FIRST SAIL ON A CAROL
Friday, September 30th, 2011
A 24 ft. CAROL, named JUNO LUCINA
My twin Art and I just returned from England where we attended the Southampton Boat Show. Compared to a stateside show, it was absolutely ebullient. The show was much larger than the last time I attended a few years ago, and absolutely chockablock with customers, who seem to be an endangered species over here.
On Sunday we got to go to Chichester Harbour and sail an example of my CAROL design—the first one I had ever sailed. She’s a scaled-down and reshaped version of FRANCES, the 26 footer that gave me my start as a designer. The boats are built using cold moulded wood construction, and there are actually two of them in Chichester Harbour Marina. JUNO LUCINA is interesting because the owner fitted a little house where the companionway hatch would normally be. It totally transforms the admittedly miniscule interior.
The owners of the two boats invited us back next year for a race between the two, with me at the helm of one and my brother the other. The boats appear to sail amazingly well and I can’t wait for next year’s match race!