Set Sail

The althea was built in the Netherlands in 1963. Designed by Frederick “Ted” Hood—famed America’s Cup winner and an internationally heralded yachtsman, sailmaker, yacht designer and builder—the yacht has a storied pedigree. Hood originally dubbed the vessel Robin, and Derr’s kept all but the name intact—echoing its racing number 1060 on pillows and art, and keeping its original teak woodwork.

Compass Rose Sailing Company offers charter trips on the Althea spring through fall from Traverse City’s Discovery Pier. The boat is rated for a maximum of six passengers (plus crew). Guests can spread out on deck and use the cabin below.

Sails begin at 1:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. on West Grand Traverse Bay. Twoor three-hour outings are available (from $390 to $580), or book an extended or custom sail for a special occasion.

Water and ice are provided, and guests can bring their own food and beverages aboard (ask about custom catering, too). Children are welcome; life jackets are available on board. It’s up to you if you want to help the crew hoist the sails before enjoying the ride. sailtraversecity.com

Persistence landed them both positions as deckhands on the Appledore II, a traditional schooner heading to Maine. That experience wasn’t far from mind when Derr later graduated from business school with a degree in marketing and finance during the height of the 2008 recession. His internship with a marketing agency having fallen through, he was invited to join his friend aboard the Manitou in Traverse City.

The first mate job led to a promotion as captain. Along the way, he found two more loves—Heather, the woman who’d become his wife, and teaching. Seeing how much he enjoyed working with students during his time with the Tall Ship, the Inland Seas Education Association and working part-time as a substitute teacher for Traverse City Area Public Schools during the off-season, Heather encouraged Derr to get his teaching certificate.

Derr ’s life now carries a rhythm similar to that of his childhood—school and sailing. During the school year, he teaches biology and art at Traverse City Central High School. Come summer, Derr takes to the water. Only now,

For Althea Captain Brett Derr, sharing a life on the water is deeply personal: “My family was very close-knit, I think partly because we spent a lot of time living on a boat,” Derr says. “I want to give other families the opportunity to experience a taste of that, too.”

Hood owned and raced Robin in the 635-mile Newport Bermuda, 360-mile Marblehead to Halifax and the Southern Ocean Racing Conference in the 1960s; winning both the New York Yacht Club Astor Cup and the NORC in 1963.

In the early 1970s, she was sold to an Ohio family that competed in the Lake Huron Mackinac races and vacationed with her on Grand Traverse Bay. After retiring from racing, she moved to the East Coast for 30 years, until coming back home to Traverse City in 2021.

After years of planning, the search for the perfect boat was concluded in a barn in Maine. “We didn’t want just another boat,” Derr says. “We wanted a classic yacht that would be fast and still comfortable for passengers to sail on. One with a story and a pedigree.

“Because of the races she’s won and her history, Althea is a collector’s boat,” Derr says, adding, “Hood is one of the most notable sailors of all time.”

With a nod from Hood’s family and the support of a partnership with Discovery Center Great Lakes, Derr’s dream to charter Althea and continue her storied history has become a reality.

She’s now moored at Discovery Pier, this once-in-a-lifetime boat that welcomes anyone aboard, whether they’re a seasoned sailor or just longing to lean back and relax under the snap of the sails.

“How wild is that?” Derr asks, maneuvering through the bay’s smooth waters. “Fifty years later, Althea has come home.”

Kim Schneider is a long-time travel writer specializing in Michigan adventures, food and wine. She’s the author of “100

Things to Do in Traverse City Before You Die.”

Kate Headley is an accomplished photographer living in Harbor Springs—follow her work at @kateheadley and @headleyinharbor.