Wildwood's lucky new caretaker

[Jay]

image.jpeg

I've enjoyed this website so much! Last winter I bought Wildwood, a 1980 Morris built Frances. (She appears in the website's index of boats...although looks a bit different now.) Wildwood, at 34, looks practically new. She has been well cared for over the years, and obviously has some unique provenance as she was Tom Morris' personal boat (seen on the Morris website) for a period of time and he apparently spared nothing in giving her a substantial refit in 2001 before sailing her down the East Coast. The folks at Morris have just been incredibly helpful and had a pretty extensive archive of information on the boat. After another boat broke free of her mooring last summer, and Wildwood sustained some cosmetic damage, so she has now been repainted... (spars too....as it was time.) I added a bow pulpit (again with help from David Dennison and the great guys at Morris) and also added double lifelines and an addition to the existing stern rail/traveler....she was in a great shop here in VT on Lake Champlain, so I just went a little wild. Life is short! I'll try to attach a picture. I owned a Voyager 26 double ended cutter for 15 years, and she was a wonderful boat. It was time for one more boat. I guess my taste in boats is pretty well locked in. The Frances is a functional work of art and Chuck Paine drew some lines that are just so beautiful. She sails great too! She is everything I'd hoped for.
Again...sincere thanks to the moderator of this incredible website.
Jay
Lake Champlain, VT

[itchen]

Hello Jay

Congratulations on a great looking ship. I was initially considering the purchase of a Voyager 26 but was drawn to the Frances after reading all the articles including the feature in Mate's " Best Boats" book. I am interested in what type of mainsheet traveler system you have...do you have any photos you can post? I have the bridge deck system which is usually in the way of companionway transits.

Good luck with your ship....great color for the hull.

Sincerely

Mark
SV "Seabird"

[Jay]

Thanks Mark,
My Voyager originally had the traveler mounted on the bridge deck too. The first thing I did was move it aft. As I understand it, Wildwood's unique traveler (Harken) arrangement was added by Tom Morris when he totally refit the boat in 2001. The only modifications I had made (while she was in the paint shop, we removed it and sent it out for fabrication) was to add a matching raised handhold on the stbd side and I wanted a pushpit/pulpit (small obviously) added as I like to steer from back there...and it's a great place for the grill! It came out perfect, and the marine welder was meticulous in tracing that beautiful sheer line before removing it so the added aft "hoop" would follow the lines. Here are a few pictures.
The boat looked so great in her gray Awlgrip primer, that Awlgrip Kingston Gray was my only option after seeing that!
Jay

[Jay]

Mark,
Seabird is really just magnificent. Where is she located. The layout below is particularly nice too....just beautiful.
Jay

[itchen]

Jay

Thanks for the picture..... I need to consider that sheeting arrangement. Seabird is currently at my dock in
Virginia on the Corrottoman River. I may me moving her up to NY ( Cornwall on Hudson ) if the house down there
sells.

Sincerely

Mark
SV Seabird

[frank maccarthy]

Jay.

Congratulations on the boat. Its beautiful. My own project now complete and on the site called frances was framed entirely around how Wildwood looked because she is so beautiful. Well done.

Frank.

[Jay]

Hi Frank,
She looks amazing.... I guess we both liked Wildwood's look. Your boat looks just magnificent!!!
Congratulations on an amazing job...she is so beautiful.
Jay

[neales104]

Jay- this is Jay .Itoo have a Frances,1982 hull#31. We sail on the upper western shore of the Chesapeak Bay near Annapolis. Just had the bottom redone and the decks.cabin top and cockpit repainted. At age 82 I pick my sailing days carefully.

[Jay]

Wildwood's doghouse dodger was great, but this really makes things much more comfortable..and the SS handholds are just great. The thing is essentially as solid as a hard dodger
Jay

[neales104]

jay- Congradulations on the boat. I am the owner of hull#31-1982. 82 IS ALSO MY AGE AND IT MAY BE TIME TO COME ASHORE. One other thing,my name is Jay!!! Happy times and keep your keel off the bottom.J

[dgibbons]

Jay (82 year old version),
If you are thinking of selling, drop me a note.

Dennis (67 year old version)