Since 1978 I have been fortunate to sail wooden boats. In 2006 I set out to find a Drascombe Longboat Cruiser for single-handed expedition sailing. This is the continuing story of how it came to be, our adventures, notes on the maritime world and other things I don't want to forget...


Tuesday, December 13, 2016

Keeping My Head Up

This is hard to write but I need to. Yesterday in the early morning hours my workshop/studio burned to the ground. We are waiting for the adjuster before going in but it appears that there is nothing left. Pretty much everything that was 'just me' was inside.... all my tools, my paintings (over a hundred), personal artifacts and natural history collections, pictures, books, and Annie's spars, rigging, sails and cushions. From what I gather from conversations with the insurance company it may be a long process and some stumbling blocks. We are going to retain counsel.

I'm starting to pull myself together, starting to do research and making lists. Ted Perry who built Annie is no longer in business and doesn't seem to have measured drawings any longer. The sailmaker is also out of business. Waiting to hear from Simon at Churchouse Boats in England and Steve at Shaw & Tenny.

Thought you would all like to know. I'm holding fast as the old timers used to say. And looking forward to Christmas with the girls. Hope all of you that read my log are well and have a great holiday.

Curt

12 comments:

  1. I'm so sorry to hear of the fire. I understand the importance of that kind of space for a creative person, your sense of where you have been, anchoring where you go in your work, and providing the tools and environment in which to dream it, do it and remember it. I guess your digital collection of images just became a lot more important- and may I suggest that this site might be a place to put them together as a digital retrospective, and then use blogger to have a couple of bound book copies made. In any case I wish you all the best in the busy time adjusting and adapting to your very harrowing, wrenching and not to mention deeply inconvenient losses. I'm sure lots of your readers and friends ( including many who look, but never comment-) empathise and have you in their thoughts.
    Rob

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    1. Thank you Rob, very much. I hope we get a chance to meet in person someday. All the best to you.

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  2. Curt. My thoughts are with you. I cannot begin to appreciate your sense of loss. I thoroughly echo Robert's sentiments.
    Steve
    Arwen's Meanderings

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  3. Curt, reading your words, written only a day after such a tradegy I sense your resolve and wish you well. Max

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  4. Thank you Max and Steve. It is really nice to know you are with me.

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  5. Curt, I just received an email from Bob Slack letting me know of your loss. I am sorry that you and your family have to face this difficulty at anytime, but the Christmas holiday period seems particularly unfortunate. I applaud your ability to focus on enjoying the Holiday period with your girls. It is regrettable that the anticipated problems with filing and following up on the insurance claim require an attorney, but I'm glad that you are going into the process with your interests protected. Best wishes for a good resolution to all of this. Maybe you can take some small pleasure in knowing that your old Scaffie, Becky Thatcher, is cruising the waters around Pensacola and looking good.

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  6. Dear Curt, I am so sorry for your loss. I wish there was something I could do to help? I'm out here in blog land and want you to know how much I love Annie's blog and your paintings. There's more of both in you so have courage my friend.

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    1. Thank you so much Peggy. Lots of things are up in the air right now but I will keep you posted as things become more clear. Happy Holidays

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  7. So sorry to hear this Curt. Was just thinking about you the other day and planned to get in touch about MASCF this year. Good idea on the counsel. I have some extra tools you can have but my art stuff is pretty limited.

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  8. Curt, I met you at the MASCF a few years ago. I love your blog and you inspired me to build my own boat (Core Sound 20.3) and eventually do some of the things you have been up to. I'm looking around my shop and thinking about how personal this place is to me and imagining your loss. I am so sorry.

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  9. Curt, so sorry to hear of that awful event. What a shock, unimaginable. Please know that we are here for support and would be glad to help you navigate these challenging waters. We have a great sailmaker here in Pensacola (Schurr Sails) and know Simon and Sharon will be of great help. We make a few wooden boat parts for our own ships, let us know if we can do anything. All our best, Kent lewis.kent@gmail.com

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