A New Old Sailboat - 1982 Sea Pearl 21

When I was a kid growing up in the 1980s in SW Florida , dad's had boats. Not just dads, but uncles and grandpas and just about every other male you knew. It was a right of passage, a punch in your man card and a tool for discovery and weekend fun with the family. We had a series of them, starting with a 17' aluminum center console fishing boat. After beating the rivets from it on countless fishing trips (one of which, an eight foot spotted eagle ray pulled us a couple of miles down river on an incoming tide before breaking the line and swimming off to become a big fish story), we got a 22' foot Auquasport center console shallow V fishing boat and a 27' Blackfin sport fisher with tuna tower and outriggers for trolling the big'ns on trips to The Keys. Uncle Jeff had a Carolina Skiff, Uncle Ric had an Auqasport, too (his eagle ray story involves one flying, breaking windshields and nearly knocking people out of the boat). Friend's dads had Boston Whalers, flats boats, cruisers, etc. Alas, no sailboats. But to me, any boat is fun. As long as you're not being a pest or hazard while using it.

Yesterday I became like those dads of my childhood memories. I bought a boat big enough to take my little family on. A boat that wasn't built in my garage from substandard materials and building skills. One I can pull to any of a half dozen sailable lakes within a two hour drive of our home. One I can camp on, solo sail or take a half dozen people out for the day. It's gonna be pretty darn cool.

Our new old sailboat, a cat ketch rigged 1982 Sea Pearl 21.

UPDATE: These boats are made by Marine Concepts, in Tarpon Springs, Florida. A little over two hours north of Ft. Myers, where I lived until I was 22. Another reason I wanted one.