Sometimes the Right Owner Is Watching
Back when there was still snow on the ground in Maine, we drove to Northport, ME, to film an old LeComte Northeast 38.
To us, it was another BoatFools adventure. A beautiful, underappreciated boat with a story worth telling.
What we didn’t know was that someone watching wasn’t just enjoying the video.
He was looking at his next boat.
Today, that very same LeComte is headed to Rockland to be launched under new ownership. Her new owner has been part of the BoatFools community since the early days—one of the people who believed in what we were trying to build before any of this seemed like it might actually work.
That’s a pretty remarkable feeling.
People sometimes ask what success looks like for BoatFools. The views are wonderful. Subscriber milestones are exciting. Meeting fellow sailors at marinas and in Hamilton Marine never gets old.
But this is something else.
A sailor discovered a boat through one of our videos, bought her, and is giving her a new life.
That was always the goal.
BoatFools has never been about selling boats. It’s about telling their stories, celebrating good design, and helping keep deserving sailboats on the water. Every once in a while, those stories reach exactly the right person.
Sometimes the right owner is watching.
Moments like this make the long drives, cold fingers, endless editing, and early mornings worthwhile. They remind me that we’re building something much bigger than a YouTube channel.
We’re building a community.
And every now and then, that community helps write a happy ending for another classic sailboat.
I can’t wait to see where she sails next. In fact, her new owner has already promised us a sail. Aces!
As if that weren’t enough, there was another full-circle moment waiting on the dock.
The gentleman standing on the far right in the photo of the LeComte bought one of the very first boats Canadian Ken and I ever featured on BoatFools—a Southern Cross 39, Hull #1. Around here we call him Save the Day Jay, and for good reason. He’s the Swiss Army knife of boating. If it breaks, Jay can fix it—head, diesel engine, rigging, plumbing...you name it.
Jay first found us through the BoatFools Facebook community a month or so ago. Today, he’s not only helping the new owner of the LeComte get settled in, he’s helping us keep our own Morgan 384 on schedule for this weekend’s charter.
Truth be told, without Jay, that charter probably wouldn’t be happening.
The best part? You’ll be seeing a lot more of him. Jay has agreed to become a recurring guest on BoatFools, helping all of us tackle the kinds of DIY projects that keep these wonderful old boats sailing.
The funny thing is, neither Jay nor the new LeComte owner are just viewers anymore.
They’re friends.
Maybe that’s the biggest surprise of all. Somewhere along the way, BoatFools stopped being just a YouTube channel. It became a place where people who love old sailboats find one another.
Sometimes the right owner is watching.
And sometimes, you end up with new friend.
Onward and Happy 4th of July!
FINALLY, in a bit of good news, it appears Catalina Yachts found a new buyer! Former Catalina president Patrick Turner announced that a new company, C & T Composites, has acquired the opportunity to revive the Catalina and True North brands. Turner says the goal is to:
resume production in Largo,
bring back many former Catalina designers and employees,
continue building Catalina sailboats,
and introduce a new adventure-boat line called Xplor Yachts.
So there’s that!
Best. Post. Ever.