The notoriety was waning, or so I thought. Yep, after Matt Rutherford's audacious solo non stop sail around North and South America I may have thought, "Well that's it. We owners and lovers of the Albin Vega can now go back into quiet obscurity."
Well, I think that may have been what I thought or felt, that is until I flipped through the January 2015 issue of Cruising World Magazine and got caught on a photo of a lovely young lady holding a bucket of paint in one hand and a brush in the other as she stands next to a sailboat on the hard; an Albin Vega on the hard. After getting caught on that photo maybe I thought, "We're back on the map again."
If you'd wish to learn more about this young lady named Kirsten Carlberg then have a look at the January 2015 issue of Cruising World and/or visit her website at thefortunatewanderer.tumblr.com.
Some years ago I was anchored on the Sampit River in Georgetown, South Carolina where I met a former Albin Vega owner. He told me he sold his Vega for a bigger but less sea-worthy boat and that he was happy with rowing out to the bigger boat and reading aboard as he swung on his mooring but he sometimes missed his Vega. This former Vega owner also owned an original edition of "The Log of the Mahina" by John Neil which he lent me English teacher like, giving me just a few hours to read the book which he said was a quick read. I read the book in an hour or two and almost on cue knowing exactly when I'd finish reading the book he arrived back in his little wooden dinghy to retrieve it.
"What'd ja think?" He asked.
"Awesome, couldn't put it down. Thanks." I replied.
"I met John Neil a few years ago."
"Is that right?"
"I asked him about his adventure."
"What'd he say?"
"He said it was lonely."
That line kind of froze me up a little, broke the flow of dialogue, this guy in his little wooden dinghy and me in the cockpit of my Vega.
"The Christmas Islands kind of reminded me of Florida." I finally blurted, breaking the awkward silence. Awkward on my part anyway.
"Why's that?" He asked.
"They're very flat, low lying, difficult to see with your eyes unless you're way in close and then there's the danger of running aground. John Neil writing about the Christmas Islands made me think of Florida."
I reckon "The Log of the Mahina" by John Neil may have been one of the first voyaging adventures that made the Vega a cult boat according to some folks.
Once when the Wee Happy couple was departing Newport they came over to my Vega to have a chat. They were in their "after Vega boat" (my terminology). And it was a fine "after Vega boat" if I do say. I don't know remember exactly what it was but I do remember it looking very "Alberg-Folkboat-Swedish"; i.e., a yacht design style very near and dear to my heart. The Wee Happy girl told me that their previous boat, "Wee Happy" was a Vega but it was getting a bit small hence the new bigger "Wee Happy". She loved the Vega and I think it was she who called the Vega a "Cult-Boat". Check out weehappy.com to learn more about their story.
The Vega being called a cult boat brings to mind "The Rocky Horror Picture Show". Imagine a Vega version that could be called, "The Swedish Horror Sailing Show?" And instead of the main song being "Let's do the time warp again!" it could be "Let's raise the main sail again!" Maybe a fun singalong on long passages?
As I write this winter storm Marcus is blowing through. Sailing on a cult boat or any boat is pretty much a dream for this writer at this time. I hope some of you are enjoying a good sail where ever you are.
Fair Winds
Captain Bill
Well, I think that may have been what I thought or felt, that is until I flipped through the January 2015 issue of Cruising World Magazine and got caught on a photo of a lovely young lady holding a bucket of paint in one hand and a brush in the other as she stands next to a sailboat on the hard; an Albin Vega on the hard. After getting caught on that photo maybe I thought, "We're back on the map again."
If you'd wish to learn more about this young lady named Kirsten Carlberg then have a look at the January 2015 issue of Cruising World and/or visit her website at thefortunatewanderer.tumblr.com.
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| My Albin Vega "Freya" anchored on Put-In Creek off Mobjack Bay. |
Some years ago I was anchored on the Sampit River in Georgetown, South Carolina where I met a former Albin Vega owner. He told me he sold his Vega for a bigger but less sea-worthy boat and that he was happy with rowing out to the bigger boat and reading aboard as he swung on his mooring but he sometimes missed his Vega. This former Vega owner also owned an original edition of "The Log of the Mahina" by John Neil which he lent me English teacher like, giving me just a few hours to read the book which he said was a quick read. I read the book in an hour or two and almost on cue knowing exactly when I'd finish reading the book he arrived back in his little wooden dinghy to retrieve it.
"What'd ja think?" He asked.
"Awesome, couldn't put it down. Thanks." I replied.
"I met John Neil a few years ago."
"Is that right?"
"I asked him about his adventure."
"What'd he say?"
"He said it was lonely."
That line kind of froze me up a little, broke the flow of dialogue, this guy in his little wooden dinghy and me in the cockpit of my Vega.
"The Christmas Islands kind of reminded me of Florida." I finally blurted, breaking the awkward silence. Awkward on my part anyway.
"Why's that?" He asked.
"They're very flat, low lying, difficult to see with your eyes unless you're way in close and then there's the danger of running aground. John Neil writing about the Christmas Islands made me think of Florida."
I reckon "The Log of the Mahina" by John Neil may have been one of the first voyaging adventures that made the Vega a cult boat according to some folks.
 |
| Albin Vega Cult-Boat |
Once when the Wee Happy couple was departing Newport they came over to my Vega to have a chat. They were in their "after Vega boat" (my terminology). And it was a fine "after Vega boat" if I do say. I don't know remember exactly what it was but I do remember it looking very "Alberg-Folkboat-Swedish"; i.e., a yacht design style very near and dear to my heart. The Wee Happy girl told me that their previous boat, "Wee Happy" was a Vega but it was getting a bit small hence the new bigger "Wee Happy". She loved the Vega and I think it was she who called the Vega a "Cult-Boat". Check out weehappy.com to learn more about their story.
The Vega being called a cult boat brings to mind "The Rocky Horror Picture Show". Imagine a Vega version that could be called, "The Swedish Horror Sailing Show?" And instead of the main song being "Let's do the time warp again!" it could be "Let's raise the main sail again!" Maybe a fun singalong on long passages?
 |
| Newport Harbor, February 9, 2015 as winter storm Marcus blows through. |
As I write this winter storm Marcus is blowing through. Sailing on a cult boat or any boat is pretty much a dream for this writer at this time. I hope some of you are enjoying a good sail where ever you are.
Fair Winds
Captain Bill
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