Owner’s Description
PILAR was a dream we built for a home, a holistic way of life, and a return to the Solomon Islands where Bill Pool fought during WWII. She was named for the gypsy woman in Hemmingway’s book, For Whom The Bell Tolls…a dedicated mixture of earthy substance, an idealistic endeavor, and romance.
So, first, the substance:
Pilar’s laid decks are 1-1/8” Port Orford Cedar over 3/8” Brunzeel Plywood, long-scarfed over laminated Douglas Fir deck beams. Cabinsides are 2” Port Orford Cedar with some for interior paneling, also. Her wooden rudder, kingplank, covering boards and railcaps are air-dried Honduras Mahogany, the masts are Spruce, spars are Douglas Fir. Interior furniture is Oregon Myrtlewood, cabinsole is Honduras Mahogany, and a dinette table was a 12′ length of African Mahogany, a Christmas gift from our wood craftsman son, Billy. Many interior metal fittings are handmade. Hinges on galley drawers are individually etched copper plates, the topmost poem by Mason Williams reads: “LOVE IS A JOURNEY/THE MOMENT IT BEGINS/ THE JOURNEY IS ALL IT IS/NO MATTER WHERE IT ENDS.’Which brings us to the romantic heart of boats and sailing:
…for me, in the early days of making our first passages, our sturdy Pilar took care of us like a big-boned gypsy…like a seasoned matriarch whose hands could shape and feed us tortillas before the campfire then dance surefooted amid fire’s flames and shadows…a fanciful illusion for the lifting and plunging in bad weather…but later…during calm night passages when a hand cou be light on the tiller…awareness of being in company with a living being became visceral…mystical…Pilar’s graceful length of springy oak seemed a forearm resting easily under the helmsman’s touch and in the manner of dancers we were promenading side-by-side…shoulders squared…chins lifted…eyes focused ahead…that’s when sailing Pilar softly morphs into a courtly Castilian dance of dips and nods over languid swells…her foaming petticoats swishing to the right and curling to the left…the enchantment of stars charting our course…
P.S. Aging brings Changes that are not Choices, but sometimes the temptation is to attempt controlling them in advance. I had been struggling with listing Pilar for sale now, knowing that her ‘classic’ attributes would greatly narrow the field of interested buyers, thus allowing me time to adjust to a changed life. Though that may still happen, this wonderful immersion in OCH’s virtual boat show allows me to again feel young enough to imagine bringing Pilar back into a community of boat lovers, builders, and sailors such as we loved when Bill and I built her. Then, when the inevitable changes that are not choices become realities, transitioning Pilar into like- minded hands will be enhanced. Until then, Pilar continues to make each day aboard her deeply satisfying.
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27 thoughts on “38' Atkin Ingrid Ketch (1975) - PILAR”
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27 thoughts on “38' Atkin Ingrid Ketch (1975) - PILAR”
Always loved the look of an Atkin boat, what a beauty!!
Hi Diane
So many memories, so much love. Nice boat.
Billy
…yes, and your part in the love, the memories, and the skilled craftsmanship you contributed to helping your dad and I build PILAR remains a vital and integral part of her.
Oh Diane!
What a wonderful display of the work that you and Bill created! This has brought back such lovely memories of our visits to you, as well as the early days in Redwood City. That is a great shot of you and Bill on the boat.
The video montages are great. Your photographer has great promise. And you look so very, very happy.
Our visits to Tambobo touched us. I wish I could have experienced being there with Bill. A kind, gentle man. I miss him.
Sorry, couldn’t help it.
And yes, anybody reading this… do visit! An incomparable opportunity.
We love you.
tears are flowing, Harvey. no words. just love…
Hi Diane – Such love and dedication to your beloved vessel. A work of art and love. I’m grateful for the week Maura and I spent aboard Pilar with you and Bill in La Paz. I remember the amazing meals you created in her galley – bread baking, pasta making, canning of meat and vegetables. And the feel of her under sail. I’m glad you entered her in this show sharing your artistry, workmanship and love. Good on ya.
Michael
Yay! You used your ticket! So very happy and grateful to the crew that allowed me to share this wonderful site with you! Have been spending my free day roaming around, getting nostalgic. Regretful, too, for having lost touch with some but all the more appreciative of family and equally-beloved friends that remain steadfast in my life. The time spent with you two on board, especially meaningful, As have been all our other times on land, since. I’m so glad to’ve been accepted here, to have this opportunity to see and reconnect with a world of boats and boat people that I loved…and miss! Big hugs, always. Virtual or otherwise!
Hooray. We made it–thanks to you. Abounding thoughts came to mind when viewing familiar sailing grounds in Maine waters along with familiar wooden boats.
You did an outstanding job putting together the videos and the introductory Owner’s Description. The photos as I recently commented on, will raise anyone’s eyebrows; especially all the detailing visible in all the shots.
This show sparked imaginings of having a boat at some slip in Seattle or Santa Barbara as a pied de terre. Pierre, my son told me of a Flicka in SB for sale with mooring ball for $27000. Monthly payments: something around $200. So many of these photos can light my fire–know what I mean.
I’m still not through viewing all the boats. I enjoyed the video “Oughtrep’s Caldonia Yawl”.
Phil
Phil – I am SO THRILLED you finally were able to log in with the last-ditch use of my login–good news just came through: the show is being extended another week so there’s more time for seeing everything on this wonderful site! Equally terrific news is that they’re sending ten free ‘tickets’ so I can give you another chance–heck, I’ll send you ALL ten of them just to be sure we don’t have to repeat the problems we had with the links sent before! So very, very pleased that you, especially, are able to enjoy all that is here.
Yes, I know exactly what you mean about this experience lighting fires–much as I hate the cold I am inspired to leave my tropical paradise in order to be closer to the people and boats featured on this website.
more, later…d.
So, big sister…….you have inspired us all.
Debbie…I hope I can inspire all of to plan a Philippines Family Reunion when Covid allows for sharing real time with each other, again. It would be a dream I never dared to imagine could happen…until now.
All my life I’ve watched the most amazing creative people in my family, artists all of us in one form or another. Diane however, you have a special artistic way of showing the world whats in your beautiful mind! I watched…learned to work wood, and helped only a little with Pilar when she was in the backyard! So honored to have even touched her. You and Bill poured your hearts and love into her, and it still shows with every tiny detail. What a magnificent creation! I’m so proud of you, and happy you have TRULY….and still are…living your dream. I know Bill is still with you every moment.
It’s true, I’ve thought of it so many times–how gifted my sisters are and how blessed we were to have been encouraged to express ourselves so uniquely in such diverse and meaningful ways. And Yes, also to Bill’s continuing presence in daily life aboard PILAR. I often find myself laughing at the ‘coincidences’ of things falling into place in ways better than I’d anticipated. Whatever influences might or might not be present, I’m happy and grateful for myself, yes, but the most meaningful is that PILAR also gives pleasure to others. The times we shared while building her remain vivid–including that weekend sail up to Sausalito, on little LUANA, the Eric Jr. sister-ship to Atkin’s Ingrid design. So delighted you were able to log into this amazing boat show experience. Will stop now before I gush any further…
Hey Diane – Morgan here on my mom’s account. She shared the link to all this amazing stuff you’re doing and it’s so great to see how much hard work pays off. Hope you’re having a blast out there and can’t wait till I see you next!
Morgan, am so grateful to you for taking the time to visit this page and leave a comment! I was eager to be part of this boat show, to share my boat with others, but never imagined so much fulsome appreciation would result.
COME VISIT and GO SAILING with us! You will love my workers who, after so many years of helping me on PILAR, they are way overdue for some sailing time–cruising in the Philippines is truly special, you will never regret it–and BRING YOUR MOM, TOO!
What a lovely boat and a wonderful story! It’s people and boats like yours that make cruising such a special experience – people who’ve put their love and passion into one-of-a-kind vessels that speak to their personalities so well. You’ve voyaged to some remarkable, out-of-the-way places, too. If we ever get to the Philippines with CELESTE, it would be such a pleasure to meet you and “talk story”, as we say in Hawaii! Thank you for sharing PILAR and your remarkable story!
Thank you very much for your kind appreciation and, oh! IT WOULD BE WONDERFUL TO SEE YOU SAIL INTO THE ANCHORAGE! There would be so much enjoyable ‘talk story’ to share…big smile on my face just imagining it.
Me too!! I hope it happens someday! I sent you an email to the yahoo address that seemed attached to your comment so that we can stay in touch – I hope you got it! Reading the others’ comments, it sounds even more like we have the same sailing philosophy of doing things for ourselves, even down to canning our own meat, fish, and veggies! Yay! SO much FUN to meet likeminded sailors!! So glad this show happened!
I was just wondering how that email address came to you, was searching my site, not that I care–am delighted actually! And will reply to your letter, I got it, but have been attempting to focus on all the things I SHOULD be doing but continually find myself drawn back to discovering new, beautiful boats on this wonderful site. I wonder if it is going to still be available to members of OCH…hope so. Back to your question, Yes, without a doubt we are connected and am so pleased you have reached out to make it happen. Am eager to get to know you both, share our love of our homes and lives…
Also, I suppose boaters know all this, but reading about the Ingrid 38 Atkin design was fascinating to me:
https://bluewaterboats.org/ingrid-38
Thanks for the clarification on the location of Pilar. Found Tambobo Bay on Google Maps, if anyone else is interested:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Tambobo+Bay/@9.0565848,122.5588258,9z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x33ab57a3af9d72a7:0xbf105d2a18ebaa68!8m2!3d9.055003!4d123.1217958
I thought Pilar was Ferris-concrete hulled, but I see you’re listed as “Fiberglass” hull above–is that right?
Too bad you don’t have a “Tour of the Pilar” video as well!
Mark – you are so wonderful to follow up on not just the Google location of Tambobo but supplying the link for Bluewater Boats, as well! A ‘tour of Pilar’? Someday…yes, that would be lovely, though a fair amount of her interior has been uploaded to her category on my website, and will continue to add more as the progress of getting her fully rigged again continues. As if it ever stops???
This vessel is spectacular! Presented artistically in the manor in which She was created. So much love and care put into every detail. ONE OF A KIND!
I’m so proud to call Her owner Sister🤗
…there’s nothing so wonderful or powerful as the love of a sister… unless it’s unleashed on the love for her sister’s boat. (she’s made me promise not to ever let PILAR belong to anyone outside our family!)
WOW. The music is perfect. Great detail. Exciting vids. Takes us to the site with every shot. The power of people made this project possible. Excellent. KB
KB – Your musical approval is a huge compliment, thank you! Also appreciative of your connection with ‘the power of people’ carrying her heavy masts; a Filipino friend also observed approvingly that it recalled their tradition of “Bayanihan”–meaning, the community gathers to move a neighbor’s ‘Bahay Kubo’ (native-style house). It was very much that, everyone wanting to be a part of the do-it-yourself adventure of no commercial haulout facilities.
Yay! Thank you, Nate, for fixing the problem of not being able to comment!
For me, though it is not a big deal, the location of PILAR is NOT inland from Bais–that bay, though large and capable of visiting and anchoring, is to the NORTH of Tambobo Bay, about an hour’s drive from Dumaguete, and then another 60+ minute drive further south, down to the very tip of Negros Oriental. We can actually see Mindanao on clear days. It’s lovely. When Covid allows travel again, it is worth a visit.