Welcome This is Our Spaceship

We’ve alluded to it, we have made sly references, we admitted it quietly when my Uncle Tom guessed right…Pearson Ariel Hull #412 shall from henceforth be known as the Sailing Vessel Firefly! We didn’t want to make a big deal out of the new moniker until it was officially stamped on the hull and the previous name was fully removed. The weather gods demand slavish attention to detail, and additionally aren’t known to turn down a drink or two. We obliged.

We used peel off vinyl lettering, pretty easy to use but it was a good thing our friend Jerd joined us, definitely needed the extra hands.

I think it looks pretty sharp, I know Ryan does too.

Ryan spoke some words, and a hearty dram was poured out for the boat, for Boreas, for Eurus, for Notus, for Zephyrus, for Aeolus,and of course, for Poseidon.

In case you didn’t already think that we are huge nerds, our beloved craft is not in fact named after vodka (a happy coincidence) but the titular vessel from the show “Firefly.” If you are unfamiliar with the show, what follows will certainly not make any sense.

Initially we considered naming her “Serenity,” but it’s a fairly common name for sailboats conned by ageing retirees. Nothing against them, but that ain’t us. Also, as Simon Tam said “Always thought the name Serenity had a vaguely funereal sound to it.”

Ryan also came up with the genius idea to paint the transom yellow…just like the spaceship!

Sweet painting from this guy: sumrow

You can find various oblique references throughout the blog, here’s a few:
Shiny!

Zoe and Mal

Hang On Travelers

Ryan closed the ceremony with some reflections on the project so far, and our hopes that when completed it will be a vessel for spending happy days with friends and family. She also had on hand my favorite “Firefly” quote:

Capt. Malcolm Reynolds: But it ain’t all buttons and charts, little albatross. You know what the first rule of flying is? Well, I suppose you do, since you already know what I’m about to say.
River Tam: I do. But I like to hear you say it.
Capt. Malcolm Reynolds: Love. You can learn all the math in the ‘Verse, but you take a boat in the air that you don’t love, she’ll shake you off just as sure as the turning of the worlds. Love keeps her in the air when she oughta fall down, tells you she’s hurtin’ ‘fore she keens. Makes her a home.
River Tam: Storm’s getting worse.
Capt. Malcolm Reynolds: We’ll pass through it soon enough.

Graphic by The 11th Hour

Soon friends!