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Sun Shines Upon Merlin’s Party

By Christine Weaver | March 1, 2017 | Santa Cruz, CA |
At the celebration on a sunny afternoon, Emily Abbink and Paul Rangell played Italian folk music from Merlin’s cockpit.

latitude/Chris
©2017Latitude 38 Media, LLC

On Sunday, Mother Nature smiled upon Santa Cruz for the blessing, recommissioning and 40th birthday party of Merlin, Bill Lee’s ‘Fast Is Fun’ 68-ft sled. Lee designed and built her in 1976-77, and she was launched on February 23, 1977. In October 2015 he bought her back and brought her home. Since then, work has progressed on preparing her for this July’s Transpac from Los Angeles to Honolulu. In 1977, her maiden year, she set a Transpac record of 8 days, 11 hours, which stood for 20 years.

Merlin’s recommissioning/40th birthday party in Santa Cruz on February 26.
Video by www.norcalsailing.com.

Because breaking a bottle twice is bad luck, the rechristening was called a ‘recommissioning’ and Karen ‘KT’ Trapp draped a lei around Merlin’s sprit in lieu of wasting good champagne. Bill Lee’s wife Lu’s nephew Billy Burr blessed the boat, and her people, and then the crowd drifted up to Aldo’s temporary venue for appetizers.

Coincidentally, Aldo’s restaurant has been a fixture at Santa Cruz Harbor since 1977. Their building on the pier is undergoing a major renovation, so they’ve set up temporary quarters in neighboring Mariner Park.

latitude/Chris
©2017Latitude 38 Media, LLC

Many of Merlin’s old race and delivery crew — as well as new crew — were on hand to celebrate her. Some of the old guard sported memorabilia from back in the day.

Dan Larson wore his original Merlin shirt. "It still fits!" he said. Merlin may be a famous wizard, but the merlin is a small falcon.

latitude/Chris
©Latitude 38 Media, LLC
Niels Kisling wore a Merlin shirt from 20 years ago, in 1997, when Don Campion owned her. "Yes — we cant!" reads the slogan, referring to her then-new canting keel, which Bill Lee has now replaced with a fixed keel.

latitude/Chris
©Latitude 38 Media, LLC

We’ll have more in the April issue of Latitude 38.

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