On June 8, 2004 we received a compact disc from Steve Zimmerman with interior pictures of MYSTIC ROSE. Steve, who built our boat, was aboard two weeks ago with John Bildahl, a professional photographer to take promotional pictures. You can see one of these great shots above.

Receiving these pictures in our last ten days of preparations for our summer cruise reminded us that we will be departing on the first anniversary of MYSTIC ROSE's commissioning. In our first year cruising in the local waters of the Chesapeake Bay, and as far as Beaufort, NC to the south and Cape May, NJ to the north, we have spent over 70 nights aboard. One stretch last summer had us aboard for 53 straight days and nights. This experience has shown us that this Down East Cruiser custom built by Zimmerman Marine is the absolute right boat for our cruising lifestyle.

Carol and I have began cruising together almost every weekend and vacation soon after marrying over 15 years ago. I had been sailing at that time for 30 years and Carol up to that time loved the water but had never been boating. For the next 14 years we had a progression of cruising sailboats from 27 to 41 to 46 feet. MYSTIC ROSE is our fourth boat together and our first power boat.

As we came to spend more and more time aboard each year a Down East Cruiser seemed to make the most sense. As a family we had sailed to Bermuda and New England in cruises that lasted a month or more. Our plans were to double and triple our time aboard. It also became clear that visiting quaint coastal towns, anchoring in gunk holes, living on the water and moving every day or so as we wished was the primary attraction in our cruising. Blue water overnight passages were loosing their appeal. The goal became finding a boat that gave us the freedom to range from Florida and the Bahamas to the Great Lakes, Maine and Nova Scotia with just two aboard. Each evening we would have the hook down or the boat in a slip by dinner time.

There were three hypothetical runs that drove what top end cruising speed we required. We will do one of these runs in less than two weeks from now. That is the daytime run from Cape May to Sandy Hook, New Jersey. A similar run goes from Mount Desert Island, Maine to the southern ports of Nova Scotia and the third goes from Palm Beach, Florida to the West End in the Bahamas. This means we wanted 16 knot capability in lumpy seas to easily reach the desired cruising grounds in a day run. I have to admit that 130 mile daily runs last summer came in handy much more often than I foresaw. We took good weather windows and ran with them. Then we enjoyed an extra day in beautiful protected spots while the wind blew hard.

We found the perfect boat and builder at Zimmerman Marine. The building of MYSTIC ROSE became a functional and esthetic collaboration between us, Steve Zimmerman and his team. MYSTIC ROSE was his seventh Z36 and our boat became a combination of the best of his previous boats and what we had liked most about our own previous boats. Living aboard for a significant part of each year meant that every detail of boat had to contribute to harmony whether underway on a beautiful day or anchored in the rain in a remote cove. The same 360 degree view that is so important for good navigation underway becomes just as important if we were to enjoy the scenery when moored or anchored regardless of the weather. For those months cruising, the boat becomes our home. Whether approaching MYSTIC ROSE by dingy or relaxing in the saloon, for us she evokes the same feeling as hearing a soulful note from a bamboo flute.

If you would like to see more pictures of the interior of MYSTIC ROSE, you can click on the "Interior Pictures."  We appreciate Steve's permission to post the pictures on our website. Many of our friends who haven't been aboard have been curious about MYSTIC ROSE's interior. I hope the pictures convey the warmth and comfort of our cruising home. You can learn more about the Z36 by clicking on Zimmerman Marine.