Have you ever found yourself day-dreaming at the wheel of the 55ft Alden yawl MARGAREE, running before a perfect trade-wind breeze; a copy of Arthur Beiser’s 1st edition of 'The Proper Yacht' somehow forgotten in your lap?
I’ve had one sailing dream like that come true in my life, so don’t expect it to happen again. But, I never realised - until absent-mindedly perusing the internet brokerage pages recently - that a further two MARGAREES turned such dreams into reality.
Now that Nils Helleberg has opened up the Alden treasure-trove of designs for us to drool over at our leisure, we can see that MARGAREE (#948), built in 1959 by Paul E. Luke of Boothbay, Maine, has two sisters: BOURRASQUE (#948B, built c.1969 in Canada), and BOLERO (#948C, built 1985-1995 in Australia). The common link must be Beiser’s wonderful book, first published in 1966.
It took Andy and Margaret Engwirda 11 years to build BOLERO from Huon Pine, Burmese Teak and Silicon Bronze in Queensland, Australia. Then they completed a one-stop circumnavigation in her – it’s a great story.
Andy still consults with the present owner, who has her for sale on Australia’s Gold Coast.
If ever there was some treasure at the end of the rainbow…
I’ve had one sailing dream like that come true in my life, so don’t expect it to happen again. But, I never realised - until absent-mindedly perusing the internet brokerage pages recently - that a further two MARGAREES turned such dreams into reality.
Now that Nils Helleberg has opened up the Alden treasure-trove of designs for us to drool over at our leisure, we can see that MARGAREE (#948), built in 1959 by Paul E. Luke of Boothbay, Maine, has two sisters: BOURRASQUE (#948B, built c.1969 in Canada), and BOLERO (#948C, built 1985-1995 in Australia). The common link must be Beiser’s wonderful book, first published in 1966.
It took Andy and Margaret Engwirda 11 years to build BOLERO from Huon Pine, Burmese Teak and Silicon Bronze in Queensland, Australia. Then they completed a one-stop circumnavigation in her – it’s a great story.
Andy still consults with the present owner, who has her for sale on Australia’s Gold Coast.
If ever there was some treasure at the end of the rainbow…