At Last

It is now time for our next great adventure. This time it will be a big change of pace. At my age, I no longer feel the need for speed. Now I am more interested in taking time to smell the roses, making each minute count, taking it really slow and traveling in comfort. 

I have been looking for a boat that would fit my needs for a couple of years. I finally found one in Charleston, SC that checks most of the boxes. It is appropriately named "At Last". I always did like Etta James anyway. "At Last" is a trawler. Some of my go-fast buddies call it a crawler. The reason is that these boats were designed to go slow and be economical. She is faster than a sailboat but only slightly with a cruise speed of only eight knots. Trawlers are designed to go long distances with a low fuel burn and in relative comfort. This one will get about two miles per gallon if you don't push her too hard. 

Roomy for a 39 footer, she can easily sleep six. She is not a new boat, buts she is in good condition. One of her previous owners took her around the great loop which is a 5500 mile circuit that goes up the east coast, across the Great Lakes, down the Mississippi to the Gulf coast, around Florida, and back up the east coast. 

After an initial visit to Charleston to view the boat, I returned on July 12 for the survey and sea trials. All went well and closing should be within the next few days. 

"At Last" being lifted out of the Stono River south of Charleston on the Interacoastal Waterway. 

Power washed and ready for the hull survey. 

Upper helm on the fly ridge. 

The main salon. 

Plans are to pick her up at the end of July and take her to her new home in Pine Knoll Shores. It's a 270 mile journey that will take about four days. Once back, I hope to cruise eastern North Carolina this fall.  Any classmates interested in spending some time on the water should give me a call. Who knows, this might be our next great adventure.