Rigged: The Misadventures of a Classic Wooden Sailboat

Rigged recounts a series of amusing and poignant descriptions of the owner's misadventures whilst attempting to rig, sail and restore his classic wooden sailboat Rufus. Like an ornery teenager, Rufus presents a series of challenges to her owner and ingrains herself, over a period of decades, as a close family member to the extent that she cannot be ignored, only doted upon, loved and enjoyed.

The tale of Rufus in Rigged and her role in our family isn't just about the trials of a family and their classic wooden sailboat, but rather how Rufus became the vessel whose happenstance has woven the cloth of our family's identity. My father, the greatest teller of bedtime stories, takes the reader on a journey that depicts Rufus as a threaded connection to sailing, nature and the re-invigoration of his relationship to his father.

Rigged is a purely Canadian story written by a Canadian for readers of all ages, not just mariners, and takes place in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The book will appeal to any person of any age who enjoys humour, entertainment and outdoor adventure. It will amuse anyone who, driven by passion, has at some point in their lives attempted a project and experienced its failure or success and can envision a parallel to their own ironic life experiences.