For eighteen years Nancy and I owned and sailed this beautifull Yawl. We were only the fourth owners. An Englishman purchased it in Europe and shipped to the United States on a freighter. Years later he sold it to a gentleman that was born in Chile. He and his family renamed her "La Cueca", the name of the Chilien National Dance. Nancy and I rechristened her with her original name, PRISCILLA.

This Gaff rigged Yawl was built in 1910 at a shipyard in Olton Broad, Suffolk England for the racing fleet of the Crown Prince of Denmark. He became King Christen X in 1912. She is 48 feet on deck. 60 feet from Mizzen boom to tip of Bowsprit. She weighs 20 tons and her beam is only 9 feet. Gaff rigged fore and aft and carried about 1000 feet of sail.

The pictures do not show a mizzen staysail that we often used. Her main mast is 50 feet from the step. She was built with oak frames and planked with pine from the northwest US. Her decks were larch and the trim and interior are Philippine Mahogany. In 1989 we sold her to a young couple that had her trucked to San Francisco and re-decked her with oak.

She sailed like a Ferrari and would out point any gaff rigger we ever raced against. In a reverse start in a San Diego Ancient Mariner Race she was the last of 22 gaff riggers to start and the first to finish. I wish I could say it was because of her skipper. She did it by herself.

NEWS FLASH
We just recieved an e-mail from Priscilla's new owner from Northern California. He is in the process of restoring her. We will update as we learn more.

The Money Trail - How I paid the bills.

Soon out of high school while attending Glendale JC., LACC and UCLA I went to work at Librascope in Glendale. I spent six years cutting my eye teeth in the computing industry. At age twenty-three I was their youngest supervisor, heading the Computer Programming Department. I left to install and manage a Data Center for a new company, International Industries, the parent company for International House of Pancakes.

From there I joined The Data Corp., a Wilshire Boulevard Service Bureau belonging to The Insurance Company of North America. At Age 30 I was named Vice President and Member of the Board.

I then joined Informatics in Sherman Oaks to help put them in the Service Bureau business. I built and headed their data center in Sherman Oaks across the street from the Sheraton Hotel. Later I also managed the Informatics Data Center in El Segundo.

At 35 I "went on my own" and began a life as an independent consultant providing system design, equipment acquisition, operation and maintenance to small and medium size businesses. This is how I paid the bills until I retired in 1998 at age 62.

The Bull Shit Trail
How I blew the money from above.

Six months BEFORE The Community Property Law was passed I went through a nasty "you know what" that took the home on the golf course and the property in Florida. I was left with "you know what" and visitation rights.

Twenty minutes later I married Nancy.

Six months later, instead of buying property we "invested" in a 60 foot gaff rigged yawl that was built in 1910. We kept her in Newport Beach for three years and then moved her to Redondo Beach where we eventually bought a home.

This of course planted us directly into the yachting community. Specifically the King Harbor Yacht Club. For the next 25 years, against Nancy's wishes, we did every job and task that all clubs demand of their members.

In 1988, without Nancy's blessing, but with her support, I was Commodore. (BFD)

At the end of 1988 I was appointed to the Redondo Beach Harbor Commission, (without her blessing but with her support.)

In 1989, without her blessing but with her support, I ran and was elected to the Redondo Beach City Council. I would like to take this opportunity to publicly thank the 46 voters that put me "over the top."

I also served two years as Mayor Pro Tem for the City of Redondo Beach and two years as Commissioner on the Los Angeles County Energy Commission under Supervisor Deane Dana.

I participated in four political campaigns. I would like to take this opportunity to publicly thank the 26 voters who in my fourth and final campaign mercifully released me from my bondage.

Nancy and I are now (with her approval) happily retired!