FAMILY HEIRLOOM

Among the fiberglass hulls that fill the slips at Port Niantic Marina in East Lyme, Connecticut, is an odd ship out. Loafer is only 26 feet long, but she makes a big and immediate impression. She is the last remaining wooden vessel at the marina, and she is cared for by an equally memorable woman. Judy Andrew-Healy is Loafer’s keeper. She grew up on the boat with her family, and she now single-handedly tends to all of its needs. She has made it her mission to protect and document every known aspect of the boat’s past.

herself is a cute, albeit simple, little ship. Her aft deck has a bench and a fold-down table, and her cabin has two bunks and a forward head. The interior is filled with nautical trinkets and sea-inspired has a top speed of 4.8 knots and usually cruises at 3.5 to 4 knots. The owner doesn’t need more power. She likes as is.