The Boat: (10 Oct,
2025)
sea-wolf
(SEE-wuulf), n. from Old English 1. A coastal
subspecies of grey wolves found along the Pacific Coast of Canada in the Great
Bear Rainforest, Vancouver Island and adjacent islands, adapted to a diet of
fish and seafood and the ability to swim miles between islands. 2. A Native
American nickname for an Orca Whale 3. An English translation of various names
for a Pacific Coast Native American mythical creature (see ex. Gonakadet[1])…
Our fine vessel, Seawolf by name, is a
1993 Solaris Sunrise Sport catamaran designed by British Naval Architect
Terence Compton and built in the South Hampton, UK Yards. While she is
decidedly narrower in beam and less accommodative than some of her newer
catamaran brethren, this design, like the Prout 37 Elite, is a proven capable
blue water cruiser.
To her passengers, her 32 years of
history, World travels and many upgrades provide the serenity of a street-wise veteran. Despite her relatively narrow beam, her
displacement (11,250 lbs.) is similar to catamarans of
greater breadth reflecting her robust structure.
Compared to monohulls, she offers a
number of appealing advantages for the cruising sailor – to name several:
redundant engines, two full queen berth cabins and extensive storage –
equivalent to the space of a much larger monohull, a friendly sea motion and
stable platform including a large aft deck, typically 20-30% faster speeds than
the equivalent monohull, the lesser sail area required to drive her relatively
light displacement, great inside visibility while at anchor and opulent room
for solar panels.
In reading the various definitions
of a “Seawolf,” the astute reader will no doubt ponder the very relevant
questions of how we came upon such a name and which of the foregoing
definitions are we attempting to channel in adopting such a handle (and exclude
via those omitted). Something about the vagaries of the sea engenders
superstition in those that ply its waters as well as a
fierce deference to tradition, and memorialization (with frequent citation) of
hard lessons learned in proverb. One of the older traditions is to name one’s
boat after a deity or a respectful derivation of the same. In any cruising
anchorage, one is bound to see references to Athena, Poseidon or Apollo, among
others and it is considered honorable and attracting
of good fortune to name one’s boat based upon that mythology. In asking the
owners of such boats, they tend to overlook the less desirable behaviors of
their namesakes. Our omitted definitions from the above,
follow this tradition. Similarly, the location where I grew up and write this,
is on the unceded land of Native Americans who came before me. In deference to
their history in this area, it is customary to give consideration in the naming
of cities, sports teams, school mascots or just about anything after
significant Native American people, myths or the like (ex, Seattle, Tacoma,
Seahawks or Seawolves). Finally, one of my favorite aspects of cruising is
wildlife encounters and I consider myself fortunate when I see an Orca (aka
Seawolf), would consider myself fortunate to see a seawolf
(grey wolf subspecies) and the Native American myth suggested good luck
followed anyone who was fortunate enough to see the Seawolf (aka Gonakadet and often portrayed as an Orca with a Wolf’s
head). Combining deference to maritime as well local tradition, the flexibility
of ambiguities of the English language, and the serendipity of all the aforementioned good fortune – “Seawolf” seemed the
appropriate choice.
Usually a skipper,
save one of sour disposition towards life in
general, will maintain that his or her personal boat
is superior to all other craft, much as one would
defend one's child, mother, or spouse from ill-mannered criticism no matter
what differences may otherwise characterize the relationship. On Seawolf it is
the same; but here we have objective proof of her superiority as outlined above.
(Everyone has proof, but without question ours is better.)
Further, our boat has more than her fair share of luxury beyond that described
above. She has hot and cold running water, refrigeration, a water maker, a
microwave, convection and propane ovens, two showers, 3 heaters, a TV and DVD
player, redundant heads, satellite internet and a few other amenities found in
the typical American home.
One of the reasons we selected Seawolf is that she has
received some significant upgrades from the original. Beyond that already
mentioned, these include water bladders and tankage for fuel (about 30 gallons
for fuel and 54 gallons of water), refinished spars and newer rig. There is a
dodger, cockpit cover, NN10 tender, 500 watts of solar panels, radar, and a
beefed-up charging system. We carry a 46 lb. ULTRA anchor on 150 ft. of
5/16" proof coil spliced to 100 feet of 9/16" nylon and as our bow
anchor and rode, handled by a power windlass and a custom snubber system built
to withstand the strongest of storms. This is backed up by a 44 lb. Rocna anchor and associated rode.
All systems including the engine have been renewed. We have laptops which,
combined with our satellite communications will provide updates on weather,
family and the “real world,” in addition to functioning as a
means to document and share updates or videos, and access to digital
copies of any sailing manuals we could ever want or need. We have three VHS
radios for short distances and several Raymarine GPS
units. Steering will be done by a Raymarine Evolution
autopilot connected to our hydraulic steering. Sail inventory includes a quite
suspect main we were cautioned not to trust on an in-mast furler,
an older 135% genoa on a furler, a secondhand 
staysail the captain bought site unseen when confronted by the price of a sail more
suited to the task and a 3/4-oz. cruising spinnaker in an ATN sock.
We're not scared, or anything, but safety gear includes an offshore liferaft with strobe, personal strobes, a strobe at the
masthead, a light which is deployed with the man-overboard pole, and a 406
EPIRB with a strobe and GPS interface which in an emergency will emit a beacon
notifying various agencies of a, like, serious problem. We have the requisite
storm anchor as well if things get rough. We have an “extensive” medical kit
(in the humble opinion of the eminently unqualified captain). We carry a drogue,
which slows down the boat if following seas make her surf at uncontrollable
speeds, although what's wrong with that? We'll have an emergency tiller. There
are alarms, flares, and fire extinguishers and other regulation safety
equipment.
In short, the boat has so much safety gear that the extra weight will no doubt
prevent us from getting out of harm's way in the first place, thereby assuring
its use; and here it may be relevant to mention that much of the gear we've
listed was installed and will be maintained and operated by amateurs.
And, as we are still getting to know the boat, more gear and accessories will
assuredly find their way onto the vessel.\
About the Captain:
I’m Casey Dougherty. Although my parents had a small sailboat on a
trailer in our backyard when I was growing up, we rarely took it out and when
we did, didn’t really know how to sail it. My parents are the adventuresome
type, and they got the boat liking the idea and elegance of idea of sailing. I
also grew up with the good fortune of spending 3 weeks most summers internationally
travelling. When I met my now ex-wife’s parents in late college, they had done a circumnavigation before I met
her, and I remember thinking that would be a great
adventure. Spending a week with them in Belize on a rented catamaran only made
the idea more appealing.
Then, during law school I wanted a break and took up dinghy sailing and
received my first “real” sailing lessons. After several training courses, I was
excited to move onto keelboats and took several courses covering those larger
vessels. As that came to an end, a friend suggested I would learn more if I
took up racing and suggested a local Thunderbird sailboat group. Before long, I
was immersed in the excitement of racing - wrestling the spinnaker, looking for
other boats and getting comfortable with the cold and wet that accompanies
Northwest sailing. The captain of the boat at the time suggested I look for my
own boat as he told me I would learn more still if I was captain and
maintaining my own vessel. So, I bought my first boat (a Thunderbird) with my
father in Canada and we sailed her down to Seattle. I
then raced with my parents and various crew for years on that boat, Euphoric.
Meanwhile, my relationship with my ex-wife had run its course and instead of
moving to an apartment or house, I bought a 50’ Columbia sailboat to live
aboard. I now owned two boats! I lived aboard my 50’
boat for 7 years and raced my Thunderbird much of that time. I’d also take the
50’ boat out cruising in Pacific Northwest waters or Euphoric. Ultimately, I
moved to a house in West Seattle with my new partner, Sarah, and our dog,
Domino and sold my liveaboard. However, sailing seems to be indelibly part of
me. The idea of it seems a splendid way to see the World at human speed in an
environmentally sensitive way, be intentional with every day, and live life in
a way that feels so different than the day-to-day consumerism we see around us.
So, I then bought my next boat – a Columbia 38 sloop - Sheer. As I did that, I
turned over full ownership of Euphoric over to my father and Sheer is moored at
Semiahmoo, near Canada. I’ve owned that boat for the last 6 years and now just
bought Seawolf – the boat you see here. Again, I find myself the owner of two
boats… My next adventure is to continue working on Seawolf and sell Sheer.