How Skinny Will saved a marriage

September 2023

By Peter Dragonas

Skinny Will at the Bridgeport Boatworks. Photo courtesy Peter Dragonas

It was a cold and snowy December evening when friend George and his wife Judy came over for dinner. Great company from the yacht club always makes for a pleasant evening, reminiscing about past sailing adventures.

We live in a town on Boston’s North Shore that claims to be the sailing capital of the world and a community known for its maritime heritage. Year-round conversation there focuses on not much else besides activity on the water, and this night was no exception.

Now in our golden years – and after years of sailing – the decision was made to own a boat that was more age appropriate. That’s right, time for a motor boat. Our choice was a Sabre 34 Express Cruiser with twin Volvo diesels. Christened Island Time, she seemed to be the perfect match of quality, speed, and – with her enclosed helm station – comfort in any weather.

That evening we were introduced to a cruising adventure we knew nothing about: America’s Great Loop. There are five different “Loop” cruises throughout the Eastern United States and the one that intrigued us was the New York Triangle Loop. This loop starts in Long Island Sound, travels up the Hudson River to the Erie Canal and into Lake Ontario up the Saint Lawrence River to Montreal then down the Richelieu River into Lake Champlain. A return back down the Hudson to New York City ends the trip, which clocks in at approximately 1,100 miles. We were doing this! We bought the cruising guides and planned the route. First stop was Plymouth, Mass., followed by a trip through the Cape Cod Canal, Buzzards Bay and then off to Bridgeport, Conn.

Arrangements were made and reservations confirmed for two nights at Bridgeport Harbor Marina, a brand-new facility that is as beautiful as it is accommodating. Our first night went without incident while we enjoyed a wonderful dinner with friends who lived in the area.

The second day proved to be more challenging. Getting ready for dinner was easy, as we had a full head aboard with a separate shower. Laurie was first to shower but when my turn came, there was no hot water and barely any pressure. And there was a distinct and concerning gurgling sound. We shut the water off and went to dinner.

The next day, I turned the water back on to discover that there was some cold water, but no hot. And still that gurgling sound. And now the bilge was filling with water. What’s the first thing you do when you have water in the bilge? You taste it. A salty taste means sea water is coming in and you’re sinking. If it’s fresh, it means an internally routed hose has disconnected or a tank is leaking. In either case you are not sinking. Ours was fresh. Phew!

After some detective work I decided that the issue was in the vicinity of the port engine, most likely between the engine and the hull. Unable to find an access panel I called customer service at Sabre Yachts in Maine. I was told there are no access panels; the only resolution was to find a very small mechanic or a smart child to climb behind the motor.

We were fortunate to have next door the Bridgeport Boat Works (BBW). After the tears of the missus subsided, she recovered enough to tell me that if I couldn’t fix the water problem, the much-anticipated New York Loop trip was over right then and there! There was no way she was going on a two-month trip with no hot water and leaking water tanks.

Tuesday at 9:00 a.m. I was on the phone with BBW’s general manager, Ryan Jamison. After a brief conversation, Ryan said confidently: “We can fix that, and we’ll get you back on your way by lunch.” My heart sang with joy and I knew there was some possibility of not only continuing our cruise, but also keeping Mrs. Dragonas happy and me in her good graces.

I explained as completely as I could the problem, the symptoms, and my take on the fix. I also said we would need a small, skinny, talented, and non-claustrophobic mechanic. Ryan said, “I have one of those.”

Soon I was welcoming “Skinny Will” aboard. He was exactly what the doctor ordered: He looked to be in his late 20’s, about 5’4” in height, maybe 110 lbs. soaking wet, with an ear-to-ear grin and a wonderful and most-enthusiastic demeanor. I explained the situation. He said, “No problem,” and off we went.

The hatch to the engine room was lifted and Skinny Will went about his work. He emptied his pockets (to provide more shimmying room) and dropped down to survey the situation. He popped up, said “No problem” again, grabbed a few tools and disappeared below.

To say he was a contortionist really doesn’t describe his ability. I have seldom seen another human being that can slither around engines, pipes and hoses and fully disappear behind a power plant like Skinny Will did. I called over the engine several times to see if he was all right and still breathing, and he said each time he was fine.

After a few minutes of work, Skinny Will slithered out and announced, “problem fixed.” The issue: A water hose between our fresh water pump and hot water tank had come off. Seems the town water supply we were connected to had more pressure than our system’s hose clamps could handle. Skinny Will put the hose back on and tightened the clamp. Will was as cheery as ever when I thanked him, after which he explained that he is a highly valued member of the staff at BBW because not only is he a talented mechanic, but he can get into and out of spaces others cannot. And certainly, he is flexible in every sense of the word. He saves cruises and marriages just as a matter of course.

After a call to Ryan Jamison to thank him for understanding, for prioritizing our work and saving our cruise, we went on our way. I told Ryan he was very lucky to have Skinny Will on his staff. He said he knew.

Peter, his wife Laurie and their golden retriever Sparky live in Marblehead, Mass. Peter is a retired Morgan Stanley Senior Vice President, a Past Commodore of the Jubilee Yacht Club in Beverly, a Past Secretary of the Marblehead Yacht Club and the Line Captain and PRO for Wednesday night racing at Marblehead’s Boston Yacht Club. Peter and Laurie have recently donated to a maritime academy their Frers 41, which they raced and cruised for over two decades along the New England coast. They hope to continue their Loop adventures in 2024.