Bad News or Good News or Destiny?

This is a stunningly beautiful boat at this year's show... it is for sale...
it is definitely a style of boat I would love to own
but, at a price of $25,000, it is well out of reach for me...

Yesterday we attended the annual Lake Champlain Maritime Festival which is an event we always look forward to attending each year. The weather was comfortable, sunny and simply beautiful which made the day much more enjoyable since my health suffers significantly in hot environments. This day was perfect for my health!

As always, there was a nice assortment of boats at this year's show... each more beautiful than the previous. The boats are so beautiful that I always leave this show wishing I had the energy and a large empty garage so I could build my own boat.

I've been keeping my eyes open for a small runabout for the past couple of years. (I'd also love to get my hands on a Laser sailboat to complement my little Minifish sailboat, but that is another story for another time.) I'm not too picky in what I hope to find (at least I don't think so)... I want the boat to be small in the 12'-15' range... with enough power to pull some young waterskiers (pay attention, Lukey and Kenzie)... but with an engine small enough that the fuel bill doesn't empty my embarrassingly small, fixed income bank account... and the boat must have some "classic" character.

For me, "classic character" would be a beautiful wood boat with the characteristic wood planked deck... or even a nice, small antique aluminum runabout in good condition. No matter which type of runabout I find, I will certainly add my own details and character. I know that a fiberglass boat would require less maintenance but I really don't care for most fiberglass boats. 

As many of you already know, I really love antique wood boats with stained varying species of wood, polished brass and polished chrome. A runabout in wood in good condition (not rotted) is my first choice... a classic aluminum runabout would be my secondary choice (we had one of these for a few years at Brant Lake when I was a child... actually, I learned to waterski on this little aluminum runabout) and I would simply add many beautiful details to either.

At last year's show, there was a wood boat which fit my list of requirements... money was an issue, however. I kept the phone number of the boat broker though... just in case something would change. 

By the time Christmas arrived, I had a small amount of money in the bank which I would spend on the "right" boat in a heartbeat. Unfortunately, by then, this boat was no longer available. (This was the "bad news" referenced in the title of this blog entry.)

So, once a week, I search through all the online listings for boats in the eastern US... I've seen nothing to capture my attention which falls within my meager budget as of yet.

I noticed in one listing that a beautiful old Chris Craft boat would be for sale at this year's Maritime Festival show. Although a stunningly beautiful boat, this one is definitely well out of my price range at $25,000. If I had the money, however, this classic Chris Craft would be mine today! It really is beautiful! (see the photo above)

So...  We were at the show yesterday... perusing the boats on the lawn adjacent to the boardwalk... there were some beautiful boats there but it didn't take long to inspect each of these boats. Then we walked toward the boathouse where the docked boats were located...

A beautiful boat more in line with my means...  the same
boat which captured my attention at last year's show!

As we were approaching the boathouse, I spotted that little wood runabout from last year that had captured my attention! It was prominently displayed on its trailer in front of the boathouse... "What happened?  Does the new owner want to sell the boat already? Is it even for sale? Or, is it just here on display again this year?" (Seeing this boat again is the "good news" referenced in the title of this blog entry.)

I picked up my pace and walked directly toward this boat like a wobbly-legged sailor to rum...

This boat... the very boat I wanted to buy last year... the very boat I have been thinking about since first seeing it at last year's show was now being raffled off at this year's show! A raffle!

Was this destiny at work here? Did I lose out on buying this boat because I am actually destined to win it in a raffle? 

Well... this is my hope! Maybe, just maybe, is destiny stepping in to lend a hand to my meager finances? 

As much as I myself like this particular boat, I know the kids would have fun learning to waterski... I know we all would enjoy evening cruises around the lake... I know this little boat could be the source of many years of happy memories.

Hopefully, and if destiny can take on a small part in this sequence of events... on October 4th, I will get a phone call telling me I won the raffle and this boat is now mine!

Here is to hope... and perhaps a little bit of destiny...