The Keel & Compass
Welcome! I'm building this space as a testament to a dream I refuse to let go of: becoming a marlinspike sailor. In getting this far I've had quite a few missteps and mistakes. These experiences have sometimes made my dream feel impossibly far away. Yet, my love for sailing and the intricate art of rigging persists. This website is my keel and compass, a place where I can keep myself righted and chart my course, towards what I once thought might be beyond my reach.
I hope that what I put here is of value to you and that you maybe inspired to take up this endeavor with me. I encourage you to reach out with comments and questions.
-Red Jack
Who is Red Jack?
Red Jack is who I want to be. He's... well, an ideal. He cares about planet conservation; he is wise and compassionate. He is a pirate and a thief. He has his own code, handed down from a long line of sailors and free spirits.
He is a captain and a marlinespike sailor.
I haven't reached that point yet, not sure it's possible to achieve the level of mastery he has but we can try.
Our history
I don't know where the love for water began. When I was small we lived on a small pond of a lake, with a peddle paddle boat. We caught fish for breakfast lunch and dinner, then moved to dry land.
I missed the lake but wouldn't connect with a boat again until my senior year of high school. I spent the whole night on that boat hurting feeling like something was wrong. Then In college I met a girl who's parents had a sailboat. A Catalina 27 and it was like a light went off in my head, this was what I wanted - I obsessed about it. We broke up, turns out I loved the boat more then the girl...
Graduated college, took a job in TN, moved to WI - Fell into financial ruin. Alcohol and Addiction. Bought a boat at the wrong time, waved a wand turned it into a derelict. Changed jobs - fought my way out of debt. Then by happenstance was able to acquire a 26' Pearson on the affordable & my life has never been the same.
What is here is my story, My experiences. So pull up a stool and sit for a yarn, maybe you'll learn something, maybe you'll get just a few moments of entertainment, either way it all begins here.