Merry Christmas, and a happy M.E. year
I don’t have a good marine Christmas image like last year’s, but I do know where to steal a goofy marine electronics holiday card on the Internet. That would be at Echopilot, whose proprietors Mike and Susan Phillips have a tradition of creating such nonsense, and sending it to their friends in the industry. This year’s card is titled “The Echopilot products that never made it to market” and you can learn all about them here.
I don’t know the Phillips well, but enough to know they are the good humored and proud owners a 25’ gaff rig sloop that was built in 1894! They haul the wonderfully named Tom Tit around on a custom trailor with an antique truck. On this year’s card they note a summer trip to the Crinan Classic Boat Festival in Scotland, where they “found rain and whiskey, both in industrial quantities.” But their dream is to bring Tom Tit to the coast of Maine, and that’s where you come in, dear readers. Who can come up with economical transport for Tom Tit, trailor, and truck from somewhere in Great Britain to somewhere near Maine? And who wouldn’t if they could?
Merry Christmas to you as well, Ben, and thanks for providing such a great service with Panbo. The effort is much appreciated. I look forward to each new story, and have used your explorations to guide my own purchases frequently.
Preston
Thanks, Preston! No Panbo today as I’m in NYC without a laptop. Tis the season. Best to all.
Just found this reference to Tom Tit. When I was a lad I sailed her from the west country yard where she was bought by John Atkins, up to Lymington. She had not been in the water for at least 10 years, so she sat on a cradle and swelled for several day. We re-caulcked her, re-painted her and sailed her up the coast, outpacing a Contessa 32!
Delighted to see she has been restored.
Mark Darley
Vice Commodore, Inverness Yacht Club. California.