Request for pictures of "Big T" from Charleston

[andrewcsy]

Hi all,
I lived aboard my boat Someday in Charleston, SC, between 2000 and 2005, at the City Marina. There was an excellent 51-foot steel ketch moored out in the Ashley river by the name of Big T, which I thought a beautiful and inspiring vessel.
She sunk, and was raised again 9 months later.
I'm writing a piece about it for my blog, and would like to find some pictures of her before she sank.
I have some great pictures of her after she was raised (see this link for some other ones), but only mediocre ones from beforehand.
I know a lot of cruisers pass through Charleston - does anyone have any pictures they could send me? This would have been pre-2004 I think.
The blog doesn't make me any money, so I would not be able to pay much (if anything); however, photographers will be attributed.

Or if anyone has any other ideas of how to find some photos, please feel free to let me know in this thread.

Thanks a lot,
Andrew

[SVDistantStar]

Wow i used to be anchored next to that rusted hulk. I dont have any pictures of her before she sank, but i will add a few i took wile she was still anchored out.





She got cut up last summer. According to City Boatyard it cost them 15k to cut her up and haul her off. They got that wrong, they made at least that much off the scrap.

[Colorado Dreamer]

I do not have any pictures but I followed your link out and really enjoyed reading some of the articles on your blog. Nicely done. Your site looks very professional and was very easy to navigate, etc. Just thought I would tip my hat to you. Good luck finding the pictures you need.

[dacust]

Originally Posted by andrewcsy

I lived aboard my boat Someday in Charleston, SC, between 2000 and 2005, at the City Marina.

I remember seeing your boat. I have been on K dock since 2003. When you were there, I had the 1966 wood Pacemaker in the corner slip between the jetdocks. Still same slip, different boat...

I am really enjoying your blog. After reading about AndrewZRX I went to your write-up on the Vendee. Very nice writing. After reading those two, I'm bookmarking your blog 'cause I gotta read everything you've written.

I saw when TowBoat/US raised the Big 'T', but I never got any pictures.

SVDistantStar mentioned City Boatyard. You might not know who they are. City Marina bought Halsey/Cannon a coupla years ago. They also opened up another marina on the other side of the bridge from Ashley Marina. The fiefdom is growing.

-dan

[andrewcsy]

Originally Posted by Colorado Dreamer

I do not have any pictures but I followed your link out and really enjoyed reading some of the articles on your blog. Nicely done. Your site looks very professional and was very easy to navigate, etc. Just thought I would tip my hat to you. Good luck finding the pictures you need.

Thanks Dreamer, it's great to hear such good feedback.

Andrew

[andrewcsy]

Hi Dan,
Thanks for the nice words. Hopefully my future posts will keep you interested.

Can you describe your old boat? I think I remember it but I'm not sure...

Andrew

[dacust]

Originally Posted by andrewcsy

Hi Dan,
Thanks for the nice words. Hopefully my future posts will keep you interested.

Can you describe your old boat? I think I remember it but I'm not sure...

Andrew

Here are some more images.

After reading the rest of your blog, I'm guessing you are a professional writer. Who do you write for?

-dan

[andrewcsy]

Originally Posted by dacust

After reading the rest of your blog, I'm guessing you are a professional writer. Who do you write for?

-dan

What a wonderful compliment! Thanks so much Dan. Actually I'm not a pro yet - currently I'm only writing for my blog. But I'm thinking I might try submitting some of my work to magazines and the like.

It took the picture to jig my memory - but of course I remember this boat. There were so few character boats at the City Marina, but yours sure was one of them. Congratulations on selling her - any idea where she is now?

I also have this vague memory of disturbing you late one night after I'd been at the Salty's. I was sozzled. You were just chillin'... I remember you being a very good sport about it, though I don't remember what we talked about. Damn that Salty's - the bartenders were always buying me shots. I'd then drive my motorcycle down the dock. It's a wonder I never ended up in the mud.

Any pics of your new boat?

Thanks again,
Andrew

[andrewcsy]

Originally Posted by SVDistantStar

Wow i used to be anchored next to that rusted hulk. I dont have any pictures of her before she sank, but i will add a few i took wile she was still anchored out.

She got cut up last summer. According to City Boatyard it cost them 15k to cut her up and haul her off. They got that wrong, they made at least that much off the scrap.

Thanks for the pics SV. I didn't realize she went back on her mooring for awhile.
Last I heard, a local fellow had bought her and was hoping to get her into his back yard (He'd had to promise the wife he'd move all his old cars first...)

Andrew

[dacust]

Originally Posted by andrewcsy

What a wonderful compliment! Thanks so much Dan. Actually I'm not a pro yet - currently I'm only writing for my blog. But I'm thinking I might try submitting some of my work to magazines and the like.

It took the picture to jig my memory - but of course I remember this boat. There were so few character boats at the City Marina, but yours sure was one of them. Congratulations on selling her - any idea where she is now?

I also have this vague memory of disturbing you late one night after I'd been at the Salty's. I was sozzled. You were just chillin'... I remember you being a very good sport about it, though I don't remember what we talked about. Damn that Salty's - the bartenders were always buying me shots. I'd then drive my motorcycle down the dock. It's a wonder I never ended up in the mud.

Any pics of your new boat?

Thanks again,
Andrew

Dang. I remembered your boat. Now I remember YOU. Yep, that was me. You dropped by and we talked 2 or 3 hours. Yes, you were ripped, but a nice drunk! I enjoyed talking to you. I remember your bike was quiet enough to not be a bother anybody. You usually parked it up at the turn of the fixed dock.

I don't know where the old boat is. The guy I sold it to was taking it to Louisiana. He was leaving Charleston with no charts and no GPS. Said he'd just follow the markers. I gave him an old GPS and loaned him about a thousand dollars worth of charts and gave him a crash course on using it all. I just couldn't in good conscious let him take off that way. Then I didn't hear from him for several weeks. I was worried he got caught by the hurricane, but later heard from a guy there (remember the guy living on a 20 something foot sail boat with a blue tarp and a window air conditioner?) that a friend of his talked to the guy in Key West!!?!! Several months later, the charts came back in the mail, but with no return address. He hasn't responded to e-mails. I fear the boat may not have made it. It was in bad shape by the time I sold it. The bottom was leaking at the stern and the transom was falling apart. (I ended up selling it to him for $1). Motors were very good and the genset ran fine. A/C, stove, fridge, head, bilge pumps etc. were all good. As long as he could keep it floating he'd have a good trip. But, who knows. We hit it off good, and I think if he lost the boat somehow, he might have been embarrassed to tell me.

You might also remember Josh who lived there in something like a 35' (maybe Chris Craft)? He was one of the few other powerboaters on that dock. He finished school, sold the boat and moved (to Fla?) with his girlfriend.

It's great to hear how your life is going these days! Being a dad really changes things. I haven't been through it, but I've seen it several times. One guy had a really nice Ranger bass boat. Before he got married, he told her that he would compromise on lots of things, but he'd never get rid of his boat. She was OK with that. 2 years later when his kid turned 1, he sold it. He said his wife had never said a word about it, but there were things he wanted to do with his family and the boat was in the way. Of course, the best is to have the family AND the boat/bike... so I only posted this to say I know it changes your life and priorities. I enjoyed seeing the evidence of that in your blog.

Speaking of your blog, I am looking forward to following it. And good luck with the writing. Many people think they might have what it takes to write. Most are wrong. I think you have the ability and the creativeness to do it. Doesn't mean you will succeed. You may not want it bad enough, or may not get the right breaks, but I think your writing is up to it.

More pics of the new boat are here

-dan

[andrewcsy]

Originally Posted by dacust

Dang. I remembered your boat. Now I remember YOU. Yep, that was me. You dropped by and we talked 2 or 3 hours. Yes, you were ripped, but a nice drunk! I enjoyed talking to you. I remember your bike was quiet enough to not be a bother anybody. You usually parked it up at the turn of the fixed dock.

I don't know where the old boat is. The guy I sold it to was taking it to Louisiana. He was leaving Charleston with no charts and no GPS. Said he'd just follow the markers. I gave him an old GPS and loaned him about a thousand dollars worth of charts and gave him a crash course on using it all. I just couldn't in good conscious let him take off that way. Then I didn't hear from him for several weeks. I was worried he got caught by the hurricane, but later heard from a guy there (remember the guy living on a 20 something foot sail boat with a blue tarp and a window air conditioner?) that a friend of his talked to the guy in Key West!!?!! Several months later, the charts came back in the mail, but with no return address. He hasn't responded to e-mails. I fear the boat may not have made it. It was in bad shape by the time I sold it. The bottom was leaking at the stern and the transom was falling apart. (I ended up selling it to him for $1). Motors were very good and the genset ran fine. A/C, stove, fridge, head, bilge pumps etc. were all good. As long as he could keep it floating he'd have a good trip. But, who knows. We hit it off good, and I think if he lost the boat somehow, he might have been embarrassed to tell me.

You might also remember Josh who lived there in something like a 35' (maybe Chris Craft)? He was one of the few other powerboaters on that dock. He finished school, sold the boat and moved (to Fla?) with his girlfriend.

It's great to hear how your life is going these days! Being a dad really changes things. I haven't been through it, but I've seen it several times. One guy had a really nice Ranger bass boat. Before he got married, he told her that he would compromise on lots of things, but he'd never get rid of his boat. She was OK with that. 2 years later when his kid turned 1, he sold it. He said his wife had never said a word about it, but there were things he wanted to do with his family and the boat was in the way. Of course, the best is to have the family AND the boat/bike... so I only posted this to say I know it changes your life and priorities. I enjoyed seeing the evidence of that in your blog.

Speaking of your blog, I am looking forward to following it. And good luck with the writing. Many people think they might have what it takes to write. Most are wrong. I think you have the ability and the creativeness to do it. Doesn't mean you will succeed. You may not want it bad enough, or may not get the right breaks, but I think your writing is up to it.

More pics of the new boat are here

-dan

Hi again Dan,
Thanks for the various bits of news - it's always interesting hearing how things are going back in Charleston.
I do remember Josh and his bikini-clad girlfriend - I'm glad to hear things are going well for them.

Yes, parenthood sure does change things! No more boating for now - perhaps we'll get another one down the line. But the motorcycle is here to stay!

And thanks for the encouraging words about the writing. I'm going to start by doing some research, and then making a plan of action from there. The most important part of course is to just keep writing...

Thanks again,
Andrew