I'm not a journalist for good reason (beides being a relatively ho hum writer). I would likely miss every deadline. a couple weeks ago, Strictly Sail St Pete  was held in the Mahaffey Theater basin and I went down with my dad to take a look. There were a few items of interest, but my primary goal was to see a professionally built Wharram Tiki 30. My visit was on Friday afternoon and I should have run home to write this so more people might stop by.

Wharram's designs provoke emotianal reations. Some are moved by the simplicity of their "appropriate technology", others I have spoken to rail against  them and decry them as unsafe.  I tend to be among the former, and have always wanted to get up close to one but there are few to be found in the States. David Halladay, of Boatsmith, has built a beautiful specimen in Abaco and has become the only Wharram approved professional builder in the United States.

I felt like a Trekie on my way to a convention. Not only was I going to see a Wharram, but it was one I watched be built via the blog Probuilt Tiki 30 with the builder there. On top of that I was going to meet Scott Williams, author of " On Island Time - Kayaking the Caribbean " and a blogger whose Element II Tiki 26 blog I follow. Wow, I'm not sure I could find a better way to admit to being a huge geek than this paragraph.

I made a beeline for the docks, and waited a few moments as David spoke to a couple about the boat. After introducing myself, I was invited on board and I could hardly contain myself as I stepped up onto the beautiful teak fordeck. Everything was finished to the highest quality, with so many details I don't know where to begin! 

I will contain myself to the features that struck me most. The Tiki 30 seems to me to be the perfect Florida boat, shallow draft to explore the coast, boarding ramp to make swimming and retrieving the dinghy easy. Abaco has a sturdy stainless steel framed bimini covering the spacious cockpit. And the cockpit is what calls to me about this boat. Don't get me wrong, I love my SJ28, but we spend all but a tiny fraction of our time on deck, very little down below in the cabin. All that space is wasted! It is the opposit on Abaco. In each hull there is sitting room above the comfortable double berths. There is a minimal head in one hull, effecient galley in the other.

The cockpit is spacious with wide comfortable cusions. Sail and engine controls are an easy reach but don't clutter or dominate the space. I mentioned the beautiful teak foredeck, and aft ramp before, but they deserve a second mention. The foredeck is open and uncluttered. Perfect for dinghy storage, or sunbathing, or handling the anchor and headsails.  Please take a moment to check out the blog sit which details the really cool little features like the in cockpit day cooler, and the top loading icebox with side access at a comfortable height in the galley.

I spent about 45 minutes chatting with Scot and David, most of the time trying to keep my drool of the brightwork. They were really nice guys, and I'm glad I had the chance to meet them. Check out the Boatsmith website too , Abaco is for sale and they are offering Tiki 21 and Tiki 26 builds as well. I was flabbergasted by the pricing, so amazingly reasonable for what is in essence a custom sailboat built to the highest standards of quality!