CHANGES
With reports this month on Epifania's 'iron jenny' troubles; Part II of Avatar's W continuing adventure in French Polynesia; Harlequin's Pacific crossing and future plans — and footlockers full of Cruise Notes.
Allison and Dave — when life threw them curve balls, they came out swinging.
four weeks of vacation enough to get us through the long, hard days in the innercity ER where we both worked. We needed a change of perspective and we knew how we wanted to get it. Within three short months of having made our decision, our The arrival of the replacement engine was cause for celebration. In this photo, the black hoses to the oil filter are hooked up right . . . we hope.
San Francisco home was on the market and we were the proud new owners of a classic 1979 Ta Chiao 54-ft ketch. We named her Epifania, and prepared to outfit her for some bluewater cruising. We'd bought her for a song, but soon discovered that the cheapest boat you buy will quickly become the most expensive boat you'll ever own. Our house sold quickly, so we lived full-time on the boat as we replaced every major system from the thru-hulls and rigging to the electronics and black water system. We spent 11 months living on the hard at SF Boat Works while meticulously, painstakingly restoring nearly every inch of Epifania. Some weeks we lived without running water, others without electricity. Our family and friends were convinced we'd gone mad. In a way, maybe we had. But having a project to focus on gave us hope, and that hope — and a shared goal — fueled our days. The spark returned to our marriage; we joked that West Marine was our new date-night hot spot, and marveled at the aphrodisiac qualities of Brite Boy. Rain or shine, we schlepped our dog, laundry, groceries and supplies up and down a 16-ft ladder as we went about the business of everyday life amid the chaos and clutter of a major refit. The tingle of nervous excitement slowly replaced the heaviness of burnout. We were going cruising! We registered to join the 2017 Baja Ha-Ha. Neither of us had done any bluewater cruising; we surmised that the rally would be a good way to build community as we left the safety of our home waters behind us. So we prepared a timeline for the remaining work and set our deadline to leave the Bay: October 15, 2017. Dave mounted a blackboard with our countdown in the galley, and we ticked the days off one by one every morning. We worked furiously to finish our projects and adopted the mantra: How do you eat an elephant? We'd smile and respond in unison, "one bite at a time." We almost made it. In early September, the major work was done and EPIFANIA
EPIFANIA
Epifania — Ta Chiao 54 ketch David and Allison Shuttleworth Engine Troubles San Francisco After working for more than two decades in emergency medicine, my husband Dave and I began to sense burnout setting in. No longer were our annual
Epifania went back in the water. Seeing our girl in the water was cause for celebration, so we headed to The Ramp Restaurant, a beloved old San Francisco haunt located adjacent to the yard. The crew there had been our neighbors for months and it was only fitting to share our milestone with Monica, Joanie, Michelle, Jules and the gang. They were thrilled and gave us a round on the house. Soon after the boat went back in the water, Dave and the yard's mechanic turned their attention to the engine. At first, the giant Ford Lehman diesel started up as usual, the low, familiar growl thundering beneath the floorboards. Within a few short minutes, though, we knew
