Charting a Course for Traverse City

Captain Brett Derr and co-owner (and spouse) Heather Derr offer private charters on the boat Althea through Compass Rose Sailing on West Grand Traverse Bay. If you’ve driven past Discovery Pier in Traverse City this summer, you may have noticed a soaring mast and tightly furled sails in the harbor.

Althea weighs in at 33,000 pounds and is 46 feet long. A past life as a racing yacht is responsible for her elegant look—black, white, and trimmed in glossy teak wood, she’s as beautiful to look at as she is to sail. And though Althea is retired from racing, she’s just begun a new life, giving folks a chance to tour Michigan's waters in style.

This week's Northern Express, sister publication of The Ticker, shares the fascinating story of the 60-year-old boat's racing career, adventures in different waters under private ownership, and now her new odyssey on the shores of Traverse City. The Northern Express is available to read online, or pick up a free copy on newsstands at nearly 700 spots in 14 counties across northern Michigan.

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