Navigate Your Path from Beginner to Blue Water Sailor
Turning Sailing Dreams Into Ocean-Ready Skills
Personalized guidance from 40 years on the water & thousands of nautical miles
Experience and Fleet
San Juan 23 San Juan 28
In the early 1980's I began sailing with my Dad on his San Juan 23 and later a San Juan 28, all around the San Juan and Canadian Gulf Islands. Navigating out of Squalicum Harbor in Bellingham, WA we would sail at nearly every opportunity we had. The challenging tides and currents made the learning curve steep and engaging. At that time, there were far fewer boats in the islands, making the usually deserted islands a fantastic playground for a kid. It also ignited a passion for adventure via water.
The San Juan 23 and San Juan 28 were pivotal designs from Washington's Clark Boat Company during the 1970s, representing the successful marriage of racing performance and family cruising. The San Juan 23, introduced in 1975 as a collaboration between renowned designer Bruce Kirby and Don Clark, was developed from Kirby's successful San Juan 24 Quarter Ton racer but optimized for cruising with accommodations for five. More than 600 San Juan 23s were built through 1989, featuring both fixed keel and keel/centerboard configurations that made the boat equally suitable for racing and shallow-water cruising. The larger San Juan 28, introduced in 1977 as Don Clark's own design, embodied the sporty IOR aesthetic of the era with its fine entry and distinctive sheerline, with over 300 hulls built and early racing success including a second-place finish at Yachting's One-of-a-Kind Regatta. Both boats showcased Clark Boat Company's innovative construction techniques and quality standards, helping democratize performance sailing by offering well-built, accessible boats that introduced thousands of families to the sport while establishing American builders as serious competitors to European designs.
1974 CT 41
Around 1985, my Dad purchased a 1974 CT 41 Ketch rig, that had been sailed to Bellingham from New Zealand. Due to poor build quality, and poor maintenance by the PO, the boat was rife with issues. Rotting wooden masts and coachroof, mechanical and electrial issues...the list goes on. This was my first foray into "boat work". My Dad was not great with tools and I loved deconstructing and rebuilding things. This was also the catalyst for my later career in the building trades.
The CT-41 represents one of the most successful bluewater cruising designs of the 1970s, emerging from the renowned Ta Chiao shipyard in Taiwan as part of their influential CT (Chiao Tai) series. Introduced in 1972, the CT-41 was designed by celebrated Canadian naval architect William Garden, who created thousands of vessels throughout his six-decade career and became synonymous with seaworthy, traditional yacht designs. Built by Ta Chiao Shipbuilding Company—founded in 1966 and meaning "Big Bridge" in Mandarin—this 41-foot masthead ketch embodied the quality craftsmanship and attention to detail that made Taiwanese-built yachts legendary among serious cruising sailors. The CT-41's heavy displacement design (27,500 pounds with 9,000 pounds of ballast), full keel configuration, and robust fiberglass construction with extensive teak joinery made it an ideal platform for extended offshore passages. Originally available in four configurations including standard, center cockpit, pilothouse, and pilothouse with center cockpit variants, the CT-41 was based on Garden's earlier Sea Wolf 40 design and became a favorite among circumnavigators and long-distance cruisers seeking a traditional, seakindly vessel that could handle serious offshore conditions.
Example CT 41 in the picture
1993 Hunter Legend 33.5
My Dad and I didn't do a ton of sailing on the Hunter. We felt this boat lacked "soul" or "personality". Not a bad boat, it just didn't inspire us to sail it. I think it was a 1993 model year. Dad sold it after two years.
The Hunter Legend 33.5, built by Hunter Marine from 1987 to 1994, saw over 600 hulls launched, including charter versions as the Moorings 335. Designed under founder Warren Luhrs’s leadership, it featured the innovative B&R rig—swept-back spreaders eliminating the backstay for a larger mainsail and simpler handling—and was offered with fin or shoal-draft wing keels. At 11,000 lb displacement with 4,500 lb ballast, its solid fiberglass hull, comfortable cruising accommodations, and reliable performance made the Legend 33.5 emblematic of Hunter’s mission to deliver safe, affordable yachts for family cruising.
Example HL 33.5 pictured
WILD THING
In 1996-97 I had the honor of being crew on a special custom race boat with a storied history. I met the owner Ray Thayer, when I was an HVAC Technician and was called to his house for a service call on his furnace. I fixed the issue and we spent the next hour talking about sailing. He invited me to crew for him in the Swiftsure International Yacht Race, The Hat Island Race and in the Oregon Offshore Challenge. It was quite and experience and Ray is a wonderfully inspiring figure who's lessons and spirit are a constant in my life to this day.
Ray Thayer's "Wild Thing" stands as one of the most remarkable and ultimately tragic stories in modern solo sailing history. Built in the early 1990s as a custom Ted Brewer-designed 60-foot aluminum sloop, the boat represented the fulfillment of a lifelong dream for Thayer, a retired drywall contractor who had saved for three decades to build the ultimate around-the-world racing yacht. Weighing 51,000 pounds—nearly twice the weight of contemporary BOC racers—Wild Thing was designed as a compromise between racing performance and cruising comfort, featuring amenities like a microwave, TV/VCR, and 15-cubic-foot freezer alongside its powerful racing rig with a 93-foot mast and 4,400-square-foot spinnaker. Despite initial setbacks including a hull-to-keel joint failure on its maiden sail, a collapsed mast, and two broken booms, Thayer persevered with his philosophy of replacing each broken component with one twice as strong. The boat achieved its greatest triumph in 1996 when Thayer set a new monohull elapsed-time record for the Singlehanded TransPac, completing the 2,120-mile course from San Francisco to Hawaii in 10 days, 22 hours, and 53 minutes—a record that stood for 16 years. Tragically, Wild Thing's story ended in disaster when the boat foundered and sank off the Washington coast while en route to another race, the victim of an accidental gybe that put water ballast on the wrong side and swamped the vessel through open ports, though Thayer heroically managed to save himself.
Ericsson 27
I absolutely loved this boat! It was super easy to sail, it was fast, tough and spacious. By this time, I was around 20 years old. So having this great sailboat was instrumental to impressing the ladies. My GF and I spent many weekends, for two years, venturing around the islands and out to Port Angeles from Bellingham.
The 1974 Ericson 27, designed by Bruce King and built in Santa Ana, California, saw over 1,300 hulls launched between 1971 and 1978. With its hand-laid fiberglass hull, fin keel, and spade rudder, it displaced 7,000 lb with 2,900 lb of ballast. The 1974 updates added optional wheel steering, T-shaped cockpit, teak trim, and tall-rig configurations. Originally raced under IOR rules, the Ericson 27 evolved into a versatile family cruiser celebrated for its blend of performance, spacious accommodations for five, and classic 1970s California style.
Maxi Fenix
In the Late 1990's, we had a Maxi Fenix 28. It may well have been the only Maxi Fenix on the west coast. I hadn't ever heard of a Maxi Fenix or seen one before and I haven't seen one since. It was a fantastic boat. Very fast, great for short PNW hops and adventures.
The Maxi Fenix 8.5, designed by Pelle Petterson and built by Maxi Yachts from 1981–1988, became one of the most popular Scandinavian performance cruisers with over 1,300 hulls launched. At 27.9 ft LOA, its fin-keel, bulb-ballast hull and fractional 7/8 rig delivered lively sailing, while accommodations for six and a reliable Volvo Penta MD5 made it equally suited to club racing and family cruising
Lancer 25
After the Fenix, my dad bought a Lance 25. This boat was also super fast and a great boat for PNW adventuring. Nearly every weekend, my friends and I took the Lancer to out on "Island Circumnavigation Challenges". For those, we would pick an island and see how fast we could untie from the dock, circle the target island and retie to the same dock.
The Lancer 25, designed by W. Shad Turner as a development of Alan Payne's Columbia T-23, was produced by Endeavour Yachts from 1975-1984 as one of America's most popular trailerable cruisers. Built with a distinctive wide, hollow fin keel for shallow draft (2.33 ft) and trailering capability, the 24'8" fiberglass sloop displaced 3,400 lb with 1,200 lb of lead ballast. The design featured accommodations for four to six people, including V-berth, settee berths, quarter berths, and a unique galley arrangement where the stove flipped over to form a navigation station. With its masthead sloop rig, tiller steering, and outboard motor propulsion, the Lancer 25 evolved through several iterations including the Mark IV and Mark V versions (1982), plus the Lancer 25 PS motorsailer variant designed by Herb David in 1985. Originally tooled by Richard Valdes of Columbia Yachts fame and built under contract by his brother Rob Valdes at Endeavour Yachts, the Lancer 25 represented an accessible entry point into sailing with its PHRF rating of 264 and hull speed of 6.0 knots
Fuji 35
My Dad's last boat was a Fuji 35 Ketch. I wasn't particularly fond of this boat...it just didn't "speak to me". That said, it was a great boat and sailed very well. One of my Dad's pals, Wes Koenig (San Juan Sailing Broker) sailed his faily to the South Pacific and back from Bellingham in the early 1980's on one. It was a two year voyage for them. My Dad and a couple of his friends made a dash for Hawaii from Bellingham in 2000. Unfortunately they were hit by very bad weather off the coast of California and had to turn back.
The Fuji 35 represents a remarkable collaboration between renowned American designer John G. Alden and superb Japanese craftsmanship, resulting in one of the most beautiful and seaworthy traditional cruising yachts ever built. Designed by Niels Helleberg at the John G. Alden office and built by Fuji Yacht Builders Ltd. in Yokosuka, Japan from 1973 to 1982, this 34'6" clipper-bowed staysail ketch embodies classic offshore sailing traditions
Not built for racing but sails well to weather, the Fuji 35 prioritizes seaworthiness and comfort over pure speed. The generous beam on deck makes for a dry ride with wide side decks, while the ketch rig provides easy sail handling and exceptional balance off the wind. This boat is exceptionally strong, offering offshore security rarely found in yachts built today.
The Fuji 35 has proven its worth through decades of global cruising, earning a devoted following among serious offshore sailors who appreciate traditional design, bulletproof construction, and timeless beauty in a manageable 35-foot package.
Cape Dory 36
In 2015, after an incredibly long break from sailing to focus on a career aspirations, I purchased "Skylark", a 1985 Cape Dory 36. This 36 footer was perfect for exploring my new cruising grounds of the Chesapeake Bay. I spent as much time as I could aboard, relearning long untapped skills. But, the passion was and is still there.
The Cape Dory 36, designed by Carl Alberg and built by Cape Dory Yachts from 1978 to 1990, became one of America's most respected bluewater cruisers with 166 hulls launched. This cutter-rigged yacht featured Alberg's signature full keel with attached rudder, narrow 10.67-foot beam, and conservative proportions that disguised its 16,100-pound displacement and 27-foot waterline. Built with solid fiberglass construction and traditional Cape Dory quality featuring extensive teak joinery, the CD 36 offered accommodations for six in a thoughtfully arranged interior with V-berth forward, opposing settees in the main cabin, galley to port, and comprehensive cruising amenities including 132 gallons of water and 43 gallons of fuel. When Cape Dory ceased operations in 1991, founder Andrew Vavolotis transported the 36's molds to Robinhood Marine in Maine, where they continued production as the semi-custom Robinhood 36. The design's seaworthiness earned it approval as one of only 22 production yacht types eligible for the Golden Globe Race, while its proven ocean-crossing capabilities and affordable used boat prices have made it a favorite among serious cruising sailors seeking a traditional, well-built vessel capable of extended offshore passages
Valiant 42
In late 2019, having fully reignited my passion for sailing, I found Argo for sale and in my price range. Trouble was that she was in Kemah, Texas and I lived in Maryland. I went to Texas just to "see" her. As the broker and I walked down the dock I saw Argo's bow sprit poking out about 20 slips down from us. I stopped, and told to broker to go write up a full price offer. She was mine later the following week. The journey since has been as rewarding as has been exhausting....and it continues.
The Valiant 42, introduced in 1992 as Robert Perry's evolution of his groundbreaking Valiant 40 design, became the definitive bluewater performance cruiser with 86 hulls built during its 19-year production run. Built by Valiant Yachts in Gordonville, Texas under Rich Worstell's ownership, the 42 used the proven Valiant 40 hull but featured a redesigned deck, taller double-spreader rig with stainless steel bowsprit, and increased ballast (9,500 lb vs. 7,500 lb). At 42 ft LOA with 24,600 lb displacement and 6 ft draft, the cutter-rigged yacht carried 849 sq ft of sail area and generous tankage (100 gal fuel, 120 gal water) for extended offshore passages. The design's reputation was cemented through numerous solo circumnavigations, including Mark Schrader's record-setting voyages in the 1980s, and its induction into the American Sailboat Hall of Fame in 1997. Production ended in 2011 when Valiant Yachts closed due to economic pressures, but the design remains highly sought after by serious cruising sailors for its proven seaworthiness, moderate displacement efficiency, and ability to be easily handled by a couple
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