174 ALBACORA 



"If I had you build a boat big enough to sail 7,000 

 miles," Lou said, "we'd have to sacrifice maneuvera- 

 bility, wouldn't we?" 



Wheeler nodded. 



"That's one thing we're going to have to have," Lou 

 said. "The fish we're after are about as evasive as any- 

 thing in the ocean." 



According to Lou's plans the Explorer had to sleep 

 eight people comfortably and include a cockpit large 

 enough for working purposes. The fighting chair, Lou 

 ordered, was to be set back four feet from the stern, as- 

 suring the footrest ample clearance. Just over the wa- 

 ter line, in the stern, a trap door and rollers had to be 

 constructed so we could haul our fish aboard without a 

 davit. Then there was to be a deep freeze that could hold 

 food for three months, an automatic pilot, a depth re- 

 corder, a temperature gauge, a tow and dozens of spe- 

 cial features most fishermen don't even know exist. For 

 power, Lou purchased two Chrysler Imperial engines, 

 each generating 200 horsepower. 



My special project was the dinette. At sea, a com- 

 fortable and airy place to eat always becomes particu- 

 larly important, and on long journeys a dinette also 

 tends to serve as the center of social life on board. The 

 table is handy for cards or writing or supporting high- 

 ball glasses. Much as you want a spacious living room 

 at home, you want a spacious dinette on a fishing boat. 

 But on the boat space is a problem. By putting our di- 

 nette in the forward part of the cabin where there was 



