A new Project: An Abandoned Catboat

It had been several months since I arrived to Washington, DC that I ran across this abandoned boat. I knew about catboats but never seen one up close. I was really missing the ocean and my old Nicholson that had been sold prior to my move.  So I decided it could become a good project; after sharing my thoughts at home. I was encouraged that my wife understood my sickness: I cant live without owning a boat, having a project  and without sailing.

Platero fall of 2009, Washington Sailing Marina, Washington DC

I found out it was a Herreshoff America catboat and while not what I expected to have as my next boat, it seemed that with its single sail, simple layout and shoal draft could be the perfect companion to discover anchorages along rivers and bays, I was encouraged as I found out more about the boat the potential it could have a good trailable day sailor or weekender. I had written in my diary (Spanish) how much I missed living aboard and how I missed having a boat to work with:

Extraño el dormir en mi velero, oir el ruido de los aparejos golpeando el mastil con el vaiven de las olas, el movimiento que placenteramente me presentaba a morfeo cada noche. El ruido de las olas golpeando el casco de fibra, el movimiento del velero empinando su proa obedeciendo al ancla inmovible. Desde que llegue a tierra firme hace muchos años no logro acostumbrarme a las camas de tierra. Camas tiesas y estaticas. Cada noche sueño que vuelvo a mi simple vida de mar, a una vida que quizas jamas volvera. El poder levantarse a media noche a saciar la sed y subir a cubierta a sentir las brisas nocturnas de los vientos alisios y mirar al cielo y no ver noche... solo estrellas... a veces se podia divisar pequeñas agujas de luz sobre volando en una velocidad certera cruzando el cielo..  eran satelites que al sus paneles  golpear con brillos solares los transofrmaban en esas fugazes que nunca caerian.... La noche oscura del mar.. susurrando ruidos marinos en mis oidos...

The decision was made I was going to contact the owner and try to buy the catboat!

Even before I had bought the catboat I knew he perfect name for it:: Platero. It would take me back to my childhood memories when I read the spanish poet Juan Ramon Jimenez and his famous adventures with a donkey called Platero.

Platero had a myriad of guests in the interior, from wasps to birds nests you could find a sample of the different animals inhabitants that would make Platero their home during the different seasons.It was full of wood but due to the lil care it received a lot of it had to be redone.

The boat needed lots of TLC in order to get it to where once it had been. Just the project I was looking for. I left a note for the owner in the marina office explaining my interest and to my surprise he called right away saying that he was very willing to sell it to me. Platero would be mine!
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