This is my own boat, bought four years ago, and she is now almost completely refitted and ready for her voyage to Labrador and Ungava Bay. I bought the boat in Penetanguishene, in Georgian Bay on Lake Huron, Ontario, from David Perry, a master sailor and schoolteacher. He’d sailed “Barbarick” (as she was known at that time) to the Caribbean and back and it was his wish to sell the boat to someone who would take her out to do what the Tahitiana sailboat does best – go steadily and safely – but not so swiftly – to destinations far away. And I felt privliged to be able to buy her from David. Sadly, he died of liver cancer shortly after selling the boat. See the photo gallery.
Since taking over the boat, I’ve sailed her in Georgian Bay, taken her through the 300-mile Trent-Severn Waterway, and sailed her 700 miles from Toronto, Ontario, to Rimouski, Quebec, in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. This spring I am been continuing the refit – installed a wood-burning stove, rewiring the two masts, installing mast steps and repainting. Installing four blge pumps (two manaual and two electric), an SSB radio which will allow global communications via shortwave. Unfortunately – and fortunately – just before putting anti-foul on the hull I discovered a one-inch hole; not inside the boast, but into a hollow tube inside the boat. The delay in getting all the steel hull tested with an ultraosund and welding in a patch means that it’s already too late to go to Ungava Bay this year. So my plan now is to continue the jobs then sail to southern Labrador and then sail around Newfoundland. This will be a good introduction to North Atlantic conditions, fog, icebergs. It will also allow me to check that everything on the boat is working well and that I really know how to use the new electronics.
“Kuan Yin” (named after the Buddhist bodhisattva of compassion) is a 32-foot (37ft. overall) ketch-rigged Tahitiana. She was built in 1995 of 3/16th inch steel by a professional welder in New England. She’s cutter rugged (option to wear two headsails), has a new headsail, and mizzen sail. She is also fitted with a 40 hp Isuzu diesel engine and two fuel tanks with a total capacity of 220 litres, enough for about 250 hours/700 nautical miles in calm conditions.
She was out of the water for 2008 and the spring and early summer of 2009 for a total refit. Major items include:
- all new electronics – 12″ GPS chartplotter, digital VHF radio, AIS and NAVTEX (both mandatory on ships), satellite phone,
- new 120% offshore headsail, fitted on new Alado roller-furler,
- plastic thruhull removed and hole welded with steel plate,
- steel box welded around depthsounder transducer inside hull,
- new engine mounts, hoses, fuel tanks flushed,
- all new batteries (total 4), new alternator, electronic battery management, new battery cables,
- all new wiring and new circuit breakers,
- new Lavac head (toilet) and new plumbing throughout,
- bilges completely scrapped and coated with epoxy barrier paint,
- four new electric and manual bilge pumps (to be installed),
- entire deck sandblasted and repainted with four coats of paint,
- new propane cooker with 2 burners, oven and broiler,
- new “Sardine” wood-burning stove (to be fitted),
- hull repainted and morte than three dozen cracks in the fairing repaired,
- both masts rewired (yet to be completed),
- two new Bruce anchors (5 anchors on board) + 300 ft. 5/8 in. line
- new lighting throughout, halogen and hurricane lamps burning kerosene,
- interior and exterior brightwork stripped and revarnished.
- teak figurehead of Kuan Yin installed on mizzen mast.
The Tahitiana is a “granddaughter” of the famous lifeboat built in the 19th century by Colin Archer to serve the Norwegian fishing fleet in the North Atlantic in winter time. This design of “double-ender” is renown for being seaworthy and seakindly even in atrocious weather, though she needs a fair amount of wind to sail well into the wind. There are many Tahitianas around the world – and many have made circumnavigations.
In the interest of encouraging owners to share their experiences and knowledge with other owners and people interested in this robust design, I’ll be posting photo albums of Tahitianas I meet at anchor, along the dock and on the internet.
If you have any information about this boat or other Tahitianas please let me know.
