— ALL SMILES Serendipity, Cal 29 — Phil Hyndman (left) and Craig Moore bought Serendipity from the Richmond YC Foundation just six months ago, having sold their previous Cal 29 Whirled Peas. "We used to race against her in the old Cal 29 fleet," Hyndman noted wryly of their new-to-them boat. Serendipity's previous owner, Tom Bruce, had her for 29 years and was a seven-time YRA champ. "Now I crew on his new Beneteau First 36.7 Serendipity II," Phil said. It's too soon for the pair to say if they'll race Serendipity — for now they're just focused on painting her hull and setting up the boat for Bay cruising. Hyndman, a Sausalito-based architect, and Moore, a sales manager for a winery, met through Latitude's crew list a few years back and became boat partners. For Moore, the situation is ideal. "I travel 25 weeks of the year," he explained, "so my sailing time is limited." The drive from his home in Sebastopol also cuts into his schedule, so owning a boat by himself doesn't make sense financially. "Partnerships are the way to go!"
Scotch Mist, Lapworth 32 — John Farley was busy stripping the cockpit varnish when we interrupted him. Taking a break from the fumes, Farley reminded us that we ran a short item on him in August 2005 when he bought Scotch Mist — one of four Dasher-class sloops built by Hank Easom in the '60s — and had her trucked back home to Sausalito. "She's perfect for the Bay," he said with a faint Irish lilt. Having grown up sailing, he freely admits that he prefers sailing Mist over working on her, but he's still done plenty. The major work — rerigging the mast, upgrading the electrical system, tuning up the engine — was done right after he bought her. The brightwork is another story. "It never ends," he chuckled. "Plus it keeps you out of trouble." As a painting contractor, he has the skills to bring her back but he's taking his time. "I'll do it bit by bit. She may look a little tardy this summer," he said with a smile, "but I don't care." Farley hopes to one day sell up and go cruising, but he's still trying to convince his wife. "She's a landlubber from northern Louisiana," he joked. "All they have are swamps and alligators!" But for now he's planning on some summer beer can racing and, of course, the Master Mariners Regatta and the Jessica Cup. Beyond that, he'll do some area cruising, but mostly he just enjoys being aboard Scotch Mist. "This is my escape from the fog and the city. It really is a labor of love." May, 2007 •
Latitude 38
• Page 145