Sockeye 62: Pacific Nortwest Dreaming
This month’s column is purely hypothetical, though I wouldn’t mind the story playing out this way. We all have dreams, and this is one of mine.
My customer and friend, Ralph, calls with good news: He’s finally sold his business and is ready to retire. I congratulate him on his good fortune, but the conversation isn’t over. Ralph has been thinking for some time that if his ship really comes in, he’ll order a new boat, the penultimate cruiser he’d dreamed about for years.
Fifteen years earlier, in this fantasy, I had built Ralph’s father one of my 45-foot Sockeye designs. They enjoyed it for many thousands of miles, cruising and exploring. I’m almost scared to hear what boat Ralph might want next. (I may have heard that he’s interested in a Steve Dashew FPB long distance cruiser built in aluminum.) When he tells me, my jaw drops to the ground.
Ralph wants me to finish the Sockeye 62, a design I’ve been whittling on for several years and a direct extension of the boat I built for his family. Ralph wants the 62 as his retirement home and cruiser. My head fills with the clutter of what needs to happen to see this project through to completion. Drawings galore to generate for the build team, and so many lists of equipment, parts and materials that to contemplate it from the start would not even blunt the edge of the final effort.
This story is from the June 2017 edition of Soundings.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the June 2017 edition of Soundings.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Will Biodiesel Ever Work For Boaters?
San Francisco powers its Red & White sightseeing fleet with biodiesel. Seattle’s King County Water Taxi uses biodiesel to move people across Puget Sound.
Jess Wurzbacher
Jess Wurzbacher holds a master’s degree in tropical coastal management from Newcastle University (U.K.) and a 200-ton Master license. She sailed all over the world as chief scientist and program manager for Seamester and is a PADI scuba instructor with more than 1,000 research and training dives to her credit.
3 Takes On Classic Maine Style
The looks may be classic, but many craftsmen in Maine are giving their Down East builds something extra nowadays, whether working in wood or fiberglass.
Lady Luck
An epic voyage immortalized Felicity Ann and her intrepid skipper. Now this pint-sized yacht is getting another lease on life.
Superlative St. Augustine
St. Augustine, Florida, is one of my favorite cruising destinations. (And I’ve been to quite a few.) It’s pretty, historic, has a timeless ambience and celebrates with festivals year-round. And it has beaches and golf.
The Great Ship WaverTree Returns
A ship saved by a city, a museum saved by a ship
Coronet Around Cape Horn, 1888
Cape Horn, looming in the background of this dramatic work by Russ Kramer, is one of the most dangerous places on Earth to sail. In 1888, without electronic navigation equipment or radio communications, it was even more so.
His Bark And His Bite Were Equally Friendly
What is the world coming to? Up is down. Wrong is right.
Doug Zurn
A native of the Great Lakes region, Doug Zurn grew up sailing and boating.
Go Anywhere, Do Everything
Today’s trawlers — and other seafaring boats with passagemaking qualities in their DNA — provide comfort, efficiency and seaworthiness