Topsail schooner Eric Borgman
Photo: Mike Eaton
Later renamed the Port Bougainville, after his Florida real estate in Key Largo, the Eric Borgman was Fritz Scharenberg’s 175 ft topsail schooner.
In an earlier blog post, I mentioned that i had spent a few years sailing the Eric Borgman across the Atlantic and up the east coast of the US. Several crew members got in touch in the comments, and stories where told – it makes interesting reading: The Cutty Sark and Cape Town
Thanks for the photo Mike, hope to see the rest one day soon.
Sailed on her in the Mediterrainian in 1980 , where is she now ?
Comment by Darrel — February 13, 2012 @ 7:29 pm
Thanks for posting the picture. I’m a hobby historian on traditional sailing vessels like this, and wondered, do you know where she was built? A friend of mine saw her back in 1983 in Florida. I noticed the comment that she was lost by fire off Jost van Dyke, any idea of the year?
Comment by Steve — April 28, 2012 @ 2:29 pm
I was aboard Port Bougainville the night of the fire.I don’t recall the exact date right now but I know it was late March/early April of 1984. I went below and pulled the captain from his bunk(he woke up then!) fired off all our flares and called the coast guard-about two hours later the USCGC Point Whitehorn arrived,followed by an LCM in use in interisland trade and another boat I don’t recall.At one time I had some pictures taken by a helicopter pilot there,as well as some taken by Tim Carstarphen,who gave us a ride around to Red Hook. For years I kept a chart with her location marked-Coast Guard would not let her sink in a national park(in Maho Bay on St Johns) so took her under tow and she resides now in about 180 feet of water. I still had new underwear,in the plastic wrap that my mom had sent me at Christmas. All my Jimmy Buffet cassettes went with her as well as a hell of a lot of good liquor.
Comment by brian poythress — May 1, 2012 @ 12:28 am
I remember some tell tales when we crossed the Atlantic with Jack Showers, they were made from old Jimmy Buffett tapes, amazingly accurate.
Comment by Brett — May 1, 2012 @ 12:44 am