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? […]
A Stranger, A Gift, and Some Magic Read More »
New! (September 21, 2024) 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 layout and displacement, along with
Status of Restoration GoFundMe Read More »
On Thursday, August 22, 2024, Michael and I departed Port Townsend dispirited and worn. Our planned trip began three days earlier intending to enjoy the San Juan Islands for three weeks. Part of the trip with our family, and in part accommodating Stan Keck’s family in a memorial charter. Like many sailing adventures, things did
Sailing into an Unplanned Refit Read More »
Circe will make her return for the 2022 Victoria Classic Boat Festival in Victoria, Canada, September 2nd – 4th.
Circe Turns Ninety and the 2022 Victoria Classic Boat Festival Read More »
Circe is docked, presently, alongside of Michael’s Marine Solutions workshop, located at the piers of Lake Union Drydock. Coincidently, Circe was built at Lake Union Drydock in 1932, and is briefly featured in a Lake Union Drydock promotional video. At nearly ninety years old, Circe requires both frequent and specialized maintenance. No longer actively racing,
Renovations Never Stop Read More »
On April 14th, 1932, Circe slid into the waters of Lake Union and “hit the line”, meaning she settled on her designed waterline, a remarkable feat for a vessel designed by eighteen-year-old Ben Seaborn. Commissioned by Ben’s stepfather, Ray Cooke, Circe was born to race and started her service as Seattle Yacht Club’s scratch boat.
How a mast gets a tall tale. This week I received copy of the now out-of-print book “Knee-Deep in Shavings”, by Norman C. Blanchard and Stephen Wilen. The Blanchard family had a long boatbuilding and maritime history in Puget Sound. Blanchard was friends with Ben and Jack Seaborn, and familiar with Circe’s early days up
Knee-Deep in History Read More »
In July 2002 Circe needed a new mast. Michael Gifford built the replacement. The construction of a ~70 feet (~21 meters) tapered wooden box is no small effort. There is more to the story and telling it will ideally be shared here. Here are a few pictures of the work in progress.
New Mast Construction is No Small Thing Read More »
My interaction and fondness for sailing on Circe has a coincidental charm. As a young boy in 1977 through about 1982, my dad and I sailed frequently on Nautilus II, Circe’s younger sister also designed by Ben Seaborn. In those years I spent two full summers sailing around Vancouver Island, and numerous adventures through Puget
Charming Coincidences Read More »
The journey of compiling an accurate and faithful history on a specific ship’s now 90-year history is daunting. Circe herself has logs and binders of articles and photographs. With the digital age, some records previously unknown are now available. Reconciling the history into something coherent, useful, entertaining, and educational will take time. The objective is
Compiling an Historical Record Read More »