Arkansas Traveler

The ocean is an inhospitable place for those with neither gills nor fins; thus sailors are by nature a suspicious and cautious lot.   Traditions abound to cover the bases and appease the wind and sea gods from all undue wrath.  Legend has it that Neptune (or Poseidon) keeps a list of names of all vessels that sail the seas and if you wish to change the name of your boat, Neptune must be notified and agree with that change.

It takes a bit of thought, preparation, hard work, libation, and ceremony to accomplish the name change in the proper manner.

In late September we powered to a fairy-tale anchorage in Joe Wheeler State Park with Ann and Carl and proceeded with the task at hand.

Much planning and high-level discussions were needed

Ann and I were in charge of applying the new lettering while Carl and Bob cleaned all traces of the old name from the hull.  Once the new letters adhered, Ann and I were free to fish.

Carl worked most of a day removing old lettering from the transom

The ceremony itself took place in the evening after plenty of food and laughter.  “Arkansas Traveler”  is a 2002 vintage, and we thought it appropriate to load the wine cellar with an array of 2002 French wines to keep Neptune and crew happy.  After toasting Neptune and the four winds, the official proclamations were made, wine was shared, and the her name was changed.

It takes a complicated mix of hard work and celebration to change a boat's name

Soon the news of the ceremony will make its way downstream to the deep seas and Neptune’s ledger will be accurate and in balance again – assuring smooth seas and fair winds to the “Arkansas Traveler” and her grateful crew.

Aside from the numerous hurdles to leap and skills to master, our major concern while planning for the Loop is leaving friends and family.

Each family member has, in his or her own way, reconciled to our absence and has come to grips with mom/dad being away.  Preparing children to become independent and happy decision-making adults is about half of what successful parenting is.  The other half is, of course, being able to let go.

Friends are a different matter and they each fill different spaces in our hearts; residing there, available to be tapped for sage advice and strength.

Thus a highlight of our preparations has been the several visits of friends and family during our summer stay at Florence Harbor, Alabama, and the planning of future visits…

Ann at Joe Wheeler State Park; always the successful fly fisherman

On the dock with Dick and Susan

Ann fending off the lock wall in Wilson Lock

For Carl and Ann early fall was warm on the Tennessee River...

And blustery for Dick and Susan

Aleks in command of "Arkansas Traveler"

Youngest son, Aleks, birdwatching

It is paramount that someone maintain complete control of a vessel at all times. Which of these dance-masters was piloting?

There are no limits to the amount of advice available to would-be boat owners; the experts bog you down and drown you in a sea of conflicting decisions. We were awash in choppy waters before leaving the first marina of our search.  That boat, a Monk 36, won our hearts and though hopelessly hooked, common sense dictated that there were many more boats to assess before making a final decision.

This bout of patience took us many miles and through numerous website pages of boats that were on the market.  We built a detailed matrix comparing and contrasting our personal list of important attributes with the available boats for sale.  We spent evenings searching through books and magazines; charting our way to a workable decision.  After several months of research and open discussion, that perfect trawler appeared and we knew it immediately.

If you ask what our advice is to those looking for a boat, it is that clearly, the best beacon is a well-defined vision of your particular needs, wants and uses. What is your purpose for this boat? Where do you want to cruise? How extensive will your live-aboard segments be?  What accommodations and comforts are most important to you?  How many are cruising full-time and how often will there be guests?  Keeping this beacon in steady focus kept us out of trouble and within our budget.

Our second piece of advice is to urge you to find a reputable marine surveyor as your advocate to help you make a sensible decision in spite of the emotional cloud that hovers around boat buyers and boat sellers.  A good surveyor knows that a seller’s strongest desire is to sell the boat, that the shopper is looking to buy, and that the facts of quality and value get warped and skewed between the two.  The surveyor cannot answer (and should not try to answer) the first questions of needs, wants, wheres, and hows, but can certainly help you identify the best boat to fit your answers and your vision.

Now imagine yourself onboard.  Watch the bow cut through the waves and begin your search.  Our search led to a dolphin chasing through our wake as we left Charlotte Harbor in the prettiest little Monk 36 that you can imagine.

Bob and I cruise happily forward; our boat-shopping saga rapidly recedes in the Arkansas Traveler’s wake.