About Us

"Ai Ki "is a Sanskrit name that translates to " LOVING ENERGY "--and truly reflects that after the many years lovingly invested by the previous owners to meticulously refurbish and totally remodel her . And in what their previous website described her so well and was entitled as "Dream Boat .com", and that site couldn't have been more aptly named. I bought her after seeing it & the previous owners at our docks in Key West as neighbors 8 years ago now and introduced myself to Tom --who has a Master Ship Wright licensed rating and worked for Chris Craft for decades beginning as a young man , and then had been a wood shop owner that made things like walking canes ( that he usually gave away)--to flats boats he made FROM SCRATCH. And like all that view their work (including myself) this vessel is simply beautiful, and they picked an ideal design " Durbec" brand of hull in making it so. . And he & his wife Deborah (who also is a highly achieved & rated as a master seamstress --can sew about anything--and she also did Ai Ki's gorgeous cushions inside & out. Oh my --what else can I say --except that all their skills culminated into something special after a lifetime of achievement was turned towards making this the most beautiful boat I've ever seen. As Tom's woodworking skills did the interior of this gorgeous vessel --and even the bookshelves were made from exotic wood from South America --AND INCREDIBLY--he put a custom wooden sink in the galley ! And that is why I fell in love with it and bought it five years later --even having to sell my home in Colorado and moving aboard "Ikey" to do so. And he's also a mechanical engineer, so she of course runs like a dream. And it was the first boat I've ever seen that a licensed surveyor could not list anything wrong with it. Plus she is an older earlier built fiberglass hull that has an extra thick hull of 1 inch thick , and that has a center cockpit with gorgeous woodwork --and has a wooden wheel that's the most beautiful anyone could ever find--that is custom made by Tom too. But down below it's also incredibly gorgeous as the woodwork is beyond stellar --as is even exotic. But it's most moving feature to many, is when you look at her lines as you could see in the photo--that from the taft rail around the stern to the in-laid seahorse in the bow pulpit woodwork that Tom also hand built. And it's a 46'cutter ketch so has a yachty but clean look, and so is enhanced further by the very nice job they did in rigging her. So she is as was described by Tom & Deborah-- a lil "mini -ship" . And a vessel this size could not look or sail any better And at the risk that you'll think I'm exaggerating, I've been aboard America's cup racing ships from many countries --as I covered the race last race in America and 1st one lost in 137 years--in 1983 in Newport, Rhode Island , when we not only got out sailed -but out drank by the Aussies in Australia II as they beat our Liberty--in maybe the final era of classic Americas Cup 12 meter racing yachts . As now are so high tech --can go 70 mph on hydro foils, & sail and look like x- wing fighters from Star Wars !!! But all kiddin' aside --will say in closing--that I think she will go anywhere in the world that can take 5 feet of water , as she is so seaworthy and built so incredibly solid... and truly is just a dream to sail. And she can be rented and chartered for weddings, sunset sails --to 2 to 4 hour coastal cruises--and more--beginning March 1, 2025 in Key West, Fl by reservation only.