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Dreamboat” is a term defined by Merriam-Webster as “one that is highly desirable.” After 23 years of boating, my wife, Kelly, and I would define our “dream boat” as an affordable, attainable, and attractive overnight cruiser with classic lines and necessary comforts and amenities – and the capability to travel far. But before we get to the planning and building, then splashing of our full-keel Webbers Cove trailerable pocket yacht, here’s how we came to be boaters in the first place.
Rewind to 2001: Kelly and I left the San Francisco Bay Area and relocated with our two young daughters to California’s Central Coast. Living on one income is no small feat in a place like California, and we couldn’t afford to sacrifice our urban income for a rural one, so I continued working in the Bay Area. Doing so required staying three nights a week away from our Paso Robles home, a two-and-a-half-hour drive each way. We contemplated renting a room or an RV in a park but opted instead to purchase a new sportcruiser boat with space for me to live aboard. We settled on a Maxum 2500, similar in style to a Sea Ray, and rented a slip at Coyote Point Marina in San Mateo, 30 miles south of San Francisco.
Kelly and I took our first overnight cruise to San Francisco’s South Beach Harbor, arrived in the dark, and found our visitor slip for a night’s stay. In the morning, we awoke to find we were docked next to Rendezvous, a vintage schooner – the same ship I’d taken Kelly on a sunset cruise when we started dating. “We’ve come full circle!” I said, and that is how our boat got the name Full Circle.
Room With A View
What started as a need for accommodations quickly morphed into an attractive hobby. Our family enjoyed many days on Full Circle cruising throughout San Francisco Bay. We ventured to Angel Island, Tiburon’s Sam’s Anchor Cafe, Scott’s Seafood in Jack London Square, and cheered on the San Francisco Giants from our boat outside the stadium in McCovey Cove. We cruised to the Sacramento Delta, Discovery Bay, trailered to Lake Tahoe, and even spent a night moored in Emerald Bay. We waterskied on local lakes and boat camped on various shores. My coworkers and I indulged in many “team meetings” on Full Circle, bouncing around waterfront restaurants and crabbing past the Golden Gate Bridge.
In 2013, we towed the boat more than 1,000 miles to Washington’s San Juan Islands on the U.S.–Canada border with British Columbia. Over the course of a month, we explored San Juan Island’s Friday Harbor, Roche Harbor, Orcas Island, Lopez Island, and even crossed the border in Haro Strait to visit Vancouver Island. We traveled with orcas in our wake and were stunned by their beauty as they spy-hopped just yards from us in the water. With oysters on the barbecue and more Dungeness crab than anyone could want, we made memories with good friends who joined us for a portion of the trip.
In 2014 we towed the boat across the U.S.–Mexico border from Southern California into Ensenada on the Baja Peninsula and stayed for a month in Baja Naval marina. We drove to the wine region Valle De Guadalupe, San Felipe, on the Sea of Cortez, and saw the Baja 500 off-road race. We caught yellowtail tuna offshore, ate great local food, and met many warm and proud Ensenada locals. At the marina, we met the yard manager, Guillermo Sarabia, who would later be our boatbuilding savior.
From line drawings to reality, Ron and Kelly’s 26-foot Downeast lobster yacht was fitted with custom upholstery and everything they wanted in their ideal boat.
Time For Transition
For eight years we were on the waiting list for a slip at San Francisco South Beach Harbor. Right after I retired, we finally got a slip below the Giants’ stadium. We watched (and listened) from the water as the Giants won the World Series and top artists performed at the stadium. We dined at amazing restaurants and took in the many sights and sounds of San Francisco. But the city was changing, and the four-hour drive was weighing on our minds. Our friends had docked their boat 325 miles south in Santa Barbara Harbor. After several visits to the beautiful coastal city and enjoying the consistent “72 and sunny” weather, we moved the boat there.
After 995 hours on the water, three engine rebuilds, and numerous hours of repairs, it was time for a new boat. We couldn’t afford a bigger slip and a new boat, so we decided to stay within the harbor’s strict length overall (28 feet) and beam restrictions (10 feet, 8 inches). We were searching for a boat that could take on a head sea without pounding and felt secure in a following sea. We also had our sights set on an outdoor lounging space large enough to enjoy entertaining in the Santa Barbara sun.
We were determined to maximize our slip and began searching for boats with a wider beam than the trailerable standard 8-feet, 6 inches. Our criteria pointed to what is known as a Downeast-style boat, or lobster boat from its commercial workboat lineage, with an inboard engine and full center keel. This style typically has smaller cabins and larger decks to accommodate as many lobster pots as possible. The engines are belowdecks for the same advantage. The full center keel found in these boats ensures stability despite rough weather, so the lobstermen can make a living throughout their blustery season. This style of boat is hard to find on the West Coast. They originate from and are built in the far northeast portion of Maine, known as “Downeast.”
The custom-made mahogany head door, galley cabinets, room divider, and platform bed were built by craftsmen at woodworking shops in Florida and California. Kelly Marie’s interior was styled after the iconic Hinckley Talaria 34.
Downeast Immersion
I joined the Downeast Boat Forum, an online community of boatbuilders and boat users sharing information, and began searching the threads for a boatbuilder who offered what we were looking for. We found John Brackett of John’s Marine Care, located in the small town of New Harbor, Maine. John has an outstanding reputation for building solid custom boats and his friendly demeanor. After conducting some due diligence, I contacted John and learned he’d purchased the fiberglass molds for the Webbers Cove 22, 25, 26, and 29 from the nearby Webbers Cove Boatyard and began building them as workboats for lobstermen and fishermen. Webbers Cove has been around since the 1930s and has worked with famous lobster boat architects such as Ralph Stanley, Mac Pettegrow, and Spencer Lincoln. The Webbers Cove 26 would fit in our slip at 26 feet on the waterline (28 LOA) with a beam of 10 feet, 6 inches. We’d found what we were searching for.
I began compiling photos of design elements we admired. We loved the Dyer 29, the Wasque 26, and especially the Hinckley 34. I hired naval architect Bob Turcotte to sketch the plan and contracted with John Brackett to build our “dream boat.” I purchased a new Yanmar 4LV250 diesel for the power plant, and John provided the running gear and hydraulic steering components. In October 2021, Kelly and I flew to Boston and rented a small RV to drive to New Harbor. We took the opportunity to see the fall colors of six New England states and took a two-week road trip to ultimately meet with John at his workshop.
John began the build, but after a year and several delays, he’d only completed the hull, stringers, engine install, drivetrain, and steering. The labor market had become challenging. With the rural nature of the area coupled with the pandemic, he couldn’t find help and was down to one employee from his original five. Other boatyards in the area were facing similar workforce issues – an unfortunate reality of the times.
With the uncertainty of John’s capacity to finish the project on our timeline, we had to make a choice. Having previously completed a panga boatbuild and with years of general contractor work under my belt, we brought the boat home to California so I could complete the project myself. John graciously offered to provide a trailer and the materials needed to get the job completed. I just needed to get the partially built boat across the country. No small feat, right?
The Circus Comes To Town
In October 2022, my friend, Steve, accompanied me on the drive to Maine. We towed the boat and materials back across 14 state lines, just escaping the first big snowstorm of the season. As Kelly watched with wide eyes, I parked the hull on our Paso Robles property and covered it with a giant tent that Kelly aptly named “the circus tent.”
For the next seven months I worked seven days a week, 10 hours a day, completing the build. Our dream boat began to take shape as I built the bulkheads, beams, sides, tanks, deck, cabin, and roof. But just as the circus is no one-man show, I leaned on friends, YouTube, and the Downeast Boat Forum for advice and helping hands.
Throughout the build, we continued to enjoy Full Circle when we could and made many weekend trips to beautiful Santa Barbara. It’s a wonderful sundowner tradition in the Santa Barbara Harbor to skiff around the harbor at sunset, visiting with other boaters. One evening on a sunset ride, Kelly and I met Jeff and Andrea Escola on their beautiful Duffy 35. I love talking boats, and the Escolas told us they’d had their boat painted by no other than Guillermo Sarabia, whom we’d met in Ensenada many years ago! The Duffy in front of us was a testament to Guillermo’s talent. I immediately contacted him, and he agreed to finish out the boat, promising to make it “smooth and shiny” like Kelly wanted.
A Craftsman’s Touch
In May 2023, Kelly and I towed the unfinished boat to Ensenada, 72 miles south of the San Diego border. Guillermo and his talented team at La Costa Boatworks got to work filling, sanding, and fairing the fiberglass, cutting in a transom door, painting, installing a stainless-steel rubrail, nonskid surface, storage racks, folding bow roller, and a bow rail. Guillermo also installed the stern thruster, windows, and swim step, and added bottom paint and upholstery in only nine months! With a college degree in nautical engineering and 30 years of boatyard experience, Guillermo has an artistic eye, is solution-orientated, and has a great sense of humor. We couldn’t be more grateful to him.
In March 2024, my friend Russ and I towed the boat home. With the circus tent restored, I dove back into long days of boat work, eager to see our dream continue evolving. I installed all the on-board systems, including the AC and DC electrical systems, solar panel, cooktop, and microwave. Mahogany cabinets went in, along with doors, trim, decks, and countertops. To maximize space and do away with “boat yoga,” I built a custom bed with storage underneath. I installed navigation lights, a radar dome, and Starlink. Knowing my limits, I had the canvas and navigation electronics professionally installed. This last phase of the build took five months. I had expert help with the Hinckley-style helm, strip mahogany decking, electrical system, and the headliner in the cabin.
In July 2024, our dream boat finally splashed down in Santa Barbara Harbor! In the Downeast boat tradition of naming your boat after your sweetheart, we named her Kelly Marie. She fits perfectly in our slip and takes her place in the harbor among a few other Downeast boats that have also made it to the West Coast. Our boatbuilding project is finally completed, and we look forward to many adventures in the Santa Barbara Channel Islands and beyond!