This blog is devoted to my John Welsford designed 15' Navigator yawl Ellie. I built her in my garage over a period of 18 months and launched her in 2011. She sports a sliding gunter main, roller furled jib and sprit-boomed mizzen. Her construction is glued-lapstrake over permanent bulkheads and stringers. This blog is a record of her construction and her voyages here in the Puget Sound area and (hopefully) a useful resource for fellow Navigator builders.

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Pocket Yacht Palooza

Last weekend was the second annual Pocket Yacht Palooza.  I had Ellie on display and it was a lot of fun.  More to come.  The first photos have been posted on the Pocket Yachters website and more will be posted soon.   Click here to enjoy them.  Thank you, Marty, for organizing this event!

Friday, July 19, 2013

Sucia 2013 part 2

I can think of no better reason to make another BMG video than a visit to Sucia!  The river otters seemed to be everywhere this year.  Hope you enjoy.



Sucia 2013

We just got back from our favorite annual event - the Sucia Small Boat Rendezvous at Sucia Island State Park.  Like last year, we launched at Sandy Point Shores marina.  There was very little wind, and it was coming directly from Sucia so we had to motor the entire way there.


We anchored in Fossil Bay and set up camp.

I've been to Sucia many times, but every visit has been to the Fossil bay area.  This year we decided to hike all over the island to see all the parts we've never visited.

Saturday we hiked for about 5 hours.  Our first destination was China Rock at Shallow Bay.  On the way we had a peek at Echo Bay. 
Echo Bay

From there is short walk to Shallow Bay.  Shallow Bay has some very nice sandy beaches, perfect for beaching kayaks.  It's very tempting to beach Ellie there, but the bay is quite shallow so tides would be a concern.







China Rock is located on the north shore of Shallow Bay.  Legend has it that these sandstone caves were used  to hide smuggled orientals from detection by Customs and Immigration authorities back in the mid 1800's, and by bootleggers to hide illegal liquor during Prohibition.










Lawson Bluff is one of the most beautiful areas on Sucia. The trail skirts the rim of a 100' high bluff that runs along the northwest side of the island.  The bluff offers a spectacular view of Patos and the Canadian Gulf Islands to the West.










Next destination was Ewing Cove on the northeast tip of the island.  The trail to Ewing skirts the north shore of Echo bay.  Echo bay is the largest bay on Sucia.  It has ample room for countless numbers of boats.  There's plenty of room to park your airplane too.


 Ewing Cove








From Ewing Cove we hiked back to camp.  That 5 hour hike covered about half of the island.  Tomorow's, plan:  Tackle the other half!