Introduction to Triton #190 Phoenix

I've been searching for a Carl Alberg type sailboat for many years. My basic requirement had been a boat large enough to circle the world yet small enough for me to sail solo. After looking at many boats my range of prospective boats was as small as a Cape Dory 25 to a large as a Westsail 32. That's a pretty big range so I needed to limit the choices. I've decided that sailboat ownership is 85% aesthetic.

To cut and paste from my blog on building a Wharram Tiki 30:
"the truth is I've always looked at Westsail 32s and smiled a happy smile. I don't know what happened decades ago to caused the neural paths in my brain to say that boat just looks "Right".  And not just Westsail 32s, but just  about any double ender. Then there is another style that trigger the  "Right" sailboat neurons and that is epitomized by the Pearson Triton/Alberg 30/Pearson Vanguard 32.

The result is that I'm constantly on the prowl looking at these old boats, and I do mean old from 1959 to the mid 1970s. So naturally while we're in the Annapolis MD area for several weeks I can't help but look for deals in this target rich environment.

Well I happened across Phoenix a 1960 Pearson Triton #190 in Rock Hall, over on the eastern shore of Maryland. She's rough but had a new spar and rigging installed in the early 1980s. But there was a small problem, there was a large yard bill at the marina, about $2500. The boat was not worth that much to me so after negotiating with the yard manager and PO, I ended up paying $500 out of pocket for Phoenix. This includes storage until May 2013, unstepping the mast and loading her on to my trailer. Not a bad deal for me and the yard gets a non productive boat out of a packed yard. Now I just need to buy a trailer the can handle about 8000lbs. My intention is to set up Phoenix as a daysailer and occasional weekender and maybe some Wednesday night PHRF racing. I'll be putting her on a mooring in Belfast harbor but before that she needs some work. I'll document Just a side note, the 1965 movie "The Flight of the Phoenix" is great.

I'll use this blog to track the rise of Phoenix after what I suspect is nearly 20 years of benign neglect. Benign except for when during a divorce the Atomic 4 motor was removed,stolen,heisted. Following are just a bunch of pictures of how I found her in the yard at Gratitude Marina Rock Hall Maryland.

The teal looks pretty good in person. I never really liked the color but will probably keep Phoenix  teal.

Scene of the crime. 

Pretty stock layout, but shore power plug was added with main breaker.

The wood rudder was glassed over at some time in the distance past.

Bailed out and threw a few cheap tarps to keep most of the water out until spring.

There is a nice whale manual bilge pump so bailing out the water above the garboard plug hole was pretty easy. Also clearing the debris from the cockpit drains allowed about six inches of accumulated rain water drain. Then I dropped the boom and tied down some cheap tarps to keep the worst of the winter water out, I hope:)