Oyster News 52 - Oyster Yachts

Her little sister Leslie and cousin Campbell,
two and a half and two respectively, are too
young to care much about any of that. They
just want to explore every nook and cranny,
push all the buttons and twirl all the knobs at
the navigation station, climb the companion
way endlessly, and hang from the rigging. In
addition, of course, to having their turn
"driving" VENTURE. Lucie will always ask
politely for preferences. "Should I drive the
boat in circles or straight?" Peter and I, diligent
in selecting a safe location for this escapade,
allow them to steer in whatever direction they
can manage at the time. Riding in and
"driving" adVENTURE, our tender, is also a
thrill for them. They, and we, love gunk holing
as well as cutting loose and going as fast as
safety allows. Needless to say, life jackets are
always a must.
I believe I had as much fun planning and
preparing the boat for our granddaughters as
those brave sailors preparing for an ARC. I
find myself smiling whenever I see the hardto-find
small nautical quilts I chose especially
for them. I loved selecting the books for their
onboard library, all of which are about the
adventures of sailing and life on or below the
sea. Often, little girls are the heroines in these
books. The little bears I collected dressed in
sailor attire even give Peter a chuckle. The
focsl is Lucie’s domain. She loves her
"bunkie bed". Who wouldn’t? Fun quilts and
soft pillows in cheerful colours, sailor bears,
and interesting books make for a cosy
retreat. I also supplied a flashlight for use
after lights out, an accommodation I can’t
remember making for her mother and aunt
when they were little girls. So far, it’s been
very effective. No scary creatures sighted yet.
Although I suspect there have been more
than a few books read after taps.
Securing sleeping toddlers was not as easily
managed. After an exhaustive and futile
search for the appropriate bedding, I
surrendered. I was often told, sometimes with
a whiff of disapproval, that very young
children do not belong on yachts and would
be best left at home. Granted, a yacht is not
the most child-friendly environment for little
ones. However, the Savages travel en famille.
Necessity being the mother of invention,
Peter and I designed a canvas "crib" for the
port cabin. The local sail maker happily
constructed it for us. It attaches to the lee
cloth eyebolts, which are already in place,
works beautifully and stows easily.
I mention potentially boring stories about my
granddaughters only to illustrate one
doesn’t have to circumnavigate the globe or
undertake high adventure to justify and fully
enjoy the luxury of an Oyster. Although
Oyster Yachts have an impressive history of
many such trips, the primary considerations
in planning a major voyage are the same as
less ambitious outings for family and friends
Kit Williams of SYS, Peter, Renee and John during a visit to see Venture in build at Southampton Yacht Services
- safety, reliability, and comfort. Our Oyster
meets those requirements and more. It has
accommodated adventure seekers, as well
as more restrained, fun loving, day sailors.
In fact, I attribute whatever modest
advances I’ve made in becoming a sailor, in
large part to the sense of security I have
onboard VENTURE.
We’ve sailed the length of the east coast of
America including the west coast of Florida a
couple of times and made more than a few
friends along the way. Correction, Peter and
his buddies do the more difficult blue water
sailing. I meet them at whatever destination
we’ve planned and enjoy the day sails and
easy overnights to interesting ports. My sea
legs are getting stronger every day, and I’ve
only had one or two encounters with my
nemeses. My ultimate goal is to make some
if not all of those transits with Peter next
year. Did I really say that?
Although I’m not yet as seaworthy as I would
like, I am improving and my skill set and
vocabulary is gradually expanding. Among
other things, I’ve learned to call things by
their proper names – most of the time. Not as
many " You know, dear, those orange
THINGIES over there". I’ve stayed on board
alone rather often, and managed quite well
with the yacht’s systems. I even lived to tell
the tale of some thunderstorms,
accompanied by serious rock ‘n roll swells
rippling through the anchorage, while I was