The Story of Conta, Hull #65
A brief history of #65.A fairly wealthy resident of Evergreen, Colorado got an itch to go sailing, and he decided he wanted a Dawson. He found what he wanted in Maryland on The Chesapeake, #65 For Sale. He drove back East in his motor home and trailered the boat back to Evergreen.Then he went on an Odyssey that included San Diego and the Texas gulf coast. A year or two latter, he trailered her down to San Carlos, Mexico, near where she is now. In February of '86 or '87 he tried to sail her across the Sea Of Cortez to Santa Roselea, 80 miles of open water. A "Norther" caught him 40 miles offshore, he was injured, (broken ribs) and lost control of the boat, blue water in the cockpit, your worst nightmare situation. Two days latter, still in rough weather, he washed ashore on the beach 30 miles north of La Paz, 200 miles off course. He was rescued by fishermen (he had no idea where he was) and taken to the hospital in La Paz. One of the fishermen stayed on the beach to watch the boat. After 3 days in the hospital, he arranged for the local boat yard to go back up the coast to recover and repair his yacht. She was holed when he hit the rocks along the beach, so they kept her afloat by filling the cabins with empty plastic water jugs and strapping 55 gallon drums to the hull. In that condition they towed her the 30 miles to La Paz where a good boat yard repaired the hull and got the Petter 5hp diesel running..They put her out on a mooring, and after 6 months, Bill Ackerman returned (drove down to La Paz from Evergreen) and trailered the boat home. I was working on some of his cars and saw the forlorn vessel parked under some pine trees. He had not touched her since returning, having lost all interest in sailing. I bought #65 and a '69 Caddy DeVille convertible to tow it with (you might as well go in style and comfort) and after a week on Lake Powell, We towed her down to San Carlos, and she has been here happily ever since. I drove the Caddy back to Denver and sold it to a pimp but we still have "Costa".
And that's that!
Robert & Virginia Seeber.