It is no secret that royalty visits Cape May. Musical royalty, artistic royalty, actors and talk show hosts sashay in and out-of-town. Once in a while, when no one is watching, royalty sails into Cape May harbor.
Sailing Vessel Gadget a ketch rigged Hinckley yacht holed up in Cape May during the recent Nor’Easter. Gadget left Georgetown Exumas five days earlier on her way to Martha’s Vineyard. Cape May provided safe harbor and rest for her crew during the stopover.
Gadget was previously named Wntje, by its former owner, the late Walter Cronkite. She was described as “the kind of boat on which you could spill your lemonade and not worry about being thrown overboard.”
Andy Heyward, the creator of Inspector Gadget, purchased the yacht from Mr. Cronkite, after the two developed a relationship on the Vineyard. Heyward as a television producer, wanted Cronkite to do voice over for a project he was working on. He later named the yacht after the character in his series, Inspector Gadget.
Gadget came on my radar screen when one the crew posted pictures on Instagram, In my thirst for knowledge (wife calls it nosey), this classic yacht’s name stuck with me. It’s difficult not notice the harbor, crossing the bridge into our Cape May. My eyes are especially drawn to the sailing yachts. It’s like a fraternity. Wondering who they are, where they’ve been and where they are headed. Someday, I will climb aboard one of these yachts, take the helm, and chart a course for the horizon. Who wants to go?
You can read more about Mr. Heyward and his love for sailing and astronomy here.
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