Waves from the Northeast (Tuggers Vol. 60)

By Sally Seymour, Sally W #42

As the Northeast Contributing Editor and an LVNT owner it's gratifying to ask people about their boats and to hear from so many.  

Peter and Odette Noreau, Cap Saumon #16, spend summers on the mighty St. Lawrence River east of Quebec City.  The 23-mile width there affords them whale-watching cruises.

Tugnacious #7 owners Robert and Maye Bachofen of S. Burlington, VT have plans to sail the Great Loop after selling their business.  He writes, "This spring we were busy with upgrades and maintenance, as you know a never-ending task; but I have to say that she looks terrific!"  Another tug on Vermont's Lake Champlain is Callisto #19. Bill Irwin spent the winter building a mast. He and Keefer are planning to do the Mini Loop later this summer. Over in New York State Jeremy and Cathy Fields, Katy Lyn #50, keep their tug docked at their house on Lake Canandaigua. They find some of the best cruises are in stormy weather; witness the photo at LNVT.org, taken on Christmas day.

Larry and Marilyn Johnston, Loretta May #27 in Kingston, Ontario decorated their tug for the celebration of their yacht club's 50th anniversary.  Carl and Laura Butterfield keep their tug Carla B. #5 on nearby Seneca Lake. These two bodies of water are part of the Finger Lakes, with access to the nearby Erie Canal and a whole slew of more cruising opportunities.

Jim Lanzarotta of Kingston, NY has been busy working to restore Bodacious #44. "We're constantly picking away, as she sat for quite a few years before my father purchased her… We do go out quite a bit locally and it's been very enjoyable… We've yet to see another Lord Nelson and would love to take a look."

Fram #71, hails from Belfast, ME where Roger Lee and Martha Burke enjoy cruising Maine waters.  Roger owns a Friendship Sloop and he and Martha attended that group's annual rendezvous in nearby Rockland, where former LNVT owner Dick Salter, Messing About #76, officiated at the regatta. Sally W #42 joined them for a mini reunion. The Seymours are also spending the summer cruising the coast of Maine, with 3000+ islands that reportedly take a lifetime to explore.  Ursa #49-3 is up for sale and has yet to be spotted floating off David and Thea Fogg's dock in Vinalhaven, ME.

Pam Bates, an original owner - Monkey #52 in Newburyport, MA, reports that the tug takes the family for cruises. "The Monkey, in her 28th year, is well for a dowager but restless with too much time dockside.  I spend lots of time on board but all too little at sea."  Jerry and Jan Stovall recently purchased Lady Hamilton #12 and plan to take her south from New Bedford, MA this fall.  From Jan: "Other than stopping the leaks and the other unknowns we keep encountering, she is ready to make the trip."  The Stovalls report that they haven't yet met John and Ellen Isaksen, Neptune #35, who reside in the same harbor.  Neptune participated in a boat parade welcoming the Charles W Morgan, an historic restored whale ship from Mystic, CT.  If you're ever in New Bedford, ask John to take you to the excellent whaling museum.

John and Lisa Taylor, Aramis #40, spent the winter varnishing and polishing.  John stripped and refinished the pilot house doors; sprayed the first five coats, then block sanded and brushed the final two.  Lisa did all the polishing.

Hurricane Arthur forced many boaters on the East Coast to cancel Fourth of July plans. Hal and June Findlay, Le Papa #24, spent the day organizing their boats and plane for the big wind. Hal wrote during the storm, "So far rain just started in a big way and winds 30 knots.  Pretty wild but not out of control!"  Fortunately the storm didn't live up to predictions.  And finally, Peter Reich and Teddy Bear #15, on Shelter Island in NY, received deserved notoriety recently, gracing the cover of Soundings magazine.  Peter ran into John and Lisa Taylor on his way to the Wooden Boat Show.  "As we were halfway up the Mystic River. I spotted the LNVT and pointed her out to our crew.  A half hour after we were docked at the seaport, John was on board Teddy Bear!  It is always interesting hearing about all the subtle differences."