Journey’s Doppleganger

Boys with boats. Dirk and Wayne with our Pearsons, Evening Ebb
and Journey, side-by-side at Nanny Cay Marina, Tortola BVI.

“I’ll show you mine, if you’ll show me yours,” Dirk coyly offered.

Who could resist an offer like that?  Denfiinitely not us!  Wayne and I gleefully descended, proffering cold Presidente beer and genuine curiosity.

Dirk, owner of the Pearson ketch Evening Ebb (EE), found us thanks to his and Wayne’s participation in the Pearson forum, a web-based community of Pearson sailboat owners (click here to link to the Pearson forum).  Starting in 1976 and over an 8-year period, 400 Pearson 36 ½ ketches were built from the same hull design.  We’re not sure how many are still in existence, though Pearsons are renowned for their sturdiness and stability.

Realizing we were in the BVI at the same time, Dirk invited us to meet up, say hello, check out each other’s boats and share notes.  We were excited!  This would be the first time we were meeting another Pearson owner in person on his boat.

Every boat needs a mascot.  We loved Dirk's Sock Puppet.
Thanks for the use of your photo, Dirk.

Dirk kept EE spotless and lovingly upgraded.  Her white cockpit cushions gleamed as did her sparking white interior.  I loved the grab bar on EE’s reinforced dodger frame and you didn’t even have to straddle the winch like you do on Journey as you enter the cockpit.  I also lusted over the fact EE’s winches are self-tailing (for non-boaties, that means when you tighten a line by pulling it through the winch, the winch grabs and holds it so it won’t slip back out).  We ooohed and ahhhed over EE’s windvane, his brand new bilge pump, state of the art electronics (including AIS), new stove / oven unit with stowage room under its gimbaled bottom,* efficiently reconfigured fridge and freezer setup,** absorbed gas mat (AGM) batteries,*** high quality LED light bulbs, beautifully sewn shadeworthy  navy curtains and nicely upholstered settees.

*Wayne had to pull our stove / oven out for me to clean underneath it; a nasty job that took several hours, total.  I would’ve loved to easily clean it by slipping my hand underneath but it was too narrow an opening for even an anorexic to clear.

**I do not entirely joke that for me to get something out of the bottom of our fridge, Wayne would need to suspend me by my ankles for me to dive in headfirst and get it – it’s that deep.  Our freezer “door” consists of a duct tape-covered piece of foam which periodically freezes itself into inoperability. 

***Our batteries are tired and unhappy and a minimum of two are due for replacement (click here to learn about why some had to get replaced sooner).

We immediately spotted and chuckled over the sock puppet Dirk posted on his blog (click here for Dirk’s blog) as we knew exactly where to find it on our “twin.”

Dirk and Wayne in Evening Ebb’s salon, comparing notes.

Wayne extolled virtues of our Harken traveler, our watermaker and of course the beer elevator former owner Ned installed in our fridge never fails to impress.

We were sorry when it was time to go our separate ways.  Dirk’s work on EE is an inspiration.  More important, he’s a really nice guy to hang out with.

Happy sailing, Dirk!  We welcome the opportunity meet again!