PIPING ABOUT PLOVER

Regarding Mary South’s possible boat name Plover [“Underway,” July, “Taking The Leap”]: A few years ago, walking the docks in Jupiter, Florida, I spied a unique boat named Plover. I called her owner and set up a fishing day. When we met, I asked him about Plover — or, as I remember, I said what is a “P Lover?”

He gave me the raised eyebrow. I was embarrassed, but I persevered and asked what, pray tell, is a plover? He said boats should be named after a bird. We went fishing and talked all day about Old Florida.

A few weeks later I fished with him again but on a boat named Man O’War. I said, “You named this boat after a horse?” Again, the raised eyebrow. I knew I had again erred. He told me to look it up, and I got another lesson on proper boat names.

Plover is a great name for a boat, especially a wooden one. By the way, the Plover I fished aboard was a Cuttyhunk bass boat.

John Wickwire Skaneateles Lake, New York

For the better part of two decades we sailed the coast of Maine for several weeks each summer in the family’s Alden-designed, Casey-built 50-foot wooden schooner. During one Fourth of July holiday period we planned to stop at Matinicus, only to find a piece of line stretched across the harbor entrance with a sign: “No F***ing Yachtsmen.”

On a different occasion, during a sail to Matinicus Rock to see puffins, we stopped briefly at the store on the island. When I had picked up the food we needed, I told one of our sons to get some cookies for the next few days on the boat and then proceeded to the checkout. He was back quickly, empty-hand- ed. “Dad, they don’t have any Oreos, and they don’t have any Fig Newtons,” he said.

Before I could respond, the man in the store — with wisdom wasted on a young boy — said, “Son, you’re on Matinicus now. If we ain’t got it, you don’t need it.”

With her workboat heritage, wooden construction, no- frills lines and being a “little scuffed up,” Plover ( a great name) will fit right in at Matinicus. Bob Marston Harvard, Massachusetts

Buying ever-bigger boats is a trap. Boats have to offer fun, excitement and a certain amount of pride of ownership for the amount of time and money we invest in them. I think South made a good decision with the West Pointer, but I think she could probably come up with a more appealing name than Plover.

Best of luck, and I look forward to reading about South’s adventures in the new boat. Ginny Koetzner

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