At the age of 69 I move forward in what may be the final chapter of my life. What better way to do so than on a boat? I have lived most of my life on, or near the water, and have had the opportunity to putt around in in boats of many descriptions. From early days in a wooden dinghy and canoes, then on to long days of waterskiing behind a home built Canadian Pace Ship, later I picked up windsurfing in a big way and kayaking. I bought my first sailboat, Golden Hands, a 32 foot Mariner Ketch, shortly after my future wife, Ann, moved in with me. We worked every weekend, all summer long, rebuilding her decks and refitting her. From Noank, CT, we sailed her to Boston where we lived aboard her for a couple of years. Those two years were so memorable, that I promised myself that I would return to that lifestyle again. Today I sit in the cabin of the Manana II, a stretched 32′ catamaran designed by Robert Woods, typing this blog, a promise fulfilled and a new chapter in my life unfolding. I hope that what follows in my blog will inspire other would be sailors, to follow their dreams, and join us on the sea.
Author: jelwynryther
Hello world!
The purchase of the “Manana II” was a big and exciting step towards reaching my dream. The process started with a massive search and elimination of boats that were either too problematic or too expensive for our budget. I wanted to buy a catamaran for variety of reasons, but one of which is stability. We are not getting any younger, and the older we get the less likely a heeling, monohulled vessel will meet our needs. Unfortunately catamarans don’t come cheap.