Hello everyone,
My name is Albert. My wife and I are part of what sometimes feels like a very rare species — Chinese sailors. Over the past few years we’ve sailed about 1500 nautical miles in the Mediterranean aboard our own Bermudan-rigged boat. and another 1000 or so in the South China Sea during regattas and boat deliveries.
One thing that has always made me a little sad is how forgotten the Chinese junk rig has become in China today. In a way, it feels like a piece of our own maritime heritage has quietly disappeared. We would love to help bring a proper junk-rigged sailing boat back to China someday, and ever since discovering the Colvin Gazelle, I haven’t really been able to get it out of my head.
Before taking the leap and buying one, though, we would really like to spend some time sailing on a junk-rigged boat to understand how they truly feel and behave at sea. That’s why I’m hoping to attend the Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race this October.
If anyone in the association might be willing to take me along on a participating schooner — especially a junk-rigged Colvin boat, perhaps even one that may eventually be for sale — I would be incredibly grateful for the opportunity.
We are very comfortable with boat work and refits, and we are not afraid of hard work or getting our hands dirty. Our current boat is a Dufour 35 that had poorly repaired grounding damage before we bought her. Since then, we have re-tabbed structural grids that had separated from the hull, completed a full osmosis treatment, and removed and rebuilt rotten balsa core sections ourselves. We care deeply about boats and are fully capable of helping maintain and look after a serious sailing vessel.
I’m 30 years old, healthy, hardworking, and always happy to lend strong arms and a willing back wherever needed.
If anyone feels they might be able to help us take this next step in our sailing journey, I would sincerely love to hear from you.
Many thanks, and fair winds to all.