HarHo! Remember that film well.... once upon a time in a far off land as I strolled my decks while at berth in a rather heavily populated
commercial marina/yacht haven... a tourist
cruise boat pulled alongside my beam and over the
deck megaphone was heard to say:
"...and here folks is Captain Ron himself and as you can see he hasn't changed a bit!..."
I smiled and waved and encouraged Sir General Lee (my pirate parrot of equal infamy who was perched upon my shoulder) to respond with his usual quips, quotes, slanderous remarks and jovial trouble-making....
So a thanks to you, Solitude, for the peek back in time.
It is easy to understand how just as easily there are those who upon sight of any given W. Garden design 50 or 51 (and/or all those variations thereof) might conclude such as that which began the inquiry relevant to this thread.
The subject itself: the Formosa/Taiwan boat building era, with specific regard to the
W. Garden designs was, is and will most likely continue to be a topic of hot debate.
Due diligence notwithstanding... and with a firm belief that the proof is found in
the pudding... there is one topic that (at least for me) is no longer open to debate:
the inherent speed and handling capability of the 51 in any sea-wind state.
To those who would propose that the Garden 50-51-52 is less than fleet I say:
ye'll need learn a bit yet more of the art of catching the
wind.
For those who in reality did propose as much to me in those days of yore...
I had only a wave from my quarterdeck aft toward the rapidly diminishing shapes
of their various
hull designs and sail configurations.
I was drawn to the original post by happenchance on a surf ... which sparked an almost shelved memory of days gone by and friends long
lost ... seas sailed ... hearts won ...
legends easily created and then as equally embellished ... and all the fond memories of my years at the
helm, sprit, and topmast of my ol' princess warrior o'the seas ...
DreamChaser. Seas well sailed, offings well made, races well won and feats of daring well done. It is told well that tale in a port well south of the day a
ketch of merely 65 feet
LOA was seen to do the impossible... as she placed her
bowsprit across the start line well ahead of the Schooner America... with her rail down and her uppermost spreaders within inches of the
rigging of that noble schooner .... and as well of her departure from that port after winning that particular
racing series of
events ....
7
sails aloft bound west to the Cay Sal for a meeting with the GulfStream and her journey north into the eye teeth of a full blown norther gale.... her infamous Heart of the Ocean jewel (embedded in the
teak of her bowsprit's very foremost tip) to be
lost yet again to the depths of the North Atlantic.
While the movie in question was a well done depiction of that which the hearts of all sailors alike embrace... DreamChaser sailed the reality of dreams well chased.
As did meownveryself... aye indeed... aye indeed.
'Twas but my thought that her new
skipper might enjoy the tales of her years of revelry, infamy and daring-do in the
Caribbean Seas and North Atlantic.
As always... I enjoy the telling and re-telling of them all...
equally as well as I did the creation of them...
SeaWolf
~~~~~
History
Odds are it is "like" the one used in the movie. 
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