On Tue, 23 May 2006 05:54:56 GMT, in message

Jere Lull wrote:

Pat and I knew we had an ugly boat in the beginning, but she grew on us
very early on. Fellow Tanzer owners described the 28 as a "school bus
with sails". We describe her as an ugly duckling, pregnant guppy, or our
"freighter with legs".

When I owned a Tanzer 26 I consoled myself with the thoughts that a
Grampian 26 looks a lot more like a school bus, and that I was getting
the best view in the harbour ;-)

My current boat has lovely lines and looks elegant from a distance,
which is a step up, but she's still over 25.... Functional issues come
first, then surface beauty.

As we start our 14th season as Xan's caretakers, similar comments now
only garner snickers. She gives us just about everything we need,
outruns boats nearly twice her length, and we expect she'll outlast us
if we continue to be good caretakers.

They made those hulls very strong. I'm betting I can keep Dragon III
going for at least another 25 years unless I get seduced by something
sleeker and faster.

Ryk