The Aspen C120, Knot Wafflen’, is ready to begin an epic journey with her new owners David and Sue Ellen Jenkins. With the help of Aspen owner Larry Graf and the expertise of the couple’s brother-in-law, Blake Eder (who will serve as captain), the Jenkins have planned to take their boat from Anacortes, Washington, to Alaska, and then down to the Sea of Cortez. At that point, the boat will then load onto a trailer, and it will truck eastward to launch again in the Gulf of Mexico. The final leg will take Knot Wafflen’ to Annapolis, Maryland. The Jenkins have decided to go big, to say the least, in their first shakedown cruise and delivery of this 40-foot Aspen powercat.
They are calling this trip “The 10,000-Mile Tour,” and it is sure to be the sort of epic adventure that Larry Graf is known for creating. At a press event prior to their launch, David explained that he was first drawn to Glacier Bay catamarans. in large part due to Larry’s many adventure-cruises aboard them (Larry Graf founded Glacier Bay Catamarans in 1987; he founded Aspen Power Catamarans in 2008).
After becoming of a waffle magnate, David retired from the business several years ago. After 30 years with Golden Malt Waffles (yes, the waffle makers and waffle batter that you see in hotels across the land), he sold his ownership stake and looked forward to what was next. It wasn’t long before he was looking for a boat to take him on life’s next adventure.
While David was always a fan of Glacier Bay, their more utilitarian design did not quite cut it for his wife Sue Ellen. “Glacier Bays were too much function over form; I needed some form,” she said. The Aspen C120, a 40-foot powercat, fit that bill perfectly. It provided the rugged, powercat-built-for-adventure that David was looking for while providing Sue Ellen a warm interior that did not sacrifice creature comforts. David and Sue Ellen are the definition of the type of customers Larry Graf envisioned when he launched Aspen.
Over the past several months the boat has been through several shakedown cruises through the San Juan Islands and south to Seattle. Blake Eder has been in Anacortes for the past month making sure the boat is ready to go. And as of Monday, he said they were, “We can’t shake her down any more than we have.”
So after some fanfare and cake, Larry blessed the boat and Sue Ellen broke a bottle of champagne across her bow. Knot Wafflen’ is now headed north, putting the first few miles under her belt as she begins this epic 10,000-mile journey. A unique aspect to this adventure is that Larry will help the Jenkins by coming onboard to fill in as captain or crew, as necessary. Aspen will also encourage members of the maritime press to experience cruising on an Aspen C120 throughout the journey.
Stay tuned for updates from Knot Wafflen’, wherever she may be.
