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Kona nurse Jenny Decker to sail around-the-world with Romeo — and rare neurological disease

It’s finally happening. After being scammed on an engine and years of meticulous preparation, Kona nurse Jenny Decker will set sail on Wednesday to circumnavigate the globe with her 6-pound Maltese Yorkie named Romeo — and while battling a rare neurological disease that ultimately will put her into a wheelchair.

The 38-year-old Decker also will be attempting to make it into the Guinness Book of World Records as the first person to sail around the world solo with the neurological disorder Charcot-Marie-Tooth. She expects the journey to take 3 to 5 years.

The hereditary disease that makes even opening a bag of chips difficult has not deterred Decker from pursuing her dream, relentlessly. This will be her third attempt. She knows time is running out before she’s physically can’t sail .

“I’m ready to go,” Decker said Monday while sitting in her boat tied up at Honokōhau Small Boat Harbor on the Big Island. “Mentally, I’ve been ready for this for so long and fought for this for so long.”

She is concerned about how the progression of her illness, which has no cure, will impact her journey. During a trip to Palmyra Atoll in the Northern Hawaiian Islands in October 2022, her legs got so fatigued she dislocated her knee and couldn’t get it back in place.

She arrived in Kona with her leg tied up “like a pink flamingo” until she could get her knee put back in place. Still, no matter the challenges, Decker is optimistic she’ll be independent enough to finish her sail. The previous attempts failed not because of her ability, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic and a disastrous dismasting of her previous boat caused by a faulty chain plate.

Standing strong Monday, Decker walked about her vessel, a Bristol 36 called the Tiama, pointing out the 35 1/2-foot liveaboard sailboat’s quaint amenities, including a fridge with a freezer and her gimbal stove, which rocks with the boat.

“You can have a full pot of coffee on and it won’t spill,” Decker said.

Wednesday’s push off almost didn’t happen. Initially planning to leave in May, Decker was thrown off course after buying an advertised lightly-used engine on O‘ahu that turned out to be an old engine with a paint job.

A one- to two-week trip to Oʻahu to install the engine ended up being 120 days in the Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor. What was supposed to be $8,000 to $10,000 dollars, ended up setting her back over $15,000 for an engine that didn’t run longer than 24 minutes without losing oil pressure.

“I went through a phase of time where I thought it was just over,” Decker said. “I was out of money. I had an engine that wasn’t working. I couldn’t even leave the dock. I cashed out a retirement fund trying to make it.”

Desperate, Decker started emailing companies for help, including Erin Brockovich, a well-known paralegal and activist who was instrumental in building a case against Pacific Gas & Electric Company involving groundwater contamination in Hinkley, Calif.

“I didn’t want to go through a lawsuit,” Decker said. “I don’t have the time to fight for it. I just need an engine.”

While Brockovich didn’t answer her email, Yanmar Marine America, a company that builds and creates marine engines and other marine drive systems, did. Decker said the company expedited her a brand new engine — worth $20,000 — with no strings attached. It was in O‘ahu within two weeks.

The company paid Decker what she lost in the scammed engine to help her with the rest of her vessel’s refit. She said the company just wanted to see her go, and helped her. A company official asked if she had a mechanic and would pay them to install the new engine.

“This super unimaginable nightmare all of sudden had light at the end of the tunnel,” Decker said. “All I did was reach out and share my story and people came out.”

Two mechanic groups — K & C Mobile Marine and Hail Mary Marine — came together to help with the install. Boat Works stripped and repainted her hull at the Keʻehi Marine Center.

The person who sold her the scam engine caused Decker to miss months of time with her friends and family these past five months.

“He stole some things from me that no one can give back to me,” she said. “But that situation turned into now I have this sponsorship. The engine company is international so I’ll have help from them around the world.”

Her trip was saved, but Decker also had to change her planned route because hurricane season in the Pacific already has started. She’ll be skipping Tahiti and French Polynesia, keeping her out of the danger zone. Up until November, Decker said she’ll be safe in the South Pacific. Then she’ll switch to the Northern Hemisphere when it turns to cyclone season.

Decker said she is nervous, but she’s prepared for everything: food, medical supplies and extra boat parts: “I have a spare for a spare.”

She knows the boat inside and out and can fix just about anything on it.

“I think anybody going to sea has a little bit of a churn in their stomach, butterflies,” Decker said. “You always think: ‘Am I prepared?’ You can’t be 100% prepared but I feel like I’m prepared the best I can be and you just have to go, or you’ll never go.”

Decker has three months worth of food stored on the boat, including a desalinator which makes salt water into drinkable water.

As a trauma nurse, Decker said, her vessel is stocked like a hospital. She has anything from sutra kits to IV bags, to IV start kits. She has all her medication as well as medicine for Romeo.

“I do have medicine on board if God forbid I have to put him down at sea,” she said. “You have to be prepared for everything.”

Since she is more prone to injury, Decker said she has to be very meticulous about her movements.

“Even when stressful things have to be done right now, I need to stop, think, do it slowly but efficiently to keep the boat safe, myself safe and not injure myself,” she said.

With her eyes turned toward open ocean, Decker’s mind is on her boat, Tiama.

“Mentally I’m already out there,” Decker said. “I think I’ll feel a big relief once I do push off. The saying goodbye part is weighing on me so I’ll feel relief when that’s over too.”

Decker’s partner Thea Cyr said she’s anxious but mostly excited for Decker’s journey: “I know she can do it and Tiama can do this.”

Cyr plans to meet Decker at different ports and is looking forward to the memories they’ll make along the way.

“She’s never been one to back down from a dream or a goal,”Cyr said. “Even with all the things that could’ve gotten in her way, she didn’t let it stop her.”

Jennifer Stride, whom Decker describes to be her sailing mom, flew from Florida to see Decker off.

Stride met Decker a few years ago when she was coming into Fort Pierce. Being a sailor herself, she caught a line for Decker to help get her tied to the dock.

“She’d been out for a while and asked what I could do for her and she said: ‘I need a burger, a beer and a shower,'” Strider recalled.

They’ve been friends ever since.

“I know she can do this. She’s ready for it,” Stride said. “I’m excited that she finally gets to live her dream.”

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• Digital edition

Dustin Reynolds: The single handed sailor

• Katy Stickland
• May 26, 2022

Dustin Reynolds has become the first double amputee to sail solo around the world via the Panama Canal. Thom D’Arcy meets this inspirational skipper

Dustin Reynolds sailed most of his circumnavigation without any modifications to his boat, learning to adapt as he sailed further each day. Credit: Dustin Reynolds Credit: Dustin Reynolds

Surely if anyone has the right to call themselves the Single-Handed-Sailor, then it is Dustin Reynolds , writes Thom D’Arcy .

When the 43-year-old American arrived back in Hawaii on 4 December 2021 he achieved the remarkable feat of becoming the first double amputee to sail alone around the world.

Until 18 October 2008, Dustin had led a pretty comfortable western lifestyle in Hawaii.

He had a nice house, a business, drove a Mercedes and owned a fishing boat.

Single handed sailor Dustin Reynolds plans to ‘pay forward’ the kindness of those who supported his voyage, by public speaking and is writing a book about his adventure. Credit: Dustin Reynolds

That night everything changed when he was hit head-on by a drunk driver while travelling home on his motorcycle and left for dead.

In hospital, Dustin recalls: ‘Doctors told my parents, my friends, and me that I would likely die. I heard my mother’s and father’s voices tremble and shake over the phone from thousands of miles away as they tried to be strong for me.’

He eventually pulled through but would have to come to terms with spending the rest of his life as a double amputee – an unimaginable adjustment for the former rescue diver.

Dustin Reynolds defies the odds

As Dustin began his long recovery, he desperately needed a new goal, a reason to live: ‘I was reading through the Slocum Society website and noticed that no double amputee had ever sailed solo around the world.’

The only trouble was he didn’t know how to sail and didn’t have a yacht.

With his medical costs continuing to rack up, his health insurers decided to put a $440,000 lien on him and with the Inland Revenue also chasing payments, he was declared bankrupt and lost almost everything.

There was, however, one glimmer of hope.

One of Dustin’s greatest joys while sailing was learning about new cultures and meeting locals, like the residents of Vila, Vanuatu. Credit: Carrie Espansandin

‘Thankfully my cleaning company and the fishing boat could not be touched by the lien, so I managed to sell them and then scrape together $12,000 to buy my first sailboat Rudis , a 1968 built Alberg 35. She was tired and worn out, but she floated!’

The first time he pulled the mainsail up it ripped in half but undaunted, he managed to find an unwanted mizzen sail from another boat in the harbour and after two reefs were installed, had a working replacement.

On 18 June 2014, with only a few day sails with friends under his belt, and after teaching himself the basics of sailing by watching YouTube videos, Dustin set sail from Hawaii towards the Palmyra atoll.

He had never experienced singlehanded sailing before. Rudis just about held together for the sail south to the tropics and Dustin Reynolds honed his sailing and navigation skills as the miles slipped under the keel.

‘Because I had never sailed before my accident I didn’t have to change the way I did anything; it was all new and I learnt how to sail the boat with my physical limitations from trial and error,’ he explains.

A self-tailing winch at the mast was installed in South Africa and helped as single handed sailor Dustin Reynolds continued up the southern Atlantic to the Caribbean. Credit: Perrette Baudot

Rudis didn’t have a self-tailing winch at the mast so when raising the mainsail Dustin worked the winch with his right hand before gripping the halyard in his teeth and pulling in the slack. It was rudimentary but there was no other option.

By the time Dustin had reached Indonesia the pressure really began to mount.

Rudis was leaking, and the engine had seized once and for all. ‘It took me four attempts to leave Bali for Thailand,’ says Dustin. ‘Every time I went to sea something would go wrong and I had to be towed back in. On one occasion the top of the forestay became detached from the mast. I had now completely lost faith in the boat and started to wonder if I could continue.’

After eventually getting away, Dustin received a message from a friend informing him the authorities back home were stopping his disability payments with immediate effect; they didn’t think his disability warranted a claim as he was fit enough to sail.

In disbelief and now with his only source of income dried up, he felt at rock bottom.

The Bristol 36, Tiama was bought in Thailand following a Crowdfunding campaign. His original boat, Rudis , an Alberg 35, was sold and later sank. Credit: Veronique Prince

Shortly afterwards, he spotted something in the water close alongside. ‘ Rudis had been wallowing around in calms for days and there was all this sea life that had made a home under the boat, I realised I was looking at a whale shark and just decided to jump overboard. I’m not a particularly spiritual person but to be in the water close to that incredible creature, at that moment when everything seemed lost, was clearly a sign to keep going and that everything was going to be OK.’

In Thailand, with no money left, Dustin decided he couldn’t continue the voyage without some financial help, so after a lot of convincing, set up a Crowdfunding page.

Within a few months he was able to think about upgrading the boat: ‘I eventually found a buyer for Rudis and asked them if they wanted me to include a few extras with the boat.’

Dustin Reynolds circumnavigation route. Credit: Maxine Heath

The extras Dustin was referring to were several hundred adult magazines that had been packed away in boxes in a locker by the previous owner. He had told Dustin that they would come in useful for trading with locals in remote locations.

The new buyer of Rudis was more than happy to have them included in the sale too but unfortunately, Rudis sank several months later.

To the horror of the village elders at the Muslim island of Koj Jum, a regular supply of ‘unsavoury’ magazines began to wash up on the beach at every high tide!

In 2018 Dustin Reynolds left Thailand in his new boat Tiama , a Bristol 36 with a lifting centre plate he had acquired for a bargain.

Single handed sailor Dustin Reynolds had no solo sailing experience when he left to start his circumnavigation

She was easier to sail than Rudis but still didn’t have a self-tailing winch at the mast.

Extended stays at Chagos and Madagascar followed later that year and Dustin embraced his encounters with these different cultures. ‘I made a real effort to spend time with the locals and in turn, they rarely treated me like an ATM machine. I am so grateful for all the help I was offered along the way, be it food, spare parts or just to be invited into the community,’ he says.

By the time Dustin arrived in South Africa, even Tiama was showing the strain: ‘I had repaired the mainsail with a combination of Sikaflex and duct tape in Chagos, and 17 miles out from Richards Bay, the whole sail ripped to shreds in a squall. It must have looked like quite a sight arriving into port like that.’

Shortly afterwards, the Ocean Cruising Club awarded Dustin their Seamanship Award. He was finally getting the recognition he deserved.

Continues below…

25 Cruising Heroes for the 21st century

Katy Stickland chooses 25 modern cruising sailors who have inspired others to throw off the bowlines and explore by sail

Ocean Cruising Club: Awards for 2021

Dustin Reynolds has won the top accolade in the 2021 Ocean Cruising Club awards after he became the first dual…

Dustin Reynolds: dual amputee finishes circumnavigation

Dustin Reynolds, who lost his arm and part of his leg in an accident, has sailed solo around the world…

Singlehanded sailing for the first time

Toby Heppell looks at the art of singlehanded sailing and considers what constitutes good seamanship when it’s only you on…

Now safely across the Indian Ocean, Dustin took a break from Tiama and joined the four-man crew of a 38-foot yacht on a short expedition from South Africa to Antarctica .

Back on Tiama at the beginning of 2019, with a self-tailing winch finally installed at the mast thanks to the support from his Crowdfunding efforts, Dustin set sail up the South Atlantic, stopping at Saint Helena and the Ascension Islands.

In another example of his remarkable seamanship , he sailed back upwind 30 miles to standby a friend’s yacht when they lost their rudder after colliding with a whale.

He managed to transfer them his series drogue which they then successfully rigged up as an emergency steering system which allowed them to safely reach Brazil.

Losing a leg wasn’t the greatest start to 2020: ‘I was climbing back on board the stern of Tiama after some drinks on a friend’s boat when I caught my prosthetic on the self-steering gear and it popped off and went overboard.’

A roller furling headsail was installed on Rudis – the only modification he made on the boat. Credit: Dustin Reynolds

The leg was never found and Dustin had to make do with adapting his spare ‘swimming leg’ until he could get a new one made.

As the Covid-19 pandemic engulfed the world, Dustin headed to the US Virgin Islands before sailing Tiama up to New York where the original builders of his boat, the Bristol Boat Company, generously offered to refit it free of charge.

After transiting the Panama Canal he made for the Galapagos Islands and then set off on the long 3,000-mile passage to the Marquesas, during which Tiama temporarily lost steerage mid-passage when the steering quadrant and autopilot mechanism disintegrated.

Single handed sailor Dustin Reynolds also joined a friend’s boat during his circumnavigation, leaving Tiama in South Africa while he sailed to Antarctica. Credit: Dustin Reynolds

‘My usual process for dealing with big equipment failures at sea is: first – swear at the problem, second – drink a Baileys and coffee while making a plan for the problem, and third – implement the plan.’

A jury-rigged set-up of windvane and emergency tiller regained control and after 22 days at sea he safely made landfall at Nuka Hiva.

Towering inspiration

As Dustin said himself before departing the Marquesas on the final leg of his circumnavigation to Hawaii in December 2021: ‘It is hard for me to really process everything I’ve done. I have visited 36 countries and sailed over 30,000 miles alone, plus 10,000 miles on deliveries, five equator crossings, and to every continent except Europe . I have met amazing people, learned about new cultures and had the support of so many.’

It was not an easy final passage and as he approached the big island at Hawaii battling 25 knot-plus headwinds, he longed to reach the finish line.

Back in Hawaii after sailing over 30,000 miles solo around the world via the Panama Canal. Credit: McKenzie Clark

The last 61 miles took 24 long, cold and wet hours. ‘Seeing my friends on the dock and being covered in leis [Hawaiian garlands] and Champagne was something I had been dreaming about for 10 years. We hugged, drank Champagne and Scotch, talked, and were finally together again.’

Having grown up on the Isle of Wight, Thom D’Arcy learnt to sail in a wooden Optimist dinghy built by his mother. After studying naval architecture at the University of Southampton, he began a career in shipbroking. Between 2016 and 2020 he fulfilled a lifelong dream of circumnavigating the world singlehanded via the Panama Canal and the Cape of Good Hope in his Vancouver 28 Fathom . Credit: Thom D’Arcy

Earlier this year the Ocean Cruising Club awarded Dustin Reynolds the Barton Cup, their most prestigious award, and his single-handed circumnavigation has been officially recognised by the Guinness Book of Records as the first by a double-amputee.

He has given, and continues to give, inspiration to not just fellow sailors and adventurers but people from all walks of life.

He joins a very select group of people that do something extraordinary with their lives and for that, we should all be thankful.

Enjoyed reading Dustin Reynolds: The single-handed sailor?

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• Sailboat Guide

Tayana 37 is a 41 ′ 11 ″ / 12.8 m monohull sailboat designed by Robert Perry and built by Ta Yang Yacht Building Co. Ltd. starting in 1976.

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

From BlueWaterBoats.org :

The Tayana 37 is perhaps the most successful semi-custom cruising yacht to be built. It was designed by Bob Perry and introduced in 1975 as a response to the Westsail 32 which were selling in enormous numbers. Today looking back, with the boat still in production with a boat count of 588, most still sailing, and an active and owners community, it’s very apparent that Perry has succeeded.

One could say the yacht was designed to ignite imaginations of tropical sunsets in exotic locations; think oodles of teak and a beautiful custom interior, wrapped into traditional double-ender hull with a full keel. Beneath the alluring romance, you’ll find a boat that is solidly built, and indeed many Tayana 37s can be found on the blue water cruising circuit around the world.

When in June of 1973 Time Magazine featured a four page spread on the “cruising life” with a photo of the Westsail 32 it was clear that this diminutive boat had caught the imagination of a generation. They sold like hotcakes and the cruising life came out of the fringes and into the mainstream. Meanwhile, fresh from the success of his groundbreaking Valiant 40 and having more recently designed the CT 54 Perry was approached by Bob Berg, former owner of Flying Dutchman Yachts in Seattle, to design a boat to capitalize on the success of the Westsail. It is said that the success of the Westsail was not that it was the right boat at the right time, it was also the right style; it was exactly what Americans thought a cruising boat should look like. This may explain the Tayana’s copious amounts of teak, her traditional full keel, and double ender style.

The boatyard that was originally selected to build the boat was Ta Chaio Brothers of Taiwan, builders of CT yachts. Interestingly, they declined thinking the boat would not be a commercial success. Thus the contract to build the boat was passed to Ta Yang, another high quality Taiwanese boatbuilding concern.

The boat, which was first known as the “CT 37”, was introduced in 1975 and offered as a semi-custom boat, with all manner of internal options and layouts. The rig was offered with options of cutter or ketch, however cutters were the fashion of the day and only 20 boats were built as ketches. In 1979 the CT 37 name was discontinued, instead boat inherited an offshoot of the Ta Yang name, changing to the Tayana 37.

The Tayana 37 continues to be in production today in very low numbers, they have declined in sales as buyer tastes have favored boats with more expansive interiors, stern entry, and avoidance of higher maintenance teak on the exterior. However the Tayana 37 remains popular in the used boat market, at the time of writing the Tayana Owners Association reports the latest hull number is 588 or 589.

Boat Configuration

The Tayana 37 is a classic full keel double-ender which when we look back today marks the start of modern design philosophy for full keel boats. Perry took a very traditional Atkins 1930s inspired design and worked his “boatspeed” magic firstly by cutting away forefoot of the keel, a common technique to reduce wetted area with gains in maneuverability. He then connected the keel to the bilge of the hull as a distinctly separate surface without the traditional wine-glass blend, which tends to help with close-windedness and form stability. Other deviations to the Archer theme included his own flavor of a canoe stern which had worked well in his radical at the time Valiant 40 design as well as opting for a modern inboard rudder over the traditional aft hanging rudder that Archer used.

Most boats are configured with cutter rigs carrying a lot of sail area with the help of a bowsprit. Those with a keen eye may notice the mast position quite far aft from the usual position on most yachts and this has been the cause for some windward helm issues which in the early days was corrected by raking the mast forward. It’s rare to find a Tayana 37 sporting the optional ketch rig which Perry notes is a pity as he thought the ketch examples were particularly fast and well balanced.

On deck, you will find lots of teak, some owners have removed the teak in order to reduce maintenance. The side decks are wide. There are two deck versions, the first being designed by Perry, which was later revised by Ta Yang which according to Perry is far nicer, more aesthetic, with a better cockpit. Most boats have the original Perry designed cockpit. Both versions sport small volume cockpits well suited to mitigating the risk of the cockpit flooding from large following seas. The cockpit has been described as safe secure with high coamings. Visibility forward from the helm is usually impeded by on most boats by butterfly hatches, boom gallows, and mid boom sheeting.

Going below deck you will find a high quality interior reflecting some of the best boatbuilding craftsmanship to come out of Taiwan. The interiors are all semi-custom and it’s unlikely to find two boats identical. While some interiors were well suited to blue water sailing others were not so functional. Blue Water Sailing Magazine writes, “We have seen some interiors that were simply inappropriate for a seagoing boat. Truth is many people who ordered new Tayanas did not have the knowledge to make the choices that were required of them, and either made bad choices or tried to fit too much into a hull already restricted by its design”.

Of note is the location of the fuel tank. In the original design, Perry located the 90 gallon tank below the saloon settee, but Ta Yang relocated them forward to in the fore peak, with the idea of creating more stowage space in the saloon. A full tank weighing 700 pounds so far forward has resulted in trim problems and hobby-horsing. It’s reported a some owners have relocated their fuel tank back to the original spot that Perry intended.

Construction

The Tayana 37 hull is built from solid GRP, generous amounts of glass is used, the hull is 3/8″ thick at its sheer. Perry has been quoted as saying there has never been any consistent structural problems with the boat. The deck is balsa cored to save on topside weight. The ballast is cast iron and internal to the keel cavity and glassed over. The hull-deck join is built into a strong hollow box section, which forms a high standing bulwark.

Sailing Charateristics

One would not expect the Tayana 37 to progress with much vigor from a fleeting glance, however the Bob Perry makeover of the traditional Atkins configuration gives the boat a new lease of life. The boat performs faster than similar boats of this period, especially in a fresh breeze.

The Tayana is relatively tender initially. The first reef is usually thrown in at about 18 knots, in 20-25 knots it’s usually a staysail and the single reefed main. The boat tracks well to windward, but its forte is off the wind, particularly in a broad reach; ideal for the trades.

The cockpit is dry, Tayana 37 owner Rolland Hartstrom writes of a passage between from San Francisco to San Pedro in Mar 2009, “I surfed down 20 footers in this boat doing 14 knots, and they were breaking about 3 feet of white water on top; never took a drop of water in the cockpit”.

Probably the most common bugbear of the Tayana 37 under sail is its often cited weather helm in boats configured with cutter rigs. Many of these problems have been corrected through the years by their owners, some by raking the mast forward. Harvey Karten from the Tayana Owners Association notes, “When properly rigged with a good adjustable traveler and well made sails, rather than their original factory configuration, the much reported weather helm is no longer a problem.”

Buyers Notes

There is an enthusiastic and active owners association with a wealth of information and tips to share, well worth contacting prior to purchase. Particular areas for inspection are listed below:

• Teak decks have proved high maintenance, many boats have had their teak removed which is considered an advantage.
• Look for delamination around through deck fitting, the balsa cored deck is susceptible to abuse.
• Water tanks are made of black iron and are prone to rusting over time, check for leaks.
• Some boats have fuel tanks relocated back into their proper amidships intended location, its a recommended modification.
• Glaring inconsistencies between boats have been noted
• Boats before 1981 should have their wiring and standing rigging inspected closely.
• Early boats had spreaders made from spruce which can be susceptible to dry rot, alloy spreaders on later boats are an advantage.
• There have been reports of leaking from the scuppers and hawsepipes, this problem has been solved in later models by glassing the bulwark from the insides.

As of 2010 asking prices range from $55k-$115k USD.

Links, References and Further Reading

» Tayana Owners Association, information, discussion group and links . » Tayana Owners Association Google Group, discussions on Tayana boats » Tayana UK Corporate website, Tayana 37 brochure and pictures . » Good Old Boat Magazine, Mar 2005, Tayana 37 review by Karen Larsen. Boat comparison by Ted Brewer. » Blue Water Sailing Magazine, Jun 1997, Tayana 37 review. » Used Boat Notebook: From the pages of Sailing Magazine (p118-121), review of the Tayana 37.

Thanks goes to Harvey J. Karten and the Tayana Owners Association for their assistance on this review.

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Tiama’s Northern European summer 2019

Tiama’s Adventures, Update 2019-12-27. 

 Alvor  Portugal

Dear Friends

This is a short update of our summer travels 2019, maybe they are not as exciting in the sense of going to remote colder nooks of the planet but they  are adventurous  in the that we, Bunny and I managed to go sailing together just the 2 of us.

After 32 years of service I managed to pry Bunny out of the claws of Greenpeace. She finished work on 1 of August and we departed Amsterdam on 14 August heading for warmer clime’s.  

2019 is the first year since the launching of the boat in 1997 that we have not done any charters.  Instead we have been working the winter and some of the summer months on the endless and mostly joyful maintenance program, doing some of those nice to do job’s as well. Keeping Tiama  in good shape and in the style she is accustomed to.

We did a haul-out to refresh the antifouling and I had another discussion about the weight of Tiama (as this relates to how much you have to pay the yard) and, although I never admitted it to the yard owner, I do think that Tiama has gained a few more pounds since leaving NZ in 2017. I miss my workshop on Waiheke island where I could dump (but definitely not throw away) semi useful bits, for later evaluation. 

And here is the evidence of a too close encounter with some rocks, at Bear Islands south of Spitsbergen from the summer 2018. But no real structural damage done to Tiama only a few dents to the skipper’s pride. You have got to love a good, strong steel boat.

From Amsterdam we took the standing mast route through the Netherlands.  It looks very different sailing in the channels close to windmills and through small villages,  with even smaller harbours, giving the skipper a few adrenaline shots when parking in those  oh so busy harbours with  plastic-fantastic boats all around us that would not appreciate a close encounter with a solid handsome lady like Tiama

Then crossing the English channel on an appropriate cold and miserable day, to land in Dover which has tides ??? big ones.  It took a bit of coming to grips with all of that again after the Netherlands which is mostly non tidal thanks to lots of locks that keep the country from flooding.

We spent a month on the South coast of the U.K.  sampling  pub meals, a few walks, bad weather and seeing family and friends. Then we headed further south towards Portugal and Spain, with  a nice 3 day crossing of the Bay of Biscay, mostly following winds. This was the first time in a wee while that Bunny and I sailed the boat just with the 2 of us  for overnight passages.  

The north west corner of Spain has some fiord like features and nice harbours with the obligatory picturesque villages

From there down the Portuguese coast, entering into old harbours, mostly built around river entrances  with a bar entrance  and open to the big Atlantic swells rolling in, keeping life interesting for a sailor.

We stopped in Lisbon for 2 months where Bunny got to wake up her past creative passion for pottery. 

Now on the southern coast of Portugal. It is a bit more relaxed in terms of weather, temperatures are warm during the day and cold at night, perfect.

This is the winter season here and it is quiet, most shops closed a few days before Christmas, something unheard of in New Zealand, a nice change.

From here where to go ?  We are also considering Morocco and the Mediterranean, although this was not on the cards before we left Amsterdam but it sounds like a good idea now.

It also depends if there is some interesting work we could do with Tiama, neither of us have quite finished working on trying to make a difference yet,

I’m happy to report that we are managing to adjust rather well to the cruising lifestyle.

Or,  if there is too much energy then we just work it out by repainting the interior.

It is nice to just sail with the wind direction, if and when there is wind, otherwise just hang behind the anchor.  Tiama’s diesel engine is living an easier life now as well.

Henk and Bunny

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Tiami Sail, Turtles and Beach - Tiami Catamaran Sailing Cruises

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• Tiami Catamaran Sailing Cruises

From the moment we sat on the boat for our snorkel adventure could not have been better. Soft... read more

Crew was a delight. Just enough info given about the area during the ride out without being too... read more

Tiami Sail, Turtles and Beach

We just took this tour and had a fantastic time. The crew was friendly and outgoing. Thomas, Diego, Terrell and Ryan knew how to have fun. We took a very short ride from the port to their dock and boarded the beautiful Catamaran. Drinks were offered as we headed out to the site to swim with the turtles. Upon arriving at the site we got a brief talk then jumped in! Terrell & Diego was in the water with us feeding the turtles and ensured everyone saw (and gently touched) the turtles, The turtles safety was always present! Then we pulled ahead to the beach and spent an hour in the sparkling blue water.

We booked through Virgin Holidays and were not disappointed. The friendly crew of the boat really made the trip -all locals nothing is too much trouble for them. We were worried about being too hot on the boat but there is plenty of shade and lots of cold drinks which are included as part of the price. We went on a smaller catamaran as we were just 15 people. The highlight for me was docking at Sandy Lane beach for a delicious home-cooked lunch on board and beautiful swim. My friend went snorkelling and loved seeing the turtles and fish right up close. Another party member had a kid and he was really well looked after and cared for. All all in all a great trip!

We took one of the Tiami catamaran trips to swim with the sea turtles. The boat was large and easily accomodated the 42 guests. One crew member noted they usually take up to 80 people. I would not want to be on one of those trips. The trip was exactly as described: snorkeling by a reef to see fish, then at another area where sea turtles can be found and then lunch plus a final swim. The crew was friendly and helpful. Lunch was plentiful if somewhat boring - all the tours serve the same thing: jerk chicken, fried flying fish, rice and peas, macaroni pie and a salad. The bar was open from the moment they untied from the dock until they were tieing back up again and no problem getting a drink of any kind when ever you wanted one - all included of course. The crew heped the newbies with the snorkelling gear. The equipment was clean and good quality. A crew member was always in the water with passengers. NOTE WELL: None of the boat tour brochures say this but there is no guarantee you will see sea turtles. There were several other tour boats where we had anchored, so we were in a good spot, but until a large one came by just about at the end of our time there it looked like we were going to get shut out. Then all heck broke loose as people from 3 boats tried to get close for a look. I got kicked by some jerk trying to go down for deep dive.

We were on our very first cruise and this was our first excursion. The transportation from our ship to their dock was easy and organized. The crew was very friendly and knowledgeable and the catamaran was clean and impressive. The sailing was beautiful and the small beach we stopped at was nice. We were served a meal onboard- EXCELLENT! There was lots to choose from and plenty for more than one serving if you wished. Drinks were served by crew. Highly recommended.

Wonderful Staff, Great Food, Drinks free flowing, music. Captain was wonderful. We got to see flying fish, turtles, beautiful water a very relaxing day full of fun and pleasure.

A group of six of us had a wonderful day on Tiami cruises. Would definitely do it again. We were able to swim with turtles. The staff was excellent and very attentive.

Calkins Sailboat Plans

Here are some small traditional sailboats designed by George Calkins. They all sail exceptionally well and are easily rowed when the wind is fickle. The larger designs lend well to double rowing with two rowing stations. With plenty of room to pack gear these seaworthy boats are well suited for beach camp cruising. The seaworthiness of these traditional designs is something to behold when the wind pipes-up and conditions deteriorate.

The amount of building details for these designs varies. Read the descriptions to see what is available. Note: there are no building instructions included. The builder should have intermediate knowledge and skills of wooden boat construction.

If you are interested in building either the 17’ or 19’ wherry from the lines available then it is recommended to purchase the 15 ½” wherry plans for construction details.

Scud – 12’ Norwegian Double-ender

Scud II– 16’ Norwegian Double-ender

15’ – 6” Salmon Wherry

17’ Salmon Wherry

19’ Salmon Wherry

Tenas Tiama – 14’ Modified West Coast Salmon Wherry