"Evergreen"

October 2006:

I purchased my wing keel Catalina 22 "Swizzle Stick" new in 1990. Since that time we have sailed her on extended cruises on the Maine coast, the Chesapeake, Florida's East & West coasts & panhandle, the Florida Keys, and to the Bahamas. We usually trailered it to the desired location and then spent anywhere from weeks to months cruising. We almost always anchor out. Our focus was to explore and get as close to nature as possible. I always had a "significant other" with me as first mate and occasionally a guest or two or three. However, we finally felt the urge to get a bigger boat that might allow us to travel further from home and civilization.

We wanted a sailboat that could take us just about anywhere. So we chose the conservative approach yet we wanted a boat that sailed well. We are sailors and really dislike motoring. After extensive research we purchased a 1986 Cape Dory Cutter. We wanted a new boat but that just was not financially feasible. We did not want to spend our life fixing up an old wreck so we dove in and bought the best that we could find in a reasonable length of time since our work schedule severely limits our shopping time. We accepted her flaws and are in the process of getting the significant ones repaired while she is "on the hard" this winter in Solomons, Maryland. Yes, we live in Florida but we are keeping her in Solomons Maryland at the marina where we bought her. The marina is one of the best full service marinas to be found and our work schedule does not allow us time to work on her ourselves. When we are off we want to go sailing - not work on the boat. The East coast of Florida has very limited sailing. Basically everyone just sails up and down "the ditch" (the intracoastal waterway). On the other hand the Chesapeake is one of our favorite sailing areas and it also is much closer to Maine and the Canadian waters (our most favorite sailing waters). So Solomons will remain her home port.

It is only a fifteen hour drive from our home in Florida. So initially we will do long weekend trips of five or six days exploring the back waters of the Chesapeake. During the late summers we hope to take her to Maine and eventually into Canada for a few months each year. After that the horizon is the limit.

Sharon and I will always be doing these adventures together. We also hope to turn as many as possible of our family and friends on to the wonder of exploring on a sailboat. Evergreen is a larger boat, however, the experience still remains like roughing it camping ashore.

I have one word for Evergreen: "Massive" I just can't get over how big and heavy she is. It is going to be a challenge learning how to tame her.