Hello everyone!
It gives me great pleasure to announce that my long search for a junk rigged boat has ended in …
Not 1 , but TWO boats! When it rains ... it pours I guess.
I am so pleased to announce that I am in agreement to purchase Sabra, Michael Frankel’s Sunbird 32. She is an absolute beauty , a proven ocean crossing vessel , the subject of a book that has been on my shelf for years! Michael and wife Christl have taken wonderful care of the boat all these years.
For the past few years she has mainly been their “snowbird retreat” in Florida …so , I am looking forward to going over things thoroughly and recomissioning next spring when I take possession of her.
As a few of you know , I "zeroed in" on the Sunbird 32 as a good possibility for my long term cruising vessel , And spent quite a bit of time and energy checking out Matanie in Portugal ...all while quietly waiting and hoping that Sabra would come up for sale.
Needless to say ... I am very happy the way things have turned out.
I am traveling for a few weeks , so will post photos of Sabra when I can.
Boat # 2 came to me quite serendipitously , as a friend and fellow junk enthusiast here in The San Francisco Bay Area knew that I would most likely be interested. She is an Aquarius Pilot Cutter 24 , rigged as a single masted junk sloop. A somewhat rare bird that is a very heavily laid up , traditional looking full keel boat along the lines of a Falmouth Cutter or Seraffyn.
I’m posting 2 pictures of S/V Walrus …she is a stout beauty! I am sure a few of you will agree that she appears under canvassed. The previous owner did the conversion with a sail he found on craigslist. Once I have her out sailing , we can all decide if she needs more sail area …and the best way to go about it.
I was not planning on buying two boats ...but , I DO need a boat to live on and sail until next spring. Once I take possession of Sabra , I can decide if I want to keep 2 boats .... or then sell Walrus.
I really want to thank Annie , Brian Kerslake , Jonathan Snodgrass and Vivien Gainsborough for all of their incredible kindness, help , advice , and words of wisdom throughout my search.
Fun times ahead!!!!! Xoxoxoxo