sv Lilly Maid

Speaking of the characters of Classics week, we had a chance meeting with his Lordship and Captain of the s/v Lilly Maid.  Now he isn't really a Lord but he shared a very funny story about his yacht and a case of mistaken identity leading us to address him as "Your Lordship."

s/v Lilly Maid was built in 1904.  That is 100 years ago!  Michael (his Lordship) has owned her for 42 years.  He and his wife have cruised the world on her and raised 6 children aboard.  The last of whom looks to be about 13 and thus is still living aboard with his parents.  At this point we didn't know what the Lilly Maid looked like.  For some reason I suspected she might be bulky, old/worn out looking with tons of liveaboard "stuff" everywhere on deck and below.  We cruised by the next day in our dinghy to check her out.

I was so wrong.  She is spectacular.  Lean, sleek and sexy....and 100 years old.  WOW!  We immediately pledged our allegiance to her and crew, vowed to cheer loudly from the bluffs onshore.
She raced fantastically each and every day and won her overall vintage class with style, grace and grit.

  FYI - they weren't at the dock until late Thursday.  Prior to that, they were anchored out in the harbor with all us cruisers.  We met them Tuesday night.  When I asked why, his Lordship said "We'aven't a blood prop!"  Seems they lost their prop somewhere on the sail from Grenada to Antigua.  Stupid me - "How did you get in the harbor?"   "We SAILED in!" his Lordship said.  D-oh.  I felt like such and idiot but I kept going...."What are you going to do?"  "Well, I've a blood new one over in the dink just now.  I suppose now I've got dive under the boat and get the blasted thing on."  When we dinghy'd by the next day his wife was the one free diving under the boat to get it on!