The Dark Side…

C.E. Grundler

I've heard the whispers. I've read between the lines, and I know what everyone's saying behind my back. I'm not really one of you. I don't quite fit in here at Write On the Water. And I know what this is all about.

"She's gone over to the Dark Side."

And you're all absolutely right. Yes. I'll come out and say it. I'm… a stinkpotter.

But it's not so much that I've gone to the Dark Side as returned to my roots. The truth is, I come from a stinkpot family, twin diesel, no less, and growing up, I was the black sheep. The one who wanted to –gasp—sail! We didn't sail in my family, in fact, we didn't even know any sailors. Yet, out on the water, I'd watch the sailboats come and go, moving with silent and seemingly effortless grace, dancing across the waves with an elegance that transcended a growling engine and a cockpit full of fumes. They tacked along without the aid of all those greasy, complex mechanical guts and foul-smelling fuel. I wanted to venture out on my own, and I'd seen the constant headaches my brother had with the cantankerous old outboard on his dinghy, forever fighting with clogged fuel filters and fouled plugs. A sailboat seemed the more practical, logical solution, and when my parents surprised me with a sailing dinghy and I raised that sail for the first time, that mix of thrill, terror and exhilaration is something I'll never forget. And from that point on, from spring until fall, I was aboard that little boat at every possible opportunity.

So why the return to power? When I first met my husband I flat out refused to date him, based solely on the fact that I ultimately planned to live aboard a sailboat and 1. he was too tall, (just try finding headroom for someone 6'4" in a pocket cruiser) and 2. he absolutely hated sailing. Clearly, this relationship was doomed. But we're rapidly approaching our 25th anniversary, and through those years we've alternately owned two small runabouts and two sailboats. His appreciation for my preferred mode of transit never grew, and during the times the boats had a mast they were mine and mine alone. While I'll admit there's much to be said for single-handing, at times it's like drinking… you can do it alone, but it's much more fun with a little company. And when, ultimately, fate led us to a charming little full displacement trawler with headroom to spare, I decided a compromise was in order — if you can call it a compromise. While Annabel Lee may be a powerboat in theory, it's clear she came from a builder more familiar with constructing sailing craft and small ships. At 32' she has a draft of 4'6" and a full, ballasted keel, and her top speed is seven knots. And once we finish up some of the more pressing projects, a mast and steadying sail are next on our to-do list.

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