We began the construction of our schooner in 1994. We had been in the chartering business here in Destin since 1979 and had always dreamed of sailing an authentic wooden vessel, one that would reflect the nautical heritage of the area as well as expressing the ideas that we loved about sailing. We chose to build a coasting schooner, a vessel that would allow us to get into practically any remote anchorage and one that would be stable, responsive, and a pleasure to sail in the Gulf of Mexico.

The "Biloxi" design originated in the northern Gulf Coast and had all the qualities we were looking for. It's huge sail area would give us good headway even in light airs typical of our summer and fall months. We chose to replicate, to a great extent, a schooner that was constructed in the Mississippi Sound in 1924, the Julia Delacruz, originally designed and built by Anson Holly. The Julia Delacruz had enjoyed a widespread reputation among Gulf Coast sailors in the early part of the last century and our builder, Gene Zirlott of Coden, Alabama, was able to acquire copies of line drawings and photographs from the archives of the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC.

As construction began at the Zirlott yard in Coden, just down the Fowl River from Bellengrath Gardens, it seemed at first things were moving along at a snail's pace. The framing and planking was the toughest job and required years of skill and tremendous patience. Gene Zirlott, and his father Nathaniel seemed to have plenty of that. Then we dived in about the second year to get the project in line with our future charter plans. Bill, Captain Randall, and Captain Richard would drive down to the yard from Destin 3 days a week to join in on the construction. The frames, hull planking and decks were constructed of export quality yellow pine that had been marine pressure treated. The masts were southern Mississippi pine trees and were shaped to masts right in the yard. White Oak was used for the flooring ad doors in the two cabins.

We couldn't help but notice in our first spring on the job that all the yard hands would "clear out" at the same time every day. One minute the place was bustling with activity and the next minute there was absolutely no one around. It wasn't long before we found out, as the "flying teeth" as Mr. Zirlott called them, attacked one day with a vengeance. We tried to ignore them..after all it was just some little no-see-ums, but soon with a look of terror in our eyes we realized these were no ordinary Florida critters and our situation began to quickly turn downhill. By the time we got our truck loaded and "high tailed it" out of the yard we had practically been eaten alive. The truck swarmed with these little devils all the way home, windows wide open!

We somehow managed to persevere though the unfolding of human dramas in both ours and in the lives of the yard personnel, through hurricanes, Coast Guard inspections and frequent attacks by those little devils. We finally launched our beloved schooner in August of 1996 and completed her in the river beside the boatyard. In early 1997 we sailed her to her new home, the Sailing South Marina on the Destin Harbor.