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A few years back Henry Wendt ordered a Whitehall Spirit 14 slide seat sailing model to be used as one of the tenders aboard his new yacht the Chinook Post. This 65 foot motor yacht is based on the classic Bill Garden design used a half century ago as a North Coast fisheries patrol vessel. The Chinook Post was duly launched with the Whitehall Spirit in chocks on the top deck. Both boats were enjoyed for several years cruising the coastal waters of the Pacific Northwest. Recently the Chinook Post was put up for sale and can be viewed at www.philbrooks.com and is advertised in Passagemaker Magazine.
Last spring Henry ordered a second Whitehall Spirit 14 slide seat model for use at his waterfront home in Friday Harbor and sends along the following letter and photos.
Dear Marie and the crew at Whitehall,
Yes, Chinook Post is for sale and I am having Sam Devlin build a Sockeye 45 for delivery next spring. We are trying to slow down and simplify our lives. We haven’t made any decision about the tender yet but the Whitehall Spirit 14’ is the standard against which everything will be measured.
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 | Meanwhile Holly and I row the new Whitehall 14 every morning here in Friday Harbor for about thirty minutes each. What a wonderful way to start the day! I have been rowing much of my life including eight oar sculls at University and singles, doubles, fours and eights at the Undine Rowing Club on the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia for many years so it was easy to choose the Whitehall Spirit as a tender for a custom long range cruising motor yacht, a recreational rowing boat and now, an all purpose harbor boat here in Friday Harbor. The stability of the Whitehall Spirit makes her a very versatile boat. Holly loves it as much as I and very quickly became an accomplished rower. Every day this summer I used the Whitehall to take our four year old grandson, Owen Andrew Mitchell, out with me to check the crab pots and harvest those that exceeded the legal limit. He loved it and so did his grandfather. In what other sliding seat rowing boat could one safely and effectively haul crab pots with a four year old in the stern sheets cheering one on?
With best wishes,
Henry
As a further follow-up the Wendt’s next-door neighbor Peggy Strickland noticed Henry having so much fun the she also ordered and received a Whitehall Spirit 14 slide seat model for herself. |
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