12 minutes from the chainsaw.

Post pictures of your boat and sailing adventures here. Posting instructions within.
Post Reply
Pearson12
Bottom Sanding Grunt
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Apr 30, 2011 1:11 am
Boat Name: Sophie
Boat Type: Pearson Express Cruiser

12 minutes from the chainsaw.

Post by Pearson12 »

She was always a class act; I would see her glide into our marina to her berth 3 slips down from me, watching how the sharp dressed elderly owner always put her right in the slip smooth as velvet, never touching the sides even with the tight clearance, how the twin engines rose gracefully from a burble to a throaty snarl as he applied just the right amount of reverse to have the bow stop exactly where his wife was waiting with the first line. He then would take his fishing gear off, and then would spend at least an halt an hour hosing her down, freshwater flushing her engines, chamoising the stainless before he was satisfied.
Yes, though there was newer and much more expensive boats in our marina, there was none that was more loved by her owner than this 1963 Pearson Express Cruiser.
About 2 years ago, I started to notice something strange as I walked past her to my boat. Dirt! She was never dirty before, always Bristol. He would never let her look like that! Unless; yes, it was true; the distinguished elderly gentleman had passed away. As the months rolled on, she looked worse and worse, cleaned only by the rain, her classy blue awnings fading and torn by the wind. Worse yet, without knowing it, I myself would would walk right past her now, not even giving it a glance, just dismissing it as another abandoned "junker" in the marina, never again to roam her beloved ocean playground, unloved and forgotten, slip fee being paid just for floating storage or a tax write off.
She stayed that way, out of sight, out of mind, until 3 weeks ago. I was awoken by the shrill sound of power tools and metal being wrenched apart. Rubbing the sleep out of my eyes, I peeked out my window to see what was going on. A marina worker was pulling off the barbecue, radar and bait tank, along with anything else that wasn't nailed down, from the Pearson; I was shocked fully awake as I knew that could only mean one thing, and it wasn't good!
I dressed in a flash and rushed down to her; the worker told me what I had suspected; the family had stopped paying rent and she had been leined; they are stripping it for that very afternoon a salvor is going to tow it away, take out the good engines and trans and then chainsaw the hulk.
I don't know how ,but the old Pearson seemed to be pleading with me to save her. Like a dog at the pound who knows his time is almost up, and looks at you with loving and desperate eyes, knowing that they have this one last chance to make you fall in love with them.
I tried to fight it; I already have a good sailboat and with gas at $4+ a gallon, it is the worst time to get twin V-8's. I turned to walk away when she seemed to say in my mind " wait! Look at my deck! I bet you can fit all your friends back there for some nice fishing and barbecue; look at my classic lines, how my nice bow flare will smooth the waves and keep you dry; look at those rip roaring V-8 Chevys! Real men don't care about gas prices, they really care about raw horsepower! Aren't you sick of plodding along at 6 knts? Think of how you will feel when you have 16 cylinders at your command, the powerfull sound, the rush of the water, the excitement when you get on plane and my speed almost doubles in a few seconds. I'll whisk you to Catalina in only 1-1/2 hours instead of the 6-7 it takes you now!"
She was winning me over, but I had one advantage left; surely the interior was trashed from sitting all this time, and once I saw the inevitable water damage and rotted bulkheads I can feel okay to walk away.
As soon as I went inside, I knew it was all over for me; it was almost perfect! No leaks, no water damage, solid bulkheads, working pumps and dry bilges, even the cushions were perfect! The old gentleman would have been proud; besides some dust, it looked as if he had just left it a day ago, instead of 2 years.
I rushed back to my own boat and got my wallet, then started topside to the office. I dreaded this part, but I was not too worried; how much would the salvor offer on an old 1963 gas powerboat? $300 maybe? I will offer $400 and she will be mine.
When I heard the manager chuckle, I knew I was in trouble. He told me he was charging the salvor $1500, for he knew that he got about $1250 an engine and $300 each for the velvet drives on e-bay. If I wanted it, I would have to match that $1500 and promise to pay the slip fees; total, $1780, right now!
I held my breath; that was way more than I wanted to spend; I could see her out of the managers window; well, I tried, I told her, putting my wallet away. I then saw the marina worker walk to her bow and cruelly yank off her anchor, letting the chain beat up and scratch the foredeck that was so lovingly kept perfect by the old gentleman since 1963. That did it; I turned back and handed the manager my Visa.
He just laughed." I don't feel like getting robbed today " he said with the same dreaded chuckle. Not the expression I was expecting! "The merchant fees are killing me! If you want the boat, come back with cash, that what I told the salvor too, first guy who shows up with cash gets the boat!"
Jumping into my car, I glanced at the time;11:24. What did "afternoon" mean to the salvor? 1pm, or 5? I knew I would have to wait in 2 long lines to get a cash advance on my card, the ATM only gives $300. Would it all be for nothing? Would he beat me and I would have to walk by the empty slip every day, reminding me how I let one of our increasingly rare classic plastics face the horrors of the sawzall and chainsaw?
Of course, the lines were long and I had to wait a second time for a manager to approve my cash advance. When I fought traffic and got back to the marina, it was a nail-biting 2:56.
I rushed up to the office and laid the cash down on his desk. He looked up and seemed annoyed; what was wrong? Did the salvor show up already? Was all this for nothing? I was already thinking how it was almost 3, of course the salvor has been here already and how i am going to kick myself when i have to pay the interest on the cash advance for nothing when he said "dammit, now I have to do all that paperwork!"
I was still signing the forms when 12 minutes later, I heard the sound of a diesel launch and the heavy clods of workboots thunder up the stairs. They were upset about their wasted diesel and gave me looks that could kill on their way out, but we were too happy to care; that's right, we:myself and the distinguished old gentleman in the sky.
Attachments
DSC08989.JPG
DSC08970.JPG
DSC08965.JPG
DSC08967.JPG
DSC08976.JPG
DSC08983.JPG
DSC08974.JPG
s/v Faith
Rough Carpentry Apprentice
Posts: 64
Joined: Sun May 21, 2006 12:05 pm
Boat Name: s/v 'Faith'
Boat Type: 1964 Pearson Ariel (#226)
Location: Pensacola, FL

Re: 12 minutes from the chainsaw.

Post by s/v Faith »

Congratulations!

I am quite sure you just purchased MUCH more in terms of good ju ju then the cash you shelled out for this beautiful boat.

I hope you got them to give you back the parts they had already stolen from this grand old lady....
1964 Pearson Ariel #226
'Faith' (the Triton's little sister)

Referred by;

www.sailfar.net

and

www.pearsonariel.org
User avatar
cantstopnow
Master Varnisher
Posts: 106
Joined: Tue Nov 14, 2006 8:05 pm
Boat Name: Ariadne
Boat Type: Morgan M34
Location: Chebeague Island, ME
Contact:

Re: 12 minutes from the chainsaw.

Post by cantstopnow »

Thanks for that great story. What is her name? I imagine "Compassion"
Today is a great day to Go Sailing
1966 Morgan M34 K/CB
1965 Pearson Commander
1977 kells 28
1973 Paceship PY23
1971 Compac CP 16
ILikeRust
Skilled Systems Installer
Posts: 285
Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2010 8:22 pm
Boat Name: Grizabella
Boat Type: Pearson Wanderer 30
Location: Richmond, VA

Re: 12 minutes from the chainsaw.

Post by ILikeRust »

You SO totally did the right thing, and $1780 for that boat is a STEAL.

She's in far too nice condition to be trashed.

Sweet boat and GOOD JOB; WELL DONE!!
Bill T.
Richmond, VA

"All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible." - T E Lawrence
Pearson12
Bottom Sanding Grunt
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Apr 30, 2011 1:11 am
Boat Name: Sophie
Boat Type: Pearson Express Cruiser

Re: 12 minutes from the chainsaw.

Post by Pearson12 »

Thanks, everyone. I have read these forums for years and I am happy to save a plastic classic. I had to powerwash and repaint her to look good again, she was filthy and had bird droppings all over, which made me want to save her and restore her former glory even more.
Even though I am in a nice marina in a good area and the marina worker was told to put everything back, in the 3 hours I was gone to get the money it was considered open season on the boat and they stole the anchor, windlass, side stanchions and lifelines, radar dome and radar unit, compass, fishfinder, baitank, ring buoy and PFD's, starboard outrigger, barbecue, and the old Loran unit.
I am glad I locked the cabin door on the way out and that the engines were supposed to be saved for the salvor otherwise they would be stripped too.
The good news is that after getting new batteries, changing oil and filters and plugs, and squirting WD-40 down each plug hole for the rings just to be safe, the engines came to life again after 2-1/2 years and run great. I ran them with the fuel lines going to gas cans with fresh gas, for the two 80 gallon tanks have the old gas that has turned to varnish. I found out that the gentleman always kept his tanks full, for I have been taking 160 gallons of old nasty gas to the hazmat dropoff, 4 five gallon pails at a time! It will all be worth it when I take her for a cruise soon, I will take her to his favorite fishing grounds I found circled on the gentleman's old charts, so he can look down and see that his beloved Pearson did not die with him, and she can look up and tell him she was down, but not out.
triton318
Master Varnisher
Posts: 108
Joined: Mon Oct 08, 2007 3:34 pm
Boat Name: Dove
Boat Type: Pearson Triton
Location: Hayes, VA

Re: 12 minutes from the chainsaw.

Post by triton318 »

I really enjoyed reading your post! Good luck with the boat.
Jay
Dove, Pearson Triton #318
Hayes, VA
ILikeRust
Skilled Systems Installer
Posts: 285
Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2010 8:22 pm
Boat Name: Grizabella
Boat Type: Pearson Wanderer 30
Location: Richmond, VA

Re: 12 minutes from the chainsaw.

Post by ILikeRust »

Sucks that the vultures swooped in and STOLE all that hardware. A bunch of dirty thieves.
Bill T.
Richmond, VA

"All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible." - T E Lawrence
Ric in Richmond
Boat Obsession Medal Finalist
Posts: 518
Joined: Fri Sep 09, 2005 12:26 am
Boat Name: Andiamo
Boat Type: Alberg 35
Location: Richmond VA

Re: 12 minutes from the chainsaw.

Post by Ric in Richmond »

Not only YES!!!! But H*LL YES!!!

Great job!!!!
Ric Bergstrom

http://andiamoadventures.blogspot.com/

Archived old blog:

http://andiamo35.blogspot.com/

~~~~~([\~~~([\~~([\~~~~~~([\~~([\~~~~~~
~~~~~~([\~~~~~~~([\~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Post Reply