From one step to two steps.

One step at the time.
But it became time.
So, for a 28' sport fisherman.
This has to be the man.


The Offshore fishing version is based on the Mako 28, showing the same deck arrangement and stowage.

I have added the two pods to offer protection and utilities. One for a small head, the other for personal gear and provisions. To my knowledge there are very few aluminum 2 steps boats, and if any for sport fishing.

Raph - Gauloise.

- Good old boats. One of my favorite things is to visit boatyards. The main reason being to wander in the back alleys where the skeletons are. A treasure to be found, memory to rekindle, and sometimes despair over the vision, the dream of what could, would have been before neglect and age send you to the cemetery.

- One of the relics is the aluminum 56' designed by Andre Mauric. Raph is the original name, sponsored by the new marina at St. Raphael in the South of France for the Singlehanded Transatlantic Race and skippered by Alain Gliksman. Originally rigged as a Ketch, I sailed on her shortly after her launching on a quick hop in the Bay of St. Tropez. She is a Thoroughbred and her lines are pure Mauric, the architect from whom I learned a lot. A  mathematician and geometry head, to design good looking boats over a long career. A particularity was, on Lines Plans to draw the diagonals normal to the sections to best guess the water flow direction over the hull.

Is this the Summer of "Summer Afternoon" ?

Well, it looks like it, at long last. Behind boats there are always stories; boat stories. So, to explain Summer Afternoon in an nutshell, please take the time to read an article I wrote many moons ago.

Now fast track; the boat is in Newport now and Chauncey took on himself to refresh the small schooner.
Sanding, varnish, sanding, varnish, paint, sanding, varnish, paint, paint, varnish, varnish.... you got the point.
My contention was to launch the boat first, which we did before the task of refurbishing. The local boat ramp is next to the Ida Lewis Yacht Club, very close to the house and therefore conveniently located. It was fun.

Well. We had to get help. Six coats of varnish and painting is not to sneeze at, and with not much time, it became necessary to hire the best varnishers. Summer is short.

Bermuda Race 2014

                                                                 
                                                                                 June 20, 2014

As you can see by the posting date, I have been slow in feeding the electronic beast. Slow like this start and for the rest of this event of some 615 miles from Newport to Bermuda. And....the winner is.....

Actaea a Hincley Bermuda 40.