Smooth Sailing with Jamie Perkins
NEIRAD enilno edition
“Everybody should live on a boat at least once in his or her life,” said Special Ed. teacher Jamie Perkins. Many students enjoy sailing and spending time on boats, but none of them are accustomed to actually living on one. Mr. Perkins is in his fourth year living solo on a boat moored in the Long Island Sound in Stamford.
“I love it," Mr. Perkins immediately responded, when asked if he enjoyed life on a boat. "The only real disadvantage is that it's much smaller [than a home]. Other than that, it’s a great experience.” Mr. Perkins resides in a 150-square foot area.
This choice of residence is not only fun but economically smart. He said it doesn't require the long commute to school that many teachers endure daily. Weather also does not pose the challenge one might think. “It's designed to handle wind and water, so it's not affected badly by storms," Mr. Perkins said. "Of course hurricanes are a different story.”
Luckily for Mr. Perkins, there haven't been many hurricanes in Stamford in the four years he's been there. Another one of the advantages is that it completely rids anybody of seasickness. "After awhile, it feels strange when it's not moving," he said.
Despite the difficulties of living in such a small area, Mr. Perkins still uses electricity for the basics that need electricity to function, and still does many things that one would do in a house, including cooking, and more.
The boat is a classic 1977 C&C 33 MK that has been upgraded and changed many times from its original form. Mr. Perkins said that he restored the boat himself, completely replacing and installing a propane stove and fireplace heater, a new GPS chart plotter, radar, auto-pilot system, stereo, knot meter, depth finder, 110 volt shore power, battery charger, windows, and new running gear. This winter, Mr. Perkins plans to replace the main and jib sail, and possibly repower it with a new diesel engine. Next summer, Mr. Perkins plans to sail solo to either Nova Scotia or Bermuda. He also plans to extend his maritime education. “I do plan on obtaining my U.S .Coast Guard Master Captain license so I can then start a summer educational program at sea,” Mr. Perkins said.
When he is not getting ready to set sail for Bermuda or other choice locales, Mr Perkins enjoys entertaining guests. But it is often not the usual experience a guest has come to expect. Fellow special-ed teacher James Coleman said he has been on board for some rough weather on Mr. Perkins’ boat, but that he was a “very competent sailor.”
Mr. Coleman can also speak for the homey feel on board. When asked whether the boat had a more lived-in vibe than other boats, Mr. Coleman quickly replied, “Definitely. All of his belongings are on board.” Most boats, while somewhat homey and comfortable, do not have all of the many sailors’ belongings onboard.
The boat is just the latest chapter in Mr. Perkins adventurous life. It all started in Tyringham, MA where he grew up. Perkins attended Hampshire College, where he broke a record that most attempt to avoid. "I held the record for longest time between matriculation and graduation," Mr. Perkins said.
Then it was onto a job on a crab-fishing boat; a job teaching therapeutic horseback riding; his tenure as a stock broker, a 25-year farming career, work on an Indian reservation in Arizona and a metal-sculpting job.
He came to DHS in the fall of 2008 where he says students and faculty are the pull that keeps him on terra firma in Darien. But he still maintains his maverick edge when he leaves DHS each day for a night on the high seas. It is Mr. Perkins’ fresh approach to life that makes him one of most the refreshing presences in our school community.
