Tale of the Laura Isabel by Barry Creighton
I’d like to share a story with you – and I promise you, there is a very happy ending. We could call the story “Rejuvenation” or maybe “A Fresh Start” or even “Another Chance”, but maybe best the “Tale of Laura Isabel”. “Crew Rest” rests on “F-dock” at the Old Point Comfort Marina in Hampton, Virginia. One dock over (“G-dock”) has been the home of “Laura Isabel”, a 1972 Dickerson 36’ aft-cockpit ketch. She has proudly rested there for several years, holding her head high surrounded by a classy Hinckley Bermuda 40, several Catalina 42’s and assorted Island Packets and stink pots. Yes, she is a bit older, perhaps a bit tattered, but she is classy. Her owners had brought her down from Solomons Island a decade ago and enjoyed cruising with the Old Point Comfort Yacht Club. Unfortunately, the owner became ill over a year ago and passed away. His widow truly loved “Laura Isabel” but just couldn’t keep her going by herself. So she approached the DOA to help her find a new owner or she was going to donate “Laura Isabel” to charity or chop her up.
Thanks to Bob Shelton, we found not ONE new owner, but FOUR. So I would like you all to greet Rob and Tari Meredith and Malone and Rachel Williams from Richmond, VA. Rob and Malone are both health professionals and somehow that seems perfect. They were in the process of buying a Pearson 30 when Bob whispered in their ears that a “diamond in the rough” Dickerson was available. The next couple of weekends were a whirlwind as they talked with the owner, visited the boat and arranged for a new home for her on the Piankatank River. None knew much about her, but she was sound, with relatively new sails, and a relatively new Yanmar 3 cylinder engine (that started and purred like a kitten).
As a retired guy, I had forgotten about this work thing called “on-call”, but I learned that it puts a lot of restrictions on calendars. So Malone and Rob needed to find an opening and move “Laura Isabel” up the Bay. That day was March 23rd. Their enthusiasm was contagious, and Captain Shelton and I couldn’t resist but to help them. But whoever was supposed to coordinate with the weatherman—didn’t.
Official sunup (there was no sun) found us pouring 10 gallons of fuel into an almost empty tank while it rained and the temperature was in the low 40’s (where it stayed all day). And the wind you ask? – 15 knots---on the nose. But the little Yanmar started right up and it seemed as if “Laura Isabel” came to life (she hadn’t moved in over a year), and she knew something was up. She was reluctant to leave her slip; of course stern-on wind and current didn’t help. We came out of Mill Creek and pointed her northeast while we started taking inventory. Most everything seemed to work in some fashion and opening each locker was like Christmas morning---yet another surprise. I had assured the crew that eventually we would catch flood tide and ride it up the bay. Well, that didn’t happen for quite a while. We bashed along for hours and it seemed like we would never get to Wolf Trap. Did I mention COLD? But you know, in retrospect, it was almost as though Laura Isabel was saying, “Who are these people, and where are we going?” But she dutifully plugged along at 4.0K, 3.5K, 3.2 knots (maybe we should have checked the running lights, this might take a LONG time?) Even so, Rob and Malone never stopped smiling, and Bob and I never stopped shivering.
Just north of the Wolf Trap light, the wind clocked just enough and now favorable current allowed us to bear off to beat into the Piankatank. We set the main and the genoa and “Laura Isabel” came to life. It was if she had shed 20 years, leaping from 4 knots to 7.5 and laying over as stable as a rock. She was happy!
As the afternoon closed in on us it remained COLD and Captain Shelton deftly guided us into Healy Creek (local knowledge REQUIRED). Although her sails were back down, Laura Isabel seemed even prouder and sensed that she was in the capable hands of new and loving owners and this was to be her new home. It was then that she seemed to spot “Aequanimitas” (the Shelton’s D36 sloop) regally at rest as the Marina Monarch. She seemed most welcomed and held her masts high as she paraded by.
So there you have it -- wonderful Dickerson in the hands of new owners in a new home. She will go through some restoration and don a new name, “Lothlorien” and if the “on-call” thing doesn’t get in the way, you can meet her and some great new folks at the Rendezvous in June. The crew you ask? We’re still cold!
Barry Creighton
S/V “Crew Rest”
Thanks to Bob Shelton, we found not ONE new owner, but FOUR. So I would like you all to greet Rob and Tari Meredith and Malone and Rachel Williams from Richmond, VA. Rob and Malone are both health professionals and somehow that seems perfect. They were in the process of buying a Pearson 30 when Bob whispered in their ears that a “diamond in the rough” Dickerson was available. The next couple of weekends were a whirlwind as they talked with the owner, visited the boat and arranged for a new home for her on the Piankatank River. None knew much about her, but she was sound, with relatively new sails, and a relatively new Yanmar 3 cylinder engine (that started and purred like a kitten).
As a retired guy, I had forgotten about this work thing called “on-call”, but I learned that it puts a lot of restrictions on calendars. So Malone and Rob needed to find an opening and move “Laura Isabel” up the Bay. That day was March 23rd. Their enthusiasm was contagious, and Captain Shelton and I couldn’t resist but to help them. But whoever was supposed to coordinate with the weatherman—didn’t.
Official sunup (there was no sun) found us pouring 10 gallons of fuel into an almost empty tank while it rained and the temperature was in the low 40’s (where it stayed all day). And the wind you ask? – 15 knots---on the nose. But the little Yanmar started right up and it seemed as if “Laura Isabel” came to life (she hadn’t moved in over a year), and she knew something was up. She was reluctant to leave her slip; of course stern-on wind and current didn’t help. We came out of Mill Creek and pointed her northeast while we started taking inventory. Most everything seemed to work in some fashion and opening each locker was like Christmas morning---yet another surprise. I had assured the crew that eventually we would catch flood tide and ride it up the bay. Well, that didn’t happen for quite a while. We bashed along for hours and it seemed like we would never get to Wolf Trap. Did I mention COLD? But you know, in retrospect, it was almost as though Laura Isabel was saying, “Who are these people, and where are we going?” But she dutifully plugged along at 4.0K, 3.5K, 3.2 knots (maybe we should have checked the running lights, this might take a LONG time?) Even so, Rob and Malone never stopped smiling, and Bob and I never stopped shivering.
Just north of the Wolf Trap light, the wind clocked just enough and now favorable current allowed us to bear off to beat into the Piankatank. We set the main and the genoa and “Laura Isabel” came to life. It was if she had shed 20 years, leaping from 4 knots to 7.5 and laying over as stable as a rock. She was happy!
As the afternoon closed in on us it remained COLD and Captain Shelton deftly guided us into Healy Creek (local knowledge REQUIRED). Although her sails were back down, Laura Isabel seemed even prouder and sensed that she was in the capable hands of new and loving owners and this was to be her new home. It was then that she seemed to spot “Aequanimitas” (the Shelton’s D36 sloop) regally at rest as the Marina Monarch. She seemed most welcomed and held her masts high as she paraded by.
So there you have it -- wonderful Dickerson in the hands of new owners in a new home. She will go through some restoration and don a new name, “Lothlorien” and if the “on-call” thing doesn’t get in the way, you can meet her and some great new folks at the Rendezvous in June. The crew you ask? We’re still cold!
Barry Creighton
S/V “Crew Rest”