Who we are.

David and Claudia Gage, just a couple plain folks with a dream.  We met on the Wooden Boat Magazine Forum on June 10th 2006.  From there we started talking on a regular basis and before you know it we were making arrangements to meet in person.  In mid July, Claudia hopped on a plane from St. Augustine, FL to Kingsport, TN.  We decided then and there that a future was in our hands.  What type of future? Only time would tell.  On September 15 of that very same year Claudia left her life in Florida for a new life in the hills of East Tennessee.  On January 20th of 2007 we were married.  We have a lot of life ahead of us and our stewardship of Black Spirit will bring us closer and give us a common bond to share.

A little bit about David.

A military brat, spent his childhood traveling from airbase to airbase. Moved to Tennessee at 17 and has been there ever since.  Raced El Toros as a kid (still has the one he and his dad built when he was 13) Sailed the Chesapeake in a 10 meter Pearson and a Morgan OI. Went to racing in a Ranger 22 and J24s later in life. Now spends his days as a project controls specialist for an engineering firm.

A little bit about Claudia.

Raised in Miami. Moved to central Florida in her 20s. From there she moved with her 2 daughters, Christina and Allie to St. Augustine.  While in St. Augustine she spent her days working for Margo who has Sarah, a 1955 Concordia Yawl. Just before moving to Kingsport Claudia was taught to sail by Margo and racing with her in her boat S/V Drift Away. She now spends her time keeping David in line as well as their 3 Chihuahuas (Daphne, Peco, and Cole) and their Jack Russell (Mercedes)