NEW FOR 2020 – “Tiptno”
After cruising the Sea of Cortez, we sold our “old” boat in Mexico before returning to the states and re-imagining the type of cruising experience we wanted to share with guests.
This is a “before” picture – we’ll up updating decor, bedding, and lighting before the 2020 season.
Stay tuned – we’ll be sharing more details, photos, and stories about our acquisition, cruising, and refit of Tiptno – Tomorrow Is Promise To No One!
[Previous Boat – Updated Content Coming Soon!]
We have owned and sailed many boats over the years ranging from common 30 foot production sailboats to custom 60 foot heavy displacement bluewater cruisers. We have sailed parts of the Atlantic, The Pacific, The Caribbean, The Mediterranean and the Great Lakes before settling down with what we have found to be the best platform for comfortable cruising for 2 exclusive (spoiled) guests. (After reading this page, be sure to check out our Latest News page for information on upgrades and modifications to make our guests’ time aboard even more enjoyable.)
THE SALON
Sometimes it’s just nice to be able to “go below” out of the wind and the sun in order to curl up with a nice book (while also getting a little closer to the center of gravity). With more than enough seating for everyone without “living in the galley” along with an enormous folding dinette to give more “elbow room” between meals, Tiptno’s salon is a light, bright, and airy place to get out of the sun and the wind but still feel like you are part of the action.
THE MASTER STATEROOM – The master stateroom is real selling point of our new boat, featuring a centerline queen-sized berth, generous standing room, drawers, vanity, hanging locker,a small storage area for luggage at the foot of the bed, a bookshelf, reading lights, personal fans, 7 opening hatches and a private ensuite head! (This is something that you would never find tucked in a feet-first quarter berth shoved under the cockpit of a typical “shared charter” experience.)
THE HEAD & SHOWER
Rather than jamming multiple (fairly unusable) extra guest cabins and heads on board, Tiptno was designed with a well-designed private master head – complete with an upgraded top-of-the-line household type porcelain toilet that operates with a push of a button (no need to learn complicated valves and hand-pumps) and shower with on-demand hot water. Plus – the private toilet is one of the most comfortable seats on the boat. (Not to be indelicate, but most cramped marine heads literally don’t even give guests enough room to spread their legs wide enough to, well… wipe.)
THE GALLEY
Size isn’t everything and compact kitchens require efficient and creative planning, but you’ll be amazed by the food we will prepare for you with about two feet of counter space. Loads of storage for provisions from port, filtered water, icemaker – all without feeling like you’re “living in the galley” as if often the case with cramped charter boats. (Plus, Tiptno has the largest fridge/freezer we’ve ever seen on a sailboat!)
Why Charter An “Older” Cruising Boat?
We spent many years searching for the perfect cruising platform for 2+ guests. Tiptno is the perfect solution! (Not many charter boats in the San Juan Islands have crossed oceans and spent decades cruising the Mediterranean and Caribbean!)
- Comfort – Unlike a typical crowded Beneteau or Jeanneau charter boat filled with four cabins of your eight closest strangers, Tiptno is all yours, both in terms of space and itinerary! Yes, you are paying a little extra for the comfort of… elbow room and luxurious aft cabin!
- Stability – There is nothing like the stability of a heavier displacement cruising sailboat. Unlike a lightweight modern monohull that bounces and swings over ever wave (under sail or while at anchor, making it a chore to just stay in the boat), Titpno sails with authority through the water. (Of course, we take safe seamanship very seriously and to not take the stability for granted, reminding guests, “One hand for yourself, one hand for the boat.”)
- View & Light – Being trapped in the dark cavernous belly of a standard monohull cruising sailboat not only leads to seasickness (at sea and at anchor) but you miss out on the view! Tiptno’s main salon is completely surrounded with large windows, opening ports, and hatches!
- Eco-Friendly Sustainable Comfort – Manonash has been upgraded to include efficient solar panels and a wind-powered generator. Combined with extremely energy efficient LED lighting, this allows us to forego the need to start a noisy/stinky generator or engines in order to provide electricity. She is a truly quiet and efficient vessel. No noise, no fumes to ruin a relaxing anchorage – just peace and quiet!
- Access – With a draft of only 5 feet and length of under 45 feet, Tiptno is able to go where most larger charters only dream of. From tight anchorages and narrow passages, we often strive to avoid the crowds.
- Safety – The cockpit is deep and sheltered, and the hulls is heavy and strong. Tiptno is also equipped with top-of-the-line inflatable life jackets, safety gear, and electronic aids. (Following a brief safety meeting before we leave the dock, you will be very comfortable with the three simple safety rules to make your trip worry-free.)
- Exclusivity – Unlike the average 50 foot charter with 8-12 people crammed into an “Ikea” boat with more berths than dining space, we specialize in offering a much more intimate crewed sailing charter experience – usually catering only to a single couple (or small family) We as a crew also take great pains plan as much “alone time” for our guests and “disappear” whenever our assistance is not needed. (Ask around – even the biggest charter boat becomes pretty uncomfortable down below when 8+ adults cram around the same table to avoid the rain.)
- Economical – Unlike other charter companies that operate as fractional timeshares (paying for expensive new boats), we own Tiptno free and clear. As a result, we do not need to fill a boat with 6-8 strangers in order to charge $20,000/week to break even. This economy leads to a truly private charter experience for a fraction of the cost of other charters in the San Juan Islands.
Previous Boats
Custom Gemini 105 Catamaran – We never thought we’d truly love a “plastic” production boat, but she was so thoroughly customized and upgraded for cruising and charters that there were few things not to love. However, as our cruising plans evolved to include more offshore passages, we knew it was time to upgrade to a heavier displacement vessel that could really take a pounding. (However, we do miss the ease of walking a dog off the transom!)
Huntingford 45′ Pilothouse – We loved her! She was a true world cruiser, ready to cross any ocean in any condition in safety and elegance, including 9 round trips to Alaska. The only problem was, she was “overkill” for the Puget Sound and San Juan Islands and her offshore design was not ideal for guests looking for elbow room. With 9 round trips to Alaska under her belt, we sold her to a new captain, looking to explore the world by sea (and she’d gladly do it).
Pearson 36 Cutter – A fun and capable vessel, indeed! We took a (ridiculous) chance and purchased this Pearson sight unseen, sitting on the hard in Mexico. She had some quirks that needed immediate attention, but then provided us with a strong and stable platform for exploring the Sea of Cortez. We originally anticipated sailing her back to the states, but then received a random offer via a Facebook post we had shared. Life… it’s what happens when you’re busy making other plans.
Matthews 56′ – A true classic wood motoryacht with three giant staterooms and heads – she was a lovely yacht, with an amazing deck. The only problems – she was too big to fit into some of our favorite remote anchorages. (And, well – as much as we loved her amazing performance, we are sailors at heart and never really enjoyed cranking up the giant turbo diesels every day with guests.)
Catalina 36 MKII – Ahhh… a wonderful boat – the first boat we really spent extended time cruising aboard with family, friends, and our first charter guests. Some of our fondest memories were made on this boat and we were happy to find her a new owner when we took the plunge to buy the 45′ Pilothouse above. Happily, we still run into her from time to time in the Islands.
Hans Christian 34 – She was our first truly “offshore” bluewater boat and could go anywhere. We sailed the hell out of her, eventually realizing that in order to share our love of the sea, we’d need to find a bigger boat with more elbow room for guests. We ended up selling her to a couple with a goal to sail the world. Last we heard, she made it safely to New Zealand.