My schooner has a new owner.

[bamamick]

A foundation out of coastal Mississippi. Nice young guy and his wife came over and picked her up last night for the trip to Pascagoula. She will be hauled and restored before being used as a sail training/touristy boat. We will miss her, but there was just no way. With my schedule, and with the fact that she was going to need some major work next year this was the best option for everyone. Ah well.

In an aside, the guy who picked up the boat is a Sekul. Anyone living near the Mississippi coast knows what that means. In a similiar vein, I was looking through "Mobile Bay Monthly' magazine last night and there was a big spread on old Orange Beach and Gulf Shores, and sure enough, there were a couple of photos of my mom's family, the Callaway's, one of which was of an awesome looking coasting schooner. My mom's family were watermen from time out of mind. I have an uncle who still shrimps for a living and a cousin that is a pro fishing guide. And then there's me. Water is in the blood, I guess.

So fare well, 'Redwing' schooner. May your new owners treat you better than did your last. You are a lovely piece of work, indeed. God speed.

Mickey Lake

[JimD]

Glad you found a home for her, Mickey.

[Wooden Boat Fittings]

.
Aw crikey Mickey, that's a mixture of good and bad news, isn't it? Having just sold Aileen Louisa, I certainly feel for you.

On balance though, as Peter S. rightly told me, boats are meant to be sailed. So I reckon you did the right thing.

Still....

Mike

[Nanoose]

OK, I'll bite. As I don't live near the Mississippi coast, what is a Sekul, and what does that mean?

[Hwyl]

Thanks for doing that Mickey

[bamamick]

Deb, a 'Sekul' is one of a well-known family of watermen who live along the central Gulf Coast.

Mickey Lake

[Paul Pless]

Good on ya Mickey!

Do the new caretakers know of this venue?

[rbgarr]

That was a quick sale! Congratulations!

[J. Jumonville]

Mickey,

Did your schooner sell to the Maritime & Seafood Industry Museum in Biloxi? If the museum is the new owner the boat will be well maintained and sailed almost daily.

Here is the Sekul name again.

Buddy Jumonville

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e141/jumonv/100_1487.jpg
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e141/jumonv/100_1491.jpg

[bamamick]

Paul and Dave, it wasn't a sale. You understand, I hope?

Buddy, it isn't the museum in Biloxi. This is a different outfit, the Mississippi Coast Heritage Foundation. The plan is for the boat to be based in Ocean Springs, which is pretty neat, I think. Ocean Springs is about the prettiest town down there, imo.

Well, I am down to the Dragon, Star, Finn, and Penguin. I got the Penguin to help teach little (grand)kids, of which we don't have any as of yet. The boats I have should be enough, but I will think about adding something cruisier a few years down the road. Something with a big cockpit like one of those Marshall cats or a Stone Horse, but it would have to be something I could keep either at my yacht club or here on the river nearby. I have discovered a very important thing about selling a boat in this day and age: the price of the boat is a secondary consideration compared to the availability of dockage space and the cost of insurance. We had many, many people call and talk about buying the schooner, but when they priced a 40' slip it just wasn't doable for any of them. I understand. It wasn't doable for us anymore, either.

Thanks for the good wishes. I appreciate it. It has been very hot and humid the past few days, and nice sailing weather seems far, far away. It hasn't been a happy last few days.

Mickey Lake

[John B]

ah well, onwards and upwards eh Mickey.

[willmarsh3]

Mickey, I'm glad to see things work out for your schooner.

I was fortunate enough to go visit the museum in Biloxi before Katrina got it. I also enjoyed sailing the Glen Swetman. I'll add the Mississippi Gulf Coast Heritage Foundation to my list of places to visit in hopes of seeing the schooner.