PassageMaker May/June 2021

Most of us prefer to leave things better than we found them. In my experience, all boats are ongoing projects. Being “done” is elusive—a comical thought, really. There comes a time in every older trawler’s life when her owner is consumed by the desire to spit on his palms, hoist the black flag and consider a major refit. Walking the docks, I frequently see old boats that I imagine could be extraordinary. But as many of us have learned the hard way, a quick, easy and thrifty rebuild is about as far-fetched as the notion of marrying your first crush and living happily ever after. I’m not saying it can’t happen; I’m saying it rarely does. Few among us have the time, skill, will or wallet to see such a major endeavor…

NAME Kevin Fairbrother AGE 61 HOME PORT Fort Myers, Florida CURRENT BOAT 1989 Offshore 48 Yachtfisher YEARS OWNED 9 Kevin Fairbrother has been boating for 30 years, having caught the bug from his brother. He has owned a range of small boats, from an 18-foot bowrider to a 28-foot Wellcraft Coastal. Today, he lives aboard his Offshore 48 Yachtfisher and cruises extensively with his wife, Katie, their dog, Kilo, and their cat, Lima. BEGINNINGS My brother purchased a 21-foot boat, and once I got out on the water, I fell in love with the feeling of freedom and the peacefulness. A friend of mine had a boat at the time, and I lived on a canal with Gulf of Mexico access. We made a deal: He could keep his boat at my house, and I could use it. He lost interest after…

Caesar salads are perfect for warm-weather dining, especially when topped with fresh sea-food. The tangy homemade Caesar dressing in this recipe is quick and simple to make in a small blender. Anchovies, garlic, lemon and Dijon mustard add a substantial kick to this classic dressing. The garlic-butter croutons with Parmesan really elevate this salad, making it look and taste quite fancy. The cheese crusted onto each toast will have you snacking on these croutons all by themselves. Grill the salmon on top first to get perfect grill marks, and then flip it over and grill it on the skin side until it’s cooked through. If you don’t have a grill, you can use a stovetop grill pan or an oven broiler. This easy weeknight salad will take you from zero to dinner in…

I woke up a few nights ago in a cold sweat. In the dark of night, it came to me that I was a fraud. Not the grimy sort of fraud, but nonetheless, still a fraud. The truth is that I am a double-ender guy. It just sort of crept up on me, and now I’m admitting to my sorry lot in life. Before now, I had always thought I was sternbidextrous, meaning I liked all sorts of sterns, but I now realize that I am hampered by a firm prejudice toward double-ended designs. Of the half dozen boats residing under my stable roof, half fit the definition of a double-ended design. If I add up the length of the whole fleet, the double-ended models make up 64 percent. Wouldn’t you think…

Apollonian Yachts is a new brand created by Washington state-based naval architect Howard Apollonio, and Seattle yacht salesman Vic Parcells. The Apollonian 52 is marketed as an affordable, well-built cruiser set up to be easily managed by an owner-operator. At 52 feet length overall and with a 16-foot, 8-inch beam, the Apollonian 52 is designed to fit in most 50-foot slips. The raised pilothouse design includes large living spaces and has traffic-flow areas for entertaining. “This is a very versatile boat with a little something for everybody,” Apollonio says. The 52 is a three-stateroom, three-head boat. Two heads are below, in the full-beam master and VIP staterooms, and one is in the pilothouse. “With two doubles, it’s a good two-couples boat, but with a twin-berth cabin that would be good for kids,” Apollonio says. Built…

I was standing in front of the bins of fasteners at my local marine hardware store, wondering why it should cost more for the four stainless steel screws to hold down a fitting on my trawler than I’d paid for my wedding band. Actually, I was reflecting that, considering the prices, it’s entirely appropriate that we call them screws. An old friend came up and, in his first breath, told me that he’d just sold his boat. He seemed depressed and said he “was going to miss the old clunker.” I asked what he was going to miss most. After thinking a moment, he said, “sitting on the aft deck at anchor early in the morning and smelling the coffee.” His answer lingered with me long after I’d taken out the mortgage…