Our Original Hoptoad was a Cal 330 built in the early 70s.

A Bill Lapworth design was an awesome boat. We have lots of fond memories cruising the San Juan’s the Canadian Gulf Islands and Barkley Sound.

A solid fast sailing vessel with 50% ballast to displacement ratio. This means ½ the weight of the boat was in the keel.

Our Moody 46 was designed by Laurent Giles. Originally Giles’s design was a 44' sailing yacht, later extended by 2 feet. A total of 32 Carbineers (44s and 46s) were built in Southampton, England by the Moody Brothers in the early to mid 70s.

We carry 230 gallons of diesel and 200 gallons of fresh water. Hoptoad is powered by a 356 Perkins and weighs approximately 40,000 pounds loaded and ready to go cruising.

She is our 3rd sailboat by this name which comes from the children’s story book Pippi Longstocking, by Astrid Lindgren. The Pippi stories were a popular favorite back when the boys were young sailors.

After reading all the classic sailing book of sailing around the world we were convinced we need a metal sailboat to venture out on our first blue water adventure.

We purchased this home built steel Roberts 38 out of Bellingham, WA. She needed a ton of work!!

Sonny went to town gutting the interior painting and insulating the haul. Most of gear was bought at a bargain at the Fisheries bi-annual swap meets.

A 38 foot steel sailboat proved to be reliable but SLOW. Powered by a 20 HP tractor diesel motor made in China.

We would count on 100 mile days at sea and it occasionally met our expectations. From then on we often say, “Friends don’t let friends buy steel boats."

This is where is all began. Jeff 2 years old and Shawn 2 months old, we decided to buy a 23 foot sailboat on a trailer. The San Juan 23 was a perfect starter boat. The San Juan 23s were designed with a swing keel built by the Clark Boat Company in Kent, WA.

First thing we did is join the San Juan 23 Fleet Club. We did many trips from West Seattle to Blake Island but also towed her with our 1965 Dodge van to Lake Chelan, up to Nanaimo, BC and many trips launching at Washington Park in Anacortes, WA to explore the San Juan Islands.

Vesper Cortex AIS

Bruce 66 lbs

Autopilot with Type 2 rotary drive. It plays well with the other instruments. It is controlled by a control head or jog-stick at the Nav station, MFD in the cockpit, and a wireless controller.

Raymarine

Jordon Series Drogue

Garmin GPS 740

AquaMarine

New HAM/SSB radio, replaced our old ICOM 735 in 2024

ICOM 7300

Counter top icemaker, because we like rum and coke with ice

Avalon Bay AB-ICE26B

Iridium GO! for the long passages to download weather and emails.

Iridium GO!

High-speed internet while at anchor in remote places

Starlink

Wanted a display behind the outside steering station

Raymarine Axiom 9+

Solar Boost 1524iX

SunPower Flex 110

We like the folding transom and Hypalon construction material. It folds up fairly thin and is stowed on the foredeck for passages.

Achilles Inflatable Dinghy HB 310

Came with the boat, it’s cool and it works, circa 1974

Sailor VHF

The winch on the bow that pulls the anchor up. We replaced it in the fall of 2023 after the original began to fail in the Sea of Cortez. The only thing worse than a dead windlass is one that works "sometimes".

Maxwell HWC-3500

TopHat Monitor with remotely mounted air vane. Allows us to keep the davits to carry the dingy..

OUR CURRENT BOAT

2003 - PRESENT

Specifications

Equipment

OUR CURRENT BOAT

2003 - PRESENT

Specifications

Equipment

AIS

Anchor

Autopilot

Drogue

GPS

Generator & Watermaker

HAM/SSB Radio

Ice Maker

Internet - Iridium GO!

Internet - Starlink

Multifunction Display

Solar Panel Controller

Solar Panels

Tender

VHF Radio

Windlass

Windvane