The Boat, Swell
Swell was built in 1966—the 68th Cal-40 to come out of Jansen Marine. At purchase, Swell was in decent condition, but her light coastal use and relatively old age left her in need of more work than we’d originally presumed necessary to prepare her for offshore voyaging. I worked with local marine professionals to overhaul Swell and simultaneously learn about safety equipment, mechanics, electrical systems, rigging, sail and fiberglass repair. The 18,000 miles of safe sailing behind me are a testament to the quality of work and profound expertise of those who helped me along the way.