This is Yuletide's 20th year afloat. It seems like no time at all that I was working at Cape Dory Yachts, and watching her being built. The first time I saw her Liz and I went over on a weekend. I had some work to do, but then we went to the molding shed, and there was hull number Seven sitting in the mold. I was thrilled, this was no longer an abstract, no longer just paperwork and an order, it was a real hull. As the weeks went by she took shape on the production floor. I was there the first day she was brought into the main production facility. A white hull that looked to be a good sized vessel. Later I saw her as the bulkheads were added, the finish work begun. It was hard to keep my mind on work (creating a video of one of the power boats) while this beautiful yacht was being built behind me. I can remember after hours sitting in the nearly complete hull. The day finally arrived, a week before Christmas. I arrived at the factory and she was loaded onto the truck, complete with a Christams Wreath on her stern....and the name Yuletide became the natural choice for her.
I spent that winter and spring outfitting her, bilge pumps, depth sounder, knot meter...so much was done that first year. She went in the water over in Mattapoisett. I had to back down the pier, in a strong wind....she does not back worth a damn, and it was a frantic launch as we fended off other vessels docked at the pier. We got out onto a mooring and inspected. No leaks, and my God she was afloat.
Twenty years ago....time flies by.