Something Old Something New

Exploring an ancient city aboard a new Mainship

“St. Augustine has really changed,” says Jim Krueger from his post at the helm of a new Mainship Pilot 43. With each gentle nudge of the wheel we travel further south on the San Sebastian River, away from the Mainship Trawlers factory and towards the Matanzas River, which will lead us to the heart of America’s oldest city. “Twelve years ago it was just a quaint, small town,” he continues. “It was a place you’d stop by on your way elsewhere. But the city has so much to offer that now people come to spend days here rather than a few hours–it’s nice to see.”

In many ways, St. Augustine, Florida, is still a quaint, quiet town. Its narrow streets and Spanish architecture convey its roots as the oldest continuously occupied European settlement in the United States. Though Spain settled St. Augustine in 1565, 42 years before the English colonized Jamestown, Virginia, and 55 years before the Pilgrims landed in Plymouth, Massachusetts, its contribution to American history often goes unnoticed. But an abundance of historical sites and museums, interesting eateries and art galleries, supposedly haunted places, and excellent boating are drawing cruisers and landlubbers alike to America’s oldest city.

As VP of Operations for Mainship Trawlers, Jim enjoys a unique perspective as a quasi-local, splitting his time between the Luhrs/Mainship factory in St. Augustine and corporate headquarters in Midway, Georgia. He proves an excellent tour guide as we take one of Mainship’s latest builds out for a spin. ...

TO READ THE REST OF THIS ARTICLE, PLEASE
SUBSCRIBE TO SOUTHERN BOATING BY CLICKING HERE