A new project!

We really weren't looking for a project. We really weren't shopping for a new boat. I promise.

But Neil just couldn't resist stopping by the Certified Sales salvage yard on a recent trip to Massachusetts. Olivia and I were camping in California for her Spring Break at the time, and he called to tell me he'd found a pretty amazing boat. I feel like I should have been more surprised than I was, but I know Neil. And his instincts are always spot on.

We drove down to see the boat as soon as I got back to New England, with cash in hand. She's a Luders designed Sea Sprite 30, built in 1884 by C.E. Ryder in Rhode Island. She has a hole in her hull and technically "sank" but that makes it sound a lot worse than it really is. The interior is muddy and salty, the (new) engine was underwater, and the electronics and electrical are toast... but we're hopeful this is a manageable project.

And, man, she's a pretty boat! She has that classic New England yachty look that we love, combined with an elegant-looking fractional rig with a tapered mast and swept-back spreaders.