Review: Svendsen's Boat Works

Svendsen's Boat Works is a great establishment offering a range of services in Alameda Marina, located in Alameda, California. When I bought Echo, I didn't realize how lucky I was to have had my boat docked in the vicinity of Svendsen's.

More than anything else, I used their chandlery the most. It's a great little chandlery with knowledgeable and helpful staff. It's not the kind of place that has ridiculous t-shirts strung up next to over-priced gear, but instead the sort of place that can help you find the most obscure little part. If they don't have it (they probably do), they can find it for you or are happy to refer you to a place that can help. One of the greatest benefits of shopping for all my marine gear at Svendsen's is their new boat account. New boat owners can bring in their freshly signed bill of sale and get a special account that affords them deep discounts. My new boat account got me anywhere between 20% and 50% off of their already lower retail prices, depending on the item. 

The metal working shop is also a credit to Svendsen's name. Chris, the manager of the metal working shop, was more than helpful and never tried to sell me unnecessary upgrades. He is a boater himself and understands cruisers trying to work on a budget. I would simply go in there with an idea and he would help me along the way, turning it into a reality in a cost effective and quality manner. It was great to work with him because he knew what I wanted right away, and even had some great suggestions. They do great work there as well. The quality of their stainless work is of a superyacht standard.

Svendsen's rig shop made me a new set of standing rigging as well. Their labor prices are competitive, and all the new hardware qualified for a discount with my new boat account at the chandlery. I don't think I could have gotten new standing rigging cheaper. Not only that, they worked with the obscure fittings on my antique boat, and really guided me as to the best way to order and install the rigging myself. 

I also hauled the boat out in their boatyard for a few weeks. They put up stands that fit properly, treated my varnished topsides with care, and did their best to make sure I had a good environment to work in. Their helpful and friendly staff are a real credit and the staff is the whole reason I stuck around there.

Originally, I was planning on hauling the boat out and doing a large majority of the work in Mexico. Why? It's cheaper of course. Much cheaper. However, I just couldn't leave behind the chandlery where I was getting deep discounts. I couldn't leave behind the friendly staff around the boatyard. It was a one minute walk from my boat to any of their services offered, I didn't even have to get in a car to go and grab the odd nut or bolt. I knew I was going to get quality service at Svendsen's, so why would I go? In the end, after considering the discounts at the chandlery and the money saved by working with their metal working shop I probably spent the same amount of money as if I were to have done all the work here in Ensenada. For a do-it-yourselfer Svendsen's Boatworks is a great asset to have on your side, and I would fully recommend it to anyone that is doing the smallest little job or fully outfitting a boat to do ocean crossings.

Read more >>

San Francisco to Ensenada

After six and a half days at sea we have arrived in beautiful Ensenada. Our first big voyage went extremely well and it bolstered confidence in both ourselves and our yacht. Left is a photo of our actual track on the chartplotter, and below is a breakdown of each day. Click on any photo on the page to enlarge.





March 3rd, Day 1
We were well prepared the night before and all that needed to be done was to top up the fresh water reserves for the last time and cast away the lines. We left Alameda Marina with calm winds and a clear sky at 0855. It was a great feeling, and Tine and I had wide smiles across our faces. The anticipation was over and the journey had begun. Winds in San Francisco Bay were inconsistent at best, and we had to leave our motor on until we had passed Alcatraz Island. Finally, the sails were hoisted and under full sail we left the bay, leaving the Golden Gate Bridge behind us and putting out into seemingly endless blue. We had picked a great day to leave, considering the good weather, but it was almost too calm. Four knot breezes struggled to push us along at a satisfying speed but they later picked up and by 1630 Echo was sailing at a graceful 6.5 knots. It was a cold clear night. At ten degrees celsius with a fresh breeze over the decks it was good to have invested in some decent foul weather gear.

March 4th, Day 2
The day began with a flat sea and light winds, only managing to give us a maximum of 5 knots. With such light winds I poled out our gennaker and dragged the boat by the forestay. She performed well this way, giving her less weather helm and really giving the tiller pilot an easier task. Again, we were cold at night but still too excited to notice much or care. Each night we were doing a watch schedule of 4 hours on then 4 hours off, and a good watch was particularly important on the second night as the fog was so dense it reduced visibility to less than ten meters at times.

March 5th, Day 3
The breeze had really freshened up, and the entire day we made over six knots under a sunny sky. It was a great day for sailing. It wasn't really blowing the direction I wanted, but we managed just fine once we got the proper sails up. The atmospheric pressure was falling rapidly, and I was keeping a close eye on the barometer because the forecast for the next day was looking a bit grim. Of course I had checked the weather before leaving, but as everyone knows extended forecasts are unreliable on a good day. NOAA weather radio had predicted 20 knot winds on the 6th of March, but now NOAA issued a gale warning, predicting winds in excess of 45 knots for the 6th.

March 6th, Day 4
Every sailor has stories about big storms and heavy seas. I won't be telling any long yarns with unrealistic exaggerations, but this was a big storm that lasted all throughout the day and night of the 6th. Knowing that it was coming, I woke Tine up early in the morning to drop the main and set the storm jib. Then it came just as expected. The winds easily reached the 45 knot mark, getting over 50 during gusts. Echo pounced over five meter seas doing 5-8 knots under the storm jib alone. I considered turning her to windward to ease the motion of her, but since she was holding together well I kept her on a broad reach and we carried on. King Neptune was showing his might, testing our little yacht and her crew, but we managed quite well. Every time we opened up the hatch to get on deck water would pour in. Waves constantly crashed over the decks, the wind was whistling through the rigging, and the creaks and groans of her wooden hull could constantly be heard. Every time she reached the peak of a big wave and plunged back down to a trough there was a huge banging sound, and even standing on two feet was a difficult task that could only be accomplished with two hands for bracing. There were lots of little leaks that we found during the storm, but one porthole in particular was leaking badly. We tried to replace the seal as fast as possible, but before we could secure the hatch a big wave gushed in and soaked both of us and the interior of the boat. We were in a proper storm, but the more we endured the more my confidence in this great little vessel grew. Echo was loving it.

March 7th, Day 5
What a contrast to the day before. On the morning of the fifth it was almost as if Neptune was apologizing for his tantrum and giving us a rest. The seas were flat calm. We hoisted the main, put up the genoa, and made 7 knots on a calm sea. It was a beautiful day to be out sailing, and we appreciated it even more after the storm.

March 8th, Day 6
It was another great day to be at sea, and Ensenada was nearing. It was an uneventful day of making 3-5 knots, and we were still catching up on re-arranging the boat after all our belongings had been tossed from one side of the vessel to the other. At night we were getting quite close, and I didn't want to arrive in Ensenada at 4am, so we circled around for a while to postpone our arrival until daybreak. The lighthouse at the entrance of Bahia de Todos Santos was in sight all night, our arrival was nearing.

March 9th, Day 7
What a glorious day! The only thing that could have improved our day was a bit more wind, as we only had a one knot breeze and had to motor into port at daybreak. Just upon entering the bay, a humpback whale breached just ten meters off the bow of our boat, coming up for air several times and giving us a good look at his awesome proportions. Playful seals came alongside, and an entire pod of dolphins came to play in the waves off our bow. A warm front had just moved in, and we changed into our shorts and t-shirts to bathe in the sun and take in all the wildlife in the bay. Rather than go directly to the marina, we circled the bay several times to watch dolphins and look for more whales. Around noon we tied up at Marina Coral. We had arrived and had the most remarkable day. After all that sailing, 665 nautical miles, we had reached our destination and we were beaming with happiness even if a bit exhausted and landsick.

Look for the next update on our time in Ensenada. If you're enjoying the posts and want to continue to follow Echo's voyage across the Pacific Ocean then I encourage you to sign up to be a follower of the blog. You'll get an e-mail every time I make an update, and won't be subjected to any spam. If you already are a follower and aren't seeing any e-mails then make sure to check your spam filter and flag the messages as not spam. I've heard that not everyone is getting the e-mails and it seems that certain spam filters want to weed them out.

Read more >>

Setting sail tomorrow morning

After all of our preparations, Echo is finally setting off to sea. I have found a great weather window and we'll be setting sail this Saturday morning on the 3rd of March. It's time to get out there and start betting it all on my last couple months of preparing day and night.

Tomorrow's wind is shifting to the Northwest, calming, and the air is warming up. A nice little high pressure system is meant to follow me south. Coming out of San Francisco Bay, after sailing under the Golden Gate Bridge, we will reach sixty miles Westward before gybing south in order to avoid heavy traffic around the traffic separation schemes. From there we will attempt to hug the coastline, staying eighty or so miles off the coast while on a broad reach, later changing to downwind sailing.

Our next port of call is Ensenada in Mexico. We'll be stopping for any necessary repairs. However, if all goes well and no immediate repairs are necessary we'll skip Ensenada altogether and head Southwest directly towards the Marquesas.

Echo is ready to go, and so is her crew. We can't wait to get out there. Look for an update from Ensenada or Hiva Oa.

I've also added a new photo album of Echo's varnishing job finished. Tine and I worked hard on her and all the work really shows.

Read more >>

Echo will be leaving soon

We are pushing onward with Echo's preparations for her voyage across the great Pacific Ocean, and our progress has been noted by everyone who passes. Every day, Tine and I hear people saying "beautiful yacht you have there," commenting on her fresh coats of varnish. So many people walk by and tell us how good of a job we are doing. We are recieving huge amounts of positive encouragement and interest in our project. It's great to have such a large number of well wishers and awe struck eyes glaring at our little yacht. Unfortunately, we have been confronted with more than just well wishing and encouragement. There are a certain few people out there that don't want to see us carry on, and don't want to see us set sail for distant shores.

Echo is a true classic, with a great history. She was built in Stockton, California in 1957 by the Stephens Brothers along with 18 other Farallon Clippers. The Farallon Clipper fleet has been described to me by more than one person as the "pride of California." They have a good reason to be a source of pride as well. Each Farallon clipper is meticulously built to an old world standard, and is a true testament to the Stephens Brothers as a shipyard. A sense of quality craftsmanship oozes from every perfectly joined seam.

In order to keep track of every Farallon Clipper, and to document each and every one so that they are not forgotten, they have been cataloged in a museum. Moreover, an owners association, consisting of the owners of the remaining 17 Farralon Clippers has been formed. Each and every year the clippers meet at two seperate regattas, one being the Master Mariner's Regatta here in San Francisco. The Master Mariner's Regatta takes place in May, and apparently there are quite a few people that are upset about Echo not being able to make an appearance.

More than once I have heard of grumbling old men that don't want Echo to go anywhere. They want her here, so that twice a year she can put out her dress flags, slap on a brand new topcoat, and put out her cushions so that she can be flaunted. I've had shipwrights that refuse to work on her, stating that she shouldn't leave California. I can't even hardly walk into the local chandlery any more without someone commenting negatively on Echo's pending voyage. I'm getting quite exhausted by the recent negativity, and I'd like to address this issue since it has become apparent that is is of great importance to some.

I have purchased this beautiful, classic sailing vessel with every intention to maintain and refurbish her in a way that restores her originality and keeps her one of the most gorgeous boats aloat. Before I bought her, she had been for sale for over two and a half years, waiting for someone with the time, energy, and inevitably money that she so desperately needs to stay in such great shape. During her time up for sale, any one of these grumbling, naysaying folks could have bought her and maintained her. They could have done their part to preserve her rich history, and if they so choosed they could have left her in the same berth, waiting for her moment to be shown at some upscale regatta. None of them were interested, especially when the cost in both time and money were involved. They let her sit, waiting to rot from a lack of use. Now that I have taken on the massive task of caring for this old classic, the whining has begun. Now that it is my pocketbook and my efforts that are on the line they are happy to loudly complain about her future overseas. Echo was not meant as a daysailer, or meant for champagne sipping at the annual haughty tauty regattas. Echo was built for the sea, and that is where I am going to take her.

Echo began a transformation when I took over as her new skipper. She has shed her old varnish and paint, and is starting anew. She is changing from a daysailer to an ocean voyager. I plan to use her as she was intended to be used, stripping her of the monotony of simply sailing around San Francisco bay and tying up before dark. Now she will be prettied up with a fresh coat of varnish every two months. Her rigging will be renewed, her quirks and un-original features mended and fixed. She will be maintained in bristol fashion, so as to provide a safe journey overseas. Now that she has begun her new life as a sea going vessel she will constantly be under my care. Every day I will maintain her, and look out for her best interests. Echo is my one and only obsession, and she is already gleaming because of it.

So to all of those that are disappointed in seeing her leave her known harbor, it is important to know that she is being looked after with the utmost care. No, she will not be making her annual appearance at this May's Master Mariner's Regatta, she will be moving on to bigger and better things. If this fact still causes feelings of unrest, then I must bluntly state this to the restless: Anyone could have bought Echo while she was sadly waiting, for sale for years. The grumblers could have bought her and kept her here in San Francisco if they could only have mustered the effort. More likely the case, someone with big dreams and no sense of the reality of owning a wooden vessel could have bought her. The grumblers and whiners would certainly have not liked to see her fall into a state of disrepair in the hands of a lofty dreamer. Worse still, she could have been bought by a liveaboard, secretly planning to cut a hole in her cabin top to fit a new window air conditioner. Fortunately for Echo, I have bought her and dedicated all of my time in maintaining her beauty and seaworthiness. So what is it that the grumblers are really grumbling about? It's simply the fact that they won't get to glance at her twice a year when they get together for a few posh cocktails on the docks.

I will continue to take great joy in the positive comments and well wishings that I so frequently receive. It is a real joy to own such a gorgeous vessel with a rich history and large following. Every day I love my yacht more and more. I can understand some reluctance in watching her sail overseas, she is indeed a unique example of quality craftsmanship right here in California. What everyone else needs to understand is that her history does not disappear when she leaves the port of San Francisco. Echo will be a testament to her builders in any port she calls upon, and the reputation of the Farallon Clippers will spread globally as she makes her way across the South Pacific. Echo has a rich and interesting future, and I can't wait to get her out there in the big blue.

Read more >>

Preparations

Just over a week ago Echo's first crew member arrived from Denmark. I knew that I would not want to be at sea all alone for weeks on end, and also knew that experiences are never quite the same unless you have someone to share them with. I met Tine, my new crewmember, on a website for sailors seeking crew; FindaCrew.net. All of our numerous e-mails and exchanges paid off. It turns out that we get along really well and she has been a great help in getting Echo ready for her voyage across the South Pacific.

A few days ago I had Echo pulled from the water and put on the hard to get some much needed work done. Tine and I have stripped off all the old varnish, sanded her, and just today been able to put on the first of 10-12 coats of fresh varnish. Through hull fittings have been added and checked, some minor caulking has been done, Echo has a new set of zincs and soon a fresh new coat of bottom paint.

I have put together a photo album of the preparations aboard Echo, click here to view it.

Since having her up on the hard, Echo has drawn an extremely large amount of attention from passers-by. Sometimes it's difficult to get work done because so many people stop to admire her and ask questions. She really is the star of the show around here, the entire Marina is interested in the boat, the upcoming voyage, and in hearing about my constant preparations. Every day several people tell me how beautiful she is, or how good of condition she is in. She really is a beautiful old classic, and this new varnish will really bring out the best in her.

Read more >>

Makin' Power

Preparations are well underway on the sailing yacht Echo. My father visited for some time and we worked into the late hours to get her ready for her epic voyage. While we were able to get lots of work done, I am happiest about getting the solar panels completely mounted and wired up. Just the other day I tossed out the old battery charger, and have begun to rely completely upon the sun. It's amazing to be making my own power and living off of the grid on my self contained little cruiser.

Here is a layout of the electrical system I will be cruising with:

• Four 95 Watt ET Solar mono-crystalline panels putting out a maximum of 22 amps an hour

• A Blue Sky MPPT solar controller, regulating the charge to my battery banks

• Four group 31 lead acid batteries, wired into 2 separate banks. Each battery is capable of storing 130 amps, giving Echo a total of 520 amps of storage.

From my calculations I think I'll have plenty of power to run everything I need aboard Echo during her voyage, only having to turn off the autopilot if I get several days of absolutely no sun.

While my father was here, we even managed to get Echo out on the bay. It was great to have his help, and even better to have the company. Thanks dad, I wish there was more time for sailing and relaxing while you were here but your time was greatly appreciated.

Read more >>

Ode to the Ladies of Yachting

As I sit here, proud and humbled by my little cruising yacht I know the one thing I will truly miss. I know that I've let go of something that I will miss dearly. It's all the wonderful people I had around to take care of my domestic inabilities.

You, the laundry girls, you are at the top of my list. The way you pressed and folded my sheets was a luxury that was often overlooked. As many times as I would insist that it's silly to press my sheets, you would do it anyway, never taking advantage of my gesture. I wish I had you here to do my sheets now... They are in a ball in the foreward cabin, and I think some rain leaked on them last night. But you didn't just do sheets, it was all the laundry. I'd put my dirtiest clothing in your handy little bins and it would show up, folded, outside of my door by the end of the day. How I miss it. At the moment I have a really smelly pair of black socks that got wet 2 days ago and are still sitting in the cabin waiting for me to do a load of laundry. I can throw them in with the whites right? No, of course not! At least I know how to separate my colors from whites! But you know, I learned that from you lady of the laundry.

Not only would you wash and iron, you sewed as well. You did, all the time. I'd come to you with a sad puppy face and a missing button or ripped pants and you'd turn my frown upside down. With a smile you'd grab your needle and thread and mend my abused and mistreated garments, making them like new again. Your skills are not forgotten nor taken for granted. You were always there when called upon. I miss you laundry girls.

The interior crew. You. You made my world sparkle. You'd take time away from making my whites the whitest to wipe down every surface imaginable. Everything was clean. Spotless. The floors mopped daily, the vacuuming done, the coffee machine topped up, and the fridge and cupboards filled with goodies I could consume at a whim. On top of all this, you somehow managed to set up and clean up every meal. You'd take pride in how nice you were making my environment. I love that about you. Now I sit in a cabin of squalor. Sawdust from todays project is still on the floor, and a dirty wine glass is threatening to attract fruit flies. I'm lost without you.

Let's not forget to mention all of the food! Ladies, you kicked out some awesome food. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, I would just show up in the crew mess and there was my meal, hot and ready for enjoyment. How I miss it. I haven't had breakfast in days. I paid $12 for a burger and beer today and it wasn't near the quality that you'd have prepared for me. You did it all, from the grocery shopping to the maintenance of the galley.  Every day there would be something fresh and delicious on waiting to satisfy my hunger. I wish I had you now miss cheffy, I'm craving those delicious lamb shanks you used to make me.

Let's not forget the ladies on deck, as they are too often forgotten and overlooked. You've managed to live amongst men. Your feat could easily be compared to a man going off and living with apes. No matter how many fart jokes were told, and sexual positions mimmicked, you laughed like one of the boys. You've managed to somehow convince someone that you can do the job just as well, and then you've gone off and done it two-fold. You've had to work twice as hard to prove your worth, but you have, and it hasn't gone unnoticed. I always knew, that if I needed a knowledgable level head, that it's you I could go to. Miss lady deckie, your perspective will be missed, I hope you're still mothering all those boys on deck.

That's what it's all about. Mothering. Each and every one of you, with your many diverse skills took care of me in a special way. Nobody other than my own mother has done all of the things that you have done for me. You've filled in the gaps that my own inadequacies have left. I know that sometimes your skills were overlooked, or your services merely expected, but I cannot describe how much you are appreciated. You're doing good work on that yacht, I hope you're still there when I get back.

Read more >>

Gone Cruising

I've made a bold decision to take a hiatus from the life of big money, big boats, and many crew. I've signed off as bosun from S/Y Athena, and signed on as captain of a 38' yacht named Echo. I've saved up enough money to finally go out and live one of my dreams, to sail my own yacht across the  vast Pacific Ocean.

I bought Echo, a 1957 38' Stephens Brothers Farallon Clipper. She's an absolute classic, one of 19 ever built, with a strong pedigree in both racing and bluewater crossings. She's mahogany planking on oak frames, and a real testament to her builders. Her varnished topsides and fine lines make her a nice piece of eye candy for any discriminating yacht enthusiast. Just have a look, she's absolutely gorgeous.

While she is more than capable of tackling the oceans ahead of her, she is not set up for bluewater cruising. She needs lots of gear to make the trip, and I am in the process of outfitting her now in San Francisco. Solar panels, autopilots, storm sails, new standing rigging, lots of electrical, carpentry work, and a whole lot of varnish are in my near future. I got what I wanted, a beautiful classic, and up ahead comes all of the work associated with owning and sailing one. It's all worth it though. An old captain of mine once said to me, "Life is too short for ugly boats." Then again, when I told him I wanted to buy a wooden boat he said to me, "My best advice? Lie down until the feeling goes away." Fred always has a way with words.

The itinerary is a very loose one, but I have a rough idea. Over the course of 10-12 months I'll be taking her across the Pacific Ocean, starting in San Francisco and ending on the coast of Australia. It will be a voyage of adventure, discovery, and of course, yacht maintenance. I plan to visit the places that are only accesible by boat, the types of places with no airports, no supply ships, and no tourists venture. Every little island along the way is a potential stop. I only know what countries and island groups I wish to visit, otherwise I'll just be going where the wind takes me.

First I need to sand, paint, wire up, and seal up Echo, then it's off to sea.

Read more >>

Cannon firing video

As promised, a video of the cannon firing!

Read more >>