MY INITIAL CONCEPT IN CREATING this book was to show readers some of the antiquated grandeur I have been lucky enough to witness over the years. However, as I interviewed and photographed, the purpose evolved into something much more. I began to understand and admire not only the beautiful classic wooden boats, but also the dedication, the commitment, the sacrifices of the owners who stand watch over them until it is time to pass them on. As you turn the pages and savor the peeks and glimpses of decks above and cabins below, consider the sacrifices made by the owners who take it upon themselves to see some aging vessel through another decade in a world that has little interest in such nonsense. Notice how the testimonies and the stories that follow all strike a similar theme: People fall in love with some marvelous old beauty or potential beauty. They spend a certain portion of their lives, their money, their passion and their dreams restoring and preserving her before agreeing to pass their boat on to the next generation. Eventually every classic yacht in this book will need new dreamers to carry her though another century. Ron McClure, Author
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