Meet SBO: Karisa

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Phil Herring

Alien
Mar 25, 1997
4,924
- - Bainbridge Island
We're going to sneak in a little feature here about the people you're likely to talk to when you call SBO. We're going to post one a week for next few weeks.

Karisa's sailing experience began in 1994 when she met her future husband Trevor, a lifelong sailor. After many short cruises around Puget Sound, she had her first big adventure doing a 9-week circumnavigation of Vancouver Island on their Islander 28.

Deciding to "go big," they sold their 28 and bought a Formosa 51 (and that is a BIG 51!) which they lived aboard for two years. With a house calling them back to land, they later sailed a Catalina 36 (again around Vancouver Island) and then jumped on a risky project that had a happy ending: a magnificent Taswell 43 they bought on ebay, moored in Japan!

In 2008, with the right blue water boat in their slip, they cast off for two years of cruising with their then 2 year-old daughter, Kiera. Their travels took them to Mexico (4 months), El Salvador (2 weeks), Costa Rica (6 weeks), Panama (6 months), a transit of the Panama Canal on Thanksgiving Day 2009, then off to Cartagena, Colombia for Christmas, almost, but not quite, making it to the equator. They turned back north at that point to Honduras, spending 6 weeks on Roatan ("amazing!"), a couple weeks in Belize, and finally finished at Isla Mujeres, Mexico.

These days, Karisa, Trevor, and their (now) two daughters sail Puget Sound on weekends. They also do charters on their Taswell after work and on weekends.

This is Karisa's second stint at SBO, returning in 2011 after working for us from 2000 through 2006.

 

Rick D

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Jun 14, 2008
7,204
Hunter Legend 40.5 Shoreline Marina Long Beach CA
Terrific Idea!

And a wonderful biography!
 

FredV

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Oct 16, 2011
148
Hunter 37-cutter Philadelphia, PA
Great introduction to a great feature! Way to go, SBO!

Now can you ask Karisa to share some stories of her adventures? I just finished reading "A Sail of Two Idiots" (Renee D. Petrillo), a wonderful story of a couple's adventures living on and sailing a catamaran around the Caribbean. Very entertaining and, more important, very informative. I'm sure Karisa would have some great stories, and would bet a lot of us would love to read them!
 

Karisa

Staff member
May 4, 2004
0
Taswell 43 Seattle
Capt. Ron Indeed

She married Capt Ron! (F 51)
Whenever we try to describe the Formosa, we always ask if someone has seen Capt. Ron. We wished our aft quarters and engine room were as big as the ones in the movie. ;)

The Formosa we owned was once the fabled "Predator" owned by Bob Bitchin'. Also, if you've even seen 50 First Dates, our boat was featured at the end of the film, in Alaska (after we had sold her). They motored her all the way to Alaska from Seattle for just a few minutes of usable footage.

The boat didn't have bow thrusters when we had her, so docking her 52,000 lb. heft was always spirited, but we sure had a fun two years with that boat!

Karisa
 

Karisa

Staff member
May 4, 2004
0
Taswell 43 Seattle
Hello Everyone! Yes, I do have a lot of stories. I kept threatening to write a book about our adventures, and using our blog I'm sure I could still do it. Maybe this feature is just the motivation I need to get back on it. In case you're interested you'll find our blog about our travels at www.LeaScotia.com.

It was an amazing two years. Traveling with a little one was awesome especially in Mexico and Central America where she was a star everywhere we went. I'm happy to share stories and if anyone has any questions, please just let me know.

Karisa
 
Jun 5, 2010
1,136
Hunter 25 Burlington NJ
I know of this boat, Karisa; and I smile to see all the very nice electronics gear situated in such close proximity to the wood in need of varnish. Thanks for being just another one of us! :)
 

Karisa

Staff member
May 4, 2004
0
Taswell 43 Seattle
I know of this boat, Karisa; and I smile to see all the very nice electronics gear situated in such close proximity to the wood in need of varnish. Thanks for being just another one of us! :)
Yeah, with two small kids, varnish is the least of my worries.

When we left for our "big trip" the cap rails were covered in Cetol. They were so well done that we had varnish purists compliment us on our beautiful wood. The joke was on them. But the tropical heat slowly ate away at them. We tried to maintain (what else do you have to do while you're cruising? HA!) but it was just too hot to sit under the sun and work on Cetol. So now the cap rails are working their way to a lovely silver, gracefully aging, just like the rest of us. ;)

I will say that I keep up the varnish on the wheel and it looks and feels great. We can get after the rest of the wood this summer when the girls can "help".
 
Jun 19, 2012
32
Searay 260 Lake Okanagan
Her story sounds extremely familiar, as in I think I read a similar one in a magazine not too long ago. I buy so many I can't remember which one though.
 
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