A New Name.

Up until the 1970s the majority of sailboats being built and sailed were monohulls and catamarans, a cruising trimaran was unheard of. The three hulled sailboats were known for their speed and agility and predominately used in racing. Until the 70s when some trimaran sailors came up with the idea to make a trimaran suitable for cruising, still maintaing the speed of the three hulls but affording a more livable space down below for sustainable cruising.

For runners like Jim Brown and Norman Cross were met with skepticism and concern as trimarans are known to be more easy to pitch pole (flip over back over front) in heavy weather, but they knew the potential in their designs and when sailed properly a cruising trimaran was ideal, with three hulls to keep it afloat the trimaran is very difficult to sink, even with damage to one or two hulls there is still the other to keep the boat on top of the water which lead to the adage, "would you rather be upright on the bottom of the ocean or upside down on top?"

SweetHaven is a Norman Cross designed trimaran.

In the 70's in San Diego, Norman Cross rented a hanger at old Brown Field to provide a space for builders of his designs. 

Several Cross trimarans were built within and the site was a crossroads for the West Coast Multihull Rennaisance. Builders met, ideas were discussed, dreams were shared, and some very good sailing boats were born. 

One visitor to Brown's Field commented that the 37 foot custom cutter design would look better if the main hull transom were extended to share the rake of the aka transoms, Cross agreed and offered the option to builders. 

SweetHaven's beautiful windswept lines are the result. 30 years later the fellow who suggested the transom rake tracked her down in Mexico, test sailed her, and had her shipped here to the Northwest. 

She was inspected, stripped down, a new engine & beautiful Hasse headsail installed, and then health got in the way. She was sold, her refit furthered by two brothers but under their care she was met with tragedy and her entire starboard ama was destroyed. The brothers rebuilt it and sold her to a man in Port Townsend. He had dreams of sailing her down to Samoa and chartering her and began prepping the boat for that venture, he outfitted her with a new jib but while leaving her at anchor in the harbour during a storm, her anchor let go and she drifted into a navy crane and ended up damaging her port side ama. She was then hauled out of the water and rebuilt yet again, the work proved to be too much for the previous owner who listed her for sale again and that is where we found her. Damaged and tossed from one owner to the next we brought her here to Oak Harbor and made her our home. The work we have put into her has truly been a labor of love and today we are thrilled to be able to give her a new name and a new start.

Thank you to all out friends who came to experience and celebrate it with us.

Psalms 72:8

He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.

Our first crab catch.

Cider and champange for toasts.

All the kiddos on deck for the ceremony.

Mark starting the renaming ceremony.

Some of our guests.

The washing away of the old name. Written on a metal sheet.

Washing away the old name to be stricken from the seas record.

The end of the denaming, the boat momentarily had no name. Pouring champange into the ocean as a libation.

Then comes the renaming ceremony.

Breaking the bottle over the bow.

Took me a few tries.

The official unveiling of her new name.

BBQ and clambake afterwards to celebrate.

Potatoes, fresh caught crab, corn cob, clams and mussels, steamed in sea water and champange.

Gorgeous day!

The adult prize table for draws.

Kids prizes.

Mark enjoying the fruits of his crabbing labor and eating the crab that pinched him.

Our crew of Canadians here on Whidbey.

The first process for renaming your boat is to remove the old name from the boat entirely, anything that had the old name written on it was taken off, for us this meant completely sanding the name off the stern and painting over it, removing life jackets and some fire extinguishers that had the name printed on them.
Next nothing with the new name is to be brought on board until after the ceremony.

Our ceremony consisted of a denaming ceremony.

 In the name of all who have sailed aboard this vessel in the last, and in the name of all who may sail aboard her in the future, we ask The Lord, God if the universe to favour us with his blessing today.

Mighty father, king of all that moves in or on the waves and guardian of the winds and all that blows before them.

We offer you our thanks for the protection you have afforded this vessel in the past, her unrelenting spirit to overcome catastrophes and sail on. We voice our gratitude that she has weathered tempest and storm and enjoyed safe passage to port.

Now therefore, we submit this supplication, that the name whereby this vessel has been hitherto been known as Aukai, be struck and removed from your records.

Further we ask that when she is again presented for blessing with another name, we ask that you provide her with your protection, defence and shelter.

In return for which, we re dedicate this vessel to your domain in full knowledge that she shall be sailed in your will and subject as always to your immutable laws of wind and sea.

In consequence whereof, and in good faith, we seal this pact with a libation offered according to the hallowed tradition of the sea. Cheers!

Immediately after the denaming ceremony we had the renaming ceremony.

I name this vessel SweetHaven.

May she bring fair winds and good fortune to all who sail on her.

To SweetHaven!

And now that she has her new name, the old name is never to be uttered in her presence again.