In a shameless act of theft, I am using Ajax’s format and applying it to my own journey.
I am now, on paper at least, the owner of a 1983 Little Harbor 44. Hull #2 of 15, to be precise. Hull #1 was Ted Hood’s personal boat, one of many Robin Toos. Unlike the center cockpit of #1, mine is an aft cockpit with a relatively traditional layout.
This particular boat was delivered in August 1983 to an owner in Cleveland, OH, having been built like the others by Alexander Marine Co. at Kaohsiung Taiwan for the Little Harbor Boat Yard Corporation. In April 1987, she was conveyed to her second owner, first of St. Louis, MO, and later of Miami, FL. Her third owner bought her in December 1995 and took her back to the Great Lakes, but only briefly. Shortly after the purchase they put the mast on the deck and traveled down the Mississippi, turned east, and ended up in Mobile, AL. They left CONUS behind and cruised extensively, including to the Bahamas, Virgin Islands, Central America, and the northern part of South America. They lived aboard for seven years while cruising.
In roughly 2014-2015, the owners relocated to Paducah, KY and brought her with them, and then trucked her to Tennessee (below), where she currently sits. She has not been in the water since 2015.
On December 3rd, 2022, I signed the papers and arranged for her to be trucked to Annapolis in early January, the earliest available timeframe.
I terminated my lease, moved in with family pending her arrival, and intend to be on board by the first day of Spring.
Now the preparation work begins.
First, the mission statement: to live aboard in Annapolis at a private pier and cruise the Chesapeake Bay, at least for the first year. Hopefully expanding my radius after that. Requirements include comfort (heat and eventually air conditioning), connectivity (*reliable* high speed internet required for working from home), and sailing outfitting (for me, this means new rigging, a new sail or two at some point, and top notch electronics).
Some important points:
The boat has been out of the water for the better part of 8 years
It was painted, both topsides and bottom, after being relocated to TN, so neither the bottom paint nor topsides have gotten wet.
Being at a private pier, I will only have water and power—no pumpout.
Projects identified:
-Sanitation. Currently only a Lectrasan with no holding tank. This is now illegal in Annapolis waters. Need to install a holding tank. Also looking to convert to a fresh water head.
-Heat and air conditioning. No A/C and only a small Espar heater in the stern that heats the aft stateroom and the aft end of the salon. Of course, I will be staying in the forward stateroom due to proximity to the head and headroom, and that heater only helps with the main cabin.
-Power. Has an essentially obsolete 50A 120V shore power inlet and a 120V AC system. Need more power to run the heat and air conditioning, plus a transition to Smartplug along with adding a galvanic isolator and ELCI.
-Sails. The main is from 1999 and well used. The 130% genoa is also from 1999 but essentially unused from what I understand. There is a 110% Yankee that is of unknown vintage and also well worn. I have no idea what the below sail is, perhaps a staysail flown from the headstay. I have been exploring the ideas of a (vertically) battened or full battened main for the furler. The sail is on a Hood Stoway in-mast furler with manual controls. No power winches on this boat. The below photo is *old* but of the current sails.
-Brightwork. Actually in pretty good shape. Cetol marine natural teak (NOT THE ORANGE STUFF) on the toe rails and eyebrows, varnish on the cockpit table and companionway. Interior varnish is in excellent condition. Have to do some repairs on the toe rails and eyebrows, maintenance work on the rest.
-Electronics. I am an electronics junkie. The Datamarine units on deck and the stuff at the nav station is older than I am. I will be doing a complete refit of the electronics while the mast is out and I can upgrade the masthead unit and antennas.
Deep breath. I think that covers the status quo. Next, what I’ve already bought in preparation for her arrival in my neck of the woods.
I am now, on paper at least, the owner of a 1983 Little Harbor 44. Hull #2 of 15, to be precise. Hull #1 was Ted Hood’s personal boat, one of many Robin Toos. Unlike the center cockpit of #1, mine is an aft cockpit with a relatively traditional layout.
This particular boat was delivered in August 1983 to an owner in Cleveland, OH, having been built like the others by Alexander Marine Co. at Kaohsiung Taiwan for the Little Harbor Boat Yard Corporation. In April 1987, she was conveyed to her second owner, first of St. Louis, MO, and later of Miami, FL. Her third owner bought her in December 1995 and took her back to the Great Lakes, but only briefly. Shortly after the purchase they put the mast on the deck and traveled down the Mississippi, turned east, and ended up in Mobile, AL. They left CONUS behind and cruised extensively, including to the Bahamas, Virgin Islands, Central America, and the northern part of South America. They lived aboard for seven years while cruising.
In roughly 2014-2015, the owners relocated to Paducah, KY and brought her with them, and then trucked her to Tennessee (below), where she currently sits. She has not been in the water since 2015.
On December 3rd, 2022, I signed the papers and arranged for her to be trucked to Annapolis in early January, the earliest available timeframe.
I terminated my lease, moved in with family pending her arrival, and intend to be on board by the first day of Spring.
Now the preparation work begins.
First, the mission statement: to live aboard in Annapolis at a private pier and cruise the Chesapeake Bay, at least for the first year. Hopefully expanding my radius after that. Requirements include comfort (heat and eventually air conditioning), connectivity (*reliable* high speed internet required for working from home), and sailing outfitting (for me, this means new rigging, a new sail or two at some point, and top notch electronics).
Some important points:
The boat has been out of the water for the better part of 8 years
It was painted, both topsides and bottom, after being relocated to TN, so neither the bottom paint nor topsides have gotten wet.
Being at a private pier, I will only have water and power—no pumpout.
Projects identified:
-Sanitation. Currently only a Lectrasan with no holding tank. This is now illegal in Annapolis waters. Need to install a holding tank. Also looking to convert to a fresh water head.
-Heat and air conditioning. No A/C and only a small Espar heater in the stern that heats the aft stateroom and the aft end of the salon. Of course, I will be staying in the forward stateroom due to proximity to the head and headroom, and that heater only helps with the main cabin.
-Power. Has an essentially obsolete 50A 120V shore power inlet and a 120V AC system. Need more power to run the heat and air conditioning, plus a transition to Smartplug along with adding a galvanic isolator and ELCI.
-Sails. The main is from 1999 and well used. The 130% genoa is also from 1999 but essentially unused from what I understand. There is a 110% Yankee that is of unknown vintage and also well worn. I have no idea what the below sail is, perhaps a staysail flown from the headstay. I have been exploring the ideas of a (vertically) battened or full battened main for the furler. The sail is on a Hood Stoway in-mast furler with manual controls. No power winches on this boat. The below photo is *old* but of the current sails.
-Brightwork. Actually in pretty good shape. Cetol marine natural teak (NOT THE ORANGE STUFF) on the toe rails and eyebrows, varnish on the cockpit table and companionway. Interior varnish is in excellent condition. Have to do some repairs on the toe rails and eyebrows, maintenance work on the rest.
-Electronics. I am an electronics junkie. The Datamarine units on deck and the stuff at the nav station is older than I am. I will be doing a complete refit of the electronics while the mast is out and I can upgrade the masthead unit and antennas.
Deep breath. I think that covers the status quo. Next, what I’ve already bought in preparation for her arrival in my neck of the woods.
Last edited:
