Floating out your big chance
High adventure calls! (1922/USPD/Commons.wikimedia.org)
Like chill? Wind in your face? Iron Man stomach? How about rolling with rough seas? Fur-lined foul weather gear in the closet? You got ship?
You’re it.
Only if you’re good at slinging it – or can crane around a bit. Sign up now as support is desperately needed by Rainmaker, the Gunboat 55 abandoned by owner and crew some five months ago.
This boat’s the Energizer Bunny of yachts. As the old Timex jingle used to say “Takes a lickin’ and keeps on tickin’
A testimonial to the construction and design of the boat: months of severe North Atlantic winter storms, missing mast, and now the cabin roof, yet still floating.
While it appears scavengers have boarded and removed some of the hardware, there’s plenty of boat left for a serious project-seeking rescuer.
Rainmaker was spotted and photographed on June 16, 2015 at 5 pm by Capt. Reinhard Peer of the Hapag-Lloyd container ship Chicago Express. (Lat 35.36.282 N. Lon 062.17.187 W.)
Rainmaker Floating along without a crew.(Gunboat FB)
Peter Johnstone and the Gunboat Company would be thrilled to have a chance to examine her – and see her refitted for normal sailing life.
Some have suggested launching a rescue mission from Bermuda.
You’d need a big sturdy boat to tow her, or a large vessel able to send divers over to place a sling carefully around the hulls and then gently lift her aboard by crane.
After repairs and refitting, should she be rechristened “Resurrection”?
Not sure about that, being a bit superstitious about renaming boats.
Wouldn’t want to rain on her valiant parade after all her own efforts to take care of herself. She’s floating better than many life rafts would be.
Best not to mess with a determined independent woman.
The elegant catamaran in better days.(Rainmaker promo photo/Gunboat website)
A sea spirit seeking like-minded companions.
Don’t give up the ship, Rainmaker.
Hopefully, someone will throw the lady a line.
The answer is floating out there.
It’s your big chance.
Phil, the Philosopher Mouse of the Hedge
Related posts:
Better hurry before winter stirs things up or pack lots of foul weather gear and easy to eat meals.(USPD/Commons.wikimedia.org)
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16 Comments
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Philosopher Mouse of the Hedge 
maybe this boat is a modern “flying dutchman”? I like boats – from a distance, I sadly have no Popeye genes and turn into a fountain as soon as I set my foot on board :o(
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Easy, you are right – this boat could become a spooky legend. Molly agrees with you about boats…she’s very suspicious and reluctant to even set paw on a wooden dock. Dogs know: if there’s not trees and grass, it’s not good. Thanks for coming aboard.
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Failing all else, imagining how a resurrection could take place on the basis of restoring sailing capabilities enough to get her mobile again and out of there would make a tempting adventure story!
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Rescue might be tricky, but there’s bound to be a hero out there somewhere. Boat’s doing her part..(Wonder if sea birds see it as a convenient island.) Thanks for surfing by
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How do you find such interesting stories?
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They are like stray cats. Thanks for grinning along
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They circle your house for two weeks mewing until hoarse until finally lured in with saucers of milk and cans of tuna?
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Even easier than that: the ones already here leave a window open for others.
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How sad and I would think dangerous to have her drifting around. It certainly is a testament to her construction that she is still afloat! You find the coolest stories!!
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One of the biggest dangers to sailboats on ocean voyages is unexpected floating junk – some of it is very large like bus size cargo crates.
Somewhere there’s a hero to rescue this damsel. Thanks for sailing by tho chat
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Hey! When she’s ready for varnish, I know someone who might sign onto the team!
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Be sure to negotiate paid travel expenses into that contract…and a cruise once it’s done! Thanks for scrubbing up a comment to leave
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Well built little hull isn’t she? Being from Halifax a Canadian Naval port I’m surprised no one’s used her for target practice yet. Our coast guard and Navy always get a kick out of “removing” dangers to navigation. The cost of salvaging her is likely more than she is worth – it would have to be a purest who staged a rescue mission, someone who loved the boat and it’s essence and wanted to preserve it. On the other hand the Navy and Coast Guard pay for hulls that they can practice their gunnery on. If she was floating anywhere in Canadian waters, they’d have filled her so full of holes with delight that she would have just been toothpicks. I wish her the best. 😀
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Better floating stuff get sunk than float around being a hazard.
Normally, no matter the size of the vessel, sailors respect boats.
That being said, target practice on the water as entertaining as cans on a tank bank.
(But you have to hope she will float close enough the company or someone will grab her) Thanks for shooting over with a comment right on target!
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Amazing how she remains afloat. 🙂
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This is why they always say, stay with the boat if at all possible…especially the really determined ones. Thanks for splashing down over here
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