March Letters Notes Robin Lee Graham’s ‘Dove II’ for Sale — In 1982!

In our March Letters column, sharp-eyed sailor Jonathan Ogle sent the following letter about the book that launched thousands of dreams and voyages: Dove.

“Thanks for posting the October 1982 issue of Latitude 38. That was the year I graduated from college, so the boats shown in all the ads are the good-looking, proper boats of my youth.

“I noticed a very famous boat for sale in the proto-Classy Classifieds on page 156: Dove II, an Allied Luders 33, described as a ‘world cruiser.’ That is the boat on which Robin Lee Graham completed his 1965-1970 circumnavigation, making him at the time the youngest singlehander to circle the world. What a serendipitous find on a pleasant trip down memory lane. (Or better yet, a pleasant voyage on the Sea of Memories!)”

Jonathan Ogle
Matson Navigation Company

The voyage by 16-year-old Robin Lee Graham, who left Hawaii solo in a 24-ft Lapworth sloop named Dove, was a sensation at the time. The story in National Geographic, and the subsequent book, fueled our dreams and those of many sailing friends who could see great voyages on a boat that made the dream appear achievable. In fact, many followed in his wake, including our recent Good Jibes podcast guest Stephen Wolf. Stephen and his wife circumnavigated on No Name, a 24-ft folding plywood Piver trimaran, in 1971. Robin Lee Graham, Webb Chiles and Stephen Wolf are listed on our West Coast Circumnavigators’ List as sailors who have voyaged around the globe on 24-ft sailboats. Robin upgraded to the Luders 33 Dove II partway around.)

It’s amazing to think what Robin Lee Graham accomplished, and then also to see that Dove II appeared in our classifieds in October 1982! (Sorry, it’s been sold.)

You can buy the book Dove in Latitude 38’s online bookstore here, or at your favorite book source. Our little book shop is run by Bookshop.org, which contributes a portion of the proceeds to Latitude 38 and also local bookstores. You can see a map of bookstores they support here.

We’re amazed and thankful for Jonathan’s discovering this small item in the Latitude 38 archives. There are so many great stories from the past and today, and still many great boats for sale in our Classy Classifieds. A Cal 2-25 was listed for sale yesterday — a foot longer than Robin Lee Graham’s boat. It’s ready to take someone on their next great voyage.

You can sell your boat by listing it in our Classy Classifieds here.