NWY April 2023

THE YACHTING LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE - APRIL 2023

ON THE COVER

Head out on Safari, a gorgeous Symbol Pilothouse available from Worth Avenue Yachts that will also star in the upcoming Boats Afloat show. For more details, turn to this month’s Broker’s Best on pages 44-45.

FEATURES DEPARTMENTS

STEAMSHIP SLEUTHS

By Randy Woods

The tale of the tenacious team that connected the dots in the discovery of the SS Pacific shipwreck.

14 At the Helm

16 Maritime Missives

20 Anchors Aweigh

23 Making Waves:

News + Nautical Note

30 The Current

32 Goods + Gear

INNER SPACE

By Kate Calamusa

Two of the Northwest’s top designers share their insights on the latest trends in yacht interiors.

34 Pearl's Picks

38 Arrivals

44 Broker's Best

64 Tight Lines

68 Below Deck

70 Racing Sheet

76 Sea Fare

80 Port of Call

82 Bon Voyage

PHOTO COURTESY OF WORTH AVENUE YACHTS

PHOTO BY BOATOPIA MEDIA GROUP

PREMIERDISPLAYSLIPSAVAILABLE FORYOURQUALITYLISTING

DEALER OF FINE YACHTS

Newport Beach International Boat Show

April 27-30, 2023

MUST SEE!

50’ DEFEVER 1970 Lovingly refit by shipwright owners, CAT diesel + get home & genset. Galley integrated with salon. $155,000 46’ VIKING PRINCESS SPORT CRUISER 1996 Extensive updates throughout vessel. Three staterooms & spacious main salon. $347,500

2 heads, refit with new electronics, thrusters. Pristine condition! $239,000

REDUCED

REDUCED

2006 Extremely well maintained &

HELICOPTER LANDING & SUPPORT VESSEL Expansive flight lounge with galley & powder room. Impeccably maintained. $1,350,000

25’ HUNT HARRIER

well-optioned. Ray Hunt design. Legendary sea-keeping ability. $110,000

90’ OCEAN ALEXANDER SKY LOUNGE 2012 Rare 4 stateroom + two crew. Zero Speed stabilizers, bow + stern thrusters. $4,850,000

38’ EASTBAY 1995 Refit 2021 including Garmin navigation electronics, new upholstery & soft goods + mechanical service. $249,000

65’ FLEMING 2008 Rare to market! Award-winning. Loaded & exceptionally well-maintained. Original owner. $3,395,000

72’ HATTERAS 1988 Factory update provides large salon plus sports cockpit. Full beam master with dressing room. $695,000

100’ FRIDAY HARBOR END TIE CAN TRANSFER REDUCED

33’ SEA RAY 1993 This classically styled Sea Ray 330 is waiting for you! Outfitted for year round cruising. NOW $39,999

Full Tilt

Spring has sprung and as we make way for the magical stretch of months that lie just ahead, this edition of NWY is pushing the throttle forward with sleek new vessels, sophisticated interiors, and even a stirring tale of sunken lore.

First up, a bevy of new boats are about to burst onto the scene—and the spring edition of the Boats Afloat show is set to play host to many along the shores of Lake Union. Hosted by the Northwest Yacht Brokers Association, this event is sure to rev your engines, featuring the U.S. debut of the Arksen Adventures Series line (more in Arrivals on pages 38-39); a fleet of new sportfishing options from Blackfin (pages 40-41); beautiful brokerage listings (one can be found on pages 44-45); and, even a fun new local charter vessel (more in The Current on page 30). Further show details can be found in Making Waves on page 23; we’ll see you there!

Two of the Northwest’s top designers also share their insights on the latest trends in yacht interiors on pages 54-61, and Randy Woods delves into the tale of the local team that tenaciously pursued and eventually discovered the SS Pacific shipwreck on pages 46-53. It’s a story that goes back decades, with twists and turns that would have daunted many, but the “Steamship Sleuths” persevered, and have exciting preservation plans for the future, too.

Also amongst these pages: James O. Fraioli will have you ready for some digging and dining with his Clams Casino recipe in Sea Fare (pages 76-77); Worth Avenue Yachts takes you to St. Lucia aboard Oceanos in Port of Call on pages 80-81; and we pack one more punch with great new Goods + Gear (pages 32-33) to outfit yourself and your vessel for the season ahead.

Let go and haul, Kate Calamusa

Say hi: kate@nwyachting.com

Publisher & Advertising Sales

Michelle Zeasman-Gibbon

Associate Publisher

Michelle DeRouen

michelled@nwyachting.com 206.445.5453

Editor Kate Calamusa

Creative D irector

Lou Maxon

Advertising D esign

Christin Couvreux

Advertising Sales

Craig Perry craig@nwyachting.com 206.391.6431

New Advertising Sales Inquiries 206.789.8116

Columnists

Lori Eastes

James O. Fraioli

Doug Hansen

Andrew Hoge

Randy Woods

Mark Yuasa

Copy Editor

Seanna Browder Facilities

Maurice McPherson

Office Mascot

Pearl General

CRUISE ALONG WITH US ONLINE:

Visit our website at: nwyachting.com facebook.com/NorthwestYachting instagram.com/nwyachting

QUICK AND EQUIPPED: MEET THE BLACKFIN 252CC FROM IRWIN YACHT SALES.

47’ Townsend

27’ Ranger Tugs 21’ Zodiak Pro

E lliott B ay y acht S alES

“Renaissance”

52’ Tayana

41’ CMS “Sand Dollar”

40’ Hunter

43’ Ocean SS “Amiable”

[ SNAPSHOTS, MAIL, AND ON THE WATER TALES FROM OUR EXTENDED CREW—YOU! ]

MARITIME MISSIVES

[ CHECKING THE POST ]

Notes from Afloat

Aww, shucks: Our mailboxes were brimming over with kindness and kudos this month; thank you!

Your magazine is stellar in my opinion. I live in Olympia but have been away from the water. Your December issue made me want more city life on a nice, big yacht. Your February issue made me call Sam Devlin on Steamboat Island, Gravelly Beach area. Sam has his pal Jeff Meeks make his kits. I now want a little multi-purpose, 17-footer like the Salish Voyager. Long story shortened, you have salt water in your blood and a rhythm of the ocean that is compelling and enticing. Thanks for doing what you and your talented crew do on a regular basis. -Your avid reader, Ralph

This is a really great article! Great job! - Ian Gracey, Workboat Passionato, Silverback Marine

@the.wayward.life: Looks like heaven

@Makaira Boats: She’s a cover girl…let’s hope the centre fold won’t expose all her secrets

@Elliott Bay Design Group LLC: We have enjoyed #collaborating with Silverback Marine on several #aluminum #workboat projects over the past few years. Great article found in Northwest Yachting Magazine about the custom-built vessels Silverback offers. #EBDG #ourteamisyourteam

@ghboats: That shot looking down through the trees is gorgeous

[ INSIDE THE ISSUE ]

Tell Tale Sign

When the Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI) kindly shared a circa 1875 photo of the SS Pacific for the “Steamship Sleuths” feature found on pages 46-53, writer Randy Woods immediately spotted an interesting detail within the image that just might have contributed to the storied ship’s fate:

“That list to port you see, by the way, is very telling, as that played a major role in the loss of life. While underway, the Pacific developed a pronounced list to one side. The captain tried to counter it by half-filling the lifeboats on the opposite side with seawater as ballast. Then, when the collision happened and they tried frantically to lower the boats in total darkness, the added seawater contributed to their foundering.”

[ BACK TO THE FUTURE ]

Sister to Sister

Déjà vu: If the glorious aft deck of the new local charter vessel featured in this month’s The Current (page 30) looks familiar, it’s little wonder. Cup Dynasty is the sister ship of Gizmo, the custom catamaran that we featured in the magazine exactly two years ago in our fashion photoshoot with New Day Northwest host Amity Addrisi.

BENETEAU SWIFT TRAWLER #123

This Brand New Swift Trawler 41 is designed by the famous Italian design team at Andreani Design in conjunction with the team at Beneteau who have been building boats since 1884. They have created an innovative, stylish, modern, trawler which stands above all others in its class. This Swift Trawler is an ideal boat for any coastal adventure with family or even entertaining with friends.

Efficient twin Yanmar 8LV320 Diesel inboard

FEATURES:

Reverse cycle heating and air-conditioning Full Raymaine AXIOM PRO Hybrid Touch Electronics

41' BENETEAU GT 2023 | GT41

32' BENETEAU GT 2023 | GT32

' OCEAN ALEXANDER 2017 | LIV MAS |

WORLD CLASS SERVICE SINCE 1974

NEW LISTING

For instant listing updates, follow us on social media!

Each Crow’s Nest Yachts office is independently owned & operated.

100’ US NAVY TUG 1943 - Converted to live-aboard, steel hull, sleeps 8 guests / 3 crew, 2 galleys, Enterprise main, 3 generators. Trades considered. Contact Dan Wood.

83’ BURGER 1967 - Once in a lifetime special vessel, kept in state of the art boathouse, cared for by knowledgeable yachtsman, fresh paint. Contact Dan Wood.

56’ NAVIGATOR 2001 - Under cover in fresh water, cherry interior, 2 staterooms allowing bigger heads in master & VIP, wood floor in pilothouse. Contact Vic Parcells.

55’ CALIFORNIAN 1988 - Great deal, 3 staterooms, 3 heads, fully enclosed bridge & aft deck, hydronic heat, 3208 CATs, big generator, much more. Contact Vic Parcells.

48’ HATTERAS MOTORYACHT 1981 - Live aboard moorage available, 3 staterooms, huge aft stateroom & aft deck, 6V92 mains, new generator, fresh water kept. Contact Dan Wood.

36’ CHRIS-CRAFT CORVETTE 1954 - Restored, all-original, a joy to run. Everything works, true head-turner, just gorgeous. Contact Vic Parcells.

65’ FOUNTAIN 2001 - Will consider trades for real estate, vessels, or equipment. New CAT C-32 repower w/ under 500 hrs. Fresh prop/running gear tune-up. Contact Dan Wood.

52’ MIDNIGHT LACE 2005 - Twin CAT C-9, heat/ac, Webasto, watermaker, custom paint, TNT lift, new full enclosure, boathouse kept in fresh water. Contact Dan Wood.

60’ M2 POWER CAT 2007 - Twin MAN power, 2 staterooms, 2 heads, Kevlar construction. Contact Dan Wood.

38’ VAN DAM 2003 - Major refit in 2021, new paint on deck, bottom, & hard top, Honduran mahogany sanded to raw before new stain and clear coat. Contact Dan Wood.

92’ BROWARD 1983 - Flush deck layout, 3 guest cabins, sleeps 4 crew, fresh bottom paint & more, great live aboard or charter boat, US built & documented. Contact Vic Parcells.

98’ VERSILCRAFT SUPER CHALLENGER 1987 MARAD waiver. Captain-maintained full-time, constant upgrades through the years. Contact Dan Wood.

ANCHORS AWEIGH

APRIL 7-9

SOUTHERN STRAITS REGATTA

Dundarave Pier in West Vancouver, Canada

Now in its 53rd year, this beloved multi-day regatta is more than worth the border crossing as it draws top caliber sailors from both Canada and the lower 48. Sponsored by the West Vancouver Yacht Club, the Easter weekend race will see sailors crisscrossing Georgia Strait testing their strategy, skill, and endurance while racing overnight in early season conditions. Both spectators and sailors will be rewarded with a BBQ at Dundarave Pier to wrap what is always a fun weekend on the water. More info: wvyc.ca/on-the-water/racing/ southern-straits

APRIL 10-15

THE CENTER FOR WOODEN BOATS RENDEZVOUS AT THE DOCKS & ANNUAL ONLINE AUCTION

The Center for Wooden Boats in Seattle Hop online in support of The Center for Wooden Boats during their annual auction that runs for five days beginning on April 10 and boasts fun local experiences, maritime classes, boat charters, and more up for grabs via online bidding. Then, hop down to the docks on Saturday evening, April 15, to celebrate with the Rendezvous at the Docks event. This laid-back outdoor party is staged throughout the CWB campus in Lake Union Park and features food trucks, cocktail stations, a raise the paddle fundraiser, and a toast to another successful year out on the water. More info: cwb.org/auction

APRIL 8

SEATTLE EASTER BOAT PARADE

Lake Union, the Fremont Cut, and Salmon

Bay Waterways in Seattle

Festoon your yacht, sloop, speedboat, or pontoon: It’s time for the annual Easter Parade cruise. The procession casts off at 2 p.m. from White Swan Public House on South Lake Union and glides by Morrison’s Fuel Dock where the judges await; then everyone heads under both the Fremont and Ballard bridges before completing the route at Fisherman’s Terminal. Join in on the fun by registering your boat ahead on the website and then get to decorating (the judges will dole out prizes for the best!); or be sure to find a fun spot to idle and watch the spring spectacle go by. More info: seattleeasterboatparade.com

APRIL 23

FOSS WATERWAY SEAPORT CHOWDER SOCIAL

Foss Waterway Seaport in Tacoma

Chow down on some chowder and support a great cause at Foss Waterway Seaport’s annual fundraising event. The evening will include a reception with live entertainment, hors d'oeuvres, cocktails, a live auction, and of course, several delicious local chowders to enjoy. Funds raised go directly towards the museum's educational programs, and also support the free 3rd Thursdays program, and help keep museum admission rates accessible for all.

More info: fosswaterwayseaport.org/blog-post/ chowder-social

Entertainment & Connectivity Sale

Shakespeare entertainment and connectivity products reduce the hassle of dropped calls, poor reception, and loss of service while out on the water Now through April 16

SuperHALO® Wireless Booster

The SuperHALO ®️ is a marine grade 5G, 4G, & 3G voice and data cellular reception* solution optimized to boost cellular reception for your boat, car, recreational vehicle, home or anywhere else, with support of 7+ users simultaneously and an indoor antenna to direct the signal where you really need it.

*Works with all AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon 5G, 4G and 3G bands in the US and other major Canadian networks.

Seawatch® TV Antennas

The Seawatch®️ series of TV antennas are omnidirectional, over-the-air digital HDTV solutions that bring 360° highperformance coverage.

SiriusXM® Antenna

This antenna is compatible with all radios and docks that work on the SiriusXM ®️ network with a push-on style, single input SMB connector.

Penta Assisted

MAKING WAVES

BY RANDY WOODS

Come See What’s Afloat at Lake Union Piers

Snag some tix, gather your crew, and head down to the docks: The Boats Afloat show returns this month to the shores of Lake Union. The much-anticipated show is the Northwest’s largest exhibition of boats on the water and begins on Thursday, April 27, and goes through the weekend. It will showcase a wide variety of power and sailing yachts, as well as the latest boating equipment and technology.

Dozens of brokers and dealers from the Northwest and western Canada will be on hand to show off more than 225 of their latest yachts, including Emerald Pacific Yachts, Irwin Yacht Sales, Hampton Yacht Group, Worth Avenue Yachts, Oaksmith Yachts, Silver Seas Yachts, Alexander Marine, and many more.

During the show, several top-tier new arrivals and brokerage boats will be seen, including the American debut of the fuel-efficient, aluminum-hulled vessels from U.K.-based Arksen, as well as the introduction of several new fishing boats in the Blackfin line (see this month’s Arrivals features on pages 38-39, and 40-41, respectively, for more). Other boats of note as of press time included: Greenline Yacht’s innovative, not-to-be-missed 48-foot hybrid yacht found at the Ocean Trawler Yachts slip; Worth Avenue Yachts' 80’ Symbol Pilothouse, (more on pages 44-45); as well as Worth’s new hometown charter vessel, the Cup Dynasty catamaran (more in The Current on page 30).

Attendees, mingling and networking around the boat displays, are expected to number in the thousands. The show’s host, the Northwest Yacht Brokers Association (NYBA), has planned a lineup of curated events for boating enthusiasts, including hands-on activities for families, craft cocktail demonstrations, cuisine prepared by Seattle-area chefs, and live music dockside.

Like the last two Boats Afloat shows, this year’s event will again take place at Lake Union Piers in South Lake Union. The new property, formerly known as Chandler’s Cove, is currently under development, so attendees should be forewarned that space may be limited because of the site renovation. (The owner of Lake Union Piers, Vulcan Real Estate, said, however, that the work will cause no interruptions of the planned festivities.)

This year, Northwest Yachting is a sponsor of Boats Afloat and will be handing out copies of the latest edition at our booth, so be sure to stop by. Admission to Boats Afloat is $22 for adults 18 and over, $5 for teens between 13 and 17, and free for children 12 and under. For much more information about the event times, registration information, and other details, visit the NYBA website at: boatsafloatshow.com.

FIND YOUR NEXT VESSEL AT THE UPCOMING SHOW IN SOUTH LAKE UNION.

PHOTO BY SEATTLE YACHT MEDIA

MAKING WAVES

BY RANDY WOODS

Bellingham Joins Green Marine, Welcomes Corvus Energy to Port

As many Puget Sound-area cities, such as Seattle, Bremerton, Everett, and Mukilteo, are following through on their ambitious plans for waterfront revitalization, the city of Bellingham is joining the party by welcoming new green maritime businesses, seeking a meaningful environmental performance certification, and purchasing property for marine industry development.

In February, the Port of Bellingham began participating in the well-respected Green Marine program, which certifies municipalities for their efforts to go beyond baseline regulations, support sustainable businesses, and take part in environmental cleanup within the marine industry. The previous month, the Port also celebrated the opening of a new Corvus Energy marine battery manufacturing operation in the town of Fairhaven.

To obtain certification via Green Marine, the Port of Bellingham must comply with several requirements, including the assessment of their environmental excellence, on a scale of one to five, in accordance with the program’s framework of 14 performance indicators. These indicators include such areas as greenhouse gas emission reduction, spill prevention, stormwater management, aquatic invasive species mitigation, waste management, air pollutant reductions, underwater noise abatement, and other measurements of community impacts. These scores are then reviewed and independently verified every two years by various environmental stakeholders, scientific communities, and local governments.

Part of the certification score will likely come from the Port’s support of the new Corvus battery factory, which is now producing Orca ESS lithium-ion cells specifically for zero-emission boats. Headquartered in Norway, Corvus is now utilizing previously vacant industrial buildings in Bellingham to expand its reach into the U.S. market to meet the growing demand for hybrid and zero-emission vessels and to provide the region with coveted green jobs.

“Washington state was a natural choice for Corvus due to its presence of a strong maritime cluster, the state’s focus on green shipping, and the proximity to our Richmond facility in Canada,” said Geir Bjørkeli, CEO of Corvus Energy.

Bellingham now joins the ports of Everett, Seattle, and Olympia as Puget Sound-area Green Marine participants. In total, about 45 marine-related businesses in the Pacific Northwest have joined the voluntary program, making it one of the most active regions in the U.S. and Canada.

Since its founding in 2007, Green Marine has attracted more than 180 ship owners, port authorities, terminal operators, and shipyards across North America.

In another move completed earlier this year, the Port purchased six buildings with roughly 71,000 square feet of office and industrial space, spanning six acres near Squalicum Harbor. The properties were bought from Fiber Glass Systems, LP, which will relocate its staff to another port-owned building at Bellwether on the Bay.

“Whatcom County’s industries are thriving and there is strong demand for port-owned land and industrial space,” said Michael Shepard, president of the Port Commission

Some notable properties operated by the Port include the Bellingham Shipping Terminal, the Bellingham Cruise Terminal, Squalicum and Blaine harbors, and Bellingham International Airport, as well as several other industrial development areas, commercial uplands, and public parks. Throughout Whatcom County, the Port owns approximately 1.4 million square feet of office, commercial, and industrial building space and has contracts with 250 industrial and commercial tenants.

To keep abreast of the latest developments, go to: portofbellingham.com.

BELLINGHAM IS GOING GREEN AND BOOSTING ITS MARITIME PRESENCE.

PHOTO BY PAVL POLO

Twin 480 HP Cummins diesels, V drive system with joy stick and bow thruster control, generator, air conditioning heating, dinghy with davit, Raymarine electronics, two staterooms with two heads with separate showers, bimini top, up galley with tons of storage, transom built in BBQ center, and more! Sale Price $695,000 Call Dave Boynton at 206-949-6866

OFFERED EXCLUSIVELY BY

OWNER DAVE BOYNTON

Twin Volvo 370 HP diesels, bow and stern thrusters, watermaker, air conditioning/reverse cycle heating, diesel furnace, inverter, generator, new upholstery, newer carpets, full electronics, 3 staterooms, two heads, vacuflush toilets, bimini top, anchor windlass with anchor kit, 3 burner stove with oven, big refrigerator and much more!

Sale Price $299,000

Call Dave Boynton at 206-949-6866

1995 OCEAN ALEXANDER 48 PILOTHOUSE

Twin 330 HP Cummins diesels, bow and stern thrusters, updated electronics, power double arm stern dinghy davit, flybridge enclosure, cockpit enclosure, lower helm, electric anchor windlass with anchor kit, generator, two staterooms and two heads, and much more!

Sale Price $129,000 Call Dave Boynton at 206-949-6866

1976 GRAND BANKS 36 CLASSIC

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF MY 37 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN THE YACHT BUSINESS, WHETHER BUYING OR SELLING

Twin low hour Cummins 330 HP diesels, bow thruster, new dual screen Garmin Radar/GPS plotter, autopilot, diesel heater, bimini top, new Northern lights generator, satellite TV antenna, hardbottom inflatable with engine, washer/dryer, central vac, three staterooms, two heads with enclosed showers, bathtub and much more!

Sale Price $219,000 Call Dave Boynton at 206-949-6866

2002 CARVER 444 AFT CABIN W/COCKPIT

1987 BAYLINER 4588 PILOTHOUSE

Twin Cat 3208 turbo 375 HP, bow thruster, new dinghy with outboard, crane davit, bimini top with enclosure, diesel heater, inverter, generator, satellite TV antenna, full electronics package, two staterooms, two heads with enclosed showers, staples, boat is in amazing condition!

Sale Price $339,000

Call Dave Boynton at 206-949-6866

Twin John Deere diesels, new Garmin electronics package, diesel furnace, updated custom wood headliner, generator, inverter, custom radar mast, new flybridge upholstery, new updated toilets, all outside wood in fantastic condition, transferable covered moorage in Everett.

Sale Price $95,000 Call Dave Boynton at 206-949-6866

Twin Volvo 370 HP diesels, Bow thruster, inverter, generator, bimini top with enclosure, aft hardtop with enclosure, electronics package, two heads with enclosed showers, dinghy and davit system, satellite TV ant, life raft and much more!

Sale Price $209,000

Call Dave Boynton at 206-949-6866

Twin 220 HP Hino diesels, full electronics, newer dinghy with outboard, upgraded heads, ice maker, bimini top, diesel furnace, generator, new bottom paint and zincs, boat is ready to go!

Sale Price $99,000

Call Dave Boynton at 206-949-6866

2000 NAVIGATOR 53 PILOTHOUSE

1998 SEALINE F-36 SEDAN SPORTS CRUISER

1998 BAYLINER 4788 PILOTHOUSE

GREENLINE 48 IN STOCK

GREENLINE 39 IN STOCK

MAKING WAVES

BY RANDY WOODS

Interior Officially Approves Maritime Washington National Heritage Area

Nearly five years after it was first designated by the U.S. Congress, the Maritime Washington National Heritage Area (NHA)—a protected zone running the length of Washington’s coastline—is set to cast off as the federal Department of the Interior has finally, and officially, approved of the management plan to honor the cultural significance of the state’s saltwater shoreline.

By giving essentially her stamp of approval for the NHA plan last November, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland has completed a more than decade-long journey to tie together the public and private interests in the future of coastal usage between hundreds of conservationists, businesses, environmental organizations, governments, and tribes.

Stretching from Grays Harbor on the southwest coast to the Canadian border, including the southern shore of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the entire Puget Sound estuarine system, the NHA totals an astounding 3,000 miles. The boundary also extends a quarter of a mile inland from the shore’s mean high tide line, bordering on 21 tribal nations, 13 state counties, 32 cities, and 33 port districts.

“We still have a very active maritime heritage,” said Alexandra Gradwohl, Maritime Washington’s new program director. “It’s a world that is very alive and well here among people from many diverse background and cultures.”

The plan for managing the landmark NHA formation was coordinated by the nonprofit Washington Trust for Historic Preservation, which has presented an implementation framework that will guide the NHA’s actions over the next 10 to 15 years. Under the Trust’s plan, Maritime Washington will support maritime partnerships to attract more funding opportunities, enhance cross-sector and cross-regional relationships, and broaden networks for sharing ideas.

Soon after Maritime Washington received its federal blessing, the Trust was bolstered again in February with a $350,000 grant from the Vancouver, WA-based M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust to support the NHA’s efforts.

Currently, the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation is assisting with several new projects, including a creation of the interpretive materials for a new visitor center at the Northwest Maritime Center in Port Townsend; collaborating with Sea Potential, an organization dedicated to bringing more BIPOC (black, indigenous, and people of color) youth into the maritime field; and, curating a photo series about maritime trades across the region.

The Federal National Heritage Area program was created by Congress to protect places where natural, cultural, and historic resources combine to form a “nationally important landscape” of public and private partnerships. Although they are supported by the National Park Service, NHAs are locally run, completely voluntary entities. NHA designation involves no change in ownership of land and no added rules or regulations. Maritime Washington is one of only 62 such NHAs in the nation and the only one focused on maritime heritage.

For more information on the Maritime Washington National Heritage Area, visit: preservewa.org/programs/maritime-nationalheritage-area/.

A NEW DAY HAS DAWNED FOR THE COALITION BEHIND THE MARITIME WASHINGTON NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA.

PHOTO BY ELIJAH HAIL

[ HOP ON BOARD WITH THESE FRESH FIXATIONS FROM OUR LOG BOOK ]

THE CURRENT

BY KATE CALAMUSA / SISTERSHIP PHOTOS COURTESY OF WORTH AVENUE YACHTS

Homeport of Call

Rediscover local waters aboard Cup Dynasty, a new charter vessel now available from Worth Avenue Yachts for day cruises of the Lake Union and Lake Washington.

The next time you’re looking to ferry about visiting family or friends, sit back, relax, and let someone else take the helm. Beginning this month, Worth Avenue Yachts is offering chartered day cruises of both Lake Union and Lake Washington aboard the newest member of their fleet, a 2012 custom catamaran named Cup Dynasty. Originally designed to host VIP spectators for the 34th America’s Cup in San Francisco, the 45-foot-long vessel is an entertainer’s dream, featuring an oversize aft deck equipped with plush seating and a wet bar for food and drink service. The deck flows effortlessly into a light and airy salon with 360-degree views of the open water that connects to a spacious bow seating area, giving your party plenty of room to roam. Should the day be especially fine, you can also play with any of the toys found onboard, which include a large float pad for sun-bathing and a pair of excursion-ready paddleboards. Cup Dynasty can accommodate up to six guests, and charters are available in 4- and 8-hour increments. You can preview this local beauty by hopping aboard her at this month’s Boats Afloat show, fittingly held on the shores of Lake Union; and to craft your own custom cruise, contact the Seattle team at: worthavenueyachts.com.

[ SMART GADGETS AND STYLISH PRODUCTS THAT REALLY FLOAT OUR BOAT ]

GOODS + GEAR

BY RANDY WOODS

Rock the Yacht with Garmin Speakers

As we gear up for some warmer weather, it’s important to make sure your sound system is up to date and ready for your next “yacht-rock” party. The playlist is still up to you, but Garmin will help you turn the beat around with these recently updated Fusion EL Series marine speakers. The latest version includes a water-resistant, injection-molded polypropylene cone for protection against harsh weather, UV light, saltwater intrusion, and fog. The 6.5-inch diameter speakers produce remarkably clear and powerful sound reproduction, despite having a mounting depth of just 1.7 inches. To bring more boogie to the dance deck, the EL Series can be also upgraded with an RGB illumination option to provide a range of LED colors to match every mood. $110 standard pair; $130 w/RGB illumination // garmin.com

Belt on the Mustang Survival Minimalist Pack

Whether you’re on a kayaking excursion or just hopping into the tender, it’s always best to be prepared for mishaps. For those times you find yourself in the water by mistake, carry along this discrete Minimalist Inflatable Belt Pack from Mustang Survival. Made with soft exterior fabric, the ergonomically designed nylon pack is adjustable to fit easily around most waist sizes and includes Molle webbing to help secure gear and other small essentials. A quick pull on the activation cord inflates a bright-yellow, pillow-style bladder that provides 38 pounds of buoyancy, like a bridge over troubled water. Manual inflation by mouth is also possible via a side tube. Color choices include admiral gray and azure blue. $125 // mustangsurvival.com

Follow the North Star with Orca Deck Boots

These boots are made for working, that’s just what they’ll do. But this latest footwear offering from Xtratuf in a new design from Alaska-based Salmon Sisters also has a playful side: the two-tone blue and yellow women's ankle boot features original artwork of celestial orca whales floating amidst the Great White North’s signature Big Dipper constellation. The 100% waterproof boots include pull-on tabs and slip-resistance chevron outsoles to provide a tight grip on the slickest of decks, and the XpressCool liners will keep you comfortable all day. Sales of these amazing boots support Salmon Sisters’ year-round efforts to supply wild-caught fish at Alaskan food banks. $125 // xtratuf.com

How to Solve the Rainy Day Puzzle

If rainy days and Mondays always get you down, here’s a fun springtime activity you and your family can work on to keep your thoughts on sunnier sojourns. This 520-piece jigsaw puzzle from Gig Harbor Boat Works depicts a 10’ Navigator Sailboat tacking into the breeze of a summer day on Puget Sound. Another puzzle in the series includes an image of a 14’ Whitehall rowboat passing through a marsh. All puzzles are made-to-order and available exclusively in the U.S. Once completed, these semi-gloss, vibrantly colored artworks, measuring roughly 16- by 20-inches, are suitable for framing to adorn a boat salon wall or a nautical-themed den. But first, we have to hunt some more for those pale-blue sky pieces… $35 // store.ghboats.com

Turn Night into Day with UCO Headlamps

For those seeking some hands-free illumination while paddling on a dusky day or while poking through cramped engine compartments, these Beta Headlamps from UCO Gear will allow you to get things done after the sun goes down. Just three AAA batteries produce a sharp, steady beam of up to 200 lumens. The lamp’s wood-inlay lens articulates, so it can be directed at various tasks without added neck strain. With low, medium, and high settings, the light can last on a single charge for between 30 and 100 hours of use, with a beam distance more the 200 feet. There’s even a flashing strobe mode to advertise your location if you lose your bearings. Adjustable head straps come in three photo-quality styles: classic wood grain, cosmic tie-dye, and starry, starry night skies. $27 // ucogear.com

A Cap for All Seasons from Outdoor Research

Tired of wearing your sun-bleached, salt-stained Mariners cap on your weekend excursions? This new line of Artist Series caps from Outdoor Research can liven up your hiking/boating game. Made of 100% cotton, with a soft and stretchable sweatband, these hats feature striking moon-and-mountainside illustrations by Bellingham-area adventure photographer Gretchen Leggitt. It’s a unique piece of Northwest artwork that shields the sunshine on your forehead in the great outdoors—or maybe just a leisurely stroll through town. The low-profile cap comes with an adjustable snap back and rope on the curved brim. The dual-density screen print is available in two attractive styles: beechwood beige and dawn blue. $32 // outdoorresearch.com

[ FIRST-RATE PICKS FOR YOUR POOCH FROM OUR FAVORITE FIRST MATE ]

PEARL’S PICKS

BY PEARL ZEASMAN

Three Barks for Sharks

My bark is already said to have some bite, but I dare those pesky gulls to mess with me any further now that I have added some deep-sea chompers to my arsenal with Lucy & Co.’s Shark Attack Reversible Raincoat. Featuring water-repellent nylon fabric, a watertight zip closure, and an opening for a leash clasp on the back, this spring-ready style boasts a cheery yellow side to wear when I’m out meeting new friends, and an underbelly of swimming sharks to sport when it comes time to protect my turf.

$40 // lucyand.co

Feeling Fishy

Sit, stay, shake, stop snarling at seabirds in your shark coat: I’ll perform any trick you demand of me if it means I get a few Wild Salmon Treats by Bellingham-based company Fat Cat Fish as a reward. Made solely from pure, raw Pacific Ocean-caught wild salmon and rich in nutrients, these nifty nibbles are freeze-dried raw to lock in flavor and texture and are chock-full of those healthy Omega-3 that you humans are always droning about. $28.99 per 3-pack // fatcatfish.com

Starboard Ho

Well, collar me intrigued by this emerald green Starboard Green Nautical Dog Collar from Etsy vendor Pawsitively Nautical. Crafted in the U.S.A. from authentic sailing line and supple English Bridle leather, the necklet’s stylish pairing is further enhanced by stainless steel hardware that won’t rust or corrode, should I decide to take on some of the sea spray coming off starboard as we sail. $30 // etsy. com/shop/PawsitivelyNautical

Pearl is a feisty and opinionated Jack Russell Terrier born on November 7, 2013. Her favorite treat is organic, non-GMO natural chicken jerky, as she likes to take care of her girlish figure. Pearl loves dog TV and sunbathing on the aft deck of her human’s yacht, which is moored on the H dock at Elliott Bay Marina in Seattle.

ARRIVALS

BY RANDY WOODS / PHOTOS COURTESY OF ARKSEN BOATS

Arksen 30 Adventure Yacht

Sustainably crafted with a strong aluminum hull and outfitted with stylish luxury finishes, the all new Arksen 30 Adventure Series yacht available via Oaksmith Yachts is built for exploring.

This month’s arrival of the Arksen yacht to the Northwest boating scene has been highly anticipated for two reasons: It’s the debut of the manufacturer in the American market and it’s being exclusively distributed by the new Oaksmith Yachts brokerage. (Although owner and lead broker Ben Oaksmith is hardly new himself considering his well-versed tenure in the industry, most recently with Jeff Brown Yachts).

The brand-new Arksen 30 is one of two vessels— the other is a similar-in-style 28-footer—in the all-new Adventure Series from the recently formed U.K.-based partnership fueled by TV and gaming entrepreneur Jasper Smith. The deep-V, all-aluminum hulls are sustainably built by XO Boats in Poland; the design and materials both help reduce weight and friction without losing strength, making Arksen vessels more fuel efficient than most boats of their size.

Ideal for weekend coastal excursions, the Arksen 30 comfortably sleeps four, plus an option for up to six people with the addition of a canvas sleep pod over the cockpit. The A30 could be likened to a Range Rover on the water, with the ruggedness to handle the storms of the Northwest combined with amenities and stylish looks of a luxury vessel.

One of the A30’s most identifiable features is a foam collar that rings the gunwales of nearly the entire boat, making it resemble an RIB. The rigid collar is wide enough to use as a de facto outside side deck to move from bow to stern around the full-beam pilothouse, using grab rails on the roof storage rack. An additional

panel of foam padding also extends down the waterline on the aft section of the hull to act as a rub rail.

The open cockpit includes bench seats on three sides with removable cushions. All seats can be flipped up to make room for extra “camping” berth space for two people over the Esthec non-skid decking. A sliding glass door separates the cockpit from the salon/galley area, which makes efficient use of space. To starboard, a mini galley has a flip-down wooden counter covering a sink, a wet-bar, storage space, and a well that can fit a portable stove. Opposite the galley, the dining table has room for six people with bench seating that can fold down to be used as a guest berth. Wraparound windows and a wide electric sunroof let in plenty of light, providing great 360-degree views throughout. The comfy starboard helm chair has soft padding and impact mitigation features to smooth out the ride at high speeds. A compact day head is located to port by the entryway to the V-shaped forward cabin that can accommodate two adults.

The nimble A30 cruises comfortably at 25 knots, but can sprint in excess of 45 knots and has a 230-nautical-mile range. Designed for a twin-outboard, 500-total-hp engine configuration, early A30 prototypes have also performed well with a single 350-hp Suzuki dual-prop.

For much more on the exciting entry of the Arksen name in the U.S. market, Oaksmith Yachts will be showcasing both the A30 and A28 versions of the Adventure series at this month’s Boats Afloat Show, so be sure to stop by.

Specs & Info

LOA 31’2” Beam 8’2” Draft 2’11”

Tankage (Fuel/Fresh/Black)

120 gals. / 18.5 gal. / 10.5 gal.

Engine

Dual 250hp Suzuki Outboards

Contact Oaksmith Yachts

Seattle, WA

Ben Oaksmith 206.949.2270

ben@oaksmithyachts.com

oaksmithyachts.com

ARRIVALS

BY RANDY WOODS / PHOTOS COURTESY OF IRWIN YACHT SALES

2022/23 Blackfin 252 & 272 Models

Find your fave from among a fleet of speedy and sleek Blackfin sportfish models available from Irwin Yacht Sales at this month’s Boats Afloat show.

This month, Irwin Yacht Sales’ cup runneth over with a host of 2022 and 2023 models of Blackfin fishing vessels. Irwin—which has been the exclusive dealer of the Florida-based Blackfin line in the Northwest since 2019— noted that many of these rugged sport boats are well-suited for the inclement weather of this area, with many having full canvas enclosures. The four Blackfin center- and dual-console models showcased here (each equipped with one fully enclosed head) are currently in Irwin’s stock, but a total of six should be available by the time Boats Afloat rolls around, April 27-30. Here are some of the latest features of the 252s and 272s that you can spy at the show:

252CC

Right off the bat, the obvious difference between last year’s model of this center-console Blackfin and the most recent is seen on the outside wrapper (a black hull for 2022 and white hull with a black stripe for 2023). More importantly, the 2023 version has a completely re-engineered deep-V hull design that provides extra stability and significant fuel economy. The tall hull sides help keep everyone onboard in the chop, and give thigh-high support for those struggling with an ornery fish on the line. The 252CC features dual Garmin 8612 screens, radar, an upgraded 1,000-watt transducer, a bow shade, and an upgraded Fusion stereo system. Amenities for anglers include a cockpit table/ casting platform, insulated fishboxes, gunwale and transom mounted rod holders, and an

insulated storage cooler in the bow. The 252CC is powered by twin Mercury 200XL 4-stroke outboards. The combined 400hp they produce gives the boat a peppy 32-knot cruising speed and top speed of 45 knots.

252DC

This dual-console version of the Blackfin 252 provides easy access from the bow to the stern of the boat, while also providing multiple seating options for the family. The 2023 version is available in a whisper grey hull, a white hard-top framework, white engine pods, and an all-new feather grey interior. Standard features for fishing include an insulated baitwell, in-floor fish boxes with macerated pump-outs, a cutting board over the transom for bait prep, a wet bar with a sink, a pull-out sprayer, and

252CC

252DC

252CC & DC Models

LOA 27’5” Beam 8’10” Draft 2’11”

Tankage (Fuel/Fresh/Black)

140 gal. / 10 gal. / 10 gal.

Engine

Twin Mercury Outboards

272CC & DC Models

a 35-quart Yeti Tundra cooler. Other amenities include a U-shaped bow seating area, a portside co-captain’s chair with a flip-up bolster, portside aft-facing seat, a convertible port lounge seat, and a transom shower and washdown faucet. The twin Mercury outboards on the 252DC are the same as those on the 252CCs, but the cruising speed is slightly slower, at 30 knots.

272CC

The 272s, measuring about two feet longer and a foot wider than its 252 cousins, provide more breathing room on board and a large freeboard. The center-console 272CC features flip-down transom seating, bow and cockpit combing bolsters, a cockpit table with an inlaid SeaDek top, a forward-facing console seat with bow backrests, a helm seat with bolsters and

flip-up armrests, and cushioned bench seats in the U-shaped bow. The integrated command center at the helm, with a SeaDek pad, features Mercury joystick-control docking, built-in Skyhook and autopilot, and a suite of Garmin equipment, including GMR 18xHD radar, a 1,000-watt transducer, 315 VHF, and dual 8612 XSV screens. When the weather changes, a curtain enclosure can be pulled around the entire console for protection. A set of twin Mercury Verado 300 XL DTSs provide 600 total horses to cruise at 35 knots and go flat out at 53 knots.

272DC

The dual-console 272DC boasts most of the above features, but also includes an upgraded engine package with a digital throttle system, along with more Garmin helm technology, such

as a GPS/chartplotter, a B60 sonar module, and a B60 600-watt transducer. The boat also has an upgraded Fusion Apollo stereo system with a helm remote. At the bow, angular V-shaped bench seating surrounds a circular center table. Aft of the helm, there is wet bar with a sink and pull-out faucet, along with a covered space for 35-quart Yeti Tundra cooler. Portside aft seating for day boating can be hydraulically retracted to provide more room for fishing. The 272DC also comes with a titanium hull color option, along with bow and aft shades with carbon-fiber pole supports. Like the 272CC, the DC model uses identical twin Mercury Verado 300 XLs, but produces a slower cruising speed of 30 knots and a top speed of 51 knots.

272CC

272DC

BROKER'S BEST

BY RANDY WOODS / PHOTOS COURTESY OF WORTH AVENUE YACHTS

2002 80’ Symbol Pilothouse

Another star destined to dock at this month’s Boats Afloat show, this Symbol Pilothouse is supremely suited for both entertaining and extended cruising.

Ideal for entertaining guests and extended cruises, Safari features three spacious staterooms and luxury accommodations for up to six guests, plus room for three crew members. For more than 20 years, this 80’ Symbol Pilothouse yacht has been meticulously maintained and upgraded by its current owner—and now, this premiere listing is ready for her next adventure.

Built in 2002, this large Symbol motoryacht is driven by twin Detroit Diesel 2000 MTU engines, each producing 915 HP and logging about 5,500 hours of use. The walk-around teak decks provide easy access to both the open-air bow section, with a sunpad and bimini, to the spacious aft-deck, anchored by a teak dining table, with upholstered Luxe Ingigo bench seating and four wicker swivel chairs. Two glass doors separate the aft deck from the salon, featuring an enormous distressed-leather sofa, two library chairs, a 36” live-edge wood cross-section coffee table, and a 48” smart TV within a built-in cabinet.

Forward of the salon, the port-side galley boasts a wrap-around granite countertop, a KitchenAid refrigerator/freezer, a double sink with disposal, and an Insta-Hot water tap. GE appliances include a convection/ microwave and a five-burner cooktop.

The galley opens to the pilothouse, which has a glass table with bench seating, and access to a day head. The helm station has a full suite of electronics and navigation equipment, such as Furuno NavNet 14” TZT display and autopilot, Icom VHF, Wesmar stabilizer controls, and a Maretron display.

Safari has multiple 32” smart TVs installed in the owner’s suite, the flybridge, and the crew cabins, equipped with Dish TV receivers. The sound system consists of five Fusion receivers in the salon with speakers in the salon, aft deck, pilothouse, flybridge, and bow. Other communications equipment includes Iridium satellite phones and KVH satellite internet.

The customized flybridge has a hardtop, a three-quarters enclosure, two Stidd captain chairs, and another driving helm station that was updated in a 2015-16 rebuild. For more entertaining, the flybridge has a dining table, seating for eight people, a Wolf two-burner cooktop, a 30” DCS propane BBQ, a 20-bottle wine cooler, and four teak loungers.

Belowdecks, the owner’s suite features lush wood paneling, a king-size bed, a port-side vanity, a walk-in closet and a starboard-side settee. The en suite double head has twin sinks and a shower enclosure. The VIP stateroom at the bow has a raised queen-size bed, a walk-in closet, and an en suite head and shower enclosure. The midship guest stateroom includes a raised double bed, access to a forward head and shower, and a washer and dryer.

Over the last seven years, Safari has had multiple rounds of upgrades, replacing and repairing virtually every electronic and mechanical system. Other major installations include a new bulbous bow, a new SidePower hydraulic stern thruster, teak decking and interior carpeting throughout, and new drive shafts, props, and struts. See these luxe upgrades for yourself as Safari is set to dock at the Worth Avenue Yachts display at this month’s Boats Afloat show.

Specs & Info

LOA 80’0” Beam 21’6” Draft 5’6”

Tankage (Fuel/Fresh/Black)

1,600 gal. / 400 gal. / 150 gal.

Engine Two Detroit Diesel MTU 8V2000s

Contact Worth Avenue Yachts

Seattle, WA

206.209.1920

seattle@worthavenueyachts.com

worthavenueyachts.com

STEAMSHIP SLEUTHS

THE SS PACIFIC (SEEN AT LEFT) DOCKED AT YESLER’S WHARF IN SEATTLE IN 1875.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MOHAI, SHS11765

When death rode the wave: The tale of the tenacious Northwest team that connected the dots in the discovery of the SS Pacific shipwreck—and the maritime museum they hope to create in tribute to the 1875 tragedy.

STEAMSHIP SLEUTHS

BY RANDY WOODS

In December of last year, Jeff Hummel, president of a Seattle-based marine salvage company called Rockfish, Inc., announced that his team had definitively located the remnants of the Pacific, which sank about 40 miles southwest of Cape Flattery, taking the lives of at least 375 people, possibly more. After presenting small artifacts recovered from the wreck, the U.S. Court for the Western District of Washington granted Rockfish exclusive salvage rights.

Since the days immediately after the ship went down, reports from the press focused on a cache of gold that went to the bottom as well. According to maritime records, Pacific was carrying around 200 pounds of recently mined gold, with a value at the time estimated at about $100,000. Converted to 2023 dollars and based on current gold prices, the load may be worth between $7 and $10 million today.

The goal for Hummel, however, is not about money, it’s about honoring history. “One of the things I think is under-reported is the number of people on board,” he said. “There’s a total of 375 known people on board, but there was a really good eyewitness who claimed that there were more like 500 people on board when it departed. Unfortunately, we’ll just never know.”

The idea of maritime wreck salvage may conjure up dramatic images of robot submarines floating over the hull of RMS Titanic or maybe even romantic ones of a swashbuckling Indiana Jones-type character swooping in to carry off a precious golden idol. While the story of the 1875 sinking of the SS Pacific does hint at a few of these theatrical Hollywood touches, most of the story involves conducting exhaustive research, listening to working mariners in the area, and developing immense respect for the victims of the worst maritime disaster in Pacific Northwest history.

will be remembered the year 1875, when Death, clad in all his hideousness, rode the wave.”

– Edgar Wilson Wright, Lewis&Dryden’sMarineHistoryof

Some of the passengers were wealthy families and businessmen from Seattle and Canada, but the ship was known to be overloaded with mostly unknown miners who were returning from the Cassiar gold rush that began in 1872 in northern British Columbia. “These were mostly young, male, single people, who didn’t write a lot of letters home, I don’t think,” Hummel mused. “The first-class passengers all had cabins, but there were many people on board who were not on the official manifest. They just paid $5 for the trip and found a spot anywhere they could.”

Even at the low-end estimate of deaths, the SS Pacific disaster remains the single greatest maritime loss of life on the West Coast. For perspective, the population of Seattle was only about 2,000 in 1875. If a loss of similar proportion were to occur today, the death toll would approach 40,000 people.

A Dark and Stormy Night

On the morning of November 4, 1875, the SS Pacific left the port of Victoria, B.C., at 9:30 a.m., steaming west towards the mouth of the Strait of Juan de Fuca on its way to San Francisco. The wood-hulled, side-wheel steamship, 223 feet long and 33 feet abeam, made the

turn past Tatoosh Island off Cape Flattery at about 4 p.m. and headed south along the coast. As the rainy weather worsened, the steamer made slow progress into the growing headwinds. During the journey, the 25-yearold Pacific had developed a pronounced list to starboard, so its captain, Jefferson Davis Howell, ordered the portside lifeboats to be filled with water to keep the ship on an even keel.

By about 9 p.m., Pacific was about 12 miles off the coast and 40 miles southwest of Cape Flattery as it approached the sailing vessel Orpheus opposite direction at about 12 knots with following winds. Pacific had only a masthead light visible in the darkness, which Orpheus’ Captain Charles A. Sawyer initially mistook for the Cape Flattery lighthouse. When he finally recognized the light was coming from a ship, Sawyer ordered a hard turn to port to avoid a collision. According to Sawyer’s reports, the its course or reverse its engines until the ships were just a few feet apart.

Pacific struck a glancing blow off side, made contact a few more times as the vessels grinded past each other in the swells. The sailing ship lost

TEAM MEMBER PAUL TROKA PREPARES THE ROV FOR LAUNCH. PHOTO COURTESY OF ROCKFISH, INC

several feet of rail and some of the starboard rigging, but didn’t suffer any life-threatening damage, so Capt. Sawyer continued north while the 876-ton Pacific continued south, with engines still running.

Aboard Pacific, the atmosphere was much more chaotic. As passengers rushed to the hurricane deck, the overloaded, top-heavy ship lurched heavily to port. While the crew helped the panicked passengers into the ship’s five lifeboats, the ones to port, which were already partly filled with ballast water, immediately foundered, spilling their occupants overboard. The rest of the lifeboats were never lowered in time and also quickly capsized. In perhaps half an hour after the collision, the old side-wheeler slid under the whitecaps.

During the sinking, part of Pacific’s hurricane deck and the wheelhouse tore off the ship and continued to float, providing some refuge for about two dozen people. But as the hours passed, the survivors succumbed, one by one, to exposure or exhaustion. Passing vessels eventually discovered the floating wreckage, which had drifted back into the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Only two people from the Pacific survived after hanging on for nearly three days.

Hitting the Books

Finding one of the most infamous and elusive wrecks in Northwest history took decades for Hummel. After making 17 trips on chartered boats to the area where Rockfish assumed the wreck would be, Hummel

purchased a fishing vessel, the R/V SeaBlazer, in 2004 and converted it into a research boat from which the crew could launch the sonar equipment. All told, Rockfish has completed 12 separate Pacific expeditions with the SeaBlazer at a cost of about $2 million that was raised from a list of 45 project donors.

But most of what made the project a success depended not on the equipment at sea but on what information could be found on land. “The first step always starts in the archives,” Hummel said. “Without accurate information, you might as well not even start.”

With very little evidence from the two eyewitness survivors of the disaster, Hummel pored over every news article, nautical report, weather record—any applicable scrap of data he could find. “I tried to reconstruct the accident scenario as if it were a plane crash,” he said.

Using the 1854 sea charts Pacific’s Capt. Howell had used at the time, Hummel recreated the course for the ship, based on the descriptions from Pacific’s surviving quartermaster, Neil Henly. He also found complete records of tidal currents for the area to help calculate the vessel’s exact speed and direction. He then compared these figures to records from every Seattle-to-San Francisco journey the steamer had taken in 1875. The team was even able to pick up on slight differences in the average speed (about a half-knot) between the northbound and southbound legs.

“From all of that data, I was able to dead reckon the ship to an approximate location where it sank,” he said.

AFTER YEARS OF SLEUTH WORK, JEFF HUMMEL (AT LEFT) AND THE TEAM PULLED THE FIRST ARTIFACTS FROM THE DEPTHS. PHOTOS COURTESY OF ROCKFISH, INC

With some probability analysis plus “fancy footwork and math,” Hummel had narrowed down the search area to a box measuring about 13 miles by 26 miles. That was progress.

Not his First Underwater Rodeo Hummel was also able to fall back on salvage experience he’d earned at the tender age of 18, when he first launched an underwater expedition: A search for a rare World War II aircraft, a Curtis SB2C Helldiver torpedo bomber, that had been discarded in Lake Washington in the 1940s. Hummel and a high school friend, Matt McCauley, were able to locate the wreck in the early 1980s and managed to bring it to the surface using reconfigured air hoses and lift balloons.

For his contribution, McCauley purchased a $20,000 side-scan sonar that could be used to find underwater objects remotely from the surface. “We spent hundreds of hours honing our skills with the side scanner,” Hummel recalled. “Eventually, we got so good that we could put a buoy right on top of the little airplane in 150 to 160 feet of water.”

Soon after the plane was recovered, McCauley and Hummel received a notice from the U.S. Navy, saying they wanted their old airplane back. In the ensuing lawsuit against the two teenagers, the Navy argued that it had never lost title to the plane. A few years later, however, a judge in the case ruled that the Navy had abandoned the relic and did not make any attempt to recover it, so pair were awarded the salvage rights at age 21. Over the ensuing years, Hummel said a restoration company had fully reconditioned the Helldiver. The aircraft is now likely to return to flying condition within the next couple of years, he added.

Hummel said he learned a couple vital lessons from the airplane experience: “A) That it’s possible for anyone to go do this. No one’s there to stop you. And B) An appreciation for the legal aspects of these projects. You’ve got to have a good legal footing before you do anything.”

For their next act of underwater salvage, Hummel and McCauley consulted a book called Lewis & Dryden’s Marine History of the Pacific Northwest, published in 1893. “It’s kind of like the Bible of everything maritime in the Northwest area,” Hummel said. In it, the budding salvors discovered the plight of the still-undiscovered

SS Pacific. The guide’s author, Edgar Wilson Wright, memorably introduced the disaster thusly: “Long will be remembered the year 1875, when Death, clad in all his hideousness, rode the wave.”

The tragic story of the sunken side-wheeler would become Hummel’s next great adventure for the next 30-plus years.

Trawling for Clues

Narrowing down the search was certainly helpful, but the Rockfish team was only halfway there. The weeks of deploying the side-scan sonar—sweeping back and forth, like cutting an enormous field of grass with a slow, constantly shifting lawnmower—was an expensive, and sometimes tedious, affair.

“The weather is never very cooperative out there,” said Arnie Hammerman, a marine industry expert and member of the Rockfish expedition team. “We drew grid lines electronically on charts and would drag the sonar behind the boat, watching for changes in the current. We were checking data literally for years.”

The search continued through the 2010s, mostly by trial and error, and also with the cooperation of other groups that had been looking for the Pacific for many years. “The general consensus was that you would be able to see things, like a boiler and the steam machinery and the paddle wheels,” Hummel said. “But that turned out to not be true at all.”

There were no true “Eureka!” moments during these years, but the turning point came when Hummel struck up friendships with the other people who regularly cruised the same coastal areas: fishing trawler captains. “If you don’t get to the top of the mountain on your own,” he said, “you’ve got to find another way to get to the top.” Or to the bottom, in this case.

Two commercial fishermen provided Rockfish with invaluable information about how they dragged their nets across the bottom off Cape Flattery and would occasionally pick up odd scraps from the ocean floor. One said he had picked up what looked like coal on the bottom and still had a few of the samples. Hummel had the lumps examined by a chemical expert, who determined that the coal likely came from a mine that could have supplied fuel for the Pacific

“We overlaid our information with the areas where they been dragging their nets,” he explained. “From that,

I was able to eliminate a large portion of our search area. It eventually came down to only a couple of square miles. There were no other options, the wreck had to be in that area.”

The spot where the wreck was eventually found had been searched twice before by two other groups, back in 1993 and again in 2000. “They’d gone right over the wreck and had every opportunity to view it, but it’s so obscure that they didn’t see it,” Hummel said.

“We didn’t realize what we had, either, until we went back and analyzed the data,” Hammerman added.

Upon further review, the sonar images revealed faint circular outlines of the two giant paddlewheels, measuring eight meters across. “The paddlewheels were really an identifying mark that led us to the ship, but they’re easy to miss,” Hummel said. “They only look interesting from one direction. If you’re right on top of them, they don’t look like anything.”

The Rockfish team immediately began making dives over the Pacific with remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), which they designed and built themselves. The ROVs were able to retrieve small items from the wreck, including a charred fire brick that had been part of the ship’s boiler, and a piece of worm-eaten wood from the hull.

Looking for a Nice Pair of Jeans

The exact nature and orientation of the wreck has not yet been released, other than a few low-resolution sonar images. Rockfish plans to launch its 13th expedition with SeaBlazer, its research vessel, to record detailed images of the entire ship before it gets disturbed. Hummel also said he doesn’t want to allow other salvors come snooping around. However, the main reason for the secrecy is that a TV series about the expedition is likely to be completed this year by the BBC and should air sometime in 2024. “Until then, we want to maintain a little bit of mystery,” he said.

To date, Hummel has only revealed that the wreck is resting between 1,000 and 2,000 feet deep and that the hull is relatively intact. He did add that “there’s no evidence that the ship broke in half,” which provides a clue to Pacific’s state of preservation.

As of February, the Rockfish ROVs have spent about 20 hours investigating more than 1.7 million square feet of the wreck site. Hummel will plan a series of three more expeditions to recover cargo from the debris field before exploring the main part of the wreck in 2024 and the following three years. He estimates that Rockfish will need to raise another $6 to $8 million to complete the full salvage.

Hummel said he expects to reveal a wealth of well-preserved, nearly 150-year-old artifacts. For instance, he said there’s a good chance that the ship’s luggage contains the earliest-known pair of Levi’s in existence. “It’s not just some far-fetched idea,” he said. “Levi Strauss jeans came out in 1873, supplying goods targeted mostly for gold miners. It’s possible they’re still there.”

One reason for Hummel’s high expectations is the concentration of inorganic, unconsolidated clay around the wreck. “It’s the best preservative,” he said, “because the particles of the mud are so small that they interrupt oxidation.” The one piece of wood the team uncovered looks surprisingly like wood after being submerged for a century and a half. “I was expecting the wood to be mushy,” he said. “But since there’s no oxygen down there, the wood is just as sound as it was when it went in.”

These hopes fuel Hummel’s ultimate goal of the whole SS Pacific endeavor: The creation of a museum dedicated solely to the Northwest’s maritime heritage. “We’re still in the early stages of the museum concept, but it’s not going to be just about Pacific,” he said. “We don’t really have a proper museum in this area that does justice to the deep maritime heritage of the Puget Sound.”

Rockfish entered into a mutual agreement with the nonprofit Northwest Shipwreck Alliance (NSA) to transfer any cultural artifacts salvaged from the wreck to NSA for inclusion in the museum. “With NSA, the intention is that an alliance of already-existing groups can create a funding model that makes it viable to establish a world-class museum,” Hummel said. “We want it to generate enough income so it can pay for itself.”

He also hopes to find more clues about why the ship went down so quickly. Built in 1850, Pacific was already well past its prime at the time it sank and had even been briefly abandoned before being called up for the Cassiar gold rush. Rumors persist that rotting timbers in the hull were hidden by the owners, which may have contributed to the ship’s destruction. Future dives may finally answer these questions.

“It’s the big unknown,” Hummel added. “That’s the great thing about it—the surprises that you’ll find that you just won’t be expecting.”

>> For more information on the continuing salvage efforts, and on future plans for a maritime history museum, visit: northwestshipwreckalliance.org.

SPACE

Flowing floor plans, sleek stowage, and onshore comforts brought aboard: Pulling from their experience as owners of their own boutique firms and from an impressive body of work for such esteemed brands as Westport, Nordlund, Ocean Alexander, and Lurssen Yachts, two of the Northwest’s top designers share their insights on the latest trends within the department of the interior.

Interviews by Kate Calamusa

Photo by Kristina Strobel Photography

MARY FLORES

Owner & Head Designer

Yacht Interiors

253.921.7689; yachtinteriors1@gmail.com

How did you get your start in design and how has your career evolved to where it is today?

I grew up boating in the Pacific Northwest. I was fortunate to work alongside my dad who owned his own business painting and refinishing yachts in Tacoma for private clients as well as Nordlund and Jones Goodell. In college, over the summers I was a crew member on a few new Nordlund yachts. After graduating from Western Washington University with a degree in Interior Design, I worked in the commercial design field for five years then stayed home for ten years to raise my kids. With my boating background it had always been a dream to design yachts. I worked under a local yacht designer, Jon Pokela, part-time as I transitioned back into the workforce. Once he retired, I started my own company and have continued to stay busy, mostly from word-of-mouth recommendations by past clients. It’s truly a dream for me to work in this industry!

How would you say interiors are being designed differently than they were 5 or 10 years ago?

I’d say with the use of steel beams we are able to make spaces with an open concept as you see in homes. Larger windows are becoming more common, and the galley is no longer hidden down below but more central to the main salon. Also, as wood is at a premium, fabric paneled walls and engineered wood are also becoming trends.

What color palettes and textures are you most drawn to as a designer?

Being born and raised here, I am personally drawn to warm colors and lots of textures that make a space cozy and inviting. I always love to add a lamp in yachts to give that warmth to a space. But that being said, my own boat is bright and colorful. I wanted it to be a space where people would want to have fun and kick their shoes off!

What would you say are the key differences in designing for life aboard a vessel versus household living back on land?

I think the difference is that everything has a purpose and sometimes more than one! For instance, a coffee table may need to double as a dining table or a game table. Designs have to be practical and functional.

Speaking of, how do you go about creating stylish interiors that are also packed with savvy storage? Storage is always a big concern for owners. We can be creative with custom sofas that include storage. I like to purchase end tables that have drawers or a door for storage. We make custom leather ottomans that open to hold games and blankets. In the staterooms I always suggest owners use a pillow sham to hold their sleeping pillow, not just a decorative one that eats up space.

What do you think are a few of the top trends in yacht interior design right now?

We are using a lot of exterior grade fabrics for the interior. Solution-dyed acrylic and polyester have come a long way. These materials are durable, don’t fade in the sun, and are easily cleaned.

And, what do you find seems to be most important to Northwest boaters when it comes to their interior spaces and how they function? Boaters here are practical, knowledgeable, and hands-on owners. They use their boats. They need it to function and perform in many different situations. They want carpet that’s durable, sofas that are easily cleanable, warm lighting for those dark winter days. They want to be able to dig clams, pull a crab pot, fish, and come back with their bounty on board and have a place to clean, cook, and entertain with ease.

Flores Profile Photos Courtesy of Yacht Interiors

AMY HALFFMAN

Owner & Head Designer

Halffman Designs, LLC

206.412.2366; amy@halffmandesigns.com

halffmandesigns.com

Halffman Profile Photos by Kristina Strobel Photography

How did you get your start in design and how has your career evolved to where it is today?

I graduated from the University of Washington, then went on to receive an additional degree in Interior Design at the Art Institute of Seattle. I have been in the yacht design business for over 25 years. I ran the interior design department at Westport Yachts and left in 2016 to go out on my own. Now, as Halffman Designs, I have worked on several yacht projects including refits and new builds. The most recent delivery was a new-build 76.5M Feadship in 2021. Currently, I am working on another larger new build with Lurssen Yachts.

How are interiors being designed differently than they were, say 5 or even 10 years ago?

I would say AV/IT and LED lighting have come a long way over the years. Everything is smaller, and more efficient and, in turn, saves space and power in the interiors. For example, take outlets with USB charging stations; you can never have too many, as every guest comes with phones, tablets and computers that need to be charged. There are also way more beautiful options for indoor/outdoor fabrics available now then 5-10 years ago.

What would you say are the key differences in designing for life aboard a vessel versus household living back on land?

First is boats move, homes do not. Being thoughtful with storage, appropriate material selections, and securing objects in place. For example, in a home you may place a lamp on any side table you wish. On a yacht, that lamp better be fixed in place so it does not fly off an end table. You also need to consider materials that will withstand all types of weather conditions including sun, rain, snow, saltwater and freshwater, both indoors and outdoors.

How do you go about creating stylish interiors that are also packed with savvy storage?

Every item should be thoughtfully purchased, placed, and have a purpose. I do my best to use every inch of storage possible: creating sofas and settees that are made with built-in storage for extra provisions when the galley is full; end tables and ottomans with storage and outlets for charging and storing books, remotes and

blankets; custom dishware holders; or, hooks inside and outside to hang anything that needs a place to dry or store.

And, what do you find seems to be most important to Northwest boaters when it comes to their interior spaces and how they function?

I have found a lot of boaters in the Northwest have a strong desire to include family. Having space onboard to accommodate adults and children is very important. Boating and being on the water is a gift in the Northwest, a gift that grandparents and parents may pass along to younger generations, and in turn keep this industry alive. Teach them how to fish, drop a crab pot then eat fresh crab for dinner. Take in the beautiful landscapes and nature from the water that you can’t see from the shore. Go in search of whales, seals, and bald eagles. It’s the experience and memories made that mean the most. And at the end of the day, if you can find a spot inside or outside and curl up on a comfortable sofa or settee with a warm blanket and a delicious beverage in hand, then you have created a beautiful interior inside and out.

TIGHT LINES

CONTRIBUTED BY MARK YUASA, WDFW

Scouting Report

MARK YUASA outlines your top prospects for salmon fishing this summer.

There’s quite a bit of cautious optimism as the 2023 salmon season quota setting process nears the finish line. This includes three coastal season options for recreational salmon fisheries that reveal a Chinook salmon quota larger than that of 2022, but with a slight dip on the hatchery-marked coho quota.

State fishery managers use a suite of scientific data, that includes watershed sampling and monitoring, ocean indicators, and previous year returns, to estimate the number of salmon returning and decipher how many fish are available to catch.

While the coho forecast is lower, there appears to be enough compared to the recent historical average to provide decent fishing opportunities off Neah Bay, La Push, Westport, and Ilwaco. Each option here below consists of start and end dates, plus a breakdown of the Chinook and hatchery-marked coho catch quotas.

Option one has a quota of 42,500 Chinook and 168,000 hatchery coho:

• La Push and Neah Bay (Marine Areas 3 and 4) is open daily from June 17 through September 30; Westport (Marine Area 2) is open daily from June 24 through September 30; and, Columbia River area (Marine Areas 1) is open daily from June 24 through September 30.

Option two has a quota of 37,500 Chinook and 155,400 hatchery coho:

• La Push and Neah Bay (Marine Areas 3 and 4) open daily from June 24 through September 30; Westport (Marine Area 2) open daily from July 1 through September 30; and, the Columbia River area (Marine Area 1) is open daily from June 24 through September 30.

Option three has a quota of 32,500 Chinook and 142,800 hatchery coho:

• La Push and Neah Bay (Marine Areas 3 and 4) is open daily from July 1 through September 24; Westport (Marine Area 2) is open from July 2 through September 30 with fishing allowed on Sundays through Thursdays only; and, Columbia River Area (Marine Area 1) is open daily from June 26 through Sept. 24.

All coastal ports could close sooner than the above dates if quotas are achieved before the closing dates. In each of the three options for Marine Areas 3 and 4 there is a proposed no Chinook retention east of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line beginning August 1; and, a tentative La Push Chinook bubble fishery that opens October 3-7. A Buoy 10 fishery at the Lower Columbia River mouth opens August 1 with three hatchery coho quota levels plus Chinook seasons and dates will be decided soon.

For inner-marine waterways it appears a strong number of pink salmon will likely generate some excitement in the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Puget Sound as well as some rivers during late summer. The pink forecast is 3,950,917 compared to 2,925,681 in 2021 and 608,388 in 2019. The 2023 pink forecast is very close to the 10-year average of 4 million pinks. Pinks are relatively small, in the 3-to-5-pound range, and return in bulk during odd-numbered years after spending two years in the ocean before migrating to natal rivers.

The general outlook in the Puget Sound region for Chinook and coho should mirror the 2022 fishing seasons. Despite the huge pink return it is unlikely to see any newly added saltwater fisheries since the pinks intermingle with other salmon stocks of concern. The 2023 Puget Sound hatchery Chinook forecast is up 5% but the wild forecast is down 2% compared to the 2022 forecast. The wild forecast component is 29,780 (28,992 in 2022) and the hatchery forecast is 228,980 (201,059 in 2022). Poor wild Chinook forecasts mainly in the Stillaguamish, Skagit, and Snohomish rivers will likely affect how marine and freshwater fishing seasons are structured. The 2023 Puget Sound hatchery coho forecast is up 16% and the wild forecast is up 11% compared to the 2022 forecast. The combined Puget Sound hatchery and the wild coho forecast is 760,029 compared to 636,952 in 2022.

The Columbia River fall Chinook forecasts are improved, and the forecast is 545,300 compared to forecast of 484,900 and an actual return of 674,786 in 2022. An estimated 1,135,700 coho are expected to arrive off the Washington coast. That is down a bit from a forecast of 1,225,900 and an actual return of 887,500 in 2022.

The Columbia River subtotal forecast is 886,100 coho compared to 997,200 in 2022 and an actual return of 685,200. If coho numbers pan out, look for decent in-river fishing and its tributaries during late summer and fall. The Upper Columbia summer Chinook forecast of 84,800 in 2023 is up from a 2022 forecast of 56,300 and an actual return of 78,444. This run is the main driver for recreational fisheries that usually begin in early July from the Rocky Reach Dam to Chelan Falls and further upstream around Brewster.

The Columbia sockeye forecast is a modest 234,500 in 2023 but the actual return hit a robust 664,935 in 2022, which was the largest since Bonneville Dam was erected in 1938. A sockeye fishery will depend on in-season assessments, but in 2022 it opened in July and continued through August.

All Washington salmon fishing seasons including those for Oregon and California will be finalized at the PFMC meetings on April 2-7 in Foster City, California, so stay tuned. In the May issue we’ll break down some of the summer and fall top salmon fishing prospects!

Mark Yuasa is a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Communications Manager. He also was the outdoor reporter at The Seattle Times for 28 years.

BELOW DECK

BY ANDREW HOGE

Give Me Some Skin

Freshen up your skincare routine for the sunnier months ahead with these beauty product recommendations from ANDREW HOGE.

Hoping to achieve glowing skin by summer? Indulge in these coveted products that range from soothing balms to marine safe sunscreens, and you will surely kick your daily skincare routine up a notch.

1. Biossance Squalane and Zinc Sheer Mineral Sunscreen

Despite the lack of sunshine during our fair city’s overcast season, applying sunscreen should be a daily habit, especially for those who spend time at sea. This creamy combination of squalene and zinc oxide provides sheer protection against the skin-damaging UV rays that get trapped by clouds or reflected against the water’s surface. ($46; biossance.com)

2. Doctor Rogers Restore Healing Balm

of gentle acids that remove dead skin cells and allow your serums and moisturizers to work harder. Pro tip: be sure to use sunscreen as your final step, as exfoliated skin is more susceptible to sun damage. ($95; biotherapeuticspa.com)

4. Herbivore Botanicals Blue Tansy Invisible Pores Resurfacing Clarity Mask

Hailed by the likes of goop and

Allure

for its incredible healing properties, Seattle-based Doctor Rogers’ Restore Healing Balm will quickly become your go-to multipurpose elixir. Made with only three plant-based and biodegradable ingredients, this skincare staple is used to heal post-procedure skin, relieve dry and sensitive skin, and heal chapped lips, dry hands, and cuticles. ($30; doctorrogers.com)

3. Bio-Therapeutic Aquafuse FoamPeel

To get the most efficacy from your standard skincare products, it’s important to exfoliate often. Cue the Aquafuse FoamPeel from Seattle-based Bio-Therapeutic, which offers a clever foaming mixture

There is nothing quite like spending an afternoon relaxing on deck, taking in the sound of gentle lapping waves. The only way to enhance this experience is by smearing on Herbivore Botanical’s blue-tinted mask before your head hits the proverbial pillow. Founded in the Pacific Northwest, this sustainably minded company’s bright blue mask has become a go-to for skincare enthusiasts to target enlarged pores, uneven skin texture, and oily or combination skin. ($48; herbivoreotanicals.com)

5. Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protector Lotion SPF 50+ Sunscreen

While a leisurely swim can be incredibly comforting for the typical aquaphile, keeping a container of reef-safe sunscreen on hand can help maintain the precious marine environment we all share. Try Shiseido’s Ultimate Sun Protector Lotion, which offers powerful sheer protection for the face and body that increases with exposure to water and heat. This luxurious elixir is made without ocean-damaging chemicals, such as oxybenzone and octinoxate, so you can feel good while indulging in your next dip. ($50; shiseido.com)

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RACING SHEET

BY DOUG HANSEN / PHOTO BY JAN ANDERSON

Shifty Start

Welcome to the Rock. DOUG HANSEN recounts the wild and woolly kick-off to the spring racing season.

March means different things to different people. For some, it is the deepest part of winter, right before the days start getting noticeably longer and life returns to the afternoons; to others, it is the height of ski season with fantastic powder days, and to a foolhardy few, it’s time to shovel snow off the decks and take the boats out to race.

The Center Sound Series has been the first major regatta of the spring season for decades, and while there have been some minor and major tweaks in recent years, it remains a staple of the Seattle racing calendar. Corinthian Yacht Club of Seattle are the folks to blame for the event’s timing, which is hosted in the early season to capitalize on the windy conditions that the early spring has in store. This year we have 75 entries covering the spectrum from the lightning-fast TP52s to a highly competitive fleet of 20- to 30-footers in class one, all itching to start the season with good results.

The first race of the three-part series is Blakely Rock, so-named after the landmark rock outcropping that provides the turning point for the course. Located at the entrance to Eagle Harbor on Bainbridge Island, the jagged rocks have generated countless dollars of bottom repair work for local boat yards over the years. On Saturday, March 4, the race was set up for a unique weather system consisting of a stationary low-pressure system just off the mouth of the Straits of Juan De Fuca. The resulting pushing and pulling of air around the mountains left everything volatile throughout western Washington, with no notable pressure gradient to drive anything resembling steady wind.

So, as expected, the breeze on the race morning was shifty and puffy, accompanied by heavy rain. Nevertheless, racing got underway on time, and things seemed reasonably manageable as the fleet reached toward the rocks in a deceptively steady southeasterly. Still, as boats passed out from under the Magnolia bluff, the puffs started working their way across the bay from the city. Going from sailing in 8-knot winds to being suddenly on your side in 20-knot ones, combined with the shallow water and hazards of the approaching rocks, set the stage for some white-knuckle moments. But, all in all, the fleet made it around the rocks in one piece.

The next leg of the race saw 90-degree shifting puffs coming out of Elliott Bay that led to more than a handful of wipeouts. The high-traffic kite reach turned into a game of chutes and ladders as boats were forced to bear off in the puffs and reach up in the lulls to hold their position in the pack. The joke onboard our boat was that it was a steady zero to 20-knot east-southwesterly, but a great start to the 2023 racing season.

The week between the first and second races was eventful. Snow flurries throughout Puget Sound and high wind forecasts were on the horizon. The excitement diminished slightly as the weekend neared and the forecast began to settle into what was meant to be a straightforward day of sailing in a receding southerly wind.

The morning of March 11th started according to the script, with a 10- to 13-knot southerly, in line with the forecast. As the boats were setting up for the day’s activities, the race committee announced their intended course, sending the fleet southward, this time around Blake Island, then over to the Duwamish Head marker, and the back to Shilshole Bay to finish. A few boats were surprised, as the traditional racecourse for this weekend takes the fleet to the north and around Scatchet Head. Updates in sailing instructions made back in 2022 changed the regatta, so that the race committee can run whatever course they feel is best suited for the day’s conditions and they did.

As the fleets got underway, the wind began to get light, then build, then get soft again, still all in line with the forecast for the day. Most boats followed the tried-and-true approach of sailing up to the beach at West Point and punching across to the Bainbridge Island shoreline. A strong ebb tide resulted in a tight-packed fight for shallow water to stay out of the current, making for some high-stress moments in the shifting conditions. The race felt all too familiar as the track took the fleet right past the same Blakely Rock they sailed around last weekend, but this time we continued southward.

Things got interesting as the fleet worked their way around the island, with the wind cutting out and filling from the west, south, and east simultaneously. At one point, boats sailed on spinnakers but headed in three directions thanks to the shifting breeze. So far, someone could argue that the wind was following the forecast to the letter, but then on the final leg of the race back to Shilshole Bay, the northwesterly filled in. It was a bit of a “rich got richer” moment, with the leading boats first stepping into the filling breeze and leaving those behind in the dust. As often as it seems, the new wind fills from behind, and the trailing boats catch up; it was a good reminder that sometimes it works the other way around.

The third and final race of the Center Sound is scheduled for March 25 and is sure to be welcomed with hopefully warmer temperatures and a more consistent breeze! Check back for an update on that final race and more upcoming events from Sloop Tavern Yacht Club and Seattle Yacht Club throughout the Salish Sea. We have a fantastic summer of racing to look forward to.

Moor where there’s more!

The Port of Everett Marina offers 5,000 lineal feet of guest moorage for visiting boaters and affordable, conveniently located permanent moorage just steps away from world-class amenities, waterfront hospitality, restaurants, outdoor activities and more to come!

Guest moorage is available on a first-come, first-served basis or by reservation via DockWA.com.

Contact us to reserve your slip today!

Call: 425.259.6001

Visit: portofeverett.com/marina

Evergreen studded islands, abundant wildlife & peaceful anchorages...beginner or experienced we can help you discover the world-class cruising ground in our back yard!

• Instruction - Live-aboard power & sail courses. Beginner to advanced. Private instruction options available.

• Bareboat Charter - Charter a cruising sailboat or powerboat to explore the beautiful San Juan Islands & Salish Sea!

• Guided Flotillas - Enjoy the camaraderie and comfort of cruising with a guided otilla.

• Charter Ownership - Join the eet and let your quality, newer, cruising powerboat or sailboat work for you.

• Brokerage - Our experienced, low-pressure brokers will help you nd your perfect boat!

INSTRUCTION

BAREBOAT CHARTER

GUIDED FLOTILLAS

BROKERAGE

2005 Sea Ray 340 Sundancer Sport Cruiser

Merc Twin Gas V-Drives 8.1S T-370 HP 440 hours - beam 12 ft, overall length 37’, Fuel 225 gal, water 45 gal, holding tank 28 gal. 5KW Kohler gen 37 hours, A/C with heater, U-Line ice maker, Lewmar Bow & Stern thrusters, Windlass 250 ft c hain, 6 gal hot water tank, Garmin GPS/Chart Plotter/Radar, ICON VHF radio, Nova Kool 5.5 cu. ft. refrigerator with freezer compartment, VacuFlush toilet, two burner propane stove top, full size v-berth, mid-state room sleeps two, sofa converts to bed, KVH TracVision Dish network, 24” TV, Corian counter top, LED lighting throughout, Olsson davit system, non-smokers, outdoor shower, two Scotty downrigger mounts, Merc Smart Craft diagnostics, wet bar, new canvas 2019, new raw water pumps 2021, new shaft struts 2022, new dripless shaft couplings 2022, new zincs 2022, new AGM group 30 batteries (4) 2020. Moored in Everett, WA. (40 ft covered). Everett Marina slip can be transferrable to new owners. See more pictures on Craigslist.

$139,000.00 Call John 206-930-5311

SEA FARE

BY JAMES O. FRAIOLI / PHOTOGRAPHY BY TUCKER + HOSSLER

Happy as a Clam

Seasoned with garlic and spices, and topped with toasty breadcrumbs and bacon, this classic Clams Casino recipe is sure to whet your appetite for some digging and dining.

Clams Casino is a popular American classic, and why shouldn’t it be? It’s hard to beat the combination of tender clams, butter, breadcrumbs, and bacon. Like many beloved classics, the origins of this dish are murky. It’s often attributed to Julius Keller of the Narragansett Pier Casino circa around 1917, although “Soft Clams a la Casino” appeared on the menu at Central Park Casino as early as 1900. Regardless of who created this timeless appetizer, one thing’s for certain—it’s delicious! Just ask guests of the Golden Steer Steakhouse in Las Vegas where this particular take comes from; it’s also featured in the cookbook I wrote: Golden Steer Steakhouse Las Vegas. If you’re familiar with the iconic restaurant, Clams Casino was the requested hors d’oeuvre by regular Steer guest Frank Sinatra. He’d eat dozens at a time before moving on to his main course (a New York Strip with Pizzaiola Sauce). For Pacific Northwesterners, especially those who love to forage for their own clams like I do, this recipe is a must! I happen to find Clams Casino just as delicious on the Pacific coast as on the Atlantic, and maybe better. That’s because many of our beaches are packed with plump, sweet, meaty clams like the native littlenecks (target the largest ones; perfect for this recipe). When making this starter, at home or onboard, after you shuck the clams and pack them with the clam mixture, you can stop and freeze the clams for up to 1 week if you prefer to serve them later. To prepare, simply defrost for 2 minutes in the microwave (do not cook) and finish in the oven as noted below.

Clams Casino

Serves 1 or 2

5 or 6 large fresh clams

Clam Mixture, recipe follows

Crumbled cooked bacon, as needed Lemon wedges, as needed, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Shuck each clam to loosen the clam meat from the muscle. Keep the meat in the shell and detach and discard the other/ empty shell. Next, pack the clamshell with 1 or 2 tablespoons of Clam Mixture, depending on its size, while covering the loosened clam. The mixture should be rounded off on top. Add some crumbled bacon to the top of the mixture, pressing slightly so the bacon doesn’t fall off. Arrange the clams on a baking sheet.

Place the sheet of clams in the preheated oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and arrange the baked clams on a serving tray accompanied by lemon wedges.

Clam Mixture

Makes enough mixture for 12 clams

1⁄2 roasted red bell pepper, diced

2 tablespoons olive oil

1⁄4 yellow onion, peeled and diced

1⁄2 teaspoon minced garlic

2 pinches dried oregano

1⁄2 teaspoon white pepper

1⁄4 teaspoon sea salt

1 tablespoon salted butter

1⁄4 cup white wine

1 cup chopped clams

1⁄2 cup clam juice

1⁄2 cup breadcrumbs

Roast a red bell pepper by placing it under the broiler or on a hot outdoor grill, turning often to blister all sides. When the skin is charred and soft, remove from the heat and immediately place in a paper bag, foil, or sealed container to trap the steam. Keep sealed for about 10 minutes. Slice the roasted pepper, removing the stem, seeds, and loose skin, and dice.

Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. When hot, add the diced pepper, onion, garlic, oregano, white pepper, salt, and butter. Let cook for about 2 minutes. Add the white wine and reduce the heat to low, letting the mixture simmer for about 3 minutes. Add the chopped clams and clam juice, and simmer for another 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the breadcrumbs to thicken the mixture. Remove from the heat and let cool before using.

A James Beard Award–winning cookbook and cocktail author with more than 40 published titles to his credit, Fraioli’s books have been featured on Ellen and the Food Network, and in Vogue, People, Forbes, the Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times. He resides in Bellevue, but keeps his sportfishing boat (a 28-foot Albin) in beautiful Anacortes, the gateway to his beloved San Juan Islands. Have a cookbook idea or project in mind? Email james@culinarybookcreations.com.

PORT OF CALL

BY LORI EASTES / PHOTOS BY BOATOPIA MEDIA GROUP

Patron Saint

With crystal-clear waters, lush topography, volcanic hot springs, and picturesque peaks, Saint Lucia well deserves its reputation as a preeminent destination in the Caribbean.

For those seeking an unforgettable destination in the Caribbean, search no further than Saint Lucia. With its stunning volcanic beaches, lush rainforest, and picturesque mountains, this eastern Caribbean island nation offers a scenic backdrop for a world-class, adventure-packed charter yachting experience. The glittering waters of the Caribbean Sea are crystal clear, and the surrounding islands and Saint Lucia’s picturesque mountains complete the stunning views that can be enjoyed while on board. Once out on the open waters, you can explore a variety of locations around the island, including the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Pitons, the island’s signature pair of dramatically tapered mountains.

Gros Islet

Hands down, Gros Islet is one of the best charter yacht destinations in the Caribbean. Located in the north of Saint Lucia, it is renowned for pristine beaches, nightlife, and vibrant culture. With so much to do and see in Gros Islet, it is no wonder that it is a popular destination for tourists from all over the world. First, you should check out Pigeon Island National Park. The trails are perfect for hikers, as they offer stunning views of the surrounding area and access to some of the most beautiful beaches in the region. The island also has an observatory where visitors can observe the local wildlife, as well as a fort from the 1700s that is worth exploring.

If you’re looking for some fun in the sun, you should next head to Reduit Beach. This white sand beach is great for swimming, snorkeling, and windsurfing. You can also rent jet skis and kayaks, or just relax in the sun. Or, if you want to experience some of the local culture, then you should make sure to attend the Friday Night Jump Up. This street party is a great place to experience some of the live music and dancing that St. Lucia is known for. Gros Islet is home to some of the best restaurants in the Caribbean, so make sure to sample some of the delicious local cuisine. Some popular dishes include fish and chips, fried plantains, and roasted corn. For shopping, you should head to the local markets. Here, you’ll find everything from fresh produce and handmade crafts to souvenirs and clothing.

Soufriere

Attention, nature enthusiasts: be sure to check out Soufriere. This small town is located on the isle’s west side and is full of stunning landscapes and breathtaking sights, making it a great place for yacht charters to visit.

Take a tour of Sulphur Springs, the world’s only “drive-in” volcano, thus named for the crater’s close proximity to the roadway. Here, you can learn about the history and geology of the volcano and its surrounding area; and, located just a couple hundred yards away from the main volcano crater, you can also take in a cleansing mud bath in one of the cooler volcanic pools. Another great cultural experience is a visit to the St. Lucia National Trust Center. The center provides visitors with a chance to learn about the local culture and history, and to witness traditional crafts and art forms. Soufriere also offers plenty of chances to explore the local wildlife. Take a hike in the Saint Lucia National Park, and you’ll come across a variety of beautiful plants and animals. For bird watchers, the nearby Des Cartiers Bird Sanctuary is a must-see. Here, you can spot numerous species of birds, including toucans and parrots. Lastly, take a boat ride to the nearby Petit Piton, where you can go on a dolphin and whale-watching tour.

Marigot Bay

For those who prefer to relax, Marigot Bay offers plenty of pampering and spas to choose from, plus you can also take advantage of the many yoga classes offered in the area.

When it comes to nightlife, there are several great bars, restaurants, and clubs in Marigot Bay. The Baywalk Club is a popular spot, offering live music, dancing, and delicious cocktails. You can also visit the local casino or take a romantic evening cruise around the bay. This area is also a historic sight, as many battles between the French and British navies took place in this area.

Whether you’re looking to explore the island’s beauty, soak up the sun at its stunning beaches, or try your hand at a variety of activities, Saint Lucia’s yachting scene offers something for everyone. With its crystal-clear waters, stunning scenery, and a variety of activities, it’s no wonder that Saint Lucia is a top destination for luxury yachting.

Lori Eastes is thrilled to be on the team at Worth Avenue Yachts because chartering private yacht vacations combines everything she loves: party planning, travel, and boats. With a background in hospitality, Lori is committed to providing an unparalleled experience for her clients. To chat with Lori about making your yacht vacation a reality, give her a call at 206.209.1920.

The Oceanos Awaits

Explore all that Saint Lucia has to offer from aboard Oceanos, a 161-foot Mondo Marine luxury yacht. Now available via Worth Avenue Yachts after a 2021/2022 refit, this beauty offers over 300 square meters of deck space and many interior gathering areas.

BON VOYAGE

“IT IS THE CONNECTION BETWEEN OUR EXPLORERS AND THE ENVIRONMENT THROUGH WHICH THEY TRAVEL THAT MATTERS, A MUTUAL RESPECT; THE OCEAN IS NO LONGER VIEWED AS A MEANS TO AN END FOR TRAVEL, IT IS A LIVING ORGANISM THAT WE ARE ALL CONNECTED TO.”

- Jasper Smith, Chairman and Founder of Arksen Boats

STYLE

Motoryacht

Sailing Yacht

Explorer

Day Boat

Speed Boat

Classic

DESTINATIONS

Exumas & Bahamas Caribbean

Italian Riviera

Croatia

Greek Isles

Maldives

Thailand

Greenland

Pacific Northwest

Mexico

South Pacific

South America

Central America

Australia

New Zealand

ACTIVITIES

Wellness & Spa

Gym & Workout

Scuba Diving

Onboard Golf

Swimming Pools

Submarine

Inflatable Slides

Trampolines

Aquabanas

SeaDoos & SeaBobs

eFoils

Fishing

Paddleboards

Aqua Bikes

Wake Boarding

Surfing

EXPERIENCE

Michelin Star Chef

Wine Cellar

Tenders and Toys

Owner’s Deck

Helipad

Research Vessel

Support Vessel

Convertible Cabins

Kid Friendly Office Cinema

Table Presentation

Interior Style

Latest Launch Beach Club

Theme Nights

Crew

WATCHES ARE AMAZING! These tiny wonderous machines help mark milestones and celebrate life’s journey. When I was 13, I received the coolest watch: A Pulsar that lit up red when you hit the buttons. The astronauts in 2001: A Space Odyssey wore that watch! I still have it. Later, when I graduated from the UW, my parents graduation gift was a Rolex. They added a meaningful engraving on the back. I still wear the watch with a sense of pride, accomplishment, and much gratitude. Timepieces become treasured heirlooms and my passion for them is something I love to share. At Goldfarb Jewelers we have the most complete collection of sought-after watch brands. We encourage trade-ins and have special incentives to make now the perfect “time” to put a new watch on your wrist; or the wrist of someone you love. I invite you to visit us soon. —Steven

Goldfarb