We are new to sailing. Coming from a landlocked state, the best you could do is sail a small boat on one of the larger lakes. We joined the sailing club at Cave Run where we began our sailing education seven years ago. While we were on our first real honeymoon at our ten year vow renewal, we noticed people living on sailboats out in the bay of Maui, Hawaii. We were both mesmerized and hooked. We spent five years searching for our boat on the water. We traveled all over the United States of America looking for our boat. We knew we wanted a blue water boat. However, finding one in our price range and with the things we needed on the boat to become cruisers was a challenge. We had all but given up. After years of not finding what we needed to cruise for our family, we were beginning to set the dream aside. Everything became more difficult during COVID. Darrell sent a link to me of a 2014 Island Packet 370 one evening that happened to be in our state of Kentucky. Odd that a blue water boat of that size would be in Kentucky Lake. When we took her out for her water survey she was covered in ice. The temperature outside was maybe 28 degrees Fahrenheit . We couldn’t even open the sails because they were frozen closed. She ran beautifully though and we already knew her sails were aged and needed to be replaced. I remember walking down the dock away from the broker and asking Darrell eagerly, “So, what do you think”. He replied, “I think we found our boat”. It was such an exciting day. We finally found the blue water boat we have been searching for with the right lay out. She was going to need some work but all boats do. We have put a new bottom job on Allegro, refinished the beautiful wood teak, new rigging, new lines, new Mack sails, upgraded electronics to B&G, new auto pilot, did a little engine work, added underside lights and transducer, installed a water maker and dive compressor and upgraded our batteries. Needless, to say we have been very busy. We did a lot of the work ourselves with a little help from subcontractors and friends.

We had always joked, we were going to name her Buttercup because they say you should name your boat after your lady. Darrell has always called me Buttercup. Looking through the documents left on the boat, we found the naming of the boat ceremony papers. She was named Allegro on Darrell’s birthday. It was like it was meant to be. Allegro was also proudly on the cover of a sailing magazine when the 370 line was created. She still has the original colors she was painted in blue and red at that time. We have been told she was the second created in the line. The first was a custom build and she was the second. We still have the sailing magazine she was advertised in.

We spent two years fixing her up. We have been preparing her for coastal cruising and motored her down from Kentucky lake to Pensacola with the mast stepped through ten locks. It was a challenging and cold trip. It was an adventure for sure. That is its own story. We were able to see and experience places of the southern states of the United States of America few ever see or have seen.

Please follow us on our journey as we take our Allegro on a circumnavigation. Coming soon!