Admiral Dinghy 2007

Article By Shorty


Guess who showed up? Admiral Dinghy ! (See AdmiralDinghy.com) He just started his voyage around the world in his 9'11" sailboat. I don't think he is going to sail the whole way, but rather voyage in a manner similar to Larry Brown when he was writing his Trailersailing America book - only Admiral is going around the world.



I had the pleasure of meeting the Admiral a few years back at Lake Charles. His boat was still in the building phase, but as you can see she is fully outfitted now and ready for a long voyage.



He's a nice guy - you should checkout his website, and if he passes by your area, try to get out and see him.

Thanks for the Messabout - from the Admiral


THANKS FOR THE MESS-ABOUT
By Admiral Dingy


ARRR! Now that was fun, Matties! It all started when an e-mail arrived at ADMIRALDINGHY.COM from the infamous Shorty Penn.

"ARRR!" says I. I remember that sailor from Lake Charles, Louisiana! 'Twas a thing called a Mess-About that showed up at the Yacht Club that I belonged to at the time. What's a MESS-ABOUT?

Well anyway, the message in Shorty's electronic mail instructed the reader to: "Be at Port Lavaca this next weekend, unless you are dying or are in jail or suffer under the pain of death!"! Of death?!?

Attention on deck! When Shorty Penn talks, I listen, says I! This chap looks as if he just walked out of the folksel on a clipper or a wind-jammer with a boatswain pipe around his neck in foul weather while rounding the Horn with sail changes on his mind! Save the ship! One hand for yourself and one hand for the ship! Stand up and do your duty!

Misnomer. Short(y) Penn is not short; he is built as wide & as tall as a rudder on a coaler's barge running the canals of Europe! With a pundit's demeanor on his commanding face!

With that being said, (I'll cancel the Buccaneer Parade in Corpus Christi to head to Port Lavaca for the Mess-About, just as Shorty ordered!) After all, I have conducted the interviews and I have shot the photos for the articles that I intend to write about the Ships of Christopher Columbus:the Santa Maria, the Pinta, and the Niña.

I reason and plan: I'll go aboard the Lady Lexington tomorrow (Friday, May 4th) and interview the crew for my future article on Corpus Christi. Yosa! Yosa! Yosa! I loved Corpus Christi-- that Sparkling City by the Sea! Oh and I won't ship Dumb Dingy aboard! (We have to leave for the Mess-About for fear of being put under the pain of death!

After dark on Friday, May 4th, the land yacht arrives at Magnolia Beach with the Cruise Ship Dinghy in tow setting low to the ground on her new trailer. Whoops! We hit a major bump! At that point, she needs a new one!

Dumb Dingy done did damage to the other one! (Read about it at admiraldinghy.com on the Ship's Log Page-in the article titled, "Admiral Dingy Hanging in a Tree"). Oh no what a comedy of mess-ups that was!

"Aye", say's I! I'm finally going to see a real Mess-About! I'm not really sure what this is all about.

Suddenly, my thoughts are racing…Wow! Look at that Gulf of Mexico! The wind is up perhaps 20 to 25 knots and Dumb Dingy got us lost on one of those country roads with lack of pavement. Guess he got aboard after all! Can we talk dust? It is everywhere; the entire land yacht is covered in and out. Tomorrow is another day. But for now, it's into the sea for me to enjoy a bath in salt water. AYE, 'TIS THE CRUISING LIFE FOR ME!

Once out of the water, I hit the hay and fade into the sleep of night…

Then…

Late! It was mid-morning before I stuck my head out of the hatch! Some mess-abouters had arrived; and more were on the way. By mid-day, they were all there! All the mess-abouters-and their boats! Some transported them on trailers. Some on the tops of their cars! Some carried them in pick-em-up trucks! So there they were--boats of many descriptions! ARRR! Now that got my attention span. Got to go check these boats out! There are a myriad amount of boats of many descriptions! Rowing boats, sailing boats, sailing boards! But I don't recall seeing any power boats.

While discovering the boats, I also discovered the guys who built them! Indeed they were into design and craftsmanship! What I found even more important and interesting, is that they are collectively a group of sailor-boatbuilders. I profoundly wish that I would have had knowledge about a group such as this when I was building the Cruise Ship Dinghy. Having been a dancer, actor and moviemaker did not train me for the job of being a craftsmen in boat building.

But anyway, while at the Mess-About, I learned much about the intricacies of boatbuilding…of various parts and things to do. Probably the most important knowledge I gleaned from the Event was how to tabernacle the mast. Now I have applied that useful piece of information to practice by actually having done it! It was easy and it works! Simple! I just didn't know how to prior to the Mess-About.

Now another question pops into my mind: When at sea in a storm, should I leave the stayless mast up with the junk rig sail down and tied? Or should I bring the mast down and lay it into its cradle? Experience will tell!

In closing, I wish to thank all of the sailors at the Mess-About! There were great boats! Great sailors! Great conversation! And I learned! SO THANKS! If you're a boat builder or sailor, I strongly advise you to find a MESS-A-BOUT in your area and go! You'll enjoy the experience!

I wish I had learned about them sooner!

By: Admiral Dingy

[ from Shorty ]
We sure enjoyed getting to meet you Admiral !! Thanks for coming !!!



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