Dave King
Saraband

Westsail 32

PCR: 199
Boat # : 281442
Homeport: Portland, OR

Saraband

There were no boats or sailors in my early life growing up in Portland, Oregon. My first thoughts of sailing away occurred as I sat on top of Vung Chua mountain in South Vietnam, overlooking the South China sea. My first sail was on a charter cat off Waikiki beach while on R & R in 1969. I got sea sick. After a little chartering in the San Juan Islands, and much more sea sickness, I got serious about sailing away. I read everything about sailing that was printed and bought the first of my three Westsails in 1974.
I tried to live a more philosophically simple life and sailed away from “Ma Bell” for the first time in 1978. There were no electronics aboard but lots of anchor gear, fishing gear, and 10 sails.
As the years passed I grew into a Delivery Skipper and full time boat worker. The cruising life was always top priority though. My wife, Ruth Helsley, and I established a routine of taking a year off every five years, or so, to do a little cruising. I have now been retired 7 years - one year at a time - since 1978. Unfortunately, during that time, the sea sickness continued. My next sail will produce the big “1000th time, I think.
My career as a Delivery Skipper has allowed a good balance of sailing, adventure, and life’s satisfactions. The numbers have become obscured but more than 150 sailboats have been delivered, totaling over 150,000 nm. More than 1400 days have been spent at sea in small boats.
I never aspired to be a sailboat racer. Eventually though, a very burdensome chip developed on my shoulder. This was primarily caused by my experiences with boats performance contradicting what I kept hearing from others about boats. I was forced to dabble in racing. My friends, Anthony Scribner, Brent Jordan, Tom Franco, Garry Weber, Greg Mardock, and Craig Hull, all great sailors and friends from Portland, allowed me to address the burdensome chip. We had good success racing both locally and in the ocean during a relatively brief racing career in the 80’s and early 90’s. . . the chip fell away
The single handing thing, like the racing was never a thought or desire. It may sound trite but I only singlehanded because no one was aboard the boat at the time I was sailing. As the years passed, the miles in this category grew also. They now total near 40,000 nm.David King
During the last race (2008), I was plugged into the SHTP group in a minor way, as I was helping my friend Joshua Siegel. It was a fun experience. This, and a change in my work schedule has been the primary motivation for doing this race. Also, last year was a “5 year” marker in my life
I look forward to getting to know, what looks to be, a great bunch of sailors..

NAVIGATION: Garmin 75 (2) from 1992. Furuno Radar. Celestial navigation backup. Emergency navigation kit 2nd backup.
COMMUNICATION: VHF. ICOM M700Pro SSB. Sailmail.
STEERING: Aries Windvane. Tiller master (3) from 1975, plus spare parts.
POWER SOURCE: Alternator on diesel engine. 40W Solar panel backup.
FOOD: No need to be specific. What ever I want, whenever I want it. In huge quantities. Saraband is a Westsail.

SPECIAL THANKS: I have a great wife. I have great friends and family. They help me immensely. Joshua Siegel is loaning me half a boat load of stuff. I also have Sexton’s chandlery and the Katke family here in Portland. I couldn’t get anything done on boats without them. And, of course, Rob Tryon, for all the help I’m going to get from him in the future.