“Ethan’s Ark”. is not the name of the boat, but it got that nickname due a phone call from my wife to the Indian Cove marina/boatyard, looking for me. She asked for me by name, and the boatyard personnel were at a loss. The she said “You know, the guy working on the big green boat in the corner of the boatyard.” The response was “Oh!, Noah! No problem I will get him”
This is the story of the building of the “Theodore Robert”. It is an eleven year saga that has resulted in a Bruce Roberts’ designed Spray 40. Bruce Roberts based his design on the “Spray” which was the boat which Joshua Slocum rebuilt and sailed into history as the first single handed, around the world, voyager. His voyage started in 1895 and was completed in 1898.
The “Theodore Robert” started with a home made hull purchased in Jensen Beach. Fl, in March of 1996. There is not one piece of the original in the current vessel. (I can call it a vessel, not a project, because the Great State of Florida allowed me to pay a significant fee and gave me a title with a “home built” VIN. I don’t want to knock the state of Florida, but beware. All untaxed items (mail order or internet) will be taxed at the time of titling. They were pretty reasonable about it, but it surprised me. I had purchased everything legally (no dummy company to avoid sales tax) but I did not consider the mail order/internet aspect.)
