CHAPTER V 

 AN UNSUCCESSFUL EFFORT 



In the autumn of 1936, Capt. Billsborough called my attention to an offer 

 of the motor-sailer Buckaroo for sale. We proceeded at once to Boston, 

 looked her over, and had a trial trip, using both sail and motor-power al- 

 ternately. She seemed to suit my purposes admirably except for accom- 

 modations below, which were possible to improve. Her dimensions were: 

 length overall, fifty-two feet, beam fourteen feet, draft five feet. She 

 carried six tons of ballast. The height of her mast was fifty-six feet from 

 waterline. She was equipped for swordfishing with harpoon, a sport which 

 I prefer to any I have experienced. We brought this boat to Wilmington 

 and our satisfaction with her qualities increased as we sailed her down the 

 coast. She was of heavy construction and very seaworthy. We made radi- 

 cal changes below decks. Capt. Billsborough and I had a most interesting 

 problem in reconstruction of the accommodations. The sleeping arrange- 

 ments were changed so that the owner's party could be six instead of five, 

 a better appointed galley was built, occupying half the space of the 

 former one, and a little coal stove was installed which heats the whole 

 boat and dries it out. This has proved a great additional comfort, for 

 Buckaroo has often been used in cold weather. The crew's quarters were 

 greatly improved, and much waste space was found for storage. Last but 

 not least, a place was found for a neat little bar which is my pride. 



When these changes were completed, we proceeded to Miami by a 

 series of short cruises, both off-shore and through the inland waterway. 

 At Miami, we decided to increase the sail area, and changed her from 

 sloop to ketch rig by stepping a mizzen-mast in her, the height of which 



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