AT Long LAST

The technical details of the boat's construction are compelling, but as a grander yarn, the creation of At Last is a tale of family, collaboration and friendship.

- HERB MCCORMICK

It was an unsettled early picturesque evening in the Rhode Island seaside town of Little Compton, and the question wasn't if the skies would soon open to torrential downpours, but when. Happily, at least at the outset, the rain held off long enough for the growing crowd to have a good look at the focal point of the gathering, the belle of this cheerful little celebratory ball, sitting in the driveway just steps away from the big barn from which she'd finally emerged. Jud Chase's homebuilt cruising boat was immaculate. The attention to detail was stunning. The compact 30-footer, At Last, was nothing short of a work of nautical art.

The technical details of At Last's construction make for a cool, compelling story. But the boat itself is only a small slice of a grander yarn. In fact, the creation of At Last is a tale of family, perseverance and collaboration. It's also about friendship. Oh, and the rather inescapable fact that it took the better part of 40 years to build. At Last, indeed.