Neuse River Sailors – GWBS 2013
“Vagñona”, a 23 foot Joel White centerboard sloop built of Atlantic white cedar and a variety of other woods. She carries 950 pounds of ballast in her keel, plus another 120 pounds in her 5 foot 1 inch centerboard. Auxiliary power is provided by a 24 volt electric motor that will push the boat at half speed for six hours. This beautifully crafted vessel was the first project of John McFadden of Mount Pleasant, SC. Vagñona is a slang Italian term for girlfriend, and I’d consider myself very fortunate to have a girlfriend this pretty.
Out on the boardwalk, I immediately recognized the brigantine “Fritha”, which wintered over in Beaufort last year. I stood around and watched as the crew blancoed the deck and house, and chatted with another spectator about the Hornblower and Aubrey books, the Johnsons and their voyages on various Yankees, at least one of which was a brigantine much like “Fritha”, and other matters nautical.”
Read more here: Neuse River Sailors, Sailing the Neuse, the Pamlicos and Beyond