Welcome to the site of a yacht named Gratitude
preparing to voyage offshore in 2010
updates
In an unplanned fit of passion, Jarrod ripped Gratitude’s head off — it was a messy job, but someone had to do it. On the puppy front, Elphaba tips the scales at 3.2 lbs. and demonstrates the biting strength of a crocodile; she’s 10 weeks old on Christmas Day.
winter wishes
If I had influence with the good fairy who is supposed to preside over the christening of all children I should ask that her gift to each child in the world be a sense of wonder so indestructible that it would last throughout life, as an unfailing antidote against the boredom and disenchantments of later years, the sterile preoccupation with things artificial, the alienation from the sources of our strength.
Rachel Carson
there are myriad motivations for heading to sea
Because how we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.
Annie Dillard
a fair account of the boat search process
Go poking around until you find just the boat you want. This one will not be on the market. Keep on until you find another. The price on this will be just twice what you want to pay. The fifth boat, somewhere near your requirements, may be for sale at a reasonable price. Go over her carefully, keeping before you your ideal, and try to convince yourself that this boat is it. Usually you can do this. Remember how well you hope she will look swinging off your favorite club and don’t look too closely at her timbers.
Poke around her garboards and butts with a penknife. If the knife goes in so far you can’t get it out, you may assume the wood is soft. A little streak of rust down the side means a nail is rusting, but then, think how many other nails are in her. Ask your wife how she likes the cabin decoration finish. Then ask her what finish she wants put on in place of what is there. Ask the yard owner how much this will cost. Ask the former owner why he is selling the boat. Make him sign something to this effect. Ask him how fast she goes. Divide by 1.3. Ask him how much gas she burns. Multiply by 1.3. Ask him what he really expects to get for the boat. Laugh, and walk away.
Colonel O.C. Pelletier, from A Mariner’s Miscellany by Peter H. Spectre
check out the Gratitude library
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