She Chose Me

“Has she let you go yet?” I was asked.

“No, not yet,” was my reply.

The right person will come along, I think to myself.

Eventually. When she decides.

I knew when I first laid eyes on her she was something. I’ll never forget my pal, Irma hiking her skirt up to climb the ladder in the boatyard for a peak inside.

“She’s a treasure!” she exclaimed.

Little did I know how long my love affair would last.

Today I have concluded. If she hadn’t of picked me, where would she be?
I remember the state of her insides when we first met. The sad face of neglect. Everywhere.

Yet, underneath, the power and the pleasure of a one-of-a-kind.

Years later I learn her history. The original owner’s story. Her second and her third’s. Each holding onto her for a decade and some. Coming up nine years for me.

Each day I leave I tell her to stay safe. I thank her for being my home.

I’m told by friends to stop screening buyers. Those not in the know I do not reply.

These days I’m feeling bad about her condition. Last year’s bicycle accident didn’t allow for our yearly maintenance. It’s starting to show.

I ask her to forgive me.

She says she will. She knows I’ll take care of her come spring.

It’s hard for me to tell her now.
"Darling, it’s time I let you go. My bicycles and I need more room. There’s someone out there that will love you like I."

But again I am reminded.

She chose me.

For Sale: Affordable Waterfront Property

SV King Cyrus in Tod Inlet July 2010

It’s a true story. She's affordable waterfront property.

You can go wherever your heart desires and breath in the luscious sea air and enjoy the view. I love it. Have done for the last seven years.

Asking price was $60,000 (the insured value - recent survey available) - it's now the BEST OFFER closest to.

Time to roll on. I’m more concerned about my rusting road bike on the aft deck then I am about blowing up a bumper.

Sadly – both seem to be the case. The tarp flings back on the westerley’s unraveling the bike’s protective coat and well, I just haven’t got around to pumping up the flats. Fenders that is.

She’s been a labour of love. A passion of insanity, really. I’ve put my heart and soul into her. With the help of dear Uncle Len.

It’s all his doing. My 87 year-old retired boat builder of an Uncle. Lucky for me!

Uncle Len brought out of retirement!

Seven years ago I decided I needed more headroom then what I had. A 22 foot old wooden (plywood) Atkins designed sloop (sailboat with one mast).

Did some fender kicking with the local broker on the dock. Said I wanted more space, but didn’t want to shack up with a big debt. He found me “The King.”

Went to look at her on my own with the broker. Felt overwhelmed. She was in pretty sad shape. Full of junk. Rat poop. A derelict mizzen mast lay across the cabin top. I got the swift sale story. All fixable. Ha ha. If you know how I thought to myself.

So I invited Uncle Len for a visit. It’s a chippy December day. We amble inside. He stands in the galley. Takes his gloves off and peers up at me. I’ve got the creeps with all the stuff and poop inside. Wasn’t sure I wanted to gamble it again.

“You didn’t tell me she was an Angelman?”

Angelman, smangelman I think to myself. So what?

“This boat is made out of teak. Virgin teak,” he follows.

Teak, smeak I mull over to myself. What’s the diff?

“You could sail to Hawaii in this boat,” he concludes.

My ears perk up.

“Really…”

Now he’s got me thinking more seriously.

He does his fine tooth comb inspection. We depart and arrive to the transom. Broker long gone.

“She's got two of your names on her (Victoria and King),” he adds looking at me.

Later that night I lay stranded on my boat. I’m thinking early retirement. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a boat that size to graze on. It starts raining. Really hard.

I remember seeing a crack in the cabin and all of sudden find myself lifting up my aft locker and grabbing a spare tarp. I’m off to Fisherman’s Wharf where she sat to cover up the cabin.

It’s dark. I walk around the decks for the first time. Something feels oddly familiar. Kinda almost homey like.

I tussle her up and depart. Can’t stop thinking about her that night.

I decide I’ll haul her out to look at her bottom. For fun. We tow her round to Oak Bay. I am feeling pretty good at the wheel I have to say. She’s got weight. Feels like a ship of the sea.

Uncle Len declares a remarkable bottom for the age.

We do a further survey and I make an offer. A low ball.

Some hours later, much to my surprise it’s accepted. A steal really.

Over the years I’ve come to conclude, I have pretty high standards. When it comes to restoration. You have to do it right the first time or not at all.

So she’s in shape. Ready to sail away. New laundry would help. No question. First thing I did was put in a new motor. Under 500 hours on a 40 horsepower today.

I spent four years without refrigeration. She’s now got an icebox with a 12 volt. All the trimmings for electrical, new batteries, wiring, etc. New water system, pumps, hoses. Two large water tanks.

No oven though. The old one was for Barbies. The space too small for the new models. I’ve spent years with a convection oven at the dock (do all my Christmas baking) and a propane camp stove two burner. Of course the flush aft deck is perfect for barbecues in the summer. When it comes to rafting she usually ends up in the middle. The party boat.

There’s been many a dinner around the table. Eight no problem.

She’s a ketch (two masts, tall one in the front). Built in 1967. Designed by Hugh Angelman himself. After the Sea Witch designs. Maybe a Sea Spirit – her beam is 11’ 6”. She draws under five feet. With the bow sprit and davits she's 41'.
Spins on a dime. Takes the seas beautifully. And has been my home for my hat for truly seven years.

If you’re interested in seeing her or viewing more pictures you can email me at janevictoriaking@gmail.com.

In Victoria, British Columbia, Canada this old sailboat is what you call affordable waterfront property.

With character I might add!

Sunrise leaving Cowichan Bay February 2008

A Hair Cut and a Shave

Thought I’d be able to put off my annual boat haul out for two years. Then I got scared. These things called zincs that are attached to the bottom of your boat and to your prop shaft wear out and then electricity in the water causes the thru hulls and prop blades to get electrolysis. Not good. If there’s no bottom paint on my old wooden boat the worms will get in and eat her and then what?
Oh my gosh. As it turns out, my haul out will be a neat in the boater’s world lingo, “Hair cut and a shave.”
She’s a 1967 Hugh Angelman designed Sea Witch or Sea Spirit ketch. Teak hull. She’s been my home for coming up to seven years. But when I haul out, which I will be doing every year from now on… it’s a little disruptive on the lifestyle. Puts a little kink in the days. Especially for poor Fred the dog.
I left my marina this morning at 7 a.m. Once I got out into the Strait there was the start of a gale blowing. Three foot seas and a nice swell. We got tossed and turned. At one point I went below. That was hilarious. Everything that was on either side was on the floor. Tomatoes were splattered. Fred the dog was not enjoying the ride I can tell you that.
Seven hours later (I was bucking currents and tides) I made it for the slings to hoist her up and get her power washed.
I worked till dark tonight along with Paul who works in the yard. He sanded the bottom while I sanded my transom. Gonna gush her up and make her shine. Then it’s back in the water we go again.