Some take trips in their campers or RVs, others by plane or cruise ship to distant destinations. We traveled slower and quieter, as most of our trips were by sailing vessel - including anchoring out in the wild of beautiful nature, sometimes visiting fancy resorts.

My lovely wife, Rosemarie, and I were the proud owners of a fantastic 35' sailing vessel named 'Sandpiper' for 28 years. Reliable, rugged and elegant - a classic!! Sandpiper has served us well on many cruises - - mostly off-shore from the west coast of Florida and the Gulf of Mexico, Florida keys, and near Caribbean. Sandpiper's home birth was at our dock at Dream Island, a part of Longboat Key - - an off-shore island in the Gulf of Mexico opposite Sarasota, Florida.

This heavily built fiber glass vessel is called a Chris Craft Sail Yacht 35, engineered by famous yacht designers Sparkman & Stephens and built by Chris Craft in 1965 - hull # 78. This model is hard to find and is among some of the strongest and well-built, hand laid fiberglass sailboats available.

Although it has been reported Chris Craft constructed 80 Chris Craft 35's in 1963-65, we have yet to come across a hull number later than our #78 (we have met with #77, 'Macho'). A center cockpit, full-keel vessel with protective windshield, side curtains and mosquito netting, with forward and aft cabins of 6'3" headroom, two heads, Addler-Barbour refrigeration and propane cooking, she is 35' on deck (plus another 5' overhang for stern mounted dinghy davits), a water line length of  28.5', beam of 11', draft of 4'8", displacement of 18,112 lb. incl. 5,000 lb. extra lead ballast, two 30-gallon water tanks, sail area of 563 sq. ft. and a mast height of 48'. That mast height allows Sandpiper to clear the fixed bridge just east of  Lake Okechobee and transit completely across Florida from the ocean side to the Gulf of Mexico.

Sandpiper's mainsail has roller reefing on the boom which is great for ease of incremental reefing in rough weather, which is far superior, in my view, than standard slap reefing.. Although we have foresail roller furling gear, off-shore we prefer hank-on foresails the old fashioned way. Twin jib halyards provide for twin head sails. A Chris Craft 4-cylinder 60 hp gas engine, 2:1 reduction gear, and stainless steel shaft power the large 2-blade prop. Fuel capacity is provided by twin 60-gallon tanks. The flywheel accommodates two charging systems for separate banks of batteries. The cockpit sole includes a glass window to aide the helmsman easily aligning that 2-blade prop vertically in-line with the rudder to reduce drag under sail while also reducing chances to snag crab traps. Equipment includes an AutoHelm auto-pilot, VHF radio, depth sounder, Loran, pressure water system, engine room blower, wisker pole and various anchors.

- Sandpiper as of June 2007 -

In local races Sandpiper has either won or placed; not because we are crazy about racing or skilled at racing techniques, but because Sparkman & Stephens evidently had some great technical tricks up their sleeves when they designed her hull and sail plan - - obviously faking out traditional racing handicap ratings - as few can understand how a vessel of such displacement weight, with a relative small foresail, can sail so well. When it comes to off-shore racing of say 100 miles she has been fantastic. But our love is not racing; island cruising has been our priority interest.

- Sandpiper Winter 2008 -

Although we have sailed the Chesapeake and in the Bahamas, our favorite cruising is to the deserted SW coast of Florida with its 10,000 uninhabited islands and miles of vacant beaches and deep rivers into the everglades - - and the Florida keys, especially uninhabited islands west of Key West and the vast uninhabited parts of the keys north of Marathon to Key West. One can travel the world and seldom find such natural, undisturbed beauty. And, the challenge of navigating in uninhabited waters without marks plus coral heads adds to the thrill.

As an occasional break from roughing it for several weeks under way and at anchor we like to put into a fancy island resort for several days and see what other vacationers are doing. Often their favorite view for picture taking is Sandpiper riding at anchor just off their hotel swimming pool, and naturally they jump to provide drinks and buffet dinner for those strangers arriving by dinghy. Many tell us this was the highlight of their own vacation and they are now motivated to look for alternatives in their own hectic lives. Perhaps more simplicity and closeness to nature is what much of life for more people should be about.

Here's a diagram of Sandpiper's hull design - - showing keel and rudder.

We have tried to maintain Sandpiper in as close to original style as we can, including her original working jib, as the classic hull lines and well-varnished mahogany cabin sides with teak toe & rub rails often produce a 'wow' by all who see her. The 'Clorox-bottle-look' of many modern vessels pales in our eyes to the classy look of our Chris Craft 35. Are we prejudiced? Of course.

We renovated the windshield (maintaining original specs). During one haul-out we when we had the mast down for inspection the well-known yard owner said 'that vessel was surely built well'. Think about it - original deck fittings, mast, boom, hull and mahogany cabin sides still great after 44 years. Some say a Mercedes is a great car with longer life than most. But, compared to a 1965 Chris Craft in a salt water environment for 40+ years, there are few matches - - at least in our eyes. Hail to Chris Craft and Sparkman & Stephens !!

Yes, have been so proud of Sandpiper - - even loved her

[Note > In 2009, after 28 years of ownership and recent use decreasing as we became a bit older,
Sandpiper was sold to a younger, proud lady, with experience - who also fell in love with her -
who promised to maintain the vessel in good condition,  near as possible to the current original look]

Noteworthy links regarding Chris Craft sailing vessels,
in addition to 'Sandpiper'

1. Chris Craft Sail Yacht 35 web site - - copy of a neat original sales brochure plus some other pictures and an ower's list
2. Paul Koch's Chris Craft 35, 'Kalise' - hull #17 - at http://www.kaliseonline.com/ (Paul's email is sv_kalise@yahoo.com ) 
3. Tony Zwiener's Chris Craft 35, 'Cimba' of Indian Town, Florida, at http://profiles.yahoo.com/svcimba - - email Tony at svcimba@hotmail.com
4. a Chris Craft Owner's List

Other owners of Chris Craft 35 Sail Yachts are encouraged to exchange information with Mike & Rosemarie Hodges via email

Longboat Key is the home port of Sandpiper. For those interested in learning more about Longboat Key, visit "Longboat Key- my home town"

When Sandpiper's skipper is not engaged in his sailing hobby some time is dedicated to a public service publication on the world wide web called the Grandfather Economic Reports at http://mwhodges.home.att.net/  - - a data-graphic presentation showing conditions facing young families and their children compared to prior generations, on such issues as family incomes, savings, debt, education quality, government, social security, energy, national security and health-care.

email Michael Hodges

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