Atlantic Yacht Basin A full service yacht repair and storage facility located in Chesapeake, VA 
Atlantic Yacht Basin, Inc. has been around for awhile. We offer a variety of services, enjoy working with our customers- new and returning, and are conveniently located on the AICW. As a trusted boat and yacht repair, refit, and storage facility, we invite you to learn even more of our history in our About Us section and in the following piece by The Salty Southeast Cruisers’ Net.
These are just a few of the health and environmental benefits that should sway you to get your family boating, splashing, and in the water.
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People have looked over buying a boat. The boat is theirs. The season arrives and they can finally pull your boat out of storage. Family and friends appreciate the freedom and excitement that comes with the new toy and lifestyle. The multitude of activities one can do on a yacht is endless and exciting, but how can does one take it up a notch? The following is a list of some fun summer yacht games to play that are sure to spark imaginations and provide countless hours of memory making.
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Have a friend with a boat also? Consider playing War. War can be applied to almost any situation (and on a whim) to create a quick game, but how do you play it on a yacht besides using a deck of cards? With water balloons. Each team needs biodegradable water balloons and water balloon launchers. From here it is simple. Teams (carefully) try to hit the opposition with water balloons by using the water balloon launcher. Whoever hits the most ‘targets’ wins.
Rescue is essentially like Clue. I you consider this game, find a remote island or sandbar and plant a hidden article. Give the adventurers a list of cryptic clues, take away the GPS and cell phones, and then let them at it. Whoever finds the hidden object first, wins the game, and should get to claim their booty.
Many may think, “Tennis?” That’s right: tennis. This yacht game is also played when another boat is around. Just grab a racket and a few balls. While it isn’t wise to follow Roger Federer’s lead, pause on the water for a while to get your game on. While anchored, try and hit the ball back and forth from one boat to the other. This is great for working on swinging the racket and playing tennis in a more relaxed manner.
Enjoying time on the water is easy. Being on a boat probably means you are surrounded by a beautiful body of water, great people, and a sense of calm (or excitement). For people who ever want to switch it up, find some new games to try on your boat. No one needs to feel confined to floating islands, wake boards, kayaks, and the like. It is easy finding new types of activities and games to play on a boat; just takes a little time and imagination.
Different industries impact various communities both positively and negatively. The marine industry and boats have significant impacts on locations with mass amounts of marine sector businesses and activities. According to a 2014 study completed for the Marine Industries Association of South Florida showed that the economic impact in Palm Beach County was almost $2 billion USD. In 2012, recreational saltwater boating contributed $3.5 billion USD to the Northeast’s economy and supported around 27,000 jobs. Many tourist destinations, like Antigua and Barbuda, rely on tourism to help stimulate the economy– and a majority of their tourism revolves around beaches and bodies of water. Clearly, the boating industry is important to the communities around it. But why?
The influence of the marine industry in certain regions is massive. Boats have been a method of both business and leisure since the 1700’s. Not only does boating play a huge part as a method of business transportation, but also as a means of travel. Hundreds of thousands of boats are built, bought, and traded each year for a variety of reasons, and it is clear that the marine industry has a wide reach that is fairly successful. The impacts of boats on surrounding communities is likely due to this long running success.
Whether people are taking a chartered boat tour, visiting with a friend, or just testing the waters, boating brings people places. Tourism has been proven to be beneficial for cities and towns people stop at. Tourists bring money to local businesses, it can help create jobs via a multiplier effect, and can generate extra tax revenues which flows back into local and public services. Tourism also encourages the preservation of traditions, festivals, and natural resources- creating positive social effects.
The boating industry has been adapting to the clean boating movement, especially since a majority of communities and new seafarers are more environmentally conscious. As a result, the marine industry is churning out and creating positive and innovative technologies to combat environmental damage caused by boats, therefore changing the industry. Furthermore, in general, a majority of boaters follow CBA guidelines, aimed at preventing harm to the environment and the spread of non native species.
The boating industry has grown dramatically. The influence the marine industry has on the economy, tourism, and the environment creates a significant impact on communities surrounded by water and aquatic activities. While some of these impacts can be negative, many can be positive impacts.
Music is an inspiring thing, as is boating. When boating and music come together it can create a perfect harmony that can affect and impact your life and daily activities positively. Maintaining your boat is an important task. Making sure you have the right equipment (such as having quality marine speakers that can survive the elements) is just as important. Music just adds to having a great boating season. Having an updated playlist of boat music to enjoy over your marine speakers should be easy to come up with. You have to make your music work for you, but the following are a few songs to get you started.
These songs are really in no particular order, but this list includes music that can be perfect for waking up, getting motivated to get a move on, for enjoying your time on the water, and for your journey home.
“If I Had a Boat” by Lyle Lovett – This song can be perfectly swaying if you don’t know whether or not you want to go boating on a particular day. In the song Lovett sings about yearning for a boat and what he would do with it.
“Sloop John B” by The Beach Boys – Originally a mariner’s and old folk song from the early 1900’s, this song is invigorating and a fun one to listen to.
“To Live is to Fly” by Townes Van Zandt – While there are some sad undertones, one of the main messages of the song is to live your life to the fullest. Why not do some of that on a boat?
“And It Stoned Me” by Van Morrison – Influenced by a fishing trip, this song covers the beauty of the water and how inspiring it is.
“Boats” by Kenny Chesney – This entire song is about the beauty of boats. Enjoying the beauty of your boat shouldn’t be too hard when you take it out on the water.
“The Ocean” by Led Zeppelin – From one of the greatest albums of all time deemed by Rolling Stone Magazine, Houses of the Holy, this song will get you pumped up. “Singing to an ocean, I can hear the ocean’s roar”.
“Changes in Latitude, Changes in Attitude” by Jimmy Buffett – A song that encourages going to new places and traveling. What better way to do that than by boat?
“Southern Cross” by Crosby, Stills, and Nash – While this song is supposedly about sailing the world after a failed relationship, it is still a great song to listen to once you hit the water.
“Yellow Submarine” by The Beatles – How could this not make the list? Especially for those of you with children, this is a great and fun song to enjoy and sing along with.
“Redneck Yacht Club” by Craig Morgan – This song is perfect for when you find that spot in the afternoon that you want to just hangout and jump in the water.
“I’m On a Boat” by The Lonely Island featuring T-Pain – With fun and silly song with lyrics like “do you have your swim trunks and flippy floppy’s?” this number is sure to get the party started if that’s your thing.
“Here Comes the Sun” by The Beatles – When you are coming home after a day of sailing, this song is excellent for when dusk is settling in. A relaxing yet fun song.
“Come Sail Away” by Styx – Although this song is actually about aliens, it offers a theme about reflection. After a day on the water, meditation and reflection can be a great thing.
“Into the Mystic” by Van Morrison – The lyrics do all the talking for why this is an excellent song to enjoy while boating. “…Smell the sea and feel the sky, let your soul and spirit fly…”
Music is a great way to set the mood for and during your outing. Keep in mind that breaks between songs are beneficial because it won’t overstimulate you and it leaves room for conversation, as well as the ability to appreciate the next couple songs on your playlist. Upbeat music can get you pumped and ready to go, although you don’t want to overdo it because that energy could turn into anxiety. Soothing songs will help give you a feeling of calm. The songs you choose to listen to on your boat are your choices and yours alone.
Hauling out your marine vessel can be an important part of keeping your boat in tip top shape. Regular haul outs are necessary for hull painting and routine maintenance. Keeping the lower half of your boat clean and up to par is equally as important as any other maintenance needs. When you are hauling out your boat, one must consider the method of haul out, timelines of when and how long your boat will be out, and calculate the costs.
Each of these methods has pros and cons, and regardless of which method you choose, there is always a risk of damage when you haul out your boat or yacht. Some methods of haul out include the use of forklifts, travel lifts, and airbags. Forklifts are quite useful for many boats, while other times, it could be damaging if the weight of the boat is distributed improperly over the fork lift. Travel lifts are wide lifts that use nylon straps and slings to lift boats straight up. Some of the damages that can occur include hull and rail damages, but most often these are caused by defective or weak hulls and rails. Airbag (also called air dock) boat lifts involve rubber tubes that are inflated beneath a boat to lift it out of the water.
Hauling out a boat for maintenance takes some time. It could range from a several days to much longer. Consider all that will be done. The boat will have to be blocked and staged before out of water work can commence. The work list and maintenance list will have to be completed. This could include several things such as repairs, running propellers and gear, cleaning, painting, and finally re-launching the vessel. Visit here for more specific information on Time
The costs associated with hauling out a boat vary but most are per square foot. All of this will depend on where you go. Consider some of these costs that may be included: repairs, paint, blocking, or a variety of other costs (like any EPA charges). Additionally, there can be costs of not having a haul out, particularly dependent on the insurance company and policy you have.
Hauling out your boat is an important part of boat and yacht maintenance, and sometimes required for insurance purposes. Understanding the different hauling out methods available, what type of timeline you should expect when you haul out for maintenance purposes, and the costs that can be incurred when hauling out.
Here at Atlantic Yacht Basin, we have seen it time and time again in the nearly 80 years we have been taking care of boats. A boat owner brings his or her vessel to us to investigate a transmission that is balking, or an engine that is making an unusual noise or — in an extreme case – when the vessel has been towed to AYB following a catastrophic failure.
The owner may tell us that everything was fine until it all went downhill quickly. Oil is added regularly, fluids are changed at recommended intervals, and the owner is religious about watching the gauges when underway. So what happened and why?
Chances are, the owner believes the maintenance schedule has been followed. But if regularly scheduled fluid analysis has not been part of the maintenance plan, then the saying of “what you don’t know can hurt you” has never been truer.
A small sample of oil from your engines and generator, fluid from the engine cooling system, hydraulic systems and more gives you and us an extremely accurate picture of the health of the heart of your vessel—the mechanical systems that endure friction, heat and stress.
We send these samples to a laboratory with details—the more the better—about the equipment from which the fluid was drawn. Sophisticated lab instruments can detect a wide range of microscopic alloys and pollutants.
Quick Reference of Fluid Contamination
For example, an engine oil sample with a higher than normal level of iron may indicate wear from rings, valves, gears and other internal engine components. A spike in the amount of aluminum in the sample may indicate piston or bearing wear. Presence of fuel in the engine oil sample likely indicates a fuel injector that is dripping fuel, instead of emitting an extremely fine spray. An oil sample can even tell you and us if your engine isn’t breathing well. High levels of silicon can indicate too much dust and dirt is getting into your engine – which means you need to check the air cleaner more often.
Click Here to Download a Reference List of the Most Common Fluid Contaminants.
*Photo: A long-time customer wintering with us requested an oil analysis. Copyright 2015-Atlantic Yacht Basin
Hurricanes are a force of nature. We will never be able to predict just how strong they will be. Like a tsunami, hurricanes can wreak havoc. Knowing what to do and when is vital to ensuring your boat rides out the storm with very few issues, if any at all. The following are just several of the steps you can take.
Coastal states must be prepared for storms and hurricanes. Virginia is in the top ten list of states where residents will be most affected by storm surge flooding. Hurricane Sandy ripped through almost ⅓ of the States, with many of the states being on the east coast. Being prepared includes a number of things. Making sure your boat will be safe is one of the most important things to consider.
Taking risks and betting there may or may not be a huge storm is not beneficial to anyone, particularly yourself. Truly understanding the risks involves a multitude of considerations. Think of the destructive forces of a hurricane: winds, high water, waves upon waves. Can you effectively care for your vessel, or would you be better off storing your boat in a marina? How long would it take you to find a harbor? Will you have the funding without insurance to move your boat inland every time a storm approaches? If so, will you have the time? By grasping the true affects a hurricane has, one can make informed decisions and take the appropriate actions.
There are several factors you should consider when looking for a boatyard to store your rig. The first thing you should do is talk to boatyard masters about how they handle hurricanes. Some yards require you make certain preparations, or even remove your boat entirely, in the wake of a storm. Your task will be much easier if you search out a facility that specializes in hurricane storage. Once you’ve assured that your boat will be safe and welcome during a storm, it’s time to go about finding the most storm-worthy storage option.
There are a few factors affect a marina’s storm-worthiness. The first is geographical location. The more inland the better, usually. A non-tidal cove is a great place to avoid waves and storm surges. You’ll also want to look for an area that has been dredged to avoid potential damage to the bottom and sides of your boat from deep water draft that can get kicked up during a storm.
Covered storage is preferable during a storm. Even if you’re in a great area to avoid water surges and waves, torrential rain and wind will still hit and have their effects. If you opt for covered storage, make sure that it is storm-worthy coverage. Metal is the best roofing material for hurricane resistance, followed closely by asphalt shingles. Roofing that is fused to the building or structure carries less of a chance of catching high winds and blowing away, or possibly down toward your vessel.
Hurricane winds can be anywhere between 100 and 200 mph, depending on the storm. The best way you can protect your boat from gale-force flurries is is to reduce the windage. You’ll want to remove as much canvas, rigging, and deck gear as you possibly can. Tie down or otherwise secure any equipment that may be picked up and blown away, not only to protect your property, but to protect the vessels and structures around your boat.
Some individuals choose to have their boat hauled ashore before a hurricane. This can be an expensive and time-consuming process that requires planning and preparation, but it is one of the safest ways to store your boat during a storm. Once far inland, your vessel is only susceptible to torrential rain and the small possibility of the hurricane spawning tornados.
This boils down to taking preventative measures and knowing exactly what you will do when the time comes. Have a hurricane storage reservation planned if your boat doesn’t have a regular storage facility. Also make sure that you have a sufficient insurance policy in place. You should have discussed and determined an insurance policy that will protect you during a storm. Like any other type of insurance policy, it must be taken out long before there are any signs of a potential threat.
Hurricanes are one of the many great forces of nature and the brute force and destructiveness of hurricanes can be disastrous for boat and yacht owners. Being prepared, knowing the risks of not being prepared, finding the best storage facility, and taking action are just some of the ways owners can protect their vessels. Do your own research or check this great guide out to discover other ways you can protect your boat.
The Mayflower brought the group of English settlers now known as the Pilgrims to North America. Leaving England in the fall of 1620, the Pilgrims were attempting to land near the mouth of the Hudson River, but instead ended up in Cape Cod Harbor. Plymouth, the colony established there by the Pilgrims in 1621, became the first permanent European settlement in New England. The story of the Pilgrims and their harvest feast has since become one of best-known in American history, but you may not know it as well as you think. Discover the facts behind these well-known Thanksgiving myths!
Recently, AYB had the pleasure of hosting a one-of-a-kind, 62′ Alden-designed, restored 1938 motorsailer, TRADE WIND, and her owners Marcy and Michael Brenner.
The Brenners made what they expected to be a brief stop at AYB while en route to the Islands for the season. As is often the case in full-time boating life, nature intervened and turned a single night’s stay into a more than 2-week stay complete with work on the Yard. We sat down and talked to Michael Brenner about TRADE WIND and his life with Marcy on their spectacular boat. (All photos courtesy of Michael and Marcy Brenner – Copyright 2011 unless otherwise noted. Attersee photo – Copyright 2005 – IOIA).
Like many people who know boats, we had heard about Atlantic Yacht Basin. Then we became friends with Roxy Darling, skipper of the ANNIE CAIE, who winters here. So we wanted to come by and see the Yard in person on our way south.
Of course, we didn’t know we were going to end up staying like we did. With water levels in the ICW at historic lows, we didn’t want to chance it. And after seeing what AYB could do, we decided to get some needed work done. Commercial yards often can’t handle a boat like ours properly and we won’t trust her to just anybody. We were especially glad to see the railway, as well as the friendly and experienced people on site.
It has the feeling of many of the best boatyards I have known over time. The atmosphere of the Yard is great — we have been like kids in a candy store walking through the sheds to see all the boats that are staying here. For classic boat lovers like us, this place is truly unbelievable.
TRADE WIND was originally custom-built in 1938 by Robert Jacob at City Island, New York as a support vessel for yacht racing. She had a massive double galley for preparing and serving meals to the crew and comfortable captain’s quarters for her owner, but no space for the team to bunk.
She was designed by the John Alden Company, true masters with a flair for open water motorsailers. Her classic lines plus incredible stability and functionality reflect that. Over time, she was a racing support vessel, a research boat for oceanographic expeditions, and a professional test boat for marine collision systems.
TRADE WIND always had these incredible lines and amazing core structure, plus her fascinating history. But we took her down to bare bones to create the vessel you see today. This is especially true of the interior and all of the appointments and features. Most of those were custom-designed for maximum live-aboard comfort, while keeping an eye for period detail as well as our personal history.
TRADE WIND was kind of a happy accident for us. We stumbled on her while looking through yacht listings as we always do. One look at that beautiful pilot house and both of us were hooked — we saw her potential even though she was in a rawer state in a lot of ways at that point. Following a painstaking, three-year restoration at Rockport Marine, she became the boat that you see today.
We knew we wanted to live on our boat for most of the year, so we designed TRADE WIND’s features to make it possible to host visiting friends and family. I have two daughters, 11 and 14, and Marcy has a son, 22, from our previous marriages. The mirror-image crew quarters and bath, as well as open-plan galley and living room area, make it possible for us to share TRADE WIND with the people we love. Another key thing is the heating stove — one thing I learned spending time living on boats in Scandinavia is that you cannot overestimate the importance of having a way to get warm and dry quickly onboard.
One of the best things about life on the water is the there is no such thing as “typical”. The element of surprise is very much alive and well in our lives — our time spent at AYB is a great example of that. We were waylaid on our annual southern sojourn from New England — first by Superstorm Sandy, then by a snowstorm, and finally by the situation with unusually low water levels on the ICW, which can be deadly for a deep draft boat.
So while we generally follow the patterns of summers up North (Maine, Nova Scotia, etc.) and winters in the Islands, with many stops in between, there really is no such thing as a “typical” year for us. We do have a quiet riverfront property up in Rhode Island with a little cottage and a great deep-water dock where we spend a month or two each year. We were based in Newport for a number of years after moving to the States. After selling our house in the historic downtown, we found this great place that could accommodate a boat like TRADE WIND and we love coming back to that home port from time to time.
Both Marcy and I love music and the open water. I was born and raised in Austria and trained as a classical violinist. I even did a teenage stint as a Mozart re-enactor in Salzburg, complete with instrument, wig, and period costume. But mostly I am a yachtsman and life on the water is my calling.
American-born Marcy had made her way to Austria and settled into life as a professional musician. She eventually played viola da gamba in the same orchestra I did some 25 years before we would actually meet. Mutual friends brought us together. The timing was finally right for us to discover how much we had in common and eventually marry.
My parents were avid sailors. With five children who came along in a short window of time, they decided that the best way to survive that was to pack us up and take us along. Most of my early time on boats was spent on large lakes in Austria. Later in life, I spent time living on classic boats in Scandinavia and other places. Marcy is a long-time boat lover too and is as excited about the things we see along the way as I am. In fact, you are just as likely to find her as you would me, strolling the docks wherever we may be and excitedly looking at other boats. It is a true mutual passion.
After so many years living in Europe, we thought that might be where we would end up. We also have a 50′ schooner based over there and even considered shipping her over here to the United States at one point. Our original decision to come to the U.S. was based on the desire to take care of Marcy’s ailing parents. Ultimately, we decided to make this our home. We do still head over to Europe frequently though. It offers us the best of both worlds to do that.TRADE WIND is seaworthy enough for an ocean crossing, but we like to spend time in both places with both boats.
Being able to live and travel on TRADE WIND is an amazing experience for both of us and for our families. Last winter, we went down to the Bahamas with my daughters to see the swimming pigs on Big Major Cay (Pig Island) – an indelible sight for all of us! And Marcy’s son, who is a champion competitive kiteboarder in Europe, hit some of the prime beaches in the world of this sport while spending time with us too.
It is the continual sense of adventure that makes us happiest in this life. Living aboard you have to constantly stay on your toes and things are constantly changing. Particularly on open ocean, you always have to be aware of the elements and your surroundings. It keeps things interesting and we feel lucky to be living this life together.
We found TRADE WIND in Chatham, MA. As I mentioned earlier, we had a habit of looking at boat listings regularly, but finding her was just a lucky surprise. Her potential was obvious to us from the beginning, because she was such a beautifully designed and sound boat. Our goal was to honor her past while also creating a comfortable place that we could call home. One of the first things that Marcy did was take out her viola and play onboard and it sounded great. It was an obvious fit from the start!
Commissioned by Mr. W. Gilmore, a coal magnate from Pennsylvania, TRADE WIND was originally designed to accompany the competitive sailing fleet to the Bermuda races. From those beginnings as a race tender, she went on to have five more owners, two of whom were commercial. We loved that she had this storied working history and was such a versatile boat. We only wish that she could tell us all about it all firsthand.
How long did the restoration take and what was the process like?
It took about three and a half years from start to finish to complete TRADE WIND’s restoration. Rockport Marine and their team of stellar craftsmen became like family as we worked together on realizing our ideas for her transformation from aging working boat to the boat that you see today. There were a number of reasons to take her down to the bones – but we tried to retain or restore her original flavor as much as possible.
In some cases, we were able to use period-appropriate or mint-condition fixtures (such as 1930s running lights, electric fans and toggle light switches) by sourcing them from eBay or from specialty suppliers around the world. Interestingly we crossed paths with another captain recently who gave us a 1930s classic lamp that matches ours almost exactly — he loved it but said it clearly belonged with us. TRADE WIND inspires that kind of response in people. I think everyone in Rockport had a hard time seeing her go even though we were all excited on the day of her launch. It was a really inspiring project for all of us. (Click here to see a multi-media presentation of the restoration by Alison Langley Photography – Copyright 2011).
We knew that it was going to be a labor of love to work with and honor such a well-designed and classic boat. We wanted to keep the integrity of that design, while customizing her and making her comfortable in a modern sense — all without losing the feel and the quality of the era in which she was built. I am not sure we knew just how much we would love this boat at the end or how much the people working on her would as well.
Each of her features — whether original or added later — has a story behind it. We like it that she is not only beautiful to look at but incredibly functional as well. The best part is that she always has been. One somewhat surprising thing is how far afield we had to look for some of the materials — her light switches, for example, came all the way from New Zealand. They were the only place that still manufactured the right kind of toggle switch. But due to the miracle of express delivery, the switches got to us in about 5-10 days from when they were ordered.
We worked with a great distributor in Germany, Toplicht, that was able to order and find most things that we needed from manufacturers throughout the world – mostly Europe. Our main instrument panel on the helm is from them for example. They worked with us to quickly source many of the hardest-to-find items. We found it funny that, in most cases, it was actually faster to order through them and have items delivered to Maine than it was to get things directly from U.S. sources.
One of her biggest secrets is the depth of design that goes into her simple and classic lines. There are very few actual right angles on a boat like TRADE WIND – in fact her panels and joints are all curved and incredibly precise. All the panels fan out from top to bottom and are custom built to accommodate her size and shape. Alden’s shop was masterful at creating an oceangoing vessel that is an intricately designed structure throughout. Part of why TRADE WIND was a working boat for so long is that she is really stable and sound — so somehow they were able to blend form and function, structure and beauty in this boat — which is a hallmark of great classics.
The pilot house is another standout. We have seen or been aboard other boats — both new and old — where the pilot house is almost an afterthought and sits clunky and square on top of the boat like a phone booth or a hot dog kiosk. To marry a pilot house of this size to an over 60′ foot boat capable of this speed and mobility is a real accomplishment. It’s the beautiful heart of a boat that has had a really interesting life thus far. This vintage motorsailer is quite seaworthy and rolls with the punches on the open ocean as well as calmer inner passages.TRADE WIND is very, very versatile in addition to being great looking.
An additional “secret” feature is the cabinet where Marcy stores her viola. We had to be able to store it in a spot that is protected from the elements, secure when the boat is moving fast or in choppy seas and where it can be kept at a consistent temperature and level of humidity. Interestingly, Marcy has to tune her instrument less when it is on the boat than on dry land, so the special compartment is more than doing its job.
Open ocean is the true test of any boat’s and any captain’s mettle. It requires an entirely different sensibility – one in which you are constantly in tune with the elements and what is happening now and what could develop. From doldrums to high rolling waves, you have to be prepared for all possibilities and ready to react. It keeps you on your toes in a way that we really like.
We like the quieter passages and rivers too. The risks are different there — depth of water, certainty of the charting and hazards underneath, proximity of other boats — these things become more important in those instances. But they also allow for a different kind of experience than open ocean does. We really like both experiences and living board allows us to have that variety consistently. We do occasionally take on additional crew members for more technically complicated parts of our journey – especially when we need to keep 24 hour watch or handle more rigging. But in general, we do this as a 2-person team.
Depending on where we are, we can communicate with shore via an array of options. Modern technology has also made it a lot easier for us, so we live on our laptops and iPad. That is something about life today on TRADE WIND that is very different from her early days. I used to be much more of a purist about not having electricity and insisting on minimal to no modern amenities on my boats – but I have mellowed about that. Life on TRADE WIND enables us to experience the best of both worlds.
We love our tender boats (dinghies) and their lifts. Rockport Marine did a particularly masterful job of fabricating the metal work from scratch out of bronze. Once again, something that is beautiful is also very functional and fits with the historical period in which she was built. Our canvas work was also a lucky find — from the color to the custom fit of each piece to their great durability — we’re going on 18 months now in battering elements and they are still going strong. We also stumbled onto Jason Dmitriev out of Rockport who did the work and could not be happier with the result.
Our bathrooms on board actually have fixtures that are normally found in houses rather than onboard boats. So we have a heated towel rack in the guest head and a nice deep bathtub in the master version. The wheel and the table in the pilot house are old beauties that are also the originals — it is nice to have those pieces of the boat’s working history still part of our daily lives. People tend also to remark on her brightwork, her decking and decorative elements like her stern and its insignias.
I think TRADE WIND came along at a good time in our lives. When I was younger, I was a little bit more militant about doing things exactly as they were done historically and things on board were definitely not as comfortable. Of course, we are also living on her in much more hospitable climates than winter on the Baltic, which is something that I definitely have under my belt. TRADE WIND is ultimately more spacious throughout than the other boats, plus she travels more places and, most importantly, Marcy is also here with me.
Growing up, my family sailed a lot on the Attersee, a large glacial lake in Upper Austria, which had very predictable elements. You could almost set your watch by the timing and intensity of the winds throughout the day. It was a great place to learn and a lovely one in which to get hooked on boating life.