s/v Esmeralde

Jamestown, Rhode Island

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BRIAR PATCH

It is a pleasure to introduce our friends to BRIAR PATCH and Dean and Kathy Mendenhall.  She's a McIntosh 34, and indeed one of the finest examples of the line of McIntosh cutters.  Sitting peacefully at anchor she is the perfect picture of how cruising Maine "should be!"

Dean and Kathy have been sailing BRIAR PATCH for 19 years.  Dean built the boat from the keel up over a seven year period, and has cared for her meticulously ever since.  You would never know she is "home built," as that moniker defies the true quality and integrity of the boat.  I'll get the facts on this and update this page, buy my understanding is that not only did Dean build her, but he felled the trees for her from a neighbor's property.  

We keep running into Dean and Kathy in Merchant's Row--in the exact same spot, two years running.  We first met them in 2003 when we were on the original ESMERALDE, and we were towing a 7' nutshell pram that was almost identical to their nutshell, except that theirs was a 9' version. 

One of the finest aspects of BRIAR PATCH is that Dean and Kathy haves taken great care to respect the simplicity of the design and intent of the McIntosh, foregoing the creature comforts that so many of us have succumbed to.  It was only last year they finally installed a radar, which we certainly sympathize with, as their primary cruising ground is foggy Down East!

All at once, BRIAR PATCH is solid, graceful, purposeful, and somehow calming, especially in this fast-paced age of instant gratification. 

Our hats off to Dean and Kathy for their appreciation for the joy of traditional beauty and simplicity.  We are delighted they have shared it with us.

And we hope they will still know us when we appear around a headland in our new ESMERALDE, hopefully this summer...

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

             

 

 

 

The shot on the left was taken in '03 (the others, same place in '04).  I can actually smell the fog and the pine forest!

We have no photos of Dean and Kathy, but they did share this photo of the three of us aboard BRIAR PATCH in '04.  Thank you, Dean and Kathy!

Senior Ciizens  Vide Poches  Florida  Briar Patch  Sunrise  Dockwise  Saint Roque  Ithaca
Foxy Lady  Ekaterina  Scotties  Sabre Regatta
 

Bruce and Dorsey Beard

info@esmeralde.net