Back in 1976, 36-year-old
Leland Parsons began construction of a schooner in his backyard in the
bedroom community of Poway, 20 miles north of San Diego. Unlike many amateur
boatbuilders whose dreams exceeded their reach, last Monday Leland launched
the fruit of his labor of the last 29 years, a gleaming 54-ft LOD schooner
named Frank Edmund.
In between building the boat, he worked as a backhoe operator and later professional
builder. He and wife Cecily also raised eight children and inspired many
more. All of them, and all his neighbors and friends, were on hand to see
a crane load the Frank Edmundon a trailer last weekend, and most
of them were there when the boat was christened by Cecily and launched in
Mission Bay on Monday, May 2 - including the boat's namesake, Cecily's father,
Frank Edmund Garretson, now 87.
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The boat was designed by the late Capt. William Davidson of Coronado, who reportedly
took inspiration from the Gloucester fishing schooners. But while she looks
old, construction was thoroughly modern, with the hull being cold molded
of five layers of 1/4-inch plywood strips. Inside, she's also at once traditional
and modern, with lots of brass, elegant hardwood bulkheads and furniture
- along with a standard-size refrigerator, garbage disposal and entertainment
center.
Photos Steve Arehart
When all the hubbub dies down, Leland, now 65, will shift gears from boatbuilder to sailor
again. He and Cecily plan to shake the boat down locally and depart later
this year on a five-year cruise around the world. Interested in going
along for part of it? Check out charter opportunities for various legs
of the trip on their Web site, www.schoonervoyage.com.
Look for a detailed report on the building and launch of Frank Edmund
in the June issue of Latitude 38.
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