Thank You Letter to a Classic Sailboat

Dear Hound,

Have you ever received a thank you note before? I’ve certainly never written one to a boat rather than to her owner. But it feels right to reach out directly, rather than letting another human pass along my gratitude for a job well done.

I was one of the 16 crew who sailed you around the buoys for the IYRS Classic Yacht Regatta over Labor Day weekend. As a yachting matriarch, you probably consider local day races as slightly beneath your dignity—especially when you’re undoubtedly still reveling in your most recent Bermuda Race victory. But since I only sail inshore events, I really appreciate your willingness to rise to this relatively minor occasion and show off your unique combination of speed and elegance. 

You were not designed to cross tacks with all-out race boats like 12 Metres, but you definitely made an impression; after sailing, one of their crew exclaimed how fast you were! And even as you chafed at the agonizingly slow pace of Sunday’s harbor parade, your timeless lines turned many heads and earned several cannon salutes. “Go Hound!” admirers cheered from rainy docks, though your crew was less than elegant in a mismatched collection of foulweather gear.

For almost as long as I’ve been alive, you’ve been bringing people together to achieve a common goal. Whether gathering in a spinnaker on your foredeck or gathering on your teak cockpit seats for a cruising sundowner, you inspire and reward the time spent onboard. You’re currently helping to raise a third generation of children; passing along some of your wisdom, while creating lifelong memories. Most yachts of your vintage have long since retired, but you continue to win both hearts and trophies. 

With your help we earned the weekend’s Spirit of Tradition award, a bottle of rum; just a drop in the bucket of what has been both transported and consumed by you and your crews in the past five decades. But for me, the real trophy is this: adding a teensy weensy knot to the lengthy string that is the luscious History of Hound. Thank you for letting me make some memories of my own. 

PS I prefer to think that this is the very first letter you’ve ever received directly; if not, please add the real story to the very long list of secrets you’re keeping to yourself. 

With hopes you will enjoy your rare winter’s nap, I remain

Your not-so-secret admirer and scribe 

Carol