Lonnie sails the Indian River Lagoon in Pepperbird, his personal dory.
True story. A man buys a 90-year-old, broken-down wood sailboat because he likes its lines. He marries the female dock master to win a bet, and together they spend the next 30 years living on board, restoring the recalcitrant money pit with no help from their rambunctious crew of eight Chihuahuas.
To stay afloat financially, they call on their considerable musical talents and perform in restaurants, nightclubs and bars, and on cruise ships. Along the way the two decide to build custom, handmade, Swampscott-style dories. The happy ending finds them living in Vero Beach, building one-of-a-kind, Heart of Oak dories and entertaining an ever-growing fan base at festivals, weddings, area eateries, bars and any place that features great music.
Like I said, this is a true story, and nobody tells it better than Lonnie Dee Robertson. In fact, he’s written a 458-page book titled The Borealis, documenting what he calls “the precipitously steep but nevertheless agonizingly long learning curve traveled by two first-time boat owners who metamorphose from neophytes incapable of nailing two boards together to expert boat builders.” The book is dedicated to his quest to earn enough money from sales to be able to afford a supreme pizza. He has yet to savor a bite.
True Tails is a series written by Amy Robinson for Vero Beach’s dog lovers. Ask Amy about your dog’s behavior by clicking below.
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