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he distance around the world at the equator IS 24,902
miles. That means the 34,667 miles Al and Rie
Peterson have logged almost equals traveling around
the world one and a half times.
Al, who retired in 1988 from a career as an engineer
who did much work for the U.S. Navy, and Rie (short for
Marie), a fonner interior designer, have completed the Great
Circle trip once and have made eight round trips from thetr
home port in Hudson, Wis., to the Gulf of Mexico. All this
was done on Kedge, a 1986, 37 -foot Lord Nelson Tug that
draws glances and comments wherever she goes.
Their boating began in 1957 with a 22-footer that was
followed by a 28-foot wooden Lewis Yacht they kept for 25
years. That boat was featured on the cover of Rudder
Magazine in 1962 as an example of Lewis' workmanship.
Their goal from the beginning was to travel, so that's
what they did as many weekends as possible. Part of their
preparation focused on learning as much as they could
about their boat and about traveling. To increase their seamanship knowledge, they relied on a combination of selfstudy and classes taught by boating organizations.
It was during a vacation trip to Burnt Store Marina in
Florida when Al first saw a dry-docked Lord Nelson Tug.
With the analytical eye of an engineer, he immediately recognized that the hull design would meet their needs for
seaworthiness and practicality. Rie's reaction to the boat
was somewhat different. "It was so precious looking, I just
wanted to hug it," she recalls.
Built in Taiwan, then shipped to Washington state and
finally Detroit, their boat is hull No. 43. There are less
than 90 of them in the United States.
The 37-footer has about 34 feet of waterline and a 13foot-4-inch beam and draws 3 feet, 8 inches. Powered by a
150-hp Cummins diesel that Al says is more than they
need, it also carries a 4-kw diesel Onan generator. This was
a replacement for the original, troublesome Italian-made
unit, and although they sometimes wish it were a bit larger,
it has logged a tremendous number of hours. It supplies
electricity for heating, lighting and cooking as well as
charging the batteries for the 12-volt refrigerator.
The green fiberglass displacement hull has a deep keel
that offers shaft and prop protection. They have never been
in water they feel the hull hasn't easily handled, including a
Gulf of Mexico crossing when they experienced some 20degree rolls.
She weighs 10,500 pounds empty and carries 250 gallons of fuel and 120 gallons of water.
In the aft section is the salon, which is warmly finished
in teak with some holly mixed in on the decks and an
Oriental wood called yackle used on the ceilings. The open
dining area has a dining table and four comfortable chairs.
The galley runs across the forward wall and mcludes three
stove burners and an oven. Taking the steps up on the starboard side leads you to the pilothouse, which has a 360degree Vlew. The helm console includes all of the usual
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instruments as well as radar, Loran, a handheld GPS and
an autopilot. Al says the autopilot "is one of the best things
we've ever put on."
Across the back of the pilothouse is a long settee that
sits about four feet higher than the pilot station. Tlus IS
where they spend their time while traveling. Usmg the
remote-controlled autopilot, Al sets the rudder to a compass heading for a distant buoy and then makes ffilnor corrections as they go. They use the autopilot 80 percent of
the time while cruising but switch over to manual anytime
they need close steering such as locking, docking and
around heavy tow traffic. One of their traveling credos IS
that safety IS always more Important than comfort. so .lJ
takes over as he deems necessary.
Heartland Boating· July 2000
In the center of the control console is a passageway to
forward master stateroom. The head is to port and
shower is to starboard. There are full V-berths, but
aee:pirJ
· 19 in the pilothouse is an option they frequently use.
. The boat's single engine is a bit of a disadvantage in
J.ght quarters, but Al has learned to plan his man euvers
well in advance to avoid getting into corners and trouble.
For them, the economy and minimized maintenance out~eigh the downside. H e does all of his own maintenance
md.is ple:lsed with the fuel-sipping tendencies of the diesel
mgme.
One slight irony about the boat is that while Al is shy
o talk about himself and his significant accomplishments
'o r the N avy, he pilots a boat that draws attention to itself
y 2000 • Heartland Boating
wherever they are. It's sometimes a disadvantage to dock
after a long day and have other boaters drop by to comment about what a cute and unusual boat it is. On the flip
side, they get frequent calls from tows to chat or answer
questions. During tllese conversations, the Peterson often
gain useful cruising information.
In 1988 they completed the Great Circle, and their
travels have been well documented. Al keeps a precIse ship's
log, and Rie's daily diaries were the basis for yearly chronicles in a publication from their horne manna.
Their traveling speed is approximately 6 knots, and
their preferred style is to frequently anchor out and eat on
board. While they enjoy stopping at marinas and to\\nS to
poke around, they tend to stay away from restaurants, as
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Rie loves to cook and have guests on board. Her specialty
is peanut pie, made from a private, personal recipe. One of
AI's delights is to visit old-fashioned barbershops to get a
feel for an area.
The St. Croix River, where they hail from, is viewed
by many as among the most beautiful rivers in the country,
but Rie's logs admit the Tennessee River is as pretty or
prettier than their home port. At another time and place in
the diaries, Rie makes similar comments about the beauty
of parts of the Hudson River.
Another advantage of keeping diaries and logs is that
they regularly record the location of their anchorages along
with the water depth and the current river gauge levels.
Over years of traveling the same routes, this information
has been helpful.
Each has favorite memories and highlights. For Rie, it
was passing the Statue of Liberty. For AI, every day on the
water is a highlight. Simply slipping along and watching
the sights and sounds, such as seeing an occasional deer
swimming, is good enough. Being able to travel at a
Rie and Al Peterson aboard Kedge in Punta Gorda, Fla.
leisurely pace and absorb the surroundings is a beauty all
its own.
They both agree one of their most memorable
moments came when they had to place the only distress
call they have ever had to make. It happened after they had
boated for 37 years. They were anchored near Baton
Rouge, La., in an area of high tow traffic. Because of the
location of their anchorage, they were taking turns standing anchor watch. Sometime after midnight, a runaway
barge suddenly loomed over them out of the darkness and
battered them around before continuing downstream.
They immediately placed a distress call and the Coast
Guard responded instantly. The boat was grounded but not
taking on water. Unfortunately, later that night they floated
free and that's when they found their rudder had been
jammed. The next morning a diver loosened the rudder
enough so they were able to limp 60 miles into their winter
port of Orleans Marina.
They knew these things could happen. They had first
dreamed, then planned on long-distance traveling and then
worked toward that goal. It's always been a priority to have
Accented in brass, the galley is fully equipped for Rie's
top-grade equipment in top shape. That's why, during layon-board creations, including her specialty, peanut pie.
overs, they routinely inspect their safety equipment and
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - , review the operating procedures. Over
the years, they have added a carbon
the Ultimate In-Water
dioxide-inflated six-man raft, an
Towing Device
Emergency Positioning Indicating
~i '~,
. Tow fishing boats, speed boats. Jet boats and parsons' watercraft.
Radio Beacon, a 25-mm flare gun and
. ~
• Watercraft being towed won', hit your boat when slowing down or stopping.
.
• Ideal for use with most boats. pontoons and houseboats.
dye markers.
• Easily stor8S when not In use.
When people ask them for advice,
.
•
• Floats If dropped.
LIMITED TIME ONLY
onfigur
which frequently happens, they generalWho said you can" take it with you?
ly advise them to prepare, study and
Now you canl
learn all they can about their equipment
before setting out. But remember, AI
says, "You'll run into trouble and you'U
have problems, because things go
wrong. But you'll get out of it."
f"
. :TO~DSTE~N
~
Heartland Boating' July 2000