I have been going offshore since I was too young to remember. My Grandfather and Dad have always loved the sea and loved enjoying it with our family and pretty much anyone else they knew.

When I was about 13 years old my Dad bought a Laffite Skiff that was handmade from Cypress. We spent a great deal of time building a cabin on this boat and really customizing it to suit our offshore trips. With help from my Grandfather and Uncle, my dad secured the parts to build the custom stainless steel steering wheel in the picture. My dad spent 46 years using that boat before taking his last trip offshore in May 2018. He sadly passed away this year and the boat was given to a very close friend of my dads. The only thing I wanted to keep was this wheel. My Grandfather, my dad, my sister, all 3 of my sons, my nephew and so many close friends & family have spent hours using this wheel and it was a part of countless trips offshore.

I plan to mount this somewhere aboard "Freebird". I don't yet know where, and its way to small to use as the ships wheel for such a large sailing vessel. But I do know I want it to be a part of the story and travels as we explore the world. I hope one day it will carry the same meaning to the loved ones I leave behind as it does for me now.