Who Designed Her

Ted Brewer graciously accepted our request to make Millie J his 267th boat design.  We were familiar with his design style through the several books he’s published and in 1990, after much research, we bought one of his production designed boats, a Whitby 42.  Alayne and I felt it was the most affordable boat capable of an ocean voyage.  Ted’s designing prowess is evident in the shear number of companies he has designed for; twenty six including our Whitby.  To see a full list, please link to: tedbrewer.com.

While Ted does have a background that includes working on 12-meter America’s Cup and several other racers, he has the uncanny ability to tailor his designs to the intended use.  He chooses a hull style appropriate for either speed, comfort or, in our case, a happy medium.   Our primary goal was the safety of an ocean-traversing boat, moderated by the comfort of the crew, and yet with enough performance to get out of her own way.

Even though we researched his professional history, read his books, and owned a boat of his design, what finally sold us was meeting him and his lovely bride, Betty.  Some designers seem dictatorial and elitist.  Not Ted.  While he certainly has a world of knowledge more than Alayne or me, he listened before having the design finished in his head.  When we were in left-field, he didn’t belittle, he educated.  Where there were many possible paths, he explained the choices and their ramifications.  In the end, Ted designed the perfect sailboat for us: beautiful, yet strong.  To see Ted’s write-up about our Millie J, link to:  tedbrewer.com/sail_aluminum/milliej.

Most conscientious business people go about doing their job keeping home and business separate.  Not Ted and Betty Brewer.  They did all this design work while letting us into their home and lives.  Discussions were held during wonderful breakfasts of crumpets or great lunches of sandwiches with pints of beer.  We even met at Betty’s Mom and Dad’s home, wonderful people whose house had a spectacular lake view.  Now that’s making you feel part of the family.  All the while Ted wore his ever present railroader’s cap.

As soon as a boat building project is finished, it immediately shifts into the maintenance phase.  I don’t know why this has to be so, but it is.  When marine professionals come aboard (people who have worked on all kinds of boats) most say Millie J is one of the finest boats they have worked on.  Certainly not because of the cabinet finish, for which I am responsible, nor the amount of bright work glowing on deck (there is none), but in the strength, the thoughtful engineering, the beauty of her functionality.  Thank you Edward ‘Ted’ Brewer.

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Who Crews Her

The Millie J has two devoted crew.  How else could you explain the continuous labor for so many years?  Alayne and Rich Goodhart have lived aboard since 1995 and plan to sail the Pacific with distant dreams of the Atlantic as well.  After a six-month round trip voyage from Puget Sound to Juneau, they conceived of a new boat for a most unusual reason: their Whitby 42 was a too large. Unable to reach the mainsail headboard, the dodger height hitting her at eye level while trying to steer, along with the general forces required to hoist and trim this large of boat’s sails was getting on Alayne’s nerves.  Since their goal was to continue to live aboard for many years, the cost of maintaining a boat requiring large sized hardware weighed on Rich’s pocket.  In addition, they mutually realized they didn’t own enough stuff to fill a 42-foot boat.  There were drawers unused; an unheard of thing.

It does seem strange their wanting a smaller boat while most boaters succumb to two-foot-itis.  “You know dear, we would really be happy if we could just fit a big screen TV onto this baby,” sort of thing.  Well, for every yin there must be a yang.  That’s Rich and Alayne, not minimalists, but a long way from “maximalists”, with the possible exception of Rich’s waistline.  They see it more like taking up the proper amount of space.  When they married in 1985 and blended two sets of children, the size of things increased: the house was remodeled with an addition and of course the car increased in size with the kids--there could be no touching.  But, as the four children launched on their own, needs were less and downsizing began.

In 1997, the process of building a new sailboat commenced.  It is a rare event when the building a sailboat first requires the building of another boat.  The sale of the Whitby happened six months before they planned to put her on the market.  (Sometimes happy little events do occur.)  This left Rich and Alayne homeless or at least apartment bound, which is an awful state of affairs for live-aboards.  A mad rush construction project of a barge-boat began and was culminated six-months later, having almost killed them both.  It was only because of the help and dedication of several wonderful friends that the “Ark” was launched and lived aboard for the several years it took to complete Millie.  Sleeping quarters obtained, the saving and planning began in earnest.

Ted Brewer finished the plans for Millie J in 1999.  He completed his task, not just with the normal input from clients, but with the additional visual aid of a scale paper-doll cutout of Alayne.  The marching orders were, “everything must be built to accommodate this woman.” Rich figured he could stoop or stretch as needed.  His bride must be happy.  As a rule, men understand when they are lucky enough to have a mate willing to sail away, they better not push it.  Ted also designed the boat so the deck hardware was of a size that Rich might be able to afford to maintain during retirement; a frugal retirement.

After six years of lifting, cutting, holding for welders, carpentry and systems installation, Alayne and Rich realized their dream.  The full building story is told in the section of the site titled, “Construction.”.  Suffice it to say, Millie J was launched and did not sink, even though Rich literally had nightmares that he had forgotten to put one last hose on a thru-hull and left the valve open.  Alayne was overjoyed at being freed from bondage (no, not in that sort of way) so she could continue her studies and progression as a watercolor artist.  Her growth as an artist amazes Rich every day.  (If you want to be amazed too, link to alaynegoodhart.com).

Their plans are nearing culmination.  Rich will have put in enough years flying corporate jets where he can retire before his passengers wonder who the old fossil is up front.  Alayne looks forward to water-coloring her way around the world.  (How fortunate for her to be on a sailboat.  If she had taken up oil painting, they would have had to build a tanker.)  To steal from Winston Churchill, in spirit if not in quote, for Alayne and Rich, this is not the beginning of the end, but rather the end of the beginning.