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NANCY LLOYD is a link between
Rhodes' early keel-centerboarders (AYESHA 1932 and ALONDRA 1936) and CARINA
II (1955). She is a little smaller, and was given a cutter rig, rather
than the yawl rig of her larger cousins. |
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Text adapted from a letter
by daughter of owner.
My father and I found NANCY
LLOYD in Deltaville VA in Feb. 2002. The gentleman who owned NANCY
showed her to my dad, and needless to say, she was basically a shell.
No deck hardware, nothing, as in the photo to the left. |
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As the story goes, NANCY
had been dropped some ten years ago in Urbanna VA and her stern took the
brunt of the fall. My dad went through her with his pocket knife
and from bow to stern started looking for rot. Amazingly, he found
only a small section of bad wood in her head wall, only a foot square.
I should explain that my
father has been a Chesapeake Bay water man all of his life and worked on
his own 46' roundstern deadrise (LORIi D) whenever repairs were needed.
He never expressed to me his interest in sail boats. |
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Dad negotiated with the
owner and purchased her for a song. We knew that the owner had parts
that belonged to Nancy, but didn't know what they were or how much.
If you can imagine pulling
up to a warehouse and looking inside at three truckloads of 5 gallon buckets,
of screws and bolts ranging from 1" to 1' long, rigging, wooden panels
from the inside of her. Anything that could be taken off of her was
in this warehouse.
We looked at each other and
took a deep breath and began to wonder which task to being first. |
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Dad started putting her
stern and transom back together while I sorted through the debris.
To make a long story short, it was a challenging and educational experience.
The mast was found in a barn
on a farm in Urbanna. When we contacted the farmer, he couldn't believe
that NANCY was being brought back to life, and graciously gave us the mast
and the few things that were there that belonged to her.
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From February till August,
2002, dad worked on her when he could, as we still had another boat to
finish. |
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Thank God for the determination
and skill of my father. If not for him, this beautiful vintage yacht
wouldn't be around for other to admire. He truly is a real "boatwright"
and an excellent teacher. He has taught me well.
He is enjoying this project
immensely. NANCY LLOYD Lloyd attracts tremendous attention, where
ever she goes. Admirers know she is a true, classic yacht.
Dad has never been so proud.
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Dad's getting ready to retire,
and will take NANCY to Florida in late January, 2003. Too bad I'm
stuck home with a husband and kids -- otherwise I'd go with him in a flash.
Lori C.
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