Posts by John Riise
Helping Make a Sailor’s Dreams Come True
I want to sail so bad my stomach gets butterflies just thinking about it in my small apartment in the mountains of North Carolina.
Classic Schooner Viveka Relaunched in Richmond
The moment had been five years in the making. Viveka arrived at Rutherford’s Boat Shop in Richmond in 2015 for a full restoration. But the owner ran out of money and the project was stalled.
‘Chubby Girl’ Back on the Mainland
Wil departed the Bay on September 27 and had made it about 200 miles out (due in part to no wind the first two days) before the damage occurred.
Little Big Boat Heads West
Wil Spaul hopes to set a new record for the smallest boat ever to sail to Hawaii. He'll head west aboard the 9-ft 'Chubby Girl' on September 27.
Return of Historic Sailing Vessel ‘Vega’
You may recall the story in the April, 2019, issue about the shipyard accident involving the historic working brigantine Vega. In a nutshell, during a routine haulout at a shipyard in Thailand, the carriage wheels on the marine railway collapsed and the 128-year-old wooden ship (built in 1892 in Norway as a Baltic and North Sea trader) rolled off and onto her port side.
Young Cruiser Killed in Moorea
In a tragic accident in Moorea on August 10, a young cruiser was killed after being hit by a speedboat. According to reports, Eddie Jarman, 14, was checking the anchor on his family’s UK-based Discovery 55 September a.m. in Opunohu Bay when he was struck.
Laurent Duvernay-Tardif: One of the Good Guys
You may have seen Laurent Duvernay-Tardif on the news in the last few weeks. He is a 29-year-old offensive lineman on the Kansas City Chiefs football team. Back in February, he helped that franchise earn their first Superbowl rings in 50 years.
You Think This is Bad? — Remembering Harry
The ups and downs of COVID-19 drive us as crazy as everyone else. With all due respect for the real financial and psychological impact the pandemic is having on society, if you think this is bad, let us relive a story for you that we did way back in 1996 about Captain Ottmar “Harry” Friz, one of the most amazing seafarers and gentlemen we’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting.
When Frigate Birds Tire of Flying
Frigate Birds are an oddity among seabirds in that they never go in the water. Indeed, if a Frigate does somehow end up in the drink, it will likely drown in short order.
Eight Bells for Clinton Pearson
Boatbuilder Clinton Pearson passed away on April 4. He was 91.
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