We are Murielle and Mark – Together we built Mimi Jane – Together we sail Mimi Jane – Along the way we have been accompnied by multiple loyal companions – Here’s the crew
Le Patron
Murielle
I am born in Brittany, with that genetic particularity that gives me a natural call to the sea. I may also blame my Gaelic genes for my “slightly” stubborn and rough temper.
I am a dreamer and I am passionate, I take interest in everything.
In our team, I am the creative mind with a mix of technological and artistic sense. I am not afraid of hard work and need to keep my hands busy; my hands and mind need to create.
I did my schooling in mechanical engineering technologies; learning to design and fabricate. Of course this background has provided me assets and confidence in this boat building adventure.
I have been passionate about boats and loved sailing as far as I can remember. I was sailing with my parents before I could walk and started dinghie sailing before I started school.
The intense passion for traditional boats hit me in 1992 during the Brest Tall Ship festivities. While I had always felt an attraction for old rigs, it is then that I truly fell in love.
While life with dogs is not practical to pair with a passion for boats and life on the water , the relationship I have with my dogs is also a big part of who I am.
bARRISTA AND fIRST mATE
MARK
Don’t all the best nautical stories involve a French/British duplicity? Mark will say he is Canadian as he was born and grew up in Ontario but it’s always fun to tease over our opposing origins.
Mark is our glass half full man. With Mark the sky seems never too high, the water never too deep.
I may have done a lot of the work on the boat but it would have never happened if Mark did not make me believe I could.
Water is Marks natural element and sailing was an early devotion. He started windsurfing in his youth and evolved into high level competition.
Mark did his electrical engineering degree in Ottawa, where he also started dreaming of life on a sailboat and world travels. He was living on his 26 foot Contessa, ready to leave for greater adventures when we crossed path…. and the dream took a twist.
Mark is an engineer right through his core. No decision is taken without a full understanding of the problem; pros and cons are evaluated; all solution analysed and information research is thorough. This project without Mark would be a ship without a rudder or sails.
Companions, entertainers, coaches… they bring us love, laughs, routine…
The Four Legged Crew
The Dragon
Miss Polly Grey (2023 –
Polly is the latest addition to the crew, destined to be the ship’s dog. The best I could describe this young dragon is goofy, happy, with a touch of an old soul and as loyal as they come. She’s still young (10 month as I write this) but so far Polly is the best puppy I’ve raised… and that is saying a lot as I love dearly each of my dogs.
Oh.. and to answer the question I’m getting acustom to; what breed of dog is Polly? As some of her predecessors (Marvin, Mopus, M.E.Fhast and Fallon), Polly is purpose bred for sprint sled dog racing; she is a mix of alaskan husky (not the fluffy siberian husky you are thinking of) and staghound (which is a selective mix of working sighthounds). Odd choice of dog if I wont be racing anymore but I am still active and I love the athletism, health and all around happy demeanor of these dogs. Polly is also Fallon’s (see about him below) grand daugther and I couldnt have hoped for a better likeness of that awesome dog.
To please my good friend Ben (who I have to thank for trusting me with one of his lovely pups) I shall provide the accurate breakdown regarding the making of this special hound, Polly is 50 % Alaskan Husky, 37.5 % North American Staghound (Coldblood), 6.25 % Greyhound (Hotblood, ‘Gable Dodge’ stock), 6.25 % Saluki (Old-line coursing/hunt stock)… there, you have it 🙂
The Pointer Sisters
M’Opus and M.E.Fhast
Those two came as a pair, often referred to as the pointer sisters. Sweet and lovable, they are also very energetic dogs that need to run… a lot. Part english pointer, part german shorthair pointer and part alaskan husky, they were bred to be sprint racing sled-dogs and took seriously their job to keep us fit.
M.E.Fhast (2011 – )
Once a champion, always a champion! M.E.’s love for racing has always been remarquable, there are no other words. She loves and lives for racing! She has teamed with many paws and legs over the years and always ran as if nothing was more important…. except cuddles, cuddles (at the appropriate time) can score pretty high too.
M.E.Fhast’s enthousiame can get a little overwhelming but its her sweet disposition and large personailty that mostly distinguishe her.
M’Opus (2011 – 2023)
I’m missing half of a pair and a big chunk of my heart. It was too sudden to feel real…
We love them all and they are all special but among the dogs in our lives, some are just that little more special. The bond I’ve had with M’Opus can’t be explained, I felt her presence and it was reassuring. I feel her absence and it’s painful. I lost my bonded buddy and it hurts.
M’Opus has brought a lot of smiles over her twelve years with us, that’s what she did, she created love and happiness.
She was my team mate as a harness dog. She was not the best race dog, but she was the best partner. She loved running with me and we had fun together. M’Opus was all about having fun… fun together.
As a therapy dog, she was also a fun partner, the goofy type. She would get the attention and laughs from the most taciturn residents at the nursing homes we visited. She was funny and a handful but she took that job most seriously.
As my sidekick, she calmed me, she brought me mindfulness. When it was her and me I felt here and now.
The French Little Man
Mr Eden (2010 –
Mr Eden joined us summer 2018. Eden was my grand-mother’s (the Mimi of Mimi Jane) trusting companion for 8 years. When it was time for Eden to retire from his functions, he made the trip from France to Canada to come live with us. It took some time for the little guy to adjust to his new life with three other (big) dogs, two cats and all the sharing and bossing that involved but he happily became a full member of the team. Eden likes to shadow his people, he is never far… sometimes annoyingly sticky. This small package is full of attitude and love, sometimes conflicted between his terrierness and always wanting to do good.
Eden is a very precious and special little guy.
GrandPa
Fallon (2012 – 2024)
Fallon was our COVID guest but he was such a lovely boy, and fitted in so well that he became one of the gang. Fallon was in Canada and meant to be going back to his orginal owner in the USA when the borders closed du to COVID. We orginally welcomed Fallon as a temporary arrangment until it would be possible for him to go back home, but as we all know now, it took some time before things came back to normal. Fallon spent a couple years with us. The bog guy, as he was commonly known, was the best dog and it was no hardship to have him around. Truth be said, I could have kept him forever.
When Mimi Jane was launched and we were going to be spending the majority of our time on board, we knew it wouldnt be fair to have Fallon adjust one more time to a new lifestyle…. and 4 dogs on a boat isnt really reasonable (not that 3 made much more sense… I know). Some good friends offered the perfect retirement home for Fallon. He could go live on a property with acres of trails that he already knew and enjoyed. It was clear the right thing to do was to let Fallon carry on his life with John and Claire, as they would love and care for him as much as we loved him.
The Guardian
Marley(2006-2019)
Marley was a Bouvier des Flandres. True to her breed, she took on the responsability of property guardian, handed down by Moon. Marley was my sidekick and the pillar of the pack during most of Mimi Jane’s construction.
The Captain
Maggie (2017-2022)
Meet the Captain! Maggie arrived on a cold night in February 2017. She owned the boat from the minute she set a paw on deck.
We were certain she was going to rock the boat life but faith took a different spin. The day before Mimi Jane was to be launched I noticed Maggie was having difficulty breathing. Unfortunately, masses were found in Maggie’s lungs and we had to say goodbye. It was a hard loss at a time when there was already such a mix of strong emotions.
Maggie wasn’t with us for as long as we wished but she ruled the house, the yard and the shop. To us she will always be the shipyard’s captain.
The Gentle Giant
Murphy (2009-2021)
Murphy is the miraculous kitten. Marley found this abandoned 2 week old kitten and wouldn’t leave it… so I brought it home. I honestly did not think the tiny rat could make it, but Murphy grew into this gorgeous giant and oh so sweet cat.
He was a gentle giant, troubled by his being cat to the core but wanting to be dog.
Mack-a-Pousse
Mack’s actual name was Mackerel, but as I would call her “Sac a puces” (flea bag) which, with Mark’s english touch became “Mack-a-Pousse”. Mack was one of those rare love at first sight story. In her cage at the humane society our eyes crossed and I adored this cat. Second guessing getting a cat on the boat (we were living on the Marie Ty), I left. Mark called me fool and told me to go get the little girl. It was a 17 year love story and, like Moon, Mack was the one cat of a lifetime.
Marvin
Even though Marvin only spent a couple years with us, I had time to develop a very special relationship with this boy. There are dog like that which can change you, in very little time.
Moon
In the fall of 2007 we had to say goodbye to our old dog Moon. Moon and I were together when we met Mark and she spent 11 years by my side. Moon was with us through the construction of our little schooner, the Marie Ty and lived aboard 2 years. Moon accompanied me through the end of teenage and all of my young adulthood, I dearly miss this girl. She was my protector, my companion and my best friend.
Moon was the one dog in a lifetime.
You are an amazing as well as delightful bunch! Your boat makes me think of Pete Cullier. Please keep me posted with your adventures and dreams.
Aloha Mahalo
Jay
Thanks Jay, I do think also that I have a delightful bunch by my side 🙂 I will definitely keep updating the website and even try to be a little more regular at it. I do also have a facebook page for the boat “Dundee Mimi Jane” where I post more day to day insights in our work with the boat. Cheers, Murielle