The people behind the boat
A lifelong sailor, a capable boat handler, and an AI collaborator named Norm.
Sailor & builder
Greg taught himself to sail at ten and has been a sailor for most of his life. At 42 feet, Kopelia was big enough to be a home and within the size he wanted to handle alone or with Kimber.
He installed every system and component during the refit, then built Serenity, our wooden sailing dinghy, in his garage.
Boat handler & butterfly enthusiast
Kimber had never sailed before we met, but she was no stranger to boats. Growing up, she went fishing with her father off the New Jersey shore.
She brought that boating experience aboard Kopelia—and, as Greg readily admits, better boat-handling skills than his.
Her love of purple and butterflies helped give Kopelia her identity. Her discovery in a cabinet changed the refit completely.
Where our story with Kopelia began
We thought we were taking on a few months of updating. We had no idea how much this boat would become part of our lives.
Our AI collaborator
Norm is the name we use for our AI collaborator. He helps us organize information, develop the CVMS, and turn our notes and recollections into stories for this site.
Greg and Kimber bring the firsthand experience and make the decisions aboard. Norm helps document, question, and explain—with our review keeping the work grounded in the real boat.