they had stopped allowing boats shorter than 20 feet in 20-foot slips! I was sadly forced to sell Roo. Replaced her with a Santana 21. At first I loved it; she was much faster, but she was also very tender. I never felt comfortable taking her to the island. Sold her a couple of years later and went back to multihulls. I still miss Roo, though. Best single-hulled boat I ever owned. If there were a way to find her I'd probably buy her back, but it was 40 years ago. Who knows what shape she'd be in even if I could find her. Better off with my wonderful memories, I guess.
I moved West so had to sell my Pearson Triton that was in Lake Champlain but had been in Narragansett Bay for most of her 15-yr stay with me. She was a terrific boat on which to rely for both fun and safety.
The boat I miss the most is my Pacific Seacraft Flicka 20, "Chloe". I sailed her up and down the coast between Rhode Island (where I lived) and Maine. Life and career got in the way and I sold her.
At 79, single-handing between Portland and Point Judith wouldn't be very practical anyway. I'll stick with my Chesapeake Light Craft Peeler Skiff "About Time". Narragansett Bay is still the best water in the world.
a Sea Snark told me I could do it. A Windmill told me what it could do and woke me up! The dream was the racer designed around a man and a woman (planed to windward) wana guess? That never happened but came close with hull #211 (my favorite #) nearby in Philly. The Capri 16.5 showed me more performance but went the way of a Capri 22. Then the Force5 for one design racing again. Crawford Melonseed was delightfull for a few hours sail. Then the ILUR overnights, also delightful and no problem being aboard for 48 hours straight.
Never regreted selling any of them - still have the ILUR and Force5
Years ago I sold a Mercury Class boat - it was an old wooden hull. We raced it and sailed it for a long time and had a lot of fun. We moved to a house with limited space for a boat and ended up having to sell her. I've nearly bought an updated fiberglass version, but due to launching limitations here on the central coast I haven't (yet). They are just a little too heavy for the hoists at the harbor or the yacht club - maybe some day!!!
I miss the Pearson Lark my dad and I owned when I was a teenager... what a great sailing, seaworthy, roomy, raised deck, full keeled cruiser she was. I also miss my AMF Sunbird that I sold 25 years ago. In fact, I've maintained an AMF Sunbird group online for 30 years now, just so others can keep their boats afloat!
In 1969 I got a new Boston Whaler Squall, a 9ft 2 in sailing dinghy and my first sailboat. An early incarnation, it was extremely well built and versatile. My youth was spent on Nantucket Sound but that little boat transported me up rivers, across lakes and was integral in countless character building adventures. It helped form me and I kept her for decades until I sailed away on another boat and sold her to friends. She was far too heavy and large to stow aboard and I’ve never been a fan of towing a skiff. Sometimes practical decisions can be painful.
My first boat was a paper route money El Toro, a great little boat that I wish I’d have kept.
The second was my Ferrari, a 5o5 built for the 1978 Worlds that I bought before female encumbrances. Family obligations got that one.
The third was my first cabin boat, a Mac 26s, perfect to get back to sailing after the kids left and the dog died.
A tree got her.
The current boat is a Santana 2023c and a great mini yacht I love to sail.
I will downsize in five years(maybe) to a Monty 17.
And there’s my little Saroca, the sailing/rowing/paddling/motoring canoe,
they can bury me in that for the Viking funeral…
Sheldrake, a 40’ wooden yawl with 6’ draft would have been sold had we not wrecked on a reef off Great Inagua in 1973. We’d learned offshore cruising didn’t suit us and so we were on our way back to the US to figure that out.
Our next boats were a 14’ Hobie and 17’ sailing canoe. After years of camp cruising in the Bahamas, The Hobie went to a local Bahamian and the canoe to a lake outside Atlanta. We had no regrets since we’d already commissioned Phil Bolger to design a shoal draft boat with a cabin. We cruised Dugong for years in the Florida Keys then gladly sold Dugong to a friend in New England when we moved on to 18” draft, 36’ Beachcomber, to cruise the Bahamas.
Years after we sold Beachcomber, who was a one-off gem of a shoal draft cruiser, she came up for sale again. By then we were sailing a Bullseye on Cape Cod and no longer live aboard cruisers. Even so, I remember saying to Michael, “Do you think?…..we should?….”
And for just the flicker of a lifetime moment…I imagined us again as we were…and it was sweet.
My first "real" boat was my Sparrow 16. I got in 17 years ago thinking it would be a starter boat. But all these years later, I still have it and I feel lucky to have found it right off the bat.
I've built six boats. Sold three, kept two, one went to the dump 😱 Don't ask. Oh and another one in build, n+1 applies.
Can’t quite convince myself to sell any. Now sitting at 11 and contemplating two more. Probably have an “issue”
Bought my Sabot pram when I was 12. Sold it when I moved abroad at age 32. Should have stored it! An ideal tender, the kids could have learned in it, quick and easy for an afternoon sail. Now retired with a Walker Bay 8 as a tender. Good for an afternoon row, but no sail.
After my Hobie 16 mast came down and knocked my tooth out (another story) I sold it and bought a new Neptune 16, which we named Roo. Put my name on the waiting list at the Marina for a 20-ft slip--the smallest they had--and was told it would be seven years. At that time, they would allow a 16-ft boat in, despite its short length. In the meantime, some friends let me use their private slip. Took Roo to Catalina nearly every weekend in the summers, even around to the back side (if you've done that you know how much longer it takes) and daysailed several times a week around the outer harbor. By the time my name came up (it was seven years), they had stopped allowing boats shorter than 20 feet in 20-foot slips! I was sadly forced to sell Roo. Replaced her with a Santana 21. At first I loved it; she was much faster, but she was also very tender. I never felt comfortable taking her to the island. Sold her a couple of years later and went back to multihulls. I still miss Roo, though. Best single-hulled boat I ever owned. If there were a way to find her I'd probably buy her back, but it was 40 years ago. Who knows what shape she'd be in even if I could find her. Better off with my wonderful memories, I guess.
I moved West so had to sell my Pearson Triton that was in Lake Champlain but had been in Narragansett Bay for most of her 15-yr stay with me. She was a terrific boat on which to rely for both fun and safety.
The boat I miss the most is my Pacific Seacraft Flicka 20, "Chloe". I sailed her up and down the coast between Rhode Island (where I lived) and Maine. Life and career got in the way and I sold her.
At 79, single-handing between Portland and Point Judith wouldn't be very practical anyway. I'll stick with my Chesapeake Light Craft Peeler Skiff "About Time". Narragansett Bay is still the best water in the world.
Cape Dory Typhoon
a Sea Snark told me I could do it. A Windmill told me what it could do and woke me up! The dream was the racer designed around a man and a woman (planed to windward) wana guess? That never happened but came close with hull #211 (my favorite #) nearby in Philly. The Capri 16.5 showed me more performance but went the way of a Capri 22. Then the Force5 for one design racing again. Crawford Melonseed was delightfull for a few hours sail. Then the ILUR overnights, also delightful and no problem being aboard for 48 hours straight.
Never regreted selling any of them - still have the ILUR and Force5
Years ago I sold a Mercury Class boat - it was an old wooden hull. We raced it and sailed it for a long time and had a lot of fun. We moved to a house with limited space for a boat and ended up having to sell her. I've nearly bought an updated fiberglass version, but due to launching limitations here on the central coast I haven't (yet). They are just a little too heavy for the hoists at the harbor or the yacht club - maybe some day!!!
Even now, there is still an empty slip in my heart for that Boston Whaler Harpoon 4.6
It's come time to send some to new homes.
I miss the Pearson Lark my dad and I owned when I was a teenager... what a great sailing, seaworthy, roomy, raised deck, full keeled cruiser she was. I also miss my AMF Sunbird that I sold 25 years ago. In fact, I've maintained an AMF Sunbird group online for 30 years now, just so others can keep their boats afloat!