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Newsletter June 2010 By Harold Aune VP
I feel good just thinking about my boat…
"You know, I feel good just thinking about my boat" said Whitehall Spirit 17 owner John Thodos recently. John, and hundreds of owners that share his sentiment is why we continue to build the world’s finest and probably the most expensive classic rowing and sailing boats. I remember a few years ago when John finally purchased and received his boat, after weeks of making up his mind. He called and said "You know I went over every square inch of it and I could not find a single thing wrong with it".
To quote Minto owner Gary Green "My boat is my magic carpet to serenity that allows me the opportunity to explore my local waters. I sold my gas powered boat and now I enjoy the simplicity of rowing and sailing, a far more healthy pursuit." Gary’s credo is "Less is more". Here’s a link to the Video Loveletter he sent a couple of years back.
What is obvious to most of us is that in order to reconnect to the kind of vitality we had as kids we need to reconnect with being outside in nature. Simply being distracted from our personal stresses of life is not enough. Simpler thrills such as rowing or sailing and exploring local waters have depth and deepen our perceptions, making us feel good about life and able to see through the barrage of negative news and complaints. We are thus more able to stop looking at what we can’t do and focus on what we can do.
My background includes sailing across the Pacific Ocean in my own boat however I find that the rewards of sailing and rowing a small classic are identical and far easier to experience. That’s what attracted Marie and myself to founding Whitehall Rowing and Sail 24 years and 2500 boats ago.
The pride of ownership that comes from having the best available combined with the mental, physical and environmental benefits the boats provide assure us we are on course.
The "Lucky Jack"
Michael "Buck" McAllister keeps his Whitehall Spirit 17 sailing slide seat model on a low float at the dock next to his Sparkman-Stephens sloop in San Diego and says sailing and rowing across the south bay, even into the more shallow areas, in his boat is just the best thing to do. He’s always amazed at how few boats are out there and he usually has it all to himself; like a private lake.
Michael especially appreciates the workmanship in his boat and the fact there’s nothing else out there like it or that even comes close. Michael considers his 10 year old Whitehall Spirit 17 to be a legacy and the boat is destined to be in the family for a long time to come with children’s kids learning to row and sail in the future. He’s even named it after his grandson – The Lucky Jack (born on St. Paddy’s Day! The 17th you know.)
Michael sends a photo of his boat peeking out from under cover at the Coronado Cup Yacht Club.
Keep Your Beautiful Boat Looking Good
Wiping water spots, especially salt water, but even fresh water, from your boat’s seats and other surfaces, including oars, with a recycled damp towel will keep the boat looking good. It also minimizes the need to re-oil the teak in the case of the fiberglass and teak models, as water allowed to sit on the oiled teak leaves a lighter mark that appears as a stain.
On slide seat models, wiping out the slide seat tracks with a damp cloth to get rid of any grit or salt will minimize wear and pitting of the track.
If the boat is used in salt water, it’s always a good idea to hose it down after use to reduce salt build up and resultant corrosion. Keeping a boat covered when stored on or near the water not only reduces the need to wash the dirt and debris out of the boat, it also reduces sun damage. Remember to pull your drain plug or you’ll have a bathtub’s worth of water to get rid of.
If you turn your boat upside down to store it on a dock or beach, protect it from abrasion and scrapes by putting something soft on the contact points. Lashing a tarp over it will minimize sun and salt damage.
Exploring Local Waters in a Tango 17
Marie and myself took another cruise over to our favorite anchorage for a couple of nights. Some of the lowest tides of the year were happening and so the Tango 17 drawing only 6" of water was an ideal way to explore the rocky islets and sneak around peering into the tide pools. We are both avid photographers and enjoy snapping images of what we observe. Marie shot an incredible image of a small frog that we call "Frog meditating on the wonder of life" It’s part of the small collection shown below.
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