10-14-2009, 10:56 PM
There is a boat on Great Slave Lake that is a bit of a ghost. We first noticed her coming out of the distance while we were puttering around a couple of years ago, Greg and I. The boat looked a lot bigger than our boats but had a very similar sail. As she drew closer, we could see that she was a weekender after all. I don't know who was more surprised, us, or the man in the strange boat, when he saw us. The man's name is Ken, and he built this boat in 1989, and sails it regularly every summer. He was not aware that Greg had built a Vacationer or that I had showed up with another weekender. It turns out the "Kestrel" is an original weekender with a centreboard, and tarp sails and hardware store components, just like the original plans. Ken says the bowsprit used to be a tree in his yard. Kestrel shows up unexpectedly on summer days while we are out sailing, and then disappears again for long periods. Ken uses her to go on week-long trips among the islands outside Yellowknife Bay. I would imagine this weekender has as many miles under her keel as any of 'em. She has been in regular use since she was built, and is very nicely looked after. Ken says he has had all the usual troubles, but just fixes 'er up and keeps sailing. She is as sound and good-looking as any of the other Weekenders here in Yellowknife. A bit of a testament to regular maintenance and perseverance, I think. I know, a boat will basically last as long as you continue to want it to. I like this one.
