New guy on the dock

Sep 9, 2004
39
I was delighted to find the site and to become a member. David invited me to pass on information about how I came to the Alden clan.
About a year ago, a ketch about 30 feet or so passed the boat I was on. The kid lounging behind the wheel of the old ketch steered her with his left foot but the genoa, mail and mizzen were full and well set. A younger woman sat reading, and older man with a Hemingway beard watched from the companionway. It wasn't as nonchalant as it was meant to appear; nor is it ever.
I still have photos of that boat. It got me looking, and I came across the Alden Challenger. There were several on the market: one in NYC (Is that your new boat, David?), another on Lake Michigan, one in Texas, another (maybe) in South Florida.
Having found my classic boat, it encouraged me, having read two of Tom Young's articles on "Christmas." To shorten my story, on the second trip to Texas, we (wife Cathy and I) bought the boat. I spent two weeks getting the boat in a semblance of working order. I don't think she'd been touched, let alone sailed, for 3 years. That meant tearing out old wiring so I could at least have temp and oil pressure gauges; rebuilding the cockpit so the shift lever might find forward or reverse and, when I was lucky, neutral; rewiring running lights, having the fuel tank cleaned, the engine checked, thru-hulls examined, and the many other things that pop into the mind of an old fool who plans to move a 42-year-old boat more than 1,000 miles under her own power.
My son and I started out from Kemah, Texas, and got into the Gulf in good time. At 0100 all our power went out: No autopilot, no radar, no radio (except the handheld), no running lights, nothing. Alternator was shot. (I'd had it checked by a 'professional.') We ran black through the night, through storms and into Sabine Pass the next morning.
Five weeks later, my son having gone back to work and his family and Cathy having joined me in Lafitte, La., we slid into our dock in El Jobean. You will know the area better from the Weather Channel as Port Charlotte, Fla.
We weathered (literally) TS Bonnie in Carrabelle, waited there before making the 140 nm open-water crossing to Tarpon Springs because Hurricane Charlie had churned up the Gulf of Mexico, then made our way down the coast wondering whether we had a dock, or a home.
But we made it, "Essay" made it. But only after Charley devastated Punta Gorda, which is about 5 miles south.
Now, Hurrricane Ivan is 48 hours from chain-sawing his way up the Gulf Coast and my sweet old Alden 38 is about to be cross-tied out in the canal to fend for herself.
There is so much to learn, and that's part of the allure for me. Y'all seem to have numbers for your boats. I have no number, no plaque. I'm totally ignorant about nearly everything that I haven't been forced to learn the hard way.
During a couple of times, in confused, open water, when she grabbed three straight bones in her teeth and easily shook off all three, then took a hit to the shoulder from another 6-footer, I smiled and told her, "Good girl."
Yeah, I like her, and trust her too.
I'll appreciate any help any of you can offer. And I'll contribute whatever I can. Don't hesitate to ask, for descriptions or photos.
Dave Richardson
 

David

.
Jun 17, 2004
115
Macgregor 26x Morecambe
Welcome!

Welcome Dave!

Thanks for the story, sounds like you had your hands full bringing the boat home.

As you must be aware, there are very few of us on this board. Not enough to make it too interesting to check this site everyday, but hopefully enough that you don't forget about us. Check back weekly or monthly depending on activity.

I'm getting ready to have my Challenger trucked cross country to put it in my backyard. I just bought the one that was for sale in NY. I plan to get real active real soon on the restoration.

Best Regards,
David Reno
 

TomY

Alden Forum Moderator
Jun 22, 2004
2,758
Alden 38' Challenger yawl Rockport Harbor
Hi Dave

Great adventure there. Tell us more about your boat, what info do you have on it so far. If you have any pictures, e-mail them to me, I'd like to see them.

Tom Young
 

TomY

Alden Forum Moderator
Jun 22, 2004
2,758
Alden 38' Challenger yawl Rockport Harbor
I forgot, good luck with the storm.

Life looks tough down there these last few weeks. Tom