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Status of Restoration GoFundMe
More Progress! (October 13, 2024) See below for progress updates.Replacing and refitting a 92-year-old, one-of-a-kind sailboat with a new engine is a costly endeavor. The estimated outlay is around $45,000, of which about half is the cost of the engine alone. The remaining expenses are refit work including engine removal and disposal, reconfiguring the auxiliary’s…
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A Stranger, A Gift, and Some Magic
On a summer sailing trip in early July 2015, we anchored in the deeper areas of Liberty Bay outside Poulsbo, Washington. As we sat on the edge of the cabin house enjoying the sun and peaceful magic Circe brings, a fellow in a dinghy motored up alongside with a friendly greeting. “Ahoy! Is this Circe?…
Help restore Circe in replacing her recently failed engine.
Follow our progress along the way to recovery.
Circe is a locally beloved racing yacht designed by Ben Seaborn, built in 1932 at Lake Union Drydocks in Seattle, Washington. She is Ben’s first design, completed when he was only seventeen years old and is a testament to his true genius and legacy in ship design. In her heyday, she competed in the Transpacific race from Santa Monica to Honolulu seven times.
Currently owned by Michael and Cornelia Gifford, Michael partnered with Stan Keck as Circe’s Captain and Shipwright since 1995, looking after all of her maintenance and repair needs. As of June 2021, Michael became the proud owner of this phenomenal yacht. Michael believes more importantly than owning Circe he is her steward and joyfully takes on this responsibility.
This site is a harbor for the maritime community who have shared in Circe’s long history, to those who wish to support her unique value, and as a digital archive to maintain her inspiring story.
| Length Overall | 67 ft / 20.4 m |
| Beam | 14 ft / 4.3 m |
| LWL | 50 ft / 15.25 m |
| Draft | 10.5 ft / 3 m |
| Design or Class | Ben Seaborn Racing Yacht |
| Boat Type | Sail |
| Rig | Cutter/sloop |
| Gross Displacement | 35 tons |
| Sail Area (working) | 1700 ft2 / 158 m2 |
| Sail Number | 2 AA |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Engine Model | New Engine in Work! |
| Total Engine Horsepower | |
| Fuel Type | Diesel |
| Builder Name | Lake Union Dry Dock |
| Location Built | Seattle, WA, USA |
| Year Built | 1932, April 14 |
| Designer | Ben Seaborn |
| Hull or Design No. | 1 |
| Documentation or State Reg. No. | WN251354 |
| Owner Name | Michael and Cornelia Gifford |
| Owner Country | USA/Canada |
| Home Port | Seattle, WA |
