Our sailing home takes us, Scott and Kathy Erwin to travel the world one island at a time. Come along on this adventure to learn, or join Kathy’s Yoga, and explore and see the world.
After two weeks on the docks, outfitting the boat and exploring the city life, we threw off the dock lines and headed out on our maiden voyage on Kalea! We sailed off to the islands for Christmas, just Scott and I, but so grateful for Starlink for those face time calls to our kids and parents. Follow our boat on NOFOREIGNLAND: https://www.noforeignland.com/boat/4847252013056000
Looks like a power boats wake.
Such a rush to be sailing on a catamaran, after 6 years on our beloved Sea Bella Monohull. Kalea is swift, light, and very responsive. She moves so quickly with just a tiny little breeze. I feel like we are back on our Hobie 20, but dry and comfy this time. The two types of boats are totally different; the feel, the sound, the winds, the wake, so different. It’s great to be out here in New Zealand’s Islands. Our first choice of islands is Waiheke, a bit touristy but beautiful. Wild blue and white agapanthus grow on the steep hillsides. We are so blessed to have life give us this turn of events with this marvelous boat.
Regalvanizing the chain was needed. Of course Yoga!Marianne and Michael, Elvira
WE DID IT! 🤪😳😃😂. We are again boat owners!!!! SV Kalea is officially ours! We had a few stops and starts but the deal finally went through today. This boat we have drooled over for 4 months, 2011 Outremer 49. A big thank you to Grant and Sam that are helping make the transition smooth. They are local New Zealanders, from South Africa. They sail from NZ to Fiji every sailing season to surf and live the life, in the fast lane!
Now to explore New Zealand in style…
Kalea means “happy” or “joy” in Hawaiian. Well, we sure are that! Keep pinching ourselves. We actually got lucky and found our great cruising friends who sailed all the way from Mexico with us on our last boat, Sea Bella. They were out here in Auckland for the day! They helped us celebrate our day and new life in NZ for the season.
From left, Kathy, Addicus, Adam, Scott, Jason, Candice, Ingrid.
Now, back to the new boat to finish off our contract, hand over the keys and discuss boat systems, processes, survey… all good! Better yet, all done and official.
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There are so many differences in cruising catamarans. A few hours of surfing the net for boats for sale can hurt the brain. As much as we have been “beach cat” sailors, mono hull cruisers and have been cruising with a multitude of great catamarans…..this is difficult. Above is Nirvana, a 50 foot voyage catamaran for sale in Fiji. Our friends let us cruise her for 6 weeks while they visited the states. Very comfy, slow cruiser with tons of space. Too much for us though. Our son Derek got to come to Fiji for a week and really enjoyed it.
But, everything is a sacrifice. What do we mean by that? Fast performance cats are typically not as comfortable as heavier slower boats like Nirvana. Not only are the super comfortable boats slow, but most of the time they don’t sail well. (Angle on the wind, slow, and can be noisy)
KALEA
Fast lightweight boats can sail really well but need expensive sails, don’t have as much room for big beds, couches, and water toys. One or our friends even ditched the water heater to keep the boat light. (Lol, you know who you are). Fast comfortable boats are typically more expensive….(Think Gun, HH). Finding a boat you want to live on and sail on is a balance of your priorities and $$$$s. We don’t want slow. We really like our big couches and we have a good budget for the boat, but we still want to eat well. And then there is alway “what does this boat need” and “where is it”. Sheesh….this might take some time.
This weeks boat (brand/designers) all are in consideration. Not all of them are fast. Not all of them are comfortable. But, they do prompt conversations…..and ultimately…..negotiations.
We have been exploring just a bit of Fiji, mostly hanging out with our special cruising friends from Mexico, all here in Musket Cove. Many of these cruisers are now ending their journeys. This happens to non circumnavigators. We will miss them greatly, hoping our paths will cross again! But, we did explore this special island country while we were on our friend’s boat Nirvana.
We cruised up to the beautiful and remote Yasawas, when Kathy’s son Derek came to visit. There are 15 words in the Fijian language meaning Heaven and ‘Yasawa’ is one. The Yasawa Islands are a chain of 20 volcanic islands located in the western part of Fiji. Strung along with reef and volcanic islands. The people are very friendly, they will go out of there way to wave from afar or holler “Bula!” from down the way. We learned the hard way that there is a local etiquette that should be observed.
All visitors are expected to not wear hats, ladies should be well covered and most importantly everyone pays a courtesy visit to the islands chief, bearing a gift of Kava root, which he makes into a drink called Yagona. They claim it slightly intoxicating, but we didn’t feel anything.
We were so busy socializing in Musket Cove, we visited 4 Fiji islands; main island Viti Levu, Malalo, then Waya, and then Naviti to swim in the warm, coral waters.
We hope to make it back here for sure. The highlight of course was our week with Derek, just great energy. So helpful, an amazing cook, and having family here is a treat!! Who is next? Wait… we need a boat first, lol.
With nearly 40 boats in the anchorage, plus or minus, and more coming every day to join the big annual Regatta\Rally here in Musket Cove. We have enjoyed our stay here, babysitting a friends boat; SV Nirvana. We even got lucky and had our son Derek visit for the week!
A bit more on Fiji!! A Fijian Meke (prounced meh-kay) is the term for a traditional, communal form of spiritual folk dance Fijian men, women and children use to convey stories or daily life or long, epic tales of victory by the Gods.
We were warmly welcomed to Fiji, part of their customs here at Vuda Marina.
Now, the Beginning of Chaper two. There are so many differences in cruising catamarans. An hour of surfing the net for boats for sale can hurt the brain. As much as we have been “beach cat” sailors, mono hull cruisers and have been cruising with a multitude of great catamarans…..this is difficult. Everything is a sacrifice. What do I mean by that? Fast performance cats are typically not as comfortable as heavier slower boats. Not only are the super comfortable boats slow, but most of the time they don’t sail well. (Angle on the wind, slow, and can be noisy) Fast lightweight boats can sail really well but need expensive sails, don’t have as much room for big beds, couches, and water toys. One or our friends even ditched the water heater to keep the boat light. (Lol, you know who you are). Fast comfortable boats are typically more expensive….(Think Gun, HH). Finding a boat you want to live on and sail on is a balance of your priorities and $$$$s. We don’t want slow. We really like our big couches and we have a good budget for the boat, but we still want to eat well. And then there is alway “what does this boat need” and “where is it”. Sheesh….this might take some time.
This weeks boat (brand/designers) considerations below. Not all of them are fast. Not all of them are comfortable. But, they do prompt conversations…..and ultimately…..negotiations.
So, update on finding the new boat…..or in this case the not new boat. Very displeased to announce that we have failed to finalize an agreement on the Outremer 49, KALEA. Buying a boat internationally (without a broker) has proven to be very complicated. Without going into much detail, buying a boat in a corporate LLC in a foreign country and trying to reflag in a different country while managing international currency(s) requires multiple lawyers, in multiple countries and then lots of CYA to prevent taxes and leans from being assessed on either the buyer or the seller. I’m talking 100s of thousands in taxes in some situations…..and four (4) different countries in play. Anyway, we wish the current owners well, but we will move on to less complicated boats with less financial risks and costs for us.
For the time being we are looking forward to spending October-November in the States with our family and friends. Then….the hunt for the next boat continues.
BYW, who heck drew this cat below? Must not have been a sailor.
Tonga is so different! We spent quite some time enjoying the town Naiafu in Vava’u. Mixture of people really. The town is part locals, part cruisers from all over the world but mainly New Zealand and Denmark. The rest of the population consists of immigrated Chinese business owners who don’t speak English or Tongan. We met a nice couple Bear and Char from Canada who landed here 10 years ago and started a small business The Hideaway, a floating restaurant and bar. However, it was still hauled out for cyclone season and there were no boats available to tow it into the anchorage. Well, a few of us yachties (as they call us) volunteered.
More about Tonga, so, so many caves! The video below shows us snorkeling in Swallows Cave and then diving in Shark Tooth Cave which we we entered 40 feet down. We were back in the cave about 100 yards and Kathy finally pulled on Scotts fin and motioned to she didn’t want to go back any further. Agreed, as it was getting a bit tight and our lights weren’t near good enough for how dark it was. 🙂 We had wet suits on, but it’s more for the protection against the walls vs the sea temperature.
Camp fires, friends and exploration are the daily fix. We even snapped a shot of Patrick Star from Sponge Bob in the wild for our kids.
Back to town to renew out cruising permit and pay 138$ Tongan dollars and to to get ready for our guests Denny and Susan Osburn. Mixing our old friends with our new friends in these exotic locations is just so cool!
Make: Brewer, Model: Brewer 44 Cutter, Builder: Fort Meyers Boat Works, Florida, USA, Length: 44’ (13.4m) Year: 1990 Location: Fiji
DESCRIPTION: Sea Bella is an exceptionally well built and equipped cruising sailboat capable of a fast and safe offshore passage in a wide range of conditions. The Brewer 44 is a durable, heavy displacement boat made to be comfortable at sea. She has been sailed by myself; Kathy and my husband; Scott for 6 years. She was remarkable on our journey from California to her present location in Tonga, that’s nearly 12,000 miles with hardly a glitch. She is turn key and ready to go, nothing needed. We are eager to find her a happy new home so we can upgrade to a Catamaran.
in the last 3 years. Scott is a 100 ton USCG Captain as well as an industrial engineer, taking great care of her. She is equipped to be an offshore boat to sail around the world. Redundancies exist in most systems as well as an impressive replacement parts inventory. The sellers (Scott and Kathy), realizing they will be at sea for the long term, are upgrading to a performance Catamaran.
The Brewer 44 is a Center cockpit cutter designed by the late and prolific Ted Brewer. She boasts a 37.14 Comfort Rating making her very comfortable at sea and very stable. Sea Bella’s newer sails leave her with many options in multiple weather conditions at sea. The cutter rig, as well as the triple reefs available in the main, means she is comfortable even in a big blow. The asymmetrical spinnaker is easily flown to achieve hull speed even in lighter winds. The boat has a shoal draft keel making it easy to anchor close to shore. She has a swing down center board that allows sailing close to the wind. The center board system works flawlessly. This boat does NOT have a bolt on keel. The solid glass hull encapsulated keel means no keel bolts to rust.
The entire cabin is designed for ultimate comfort at sea as well as at anchor. The Center cockpit is one of the top cockpit designs and holds 8 comfortably for social hour or sleeps 2 for general sleeping or underway. The center cockpit also creates a comfortable aft master cabin with a bed wider than a Cal King. The mattress was made custom in San Diego by a professional marine bed company. It is a modern “bed mattress” that is 17cm thick. Yes, good enough to live on.
Nearly every system has been replaced, installed new, or upgraded between 2019 and today, making Sea Bella one of the safest and most well-equipped boats in her class. The added stainless arch at the stern is a huge tool for managing the dinghy and power systems. The arch was built in Mexico in 2019 and provides solid rails to mid-ship for safety at sea. She is ready TODAY to cross oceans or relax by your favorite island.
Sea Bella’s engine and transmission are in great shape and the transmission is only 6 years old. The Perkins 4.236 is a 85hp naturally aspirated engine that has approximately 4200 hours. This engine should go at least another 5000 hours. The boats entire fresh water plumbing was replaced in 2023 with Pex type tubing.
Sea Bella will have a very comprehensive turn over to the new owner by Scott, the captain. Her systems are not complex, and she is easy to maintain and sail.
NOTE: Sea Bella is a USA flagged vessel that entered French Polynesia on March 2023 sailing from Mexico. In April 2024, she continued her westward route, currently sailing from Tonga to Fiji. If the boat is not sold in Fiji by early 2025 the present owners will continue westward in their circumnavigation.
GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS
LOA: 44’ (13.6m)
Displacement: 29,000lbs (13,154kg)
Beam: 13.5’ (4.11m)
Draft Board up: 4.5’ (1.37m)
Draft Board down: 9’ (2.74)
Mast Clearance: 59’
Hull Material: GRP (fiberglass)
Fuel Capacity: 135gal (515L)
Water Capacity: 200gal (757L)
PROPULSION
Engine: Perkins 4.236
Engine Hours: 1100 hours on current meter
plus 3100 on previous meter
Fuel Type: Diesel
Horsepower: 85 metric HP @ 2300 rpm
Speed: 6.5 knots at 1500 rpm
Spare parts include a starter solenoid, Heat exchanger, water pump, raw water pump, fuel pump, Thermostat, zincs, belts, all filters, hoses.
ENERGY SYSTEMS
House Batteries: 4 x 280ah EVE LiFePO4 (2020)
Overkill BMS’s
House Capacity: 840 Amp-Hours
Starter Battery: AGM (2020)
House Voltage: 12v DC and 120v AC
(Soon to be added a 220 inverter)
Battery Charger: Pronautic 1260P Battery Charger
Inverter: Victron Phoenix 3000 watt/
120amp charger
Engine Alternator: Balmar 180amp.
Alternator Regulator: Balmar 618
(New Wakespeed, not installed)
Battery Monitor: Victron 712 (2020)
Shore power: 30amp 120V
Solar: 1300 watts total
Solar Controllers: 2 ea Victron MPPT (2020)
Generator: 8kw diesel Onan Genset
Sea Bella is very energy independent, has been cruising and not plugged into a dock in 2 years. The high efficiency solar panels provide 80% of total electrical needs. The main engine alternator is a high output Balmar180amp and contributes the energy efficiency. The 8kw Diesel Onan Generator is overkill and used very seldomly.
HULL & DECK CONSTRUCTION
Hull: Solid GRP (fiberglass) with epoxy
barrier on bottom
Deck and Topsides: Solid GPR (fiberglass) in high
stress areas otherwise marine plywood
ACCOMMODATIONS
Berths: Forward “V berth”, main salon/
cabin, aft berth
Sleeps: 4 comfortably, 5-6 maximum
(cockpit comfortably sleeps 2 persons, outdoors)
Sea Berth: 2 sea berths in salon with lee
cloth.
Air Conditioning Air Marine Air Systems 1600
BTU Air conditioner Main Cabin
Cushions: New foam and Sunbrella fabric
on all cushions throughout boat.
Showers: Dedicated H/C showers with in
forward and aft head. Half
bathtub in aft head. Additional
H/C shower on back deck
Stereo: Fusion 770
Forward Head: Jabsco Pump head with 25 gal
holding tank. Macerator for open
ocean pump out or deck level
fittings for pump out.
Aft Head: Jabsco Marine electric head.
Overboard only.
Television Hisense 32” Smart TV with Wifi
GALLEY
Stove and Oven: Force 10 -3 burner stove
Water maker: SeaWaterPro 40 gallons per
hour. Installed in 2022. Runs
easily off the inverter.
Refrigeration: CoolBlue 12v Compressor (New
2021). Huge, insulated box with
top and bottom access
Freezer: CoolBlue 12v Compressor (New
2021) Huge, insulated box
(Very Cold-keeps ice frozen)
Microwave 1000 watt Microwave
ELECTRONICS & NAVIGATION
Chartplotter: B&G 12” Zeus 3s
Radar: B&G Halo 20+
Instruments: B&G Wind, depth, temperature,
and speed
Displays 2ea Trition 2 Displays in cockpit
2ea Triton 1 Displays in nav
station and master cabin
AIS: Emtrac B254 Class B Transponder
and Receiver with WiFi (2020)
Transmits AIS and GPS to various
apps like OpenCPN and Navionics
Autopilot Computer: B&G Nac 3 with remote control
OTHER:
NMEA 2000 and NMEA 0183 navigation systems are networked for for redundancy
DataHub installed to communicate directly to
Predictwind and Marine Traffic
COMMUNICATION
VHF Radio: Standard Horizon Matrix 2000
with integrated AIS receiver and hailer
VHF Cockpit Mic: Standard Horizon RAM4
Backup VHF ICOM IC-M504 installed in Captains Cabin with separate Antenna
SSB ICOM M802 Marine Radio w/Pactor 4 Dragon Modem
Starlink Starlink System with wifi
MAST, BOOM, RIGGING, & DECK HARDWARE
Rigging: Replaced all mast wire rigging new in 2020
Mast Pulled and rewired in 2019
Boom Vang: Forespar boom vang (2021)
Spar Forspar extendable whisker pole (2021)
Primary Winches: 2 x Barient POWER winches
Running Rigging All new in 2020
SAILS
Mainsail: New 2020
Genoa: New 2021 130% genoa with sunbrella sun cover.
Staysail: New 2021 sunbrella sun cover.
Spinnaker: North asymmetrical spinnaker with new sock. Recut and rebuilt 2023
ANCHORING
Anchor: Mantus 30kg
Windlass: Maxwell windlass with gypsy and capstan. New 2018
Chain: 330’ 10mm DIN chain. New in 2023.
Other: Stern anchor – Fortress FX23. Chain/rode.
SAFETY EQUIPMENT
Alarms: Carbon monoxide/smoke detector
Bilge High Water Alarm.
Fire Suppression: Fire extinguishers throughout cabin (2023).
Emergency Tiller: Included.
Liferaft: Life raft Viking Rescyou Offshore 4 person liferaft. (Service due 2024)
EPIRB: ACR RLB-32 EPIRB
Satellite Comm: Iridium GO with external antenna
Bilge Pumps:
ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT
Dodger: Stainless steel frame with Sunbrella fabric. ½ is new 2023. Removable Sunbrella covers.
Bimini: Stainless steel frame. Sunbrella fabric. Removable Sunbrella shade piece connects bimini and dodger. Roll up removable side panels.
Sea Cocks: Spare Parts: Extensive inventory.
Equipment Covers: Bergundy Sunbrella covers for winches, compass, jerry jugs, hatches, 2 rain fly
Tender: AB 10’6 Aluminum RIB. 2020 with 20HP 4 stroke Tahatsu 2020, anchor and chain
Stainless Steel Arch: 2” custom arch with solid rails to mid-ship. Two stainless built in seats at stern. Motor mount for storage
Portholes:
DOCUMENTATION
USA flagged vessel.
EXCLUSIONS
Owners’ personal items are excluded from this sale and may include items shown in online videos or images.
DISCLAIMER
The details of this vessel are offered in good faith, but we cannot guarantee or warrant the accuracy of this information nor warrant the condition of the vessel. A buyer should instruct their agents, or their surveyors, to investigate such details as the buyer’s desires validated. This vessel is offered subject to prior sale, price change, or withdrawal without notice.
Good friends of ours Warren and Erica on the Sailboat Va, are well known for their YouTube sailing Channel We Sail. we met them in the Makemo Blow (see past post) and were friends ever since.
Warren and Erica, fun yoga friends!Tahanea Yoga Studio, for the week
The first 5 minutes of this weeks episode from We Sail was a fun walk down memory lane, when we were back in the Marquesas Islanda. Tahuata has the only few sandy beaches in all of the Marquesas due to their tall volcanic rocky nature. The waters surrounding these islands are quite deep and steep, without much coral, so sand is a rare sight for Kathy and her beach Yoga. Below, Candice and Jason, good friends on Deguello did a fun time lapse for water yoga at Taha’a, Society Islands.
Cruisers gathered around in the small town of Neiafu, Tonga and planned on how we could all help local Cafe business owners’ Barry and Char Millen. The fishing boat that was going to tow and move this big cafe barge 2 miles from the boat yard to the bay was out of town. They desperately needed to be open for business prior to the World Arc racers coming to town.
Launching The Hideaway Cafe
The cafe business had really suffered during the Pandemic and the year or two afterwards. Very similar to all small business of Vava’u. They were so grateful and we were all happy to participate in a project using our skills.
The cruiser gals of Tonga
From left to right; Kathy, Danika, Chrissy, Ingrid, Candace, Peae, and Angie
The cruiser guys of Tonga
From left to right; Denton, Scott, Marc, Adam, and Jason
Our World Adventure 