I have had a lot of fun on the water over the years. My first experience was at around 9 years old, on a daysailer on one of the lakes in the Lake District (UK). I do not recall which, probably Derwent Water. It proved an exciting experience – the helmsman smacked the boat into some rocks while I was sitting on the foredeck and I was nearly tossed into the water.
I sailed dinghies a lot on the River Ouse while at school – 12′ National, designed by Uffa Fox. Then I went into the Royal Navy and was afloat in frigates, aircraft carriers, and eventually experimental submarines – see below:
I did get to sail on a ‘windfall boat’ – one of the fancy yachts ‘enterprising’ Naval guys ‘seized’ from German ports at the end of WW2.
After a decade of motor-racing adventures I partnered with Chris Lawrence (ex-RN too) to bring the 56′ Alden schooner La Goleta back up to sailing condition.
La Goleta was a sister-ship to the incredibly famous Malabar VIII. But built in England in 1927 for the Fastnet of that year. Quite the most comfortable and easy-to-sail sea-boat imaginable. After we ran her, she was brought into the sail-training business for a while. Then rumored to have sailed to South America. No word of her in decades.
I then bought Altesse – 32′ staysail cutter built in 1936 by Abo Batvarf in Turku, Finland.
Leaving her behind in the UK I headed to the US and more or less forgot about sailing while struggling to get established as an immigrant. Eventually – long story – re-activated the sailing itch and bought Sorcery in 1993.
LANCER 36 sailboat specifications and details on sailboatdata
I updated Sorcery completely over the years. She was a great boat for single handing or for having a bunch of people aboard.
I could not have wished for anything more. Over the years of looking of at other people’s boats I realized how lucky I had been to find Sorcery.
Sorcery and I had a wonderful time together. With my British brother Philip, a sailor himself, we took her up to Maine over several years. No question, a gorgeous place to cruise.
Sorcery spent several years at Brewer South Freeport.
Then, not having the time or help to bring her South, I had her trucked back to Glen Cove, where she had spent so many years before.
Could not resist getting her afloat again for some goodbye sails.
She was still in my possession in Spring 2017. Then she was acquired by a retired mechanical engineer who took her down to Tampa FL, a slow motion but exciting trip that lasted from February into September.