There is in the spiral of my dna a twist that causes me to seek fulfillment in the completion of tasks. At times, the drive is extremely helpful in maintaining good domestic relations. Now that I am not otherwise employed, I can expect to find a handwritten list of chores each morning on the granite-topped island in the kitchen. I dutifully cross off each item when I believe I have executed the instrucitons faithfully.
At other times, fulfillment comes only when I am pursuing a task that has presented itself to me independently from external sources (Monica).
This week, I have mown the lawn, built a retaining wall to keep the mulch from washing down the gully behind the house in a downpour, baked some cookies and, most significantly, cleared the top of my desk, (Monica.)
But I have also visited numerous boatyards (my dna). The purpose of these visits is to locate an O'Day Mariner that might be had for a song. Thus far in my quest, I've found three boats, any one of which would, for the right price, work.
My first boat was a Mariner, a 19-foot fiberglass boat with a centerboard (or swing keel, depending on your preference.) These boats and their forebear -- the Rhodes 19 -- are self-righting, which means that when a strong gust hits your sail and knocks you flat, the boat will come back up rather than capsizing. (I love the Rhodes 19, which lacks the Mariner's cuddy cabin but may have a taller mast and more sail area. I'm not certain. I'd take one if I found one, but they are rare in this region.)
It occurred to me after Monica told me that she will retire after she has logged two more birthdays that we probably could get a lot more sailing in if we had a Mariner moored at the end of the street on the Delaware River.
Our recent excursion in the 420 lasted only 15 minute or so (see an earlier blog) and convinced me that we are much too mature for that boat.
So it's not so much a matter of needing another boat -- the question Monica asks is "Why do we need another boat?" -- but of profiting from replacing one of the boats we now have. A Mariner is much easier to sail, will take four out for an evening on the water with ease, is forgiving, durable and generally pleasant to sail.
So today I visited a couple of boatyards that I hadn't explored recently. Neither had a Mariner, and the hunt goes on. If you know of one that might be available, let me know. This is a task that I'm taking very seriously and a potential source of serene fulfillment once the job's completed.