Fred checked in with Thankful on July 20, 2007. We put her in Rosters section, but forgot to give her her own page. Now Fred can send us some pictures and her story!

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On June 16, 2008 Fred sent in the following emails (consolidated and edited by your webmaster) and these photos of Thankful. He is working on identifying another Dolphin found under wraps on Peaks Island. Stay Tuned.

Dolphins look good in blue, don't you think?

Ron,

I keep my Dolphin "Thankful" on a mooring off of Torrington Point, Peaks Island in Portland not far from the ferry landing on Peaks.

Here are a few pictures of my boat Thankful. The other Dolphin on Peaks was completely tarped over so I did not take pictures. I found out the first name of the owner - "Walley" - but have not yet made contact.

Sincerely,

Fred Goguen

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November 17, 2008

Fred sent in some pictures, sketches and and some information on how he raises and lowers Thankful's mast. This can be seen in the Technical Section - Masts and Related - click to go there. He also gave us some history.

"My wife Cheri purchased “Niantic” Pacific Dolphin Hull # PDM242410767 on E-Bay from Andy Johansson in August 2006. Cheri had read the article in Good Old Boat and had decided that a Dolphin would be the perfect boat for us and she was right. We had “Niantic” trucked up from Barnagat Bay, NJ to Portland, Maine and sailed her over to our mooring located off of Peaks Island where we live. We performed the renaming ceremony and “Niantic” is now “Thankful”

At haul out time that fall 2006 I had found an inexpensive trailer near by on Craig’s List that is a little undersize but works since we only have to haul Thankful about a 1/4 of mile for spring launching and fall haul out."

Here is a picture of Thankful on her trailer

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November 21, 2008

Your webmaster spoke with Harry Avery today. He is a prior owner of #261 and when he bought her in 1998/99 she was in pretty poor shape. He restored her. Click here to go to his story. We have not been able, as yet to talk to Andy about Niantic.

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November 24, 2008

Fred sent in the following email about Thankful's Vire inboard

Ron,

I pulled out the Vire 7 and gave it to Ron Shaw on Peaks Island. Ron Shaw is an old Mainer. I knew Ron was familiar with Vire engines because Ron had purchased a new Vire engine  in 2001 and installed it into a small Friendship sloop . Ron soon tired of the Friendship sloop and sold the boat. Since I knew that Ron was familiar with Vires and mine had a corroded carburetor I gave it to him.

Ron got the Thankful's old engine all clean up and running like a top and traded it to another old timer up in Ellsworth for a cast iron marine stove. I am using the old 5 HP Honda outboard that came with the boat when I bought it from Andy. By the way that two cycle Vire had deposited gooey substances never before seen by man into the bilge. I had a heck of a time trying to clean Thankful's bilge  

Fred

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