Hi, this is Sandy McKean......the very proud new owner of Anna Leigh.
As David points out, the coincidence of he and I living just a half a mile from each other on this small island is down right amazing. My wife and I were on a walk on the quiet island roads, as we often do, but we just happened to walk in the opposite of our usual direction. From the south one looks right into David's garage that is Anna Leigh's dry land home. A glint of red caught my eye. Ah, that is a FOR SALE sign! Is that a C-Dory 22?? I think so. I knocks on the door, and the door is opened by one of the nicest guys you'd ever want to meet. In spite of 4 years of part time living on this island, David and I had never met before (my wife, Kathy, and I are now permanent Guemes residents since last June).
I didn't recognize the name C-Brats when David first mentioned it to me, but I now realize that I had been on the website before (maybe a year or more ago when I first narrowed my dream list down to C-Dorys, SeaSports, Parkers, and Arimas). I hadn't planned to actually buy a boat until this summer at the earliest, so I hadn't done the detailed research as yet.
Over the last couple of years, talking to my boating friends (who, to a man, were extremely positive about C-Dorys), they advised me that I would have trouble launching/retrieving anything larger than a 22 single handed from the limited launch facilities on this island. Being totally self-sufficient was a "must-have" for me. I really liked the layouts I saw on 24 footers etc, but I figured 22' was pushing it to launch single-handed. Well, David has designed a process that makes launching the Anna Leigh a snap. (It probably won't surprise you who know David that he has it down to a science!)
OMG, am I pleased that I ran into him. The 25 is exactly what I really wanted, I just didn't know it until I saw David hopping around on his King trailer customized to make a single-handed launch completely practical.
Needless to say, I am thrilled to own the Anna Leigh (yes, at some point her name will change). David's workmanship has created my dream boat in reality!!!! I am looking forward to jawing with you all, and of course even meeting some of you, as the years unfold.