There’s more info to come on this, but the short version is that after 8 years of being without a vessel that floats (other than kayaks and SUP’s), I apparently forgot all of the reasons why people don’t own boats and embarked on finding yet another one. After 4 months of searching, and the pickings were slim due to current supply and demand, I landed on one that fits me.

Meet Sandpiper. She’s an 1986 Island Packet 31. Length overall, including the bow spirit, is just shy of 34 feet. With a foil keel (similar to full), and only drawing 4 feet, she’ll get in to most anchorages that other vessels of the same size can’t. She’s Bluewater capable in an easy to handle smallish package.

Today is final closing day and there’s work to be done. Currently on the hard in Annapolis, MD, the first order of business is to get the rudder off the boat, crated up, and shipped off to Foss Foam in Florida for a rebuild. The rudder was the biggest issue noted in the survey and needs to be replaced before she gets splashed again.

More information, photos and updates will follow.