By Patricia Schallert –
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, often called CSNY, are known for their harmonious blend of folk rock characterized by rich vocal harmonies and thoughtful lyrics. Their sound features intricate acoustic guitar work, combined with elements of rock, blues, and country.
The group’s music frequently reflects themes of love, social issues, and introspection, appealing to the counterculture of the 1960s and 1970s. The interplay of their distinct vocal styles — David Crosby’s smooth baritone, Stephen Stills’s versatile range, Graham Nash’s bright tenor, and Neil Young’s raw, emotive delivery — creates a unique and powerful musical experience.
Neil Young, a Canadian native, is celebrated for his diverse interests and has a collection of various items, such as vintage cars, yachts, and music memorabilia. Among his possessions is the WN Ragland,a yacht originally launched in 1913 and currently housed in the Ventura Harbor boat yard, getting some much-needed repairs before setting sail again for Neil Young’s 80th birthday. Young had always been captivated by the wind and the sea, so it was no surprise when he acquired an unusual yacht. While many rock musicians opted for flashy, large motor yachts for their parties, Young instead chose a rustic 101-foot Baltic trading schooner, the WN Ragland.
The W.N. Ragland is a ship with history, built in 1913 to transport granite through the harsh northern seas. At 77 feet long and weighing an impressive 280,000 pounds, the ship was named after Neil Young’s grandfather. The Ragland became Young’s pride for 35 years as he skillfully navigated her like a pirate, investing significantly in her upkeep.
Describing the Ragland requires terms like “husky” and “rugged,” though even these words fall short when witnessing her in person. Launched prior to the Panama Canal and World War I, she embodies a time when vessels needed to be self-reliant and seaworthy in all weather conditions. Without a radio for distress signals and the term “Mayday” yet to be established, every voyage aboard Ragland demonstrated her durability and the expertise of her captain.
By the time Young set sail, the WN Ragland was over fifty years old. Originally constructed from oak, she featured tightly spaced 6-by-6-inch ribs, but her topside planking had suffered from years of demanding service. Thanks to the royalties from numerous successful CSNY albums and concerts, Young decided to invest in her restoration and ordered a railroad car loaded with 20,000 board feet of premium mahogany to re-plank the yacht, ensuring that Ragland would continue her legacy on the water.
It has been said that “Standing on Ragland’s teak decks feels solid, almost like walking on concrete, because the quarter-sawn teak is as thick as 4 inches! The exterior teak is left to naturally turn a nice silver color, giving the decks, enclosed pilothouse, and different rails and skylights a beautiful, seafaring look. Keeping the decks clean is easy; just a quick rinse with the high-pressure saltwater fire pump does the job.”
During Young’s time as the curator/owner of Ragland, he and his friends and family sailed the world. She was also loaned out for scientific expeditions as well. The political and ecological activist lent her to a marine-research organization for a two-year voyage to Hawaii and Alaska to study whales, and later, another crew of scientists sailed her to Hawaii with a cargo of nutrients to nourish a patch of ocean that they studied to look for a cure for global warming.
Ragland isn’t your typical yacht. The interior of this floating home must be seen to be believed, because she is quite simply unlike any other yacht. It has been said that “she is Haight-Ashbury-hippie-pad-meets-Swiss-Family-Robinson-treehouse.” “She is wood, polished bronze, gleaming varnish, and Turk’s head knots with a hearthstone fireplace and cozy nooks for curling up with a good book. And she is eclectic.
Underway, Ragland effortlessly demonstrates a strong presence that is a natural part of her charm and character. In the water, she exudes confidence, revealing a radiance that is unmistakably apparent to those around her.
Experienced skippers know that she’s meant to go offshore; landlubbers think she’s a square-rigger, and children know she’s really a pirate ship.
Even spending a few hours aboard is infectious, and it’s almost too easy to fall in love with this eclectic and remarkable vessel.
Just image, as Neil Young looks out at the sun dipping below the horizon, the WN Ragland rocking gently in the harbor, it’s easy to think that he might have felt a strong bond with the ship that had served as a refuge and a launchpad for his adventures. The haunting melodies of his music blending with the sea air, capturing the spirit of freedom that the Ragland symbolized. Each journey on her deck telling a story, like a well-crafted song, woven from experiences of love, time, and a quest for understanding. As he readied himself for one more trip, it is imagined that Neil Young knew that the essence of the WN Ragland would live on, resonating in the hearts of everyone who had sailed with her. With one last look, he might have murmured, “Don’t try to rescue me, I’m gonna go with my ship,” embracing the spirit of adventure and creativity they shared.
Wooden ships on the water,
very free and easy,
Easy, you know, the way it’s
supposed to be. Neil Young
