By Carol McCracken (Post # 514)

Portland’s waterfront can be as diverse as the community behind it. The newest addition to the diverse boats docked at Portland Yacht Services is the cruising yacht, Aschanti, IV. Only someone with very long legs could make the jump from the dock to the deck of this 115 ft. stay sail schooner – a cruising yacht built in Germany by an accomplished yacht racer himself – even though it was a good day for a dunk in the water, MHN.com decided to remain on the dock ladder and visit with the captain from there. It’s a crusing yacht which participates in regattas all year.

Karl Peter Ebner has served as the captain for the yacht’s owner for the past ten years. When his employer isn’t using the boat for racing, it is often used by his employer’s family; his wife, two young children and his 94 year old mother. Ebner sails the boat year round all over the world for his employer. The ship’s cook is currently away. So Ebner and his small crew eat out frequently these days. One of his favorite restaurants is Fore Street. “Super strange” Ebner said this afternoon is that he can’t take his 15 ft. tender to Commercial Street restaurants because they have no tie-up for “boat tourists.” It’s a common practice in Europe and the Caribbean, Ebner said.

Just having returned from a regatta in Antigua that the Aschanti IV won, she is now in port at Portland Yacht Services long enough to have two generators replaced by the yard. After that work is completed, Aschanti IV intends to compete in the Nantucket Opera House Regatta, if details can be worked out.

Peter Fried owns this splendid racing yacht. From Germany, he also owns a long-distance, around the world private airline. The business is based in Switzerland. The airline serves executives from all over the world. Fried is aboard whenever there is any racing to be done. They enter 4 or 5 regattas a year. A crew of 30 is necessary when Aschanti IV is racing. Fried owns another boat; the Etesian (Greek for the God of the Winds). It’s the sister ship to the 60 ft. the Sprague’s “Lions Whelp,” which is out of the water and up for sale.

Ebner says there is one place he has not visited and there may be a trip in the works for the fall – that’s to Asia. “I’ve never had a better job offer than this one he said, grinning from the deck of the incredible Aschanti IV.

The other two diverse boats at PYS are “Raw Faith” and “Gambo” -although probably neither one for much longer than a day or two.