Namahana Sails Away - At Last!

By Jody Lipkin

This is Curt and Jill Albro sitting in the pilothouse of their boat, Namahana. They’ve lived aboard for 20 years and are finally cutting the dock lines. But, there’s more to their story than that. Read the full story on the following pages.

This is not your normal article; but I wrote it, and I can’t be normal since I married Bob Bitchin! Usually in Cruising Outpost the stories are submitted by the people actually having the adventure or cruising. In this case, you have me writing about our dear friends Curt and Jill Albro. I wanted to tell the readers because I’m so excited for them and their upcoming adventure, and a bit jealous! I know I’ve been there, done that, but once you get the cruising bug, it never really leaves you.

Curt and Jill met at the same place Bob and I met, The Portofino Bar & Grill in Redondo Beach, California, circa 1988, where Jill and I had just started working. Curt and Bob were regulars in the bar, and both had their boats at the Portofino Marina. Jill and Curt got married in the early 90s, and then I left on a sailing adventure to Tahiti and beyond with Bob. Jill and I always say they went wife shopping at their local watering hole.

While Bob and I went cruising, Jill and Curt took care of our mail and bills and sent out a newsletter that Bob wrote. (That newsletter eventually turned into the Latitudes & Attitudes magazine). Those were the days of cruising without internet, cruising mail services, email, or Wi-Fi; GPS was the hottest new thing. Nowadays, keeping in contact is so much easier with blogging, email, and online banking systems. We were so thankful to have them help us like that back in the dark ages.

When Jill and Curt weren’t busy helping us, they were building their lives in Redondo Beach. Together they raised two boys and started up a luxury car lot, which Curt ran. Jill explored other interests and was soon the manager of the local West Marine. And although Jill and Curt went on cruises throughout the years, they had always needed to come back for work and family.

This time it’s different. Their kids are grown, they’ve retired from their jobs, and they have no plans to come back anytime soon. Jill stepped down as manager at West Marine and will be missed. Curt sold their business a few years ago to devote himself full-time to getting ready for a world cruise. They get to have a whole new adventure!

Their boat, s/v Namahana, is a 56-foot Maple Leaf cutter rigged sloop that Curt and Jill have been diligently preparing to cruise the world for the last several years. On board she has a walk-in engine room, tool and supply locker, and a newlyadded teak stern landing. In the galley she has a watermaker and icemaker. The heads are all-new and fully-electric. In the pilothouse are new B&G instruments and a captain’s chair. On deck are new electric winches and solar panels. And, of course, Namahana has bean bag chairs and a fully-stocked bar.

So far there has been one mishap. In an attempt to keep the dinghy safe from potential thieves, Curt and Jill had the dinghy covered with a bright red material so it would be too ugly to steal. But, when they got it back, the dinghy looked too kewl for school. Oops, you have to laugh at the plans we make in life!

The only plans the Albros have planned for now is to cruise Mexico for a year or two, then who knows? Maybe

the South Pacific or Panama Canal? They’re doing it so differently than when Bob and I cruised. But, that is one of the best things about cruising, everyone does it in their own way and style.

On November 8, 2018, Namahana left its slip in Redondo Beach and sailed to Catalina Island. From there it is headed to San Diego, then off to Mexico. As you read this, they are most likely enjoying the Mexican Rivera. If anyone wants to follow them, find and request to join the private group on Facebook, under “Namahana Adventure.” Hopefully Bob and I will be joining them someday as they joined us on our adventure. If you see their boat, go say hello. I wish for them fair winds and following seas—with 10% terror so they can appreciate the good days. Hey, it’s good not to have it too easy in this life!

hang out at the upstairs bar at the Portofino Marina. One day, I was going out for a daysail and I invited Jill, whose father was an old friend. I invited Curt to come along.

As will happen, they hit it off and were soon married. In the meantime, Jody (Jill’s best friend) and I decided to sail off to Tahiti. After a world cruise we were married, with Curt as my best man and Jill as Jody’s maid of honor! Here’s a photo of us taken while cruising in Tahiti over 25 years ago!