hatdoyoucareaboutthemost–licenses
orexperience?”
CharlieDanawaslookingtoinsurethe
94ftaluminumyachtheandhiswifeRose
helpeddesignandbuildatNewEnglandBoatworks.
Theydidnotwanttohirecrew,atleastnotyet,and
intendedtohandletheboatontheirown.Dana
preparedhiscredentialsandaskedtheinsurance
companythatquestion,rightlyanticipatingthatthe
answerwouldbe“experience,”ofwhichhehasplenty.
TheformercommodoreoftheNewYorkYachtClub
andmanagingpartnerofNewportShipyardhasbeen
onboatsmostofhislife.Heestimatesthathe’ssailed,
oftendouble-handedwithRose,around280,000
nauticalmilesover 44 years.Sobythetimethecouple
tookdeliveryofthenewContrabandhewasmore
seasonedthanmostprofessionalcaptains.
Theinsurancesorted,theDanassetsailfromNew
EnglandaswinterputitsicygriponNewport,Rhode
Island.ByDecember18,afterninedaysoftravel,they
werewarmandsafeinFlorida,theboatdockedatthe
SailfishClubinPalmBeach.
That’swhereIcatchupwiththem.It’snotdifficult
tospotContrabandattheendofthepier:it’stheonly
boatwithadarkhull,redbootstripe,classicportholes,
verticalbowandsmokestack.TheAmericanflagatthe
backiswavinglazilyinthelightbreeze.Thedoorjust
abovetheboardingladderisopen,butthereareno
shoesonthedock,andallisquiet.Charlieishunched
overapieceofequipment,workinginT-shirtandW
ON BOARD WITH
Charlie Dana
TheseasonedNewportsailorand
shipyardownershowsCecileGauert
aroundhisnewestboat,which
continueshisquestforthekindof
freedomfoundonlyonthewater