Like so very many things this year, the Wooden Boat Festival is going online. One of the truly great PNW events starts September 12. More information here.
There are plenty of great videos that spark a lot of interest – even remotely. I counted about six I really want to see with the viking ship and Western Flyer (for us Steinbeck fans) restoration project chief among them. Experts and the filmmakers will be available to discuss.
There’s no word yet if there’s some way to get the amazing sawdust and general wooden boat construction smells through the computer to your nostrils, but I’m told they’re working on that. Here’s their promo video to get you going.
Kurt grew up racing and cruising in the Midwest, and has raced Lasers since the late 1970s. Currently he is a broker at Swiftsure Yachts. He has been Assistant Editor at Sailing Magazine and a short stint as Editor of Northwest Yachting. Through Meadow Point Publishing he handles various marketing duties for smaller local companies. He currently is partners on a C&C 36 which he cruises throughout the Northwest. He’s married to the amazing Abby and is father to Ian and Gabe.
We don’t have regatta reports from the dinghy racing on the Columbia River Gorge this year, but once again the Gorge delivered and we have pictures to prove it.
CGOD was notable for three Laser fleets (4.7, Radial and Standard, with the Standard fleet the smallest!) and the prevalence of youth in that class. The 15-boat Tasar fleet shows that class is healthy and a great two-person boat for the Gorge! The RS Aero PCCs were a veritable who’s who of Northwest Washington sailing. It’s worth noting that many of the names (Dalton Bergan, Jay Renehan) could be found on the leader boards of both regattas.
Dinghy sailing has been one of the sports that can remain active throughout the pandemic. It’s great to see sailors out there making it happen.
Kurt grew up racing and cruising in the Midwest, and has raced Lasers since the late 1970s. Currently he is a broker at Swiftsure Yachts. He has been Assistant Editor at Sailing Magazine and a short stint as Editor of Northwest Yachting. Through Meadow Point Publishing he handles various marketing duties for smaller local companies. He currently is partners on a C&C 36 which he cruises throughout the Northwest. He’s married to the amazing Abby and is father to Ian and Gabe.
Alert reader Walt Guterbock of Anacortes brought the passing and story of Marvin Creamer at age 104 to our attention.
Creamer circumnavigated with (maybe you remember this?) no instruments in the 1980s. We’re not talking about no GPS here. We’re talking no compass or sextant. So much for those Golden Globe Race throwbacks. He figured he could navigate on the strength of his knowledge of geography, which as a geography professor was extensive.
Kurt grew up racing and cruising in the Midwest, and has raced Lasers since the late 1970s. Currently he is a broker at Swiftsure Yachts. He has been Assistant Editor at Sailing Magazine and a short stint as Editor of Northwest Yachting. Through Meadow Point Publishing he handles various marketing duties for smaller local companies. He currently is partners on a C&C 36 which he cruises throughout the Northwest. He’s married to the amazing Abby and is father to Ian and Gabe.
Thanks to the Internet, we’ve all seen some pretty dramatic photos and videos of ships hitting each other, boats getting tossed through the surf onto beaches and general on the water crisis moments. But before the camera phone, bad things happened too. And, fortunately, there were some good records of it even if you have to read! Alert reader and outstanding skipper Steve Travis (Smoke) found the following written piece when going through some of his father’s old things. It wasn’t written by his father, and the connections to the piece are unknown, but Steve volunteered to share it with Sailish readers.
I think it’s OK to laugh. Apparently nobody was seriously hurt and it appears to have happened a long time ago (no date given). Maybe one of you readers knows something about this incident. Pacific Northwest?
I think the best way to read this is read a couple paragraphs, then close your eyes to see it in your mind’s eye. Then go along another couple graphs and repeat. The captain was writing to the ship’s owner, explaining exactly what happened and why he’ll be getting a few bills. In a few words this captain lays out the roles of the officers onboard, the pilot (way too funny) and the tugboat captain (also too funny).
Enjoy. I did.
Marine Casualty
A report sighted by Captain G.P. Byth
Dear Sir,
I write haste in order that you will get this report before you form your own preconceived opinions from reports in the world press, for I am sure that they will tend to over-dramatise the affair.
We had just picked up the pilot, and the apprentice had returned from changing the “G” flag for the “H”, and being his first trip was having difficulty in rolling the “G” flag up. I therefore proceeded to show him how, coming to the last part I told him to “let go.” The lad, although willing, is not too bright, necessitating my having to repeat the order in a sharper tone.
The Chief Officer overhearing from the Chart Room, and thinking that it was the anchor that were being referred to, repeated the “let go” to the Third Officer on the forecastle. The effect of letting the port anchor drop from the ‘pipe’ while the vessel was proceeding at full harbor speed proved too much for the windlass brake, and the entire length of the cable was pulled out ‘by the roots’. I fear that the damage to the chain locker may be extensive. The braking effect naturally caused the vessel to sheer in that direction right towards the swing bridge that spans a tributary to the river up which we were proceeding.
The swing bridge operator showed great presence of mind by opening the bridge for my vessel; unfortunately he did not think to stop the vehicular traffic. The result being that the bridge partly opened and deposited a Volkswagen, two cyclists and a cattle truck on the foredeck. In his efforts to stop the progress of the vessel the Third Officer dropped the starboard anchor, too late to be of practical use for it fell on the swing bridge operator’s control cabin.
Up to now I have confined my report to the activities at the forward end of my vessel, aft they were having their own problem. At the moment the port anchor was let go, the Second Officer was supervising the making fast of the after tug, and was lowering the ship’s towing spring down onto the tug.
The sudden braking effect on the port anchor caused the tug to ‘run in under’ the stern of my vessel, just at the moment when the propeller was answering my double ring Full Astern The prompt action of the Second Officer in securing the inboard end of the towing spring delayed the sinking of the tug by some minutes – thereby allowing the safe abandoning of that vessel.
I never fails to amaze me, the actions and behavior of foreigners during moments of minor crisis. The pilot, for instance, is at this moment huddled in the corner of my day cabin, alternately crooning to himself and crying after have consumed a bottle of gin in a time that is worthy of inclusion in the Guiness Book of Records. The tug captain on the other hand reacted violently and had to be forcibly be restrained by the Steward who has him handcuffed in the ship’s hospital.
I enclose the names and addresses of the drivers and insurance companies of the vehicles on my foredeck which the Third Officer collected after his somewhat hurried evacuation of the forecastle. These particulars will enable you to claim for the damage that they did to the railings of number one hold.
I am closing this preliminary report for I am finding it difficult to concentrate with the sound of police sirens and their flashing lights. Had the apprentice realized that there is no need to fly pilot flags after dark, none of this would have happened.
Kurt grew up racing and cruising in the Midwest, and has raced Lasers since the late 1970s. Currently he is a broker at Swiftsure Yachts. He has been Assistant Editor at Sailing Magazine and a short stint as Editor of Northwest Yachting. Through Meadow Point Publishing he handles various marketing duties for smaller local companies. He currently is partners on a C&C 36 which he cruises throughout the Northwest. He’s married to the amazing Abby and is father to Ian and Gabe.
We said summer had arrived last week and this weekend it will arrive with some very, very warm temps especially on Sunday. Today’s Satellite Pic shows just how spectacularly clear conditions are over the Salish Sea.
That’s both the good news and the bad news as the Surface Analysis Charts show our Pacific high weakening and tending to flatten while a thermal trough of low-pressure expands along the coast running from San Francisco inland to southern BC. This will convert our current onshore flow to an offshore flow on Saturday which will bring some downslope winds and compressional heating to the area, hence the high temps. The Charts also show the distinct lack of any kind of pressure gradient over the area. This will make for, once again, a very challenging Northern Century Race.
August 14 500 mb
August 14 Surface Analysis
August 15 Surface Forecast
August 16 500 mb
August 16 Surface Forecast
The real challenge for this race is that in this transition period from onshore to offshore flow, the Race course is right in the convergence zone where the flow coming down the Strait of JdF (SOJ) meets the flow coming down the Strait of Georgia (SOG). As the flow coming down the SOJ weakens, the flow coming down the SOG will build slightly turning the southerly/southwesterly flow over the San Juan Islands to a north/northwesterly flow. The big question is always, when will this happen? The models are not in agreement which is not surprising considering the lack of a pressure gradient.
The keys for the race are getting out of the starting area, getting through the lee of Guemes Island, and getting up Lummi Island. From there to the Point Roberts Buoy there will probably be more wind slightly to the east of the rhumb line. The wind will be light and from the south/southwest with it generally going very light after around 0200hrs. You would really like to be around the Pt Roberts mark before 0200 and then be sure to take your time at the shorten course mark.
One model does have a northerly of 5-8knots filling down the SOG and down San Juan Island just before dawn. That combined with the big ebb of the day could get you to Hein Bank in time to catch the flood to the finish. If you’re a big boat with a tall rig and really wanted to roll the dice, you could try sailing down the inside of San Juan Island and gamble that you could make it out of Cattle Pass before about 0900 Saturday morning and the start of the big flood of the day. The big boats could finish by mid-afternoon Saturday.
For the once this summer, expect the lighter air to be in the SOJ while the central Sound will have a delightful northerly of 10-15 knots on Saturday before it becomes light on Sunday.
This will be a great weekend to be on the water just be sure to have plenty of sunblock and be sure to reapply throughout the day.
Have a great weekend and if you’re on the NC Race please leave your AIS on so I can see how you’re doing.
Kurt grew up racing and cruising in the Midwest, and has raced Lasers since the late 1970s. Currently he is a broker at Swiftsure Yachts. He has been Assistant Editor at Sailing Magazine and a short stint as Editor of Northwest Yachting. Through Meadow Point Publishing he handles various marketing duties for smaller local companies. He currently is partners on a C&C 36 which he cruises throughout the Northwest. He’s married to the amazing Abby and is father to Ian and Gabe.
Sail Sand Point is, and has been, one of the jewels in the Pacific Northwest sailing scene. The community sailing center, which can trace its roots to Jonathan and Marcy Edwards, has put an amazing number of kids and adults on the water in the last couple of decades.
The annual fundraising event is in August, and includes a “Party on the Pier” at the Center. Last year there were was great conversation and an amazing paella.
There’s no Party on the Pier this pandemic year, but there there needs be fundraising. Here’s the message from Seth Muir:
“You may recall that the PotP typically launches our annual campaign, which runs for the month of August. Last year’s campaign was a great success raising over $18,000 which helped us improve our fleet of safety boats. This year’s campaign, underway now with a modest goal of $11,000, is for general operating support for our organization so that we can emerge from this challenging financial year prepared to continue our work bringing sailing to people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities. Specifically, gifts made in August will help us launch our fledgling Siebel Sailors Program as the NW’s Primary Siebel Center (here’s an article with details) further removing barriers for participation from under-served communities. It becomes clearer to us every day how important the opportunity we provide is, and how privileged access to water recreation has become. It is as important as ever that we push through these uncertain times and, if you are in a position to support our work this month, it will be greatly appreciated.
Come down and go sailing through our Open Boating Program!
Thanks again for being part of our community and for helping us do this work!”
Sail Sand Point and all our community sailing programs are essential, and when we start to return to normalcy I predict sailing will be seen as one of the safest and most viable activities in which to participate. Let’s make sure we support this resource.
Last year’s Party on the Pier scene.
Jonathan and Marcy being honored
I was there on behalf of Swiftsure Yachts and Sailish!
Kurt grew up racing and cruising in the Midwest, and has raced Lasers since the late 1970s. Currently he is a broker at Swiftsure Yachts. He has been Assistant Editor at Sailing Magazine and a short stint as Editor of Northwest Yachting. Through Meadow Point Publishing he handles various marketing duties for smaller local companies. He currently is partners on a C&C 36 which he cruises throughout the Northwest. He’s married to the amazing Abby and is father to Ian and Gabe.
Here’s something special. Captain Tarin Todd, harbor master at Tacoma’s Foss Harbor Marina, was inspired to write from his heart in a marina newsletter. After reading this, go create some sea stories, even (especially) in virus times. Then tell them often, even if there’s no campfire and no guitar. After all, the stories get better each time they’re told!
By Tarin Todd
Boating is such a unique hobby.
Boating simultaneously develops independence, camaraderie, self reliance and unity. We are alone on our boats, and yet we have the VHF radio that keeps us connected. When something goes wrong, we must first try to solve it alone, and when that fails, we reach out to whoever is in the vicinity to assist. We leave the dock a singular vessel heading out to our next great adventure, and when we arrive at our destination or return to our home berth, we often chat with fellow boaters on the dock, regaling them in our most recent adventures afloat. It is those moments, those sea stories we relate to others, that carries on a tradition spanning centuries, millennia.
If we pause and think for a moment about the time humans have spent on the water, a vast majority of it has been in the pursuit of discovery. What is up that river? What can be found in the next bay? Even today, a place visited hundreds or thousands of times is discovered anew by the family who just bought their first boat and are on their maiden voyage. Yes, we have charts and GPS now that help us navigate to these spots but upon arrival there is always discovery that occurs. What sort of ice cream does that little dock store have? Where does that trailhead on the beach lead? Is there a better anchorage on the other side of the island?
Captain Tarin Todd at Seattle’s Opening Day last year.
All of these experiences will become a personal sea story, a memory that will forever have a place in the mind and a place at story telling circles. On more than one occasion, I have ended up sitting next to a campfire on Sucia Island amongst other boaters we have just met. Someone always has a guitar (I think they are hidden in the trees there for just these moments), voices rise in song, sea shanties of old. In the pause between songs, stories fill the air. “We saw a huge pod of orcas today! And there wasn’t another boat around anywhere! As we floated there watching them…” Another song fills the space as this moment’s story teller finishes their yarn. The group, all strangers until just a short time ago, and now the closest friends a boater could have, even if temporary, take turns sharing experiences that come to mind, reminded maybe by a lyric in one of the songs, or a memory floated to the surface because of another’s story. All sit quietly, enthralled as the next chronicles their tale of adventure and discovery afloat. Even the telling of misadventures has a place in these moments. What was once a scary or dangerous moment can become a teaching for others on how to handle an emergency. It can become the tale of heroics, ingenuity and fast thinking that saved the day.
Sea stories are an important part of the boating culture. Oral history is a human phenomenon that boaters embrace without even thinking about it. I encourage you to notice these moments, the times when the stories begin to flow. As you listen, embrace the story teller’s tale. Try to imagine you are experiencing their adventure first hand and allow them the space to have their moment in sharing their experience. Even if you have had a similar event occur in your boating, be sure that you allow the teller to celebrate their own in that moment, because for them, that is what they know, what they have experienced. When it is your turn, be sure to share, rather than “one up”. With your tale, add to the moment instead of trying to prove you had the better adventure. We all have our own unique stories to tell and in them the most precious of moments to share. A sea story is a gift, a window into the life of another mariner. That they want to share that with you should be a compliment and a treasure to keep.
Boating, like life, is a constant education. As we learn our lessons and in turn want to share them with others, we can celebrate together those moments and support each other in our personal journeys, both on land and afloat. Share your sea stories, and share them often. Allow others a venue to share theirs. I truly believe that it is these moments that makes boating even more spectacular and unique of a hobby. Be good to one another and I will see you on the dock.
Bio: Born and raised in the Tacoma area, Tarin grew up playing on the shores of Puget Sound at the Tacoma Outboard Association’ club facility, which his family were members. His boating career started when he was 14 with the Sea Scout Ship Charles N. Curtis in Tacoma. Earning his 100 ton Master License when he was 21, Tarin still enjoys educating new boaters and young people to the joys of boating on the Salish Sea. He has cruise extensively from Olympia, WA to Princess Lousia, B.C. Tarin is currently the Marina Manager at Foss Harbor Marina in Tacoma. Whether sailing on the bay, cruising to the San Juans or diving with friends on Ruston Way, Tarin is most at home near the salt water.
Kurt grew up racing and cruising in the Midwest, and has raced Lasers since the late 1970s. Currently he is a broker at Swiftsure Yachts. He has been Assistant Editor at Sailing Magazine and a short stint as Editor of Northwest Yachting. Through Meadow Point Publishing he handles various marketing duties for smaller local companies. He currently is partners on a C&C 36 which he cruises throughout the Northwest. He’s married to the amazing Abby and is father to Ian and Gabe.
The Pacific Northwest has a proud tradition of women “being at the helm.” All woman racing crews have participated in all of the areas major events including the Vic-Maui race. The Seattle Women’s Sailing Association and Tacoma Women’s Sailing Association have both been successful getting women on board and on the helm. As any sailor worth his or her salt knows, gender doesn’t matter in the least regarding how vital a crew member they are.
This past Saturday, Seattle’s Sloop Tavern Yacht Club added to that tradition with the inaugural Women at the Helm regatta. Thirty-five boats participated, and by the looks of Jan Anderson’s photos, both women and men had a great time.
And here are Jan’s thoughts on the regatta: What a terrific event! 35 boats braved the ornery medical challenges the world is facing, and essentially said, “Enough is enough! We haven’t had enough sailing!” And, of course, it took women to effectively present this compelling argument, hence this new event, “Women at the Helm”, or with so darned many competitors from the Seattle area, it could have even been dubbed “SWATH” ( Seattle Women At The Helm). Well, the massive fleet cut a wide swath across the Central Puget Sound, with plenty o’sunshine, give and take breeze, smiles all around, and clearly tons to be thankful for. It was an absolute blessing to share this day on the water with so many friends – keep charging, gang!
Kurt grew up racing and cruising in the Midwest, and has raced Lasers since the late 1970s. Currently he is a broker at Swiftsure Yachts. He has been Assistant Editor at Sailing Magazine and a short stint as Editor of Northwest Yachting. Through Meadow Point Publishing he handles various marketing duties for smaller local companies. He currently is partners on a C&C 36 which he cruises throughout the Northwest. He’s married to the amazing Abby and is father to Ian and Gabe.
It’s a real pleasure to be able to write about Jeffrey Briggs’ novels, Out of the Cold Dark Sea and this year’s Within a Shadowed Forest, both published by Water’s End Press.. Many years ago, Jeff invited me to be a part of a writer’s group he put together. I learned a lot and could see with the talent and effort he was putting into his writing, Jeff would some day have some great books to his credit. That day has come.
Jeff’s new book.
While these novels aren’t about sailing or boating per se, they are appropriately called “waterfront mysteries,” and they are infused with the Pacific Northwest feel. Jeff has lived aboard and cruised the Northwest, run the Northwest Yacht Brokers Association and at one time wrote frequently for 48 North. He has also published two other books, Confessions of a Liveaboard and SoundWatch: An Environmental Guide for Boaters. He’s been a part of the PNW sailing community for more than 30 years.
The book that introduced Martha.
Out of the Cold Dark Sea surprised me. I expected something aboard boats. Frankly, I’m really glad the setting was waterfront and not onboard. It’s pretty hard to set a mystery on a boat, but you certainly can set a mystery around the Seattle waterfront with launching ramps, nearby rare book stores and the police boat moorage on Lake Union. In this book Briggs introduces us to heroine Martha Whitaker. She’s all you could want in a heroine; smart, persistent, tough as hell, flawed and with a backstory that makes you root for her all the way. The first book was a mystery and adventure story that kept my interest and made me curious about her next adventure
And the next adventure sounds exciting, even it has more to do with the Lake Superior waterfront than Seattle’s. From the Amazon ordering page: “Seattle attorney Martha Whitaker is beginning to heal after recent betrayals left her wounded and grieving. An explosion in Minnesota sends her off to the Lake Superior waterfront to help her friend James MacAuliffe. Someone blew up his truck and a charred body is discovered in the wreckage. Who is it? And, if MacAuliffe was the intended victim, who is after him and why? Together, he and Martha pursue a trail of clues that lead them up the North Shore to the scenic village of Grand Marais, into the vast northern forest, and onto the frigid waters of Lake Superior in search of answers—and a shadowed killer.”
I can’t speak to Martha’s next adventure, I haven’t read it – yet. But these days books are a great escape from the reality we’re in.
Kurt grew up racing and cruising in the Midwest, and has raced Lasers since the late 1970s. Currently he is a broker at Swiftsure Yachts. He has been Assistant Editor at Sailing Magazine and a short stint as Editor of Northwest Yachting. Through Meadow Point Publishing he handles various marketing duties for smaller local companies. He currently is partners on a C&C 36 which he cruises throughout the Northwest. He’s married to the amazing Abby and is father to Ian and Gabe.
I originally posted this on swiftsureyachts.com. Email me about any of these boats and I’ll put you in touch with the appropriate listing broker in our office.
While Swiftsure Yachts has earned a reputation for selling high quality offshore cruisers, racing is in our blood. In fact, everybody at Swiftsure has spent plenty of time calling shifts, sitting on the rail and packing chutes. And sometimes we get to sell racing boats too!
Racing has changed over the last few decades and in particular this year. While much of the racing has been cancelled nationwide, it’s starting up tentatively all over. Masks are the new foul weather gear, and crew size (which had been shrinking already) is sometimes limited to folks in the same household. While there is certainly a pause on the fully crewed, massive party events, racers are still enjoying the heart of it — sailing. And, in some ways, maybe enjoying it more than ever.
Right now, Swiftsure Yachts has several wonderfully race-worthy boats listed, and, importantly, many of them do double duty as cruisers as well. As with any yacht purchase, it pays to be careful and get some expert help along the way. Our current listings are a good indication of the variety of racers to consider.
Firefly may be the definitive top-drawer racer-cruiser. Built in 2000 by Morris Yachts (now part of Hinckley) and designed by Chuck Paine, she is the New England boatbuilding answer to what a racer-cruiser should be. On the inside, the finish is impeccable, with white bulkheads offset by bright finished woodwork throughout. There’s a large aft cabin, well separated from a comfortable forward cabin. The main salon features a centerline drop leaf table that seats the whole crew, plus port and starboard pilot berths for racing. The galley and navigation station, both bathed in light from the large cabinhouse windows, are exceptional. The deck layout is optimized and updated, and the carbon mast flies a very complete and current suit of North sails. The keel was designed by Jim Taylor, and Firefly is the proverbial “freight train” upwind. Firefly has raced in the Caribbean, England, the East Coast and most recently notching up line honors, and proving her downwind abilities, in the 2018 Vic-Maui Race (with Swiftsure’s Brad Baker doing the navigating!). Firefly is competitive under everything from PHRF to IRC, and will be the envy of nearly every skipper in the raftup.
Le rêve is a completely different kind of cruiser-racer. The Beneteau Oceanis line isn’t known for racing, but Le reve is proof a well prepared Oceanis can more than hold its own. Outfitted with all the usual cruising amenities, she is a thoroughly modern cruising platform. The cockpit is spacious, with twin wheels and an arch that keeps the mainsheet out of the way. That same arch secures the aft end of the dodger. The three-stateroom layout provides plenty of room for a family or group of friends to enjoy comfortable cruising, and the forced air diesel heating assures comfort in the off-season. A bow thruster makes Le reve easy to handle even in tight marinas. But the owner wanted to race it as well. With advice from experienced racers, he dialed in the boat with a formidable suit of North Sails, adjustable headsail tracks, in-haulers and a state-of-the-art constrictor clutch system, all giving the crew the tools to get all the performance they could out of the boat. Le reve responded by winning the 2018 Swiftsure Race, among many other victories.
Ocelot as a catboat on the Bay
Ocelot started life in 2006 as a Tom Wylie-designed unstayed cat rigged racer. She was later modified by Tim Kernan to have a more conventional rig, which has served her well after her move to the Pacific Northwest. With a displacement of only 9,000 pounds, she’s “powered up” and more than holds her own in the prevailing Pacific Northwest conditions. In fact, she nearly won the Race to Alaska in 2016. Accommodations are minimal but comfortable for overnights and short cruises. Ocelot is certainly one of the best dollar/knot opportunities available!
Night Runner is the proverbial wolf in sheep’s clothing. The 42-foot Bob Perry design is known, and feared, throughout the Pacific Northwest. She has been enormously successful for the past 30-plus years. Perry worked closely with the original owner Doug Fryer to come up with a medium displacement, long waterline hull amply powered by a big rig and long bowsprit. Fryer also planned to cruise extensively, which he did to South America. Night Runner’s performance surprised many over the years. Competitors learned quickly not to be fooled by her traditional looks and beautiful wooden topsides. Night Runner is one of the more unique and original boats to ever race the Pacific Northwest circuit, and could happily continue that tradition here or sneak up on a fleet in another area.
Fortuna represents the final refinement of the cruiser-racer approach pioneered by C&C Yachts. The 2007 C&C 115 is outfitted with a 2017 carbon mast, a carbon spinnaker pole and a full racing sail inventory. Below decks, the interior is imminently cruise-worthy with a large aft double, spacious galley, roomy main salon and an aft head. Racing in the same PHRF rating band as the J/35, J/109 and Express 37, Fortuna comes in at a size where there’s great competition in closely matched boats.
Papa is another French boat with a turn of speed. The Jeanneau 349 was ordered with the Performance Pack with a fathead mainsail, furling spinnaker with Seldén bowsprit and a 6’5” keel. Her performance has impressed us here at Swiftsure during sea trials. She accelerates nicely, is close-winded and has plenty of effective waterline with its broad aft sections. What may be more important, she’s set up for a short-handed sailing and with a 110-percent headsail, she’ll be easy on the crew. Papa may be perfect for today’s limited crews and casual racing.
Brilliant is a stellar example of the J/100, an elegant daysailer with a turn of speed. Light, with a modestly sized rig and non-overlapping headsail on a furler, Brilliant is easy to sail, and easy to sail well. The interior has minimal accommodations, but a marine head and inboard make this 33-footer a nice retreat for the occasional overnight as well. For casual and particularly shorthanded racing, the J/100 is an elegant solution — easily handled and maintained, yet has a really good turn of speed and a place to sleep.
Kurt grew up racing and cruising in the Midwest, and has raced Lasers since the late 1970s. Currently he is a broker at Swiftsure Yachts. He has been Assistant Editor at Sailing Magazine and a short stint as Editor of Northwest Yachting. Through Meadow Point Publishing he handles various marketing duties for smaller local companies. He currently is partners on a C&C 36 which he cruises throughout the Northwest. He’s married to the amazing Abby and is father to Ian and Gabe.
