Transporting yachts with Dockwise: The journey of our Selene 53 , "Kasekuchen," from the west coast to its new home in Fort Lauderdale, Florida

When Bob and I decided to move "Kasekuchen," our Selene 53, from its west coast home in Seattle to our new home on the east coast, Fort Lauderdale, we didn't have the time to enjoy a leisurely cruise through the Panama Canal. Instead, we used Dockwise Yacht Transport, a company that specializes in the transport of luxury (mega) yachts using its own fleet of semi-submersible yacht carriers.

After we finished participating in FUBAR ODYSSEY 2007, we left "Kasekuchen" in La Paz, Mexico, where it was loaded onto a Dockwise vessel that transported it to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Our trawler was one of many yachts aboard the vessel -- and it certainly wasn't the largest. One of the other yachts on that journey was a huge (almost 130' long) yacht owned by Boeing.

It's fascinating to watch the yachts being loaded onto a Dockwise vessel -- and since many of you may never have had an opportunity to see this, I wanted to share some videos that will give you a better idea about what's involved.

This first one is a short, animated video from Dockwise:

This next one focuses on the maiden voyage of the 687 foot (longer than two football fields) Dockwise Yacht Express that left Fort Lauderdale for the Mediterranean on April 10, 2008. On board were 18 vessels with an estimated value of $154 million:

Ron Weed's book, "Kasekuchen in Baja Waters," is featured on the online version of Sunday's Daytona Beach News-Journal

We were absolutely thrilled when our friend Ron Weed sent us this screen print from Sunday's online version of the Daytona Beach News-Journal featuring a mini-review of his book, "Kasekuchen in Baja Waters," which chronicles our journey last year from San Diego, California to La Paz, Mexico aboard our Selene 53.

Click on the above image to enlarge it in your browser window if you want to read the text

Ron Weed has written and published a wonderful book about our participation in the 2007 FUBAR Odyssey from San Diego to La Paz, Mexico

When Bob and I invited our friend Ron Weed to crew aboard our Selene 53, "Kasekuchen," during the 2007 FUBAR Odyssey from San Diego, California to La Paz, the capital of Baja California Sur, Mexico, we had no idea we would become the subjects of a beautifully written and illustrated book. We invited Ron to join us because we knew he was experienced in boat handling and navigation, having lived aboard and cruised the southern California coast and its Channel Islands since the 1970s. Of course we also knew he'd be good company.

Ron took lots of photographs during our cruise – and lots of notes, too. Using his flair for writing and design, and availing himself of the amazing advances in technology and printing that have occurred in the past decade, Ron crafted an absolutely wonderful book – "Kasekuchen in Baja Waters" – chronicling our trip that covered 1,057 sea miles in 18 days.

The book also features photographs of some of the other Selenes that participated in FUBAR, including "Annaruth" (Jake and Susanna Maizel), "Rediscovery II" (Richard and Jane Wenstrom), "Mystic Moon" (Kathy and John Youngblood), and "Voyager" (Les and Rosemary Dobbe).

We've been sending copies of Ron's book to our friends and relatives, but "Kasekuchen in Baja Waters" is more than just a book about our voyage. Reading it will give you a real taste for what it's like to participate in an event such as the 2007 FUBAR Odyssey.

Ron published his book using Blurb, "… a company and a community that believes passionately in the joy of books – reading them, making them, sharing them, and selling them." You can learn more about Blurb at its website – and you can purchase your own copy of "Kasekuchen in Baja Waters" directly from Blurb. There are two versions of the book available. We like them both, but are especially fond of the smaller-sized version because it contains lots more photos.

Our Selene 53 - "Kasekuchen" - has arrived in Fort Lauderdale, Florida

"Kasekuchen" arrived safely in Florida on a Dockwise Yacht Transport vessel that brought her from La Paz, Mexico, where we left her after FUBAR. What a wonderful sight she is sitting at our Selene dock in Fort Lauderdale! Dockwise is a great way to transport your yacht from one coast to another if time is an issue. If cruising Europe on your own boat is a dream, but the long passage is not, Dockwise might be a great alternative.

Jake Maizel and John Youngblood after loading "Kasekuchen" aboard a Dockwise vessel in La Paz, Mexico (photo taken by Richard Wendstrom who also helped load her)

"Kasekuchen" is dwarfed by some of the other yachts aboard the Dockwise vessel (she's the "small" Selene Trawler on the left, near the rear of the photo)

Les Dobbe's photograph of "Kasekuchen" wins top honors in Power Cruising magazine competition

Selene 53 owner Les Dobbe ("Voyager") took this stunning photograph of our Selene 53, "Kasekuchen," as we were leaving San Jose del Cabo, Mexico during the FUBAR ODYSSEY 2007. Our sister ship, John and Kathy Youngblood's Selene 53, "Mystic Moon," is in the lead.

Titled "Morning Departure," Dobbe's photographic captivated judges for Power Cruising magazine's FUBAR photo competition with its warm tones and mystical feel -- and it was named best of the competition. Congratulations to Les!

Welcome to 2008! Have a happy New Year!

To all our cruising friends and to all the Selene owners with whom we have not yet had an opportunity to cruise -- Bob & I wish you a very Happy and Prosperous New Year!

This wonderful photograph was taken during the FUBAR Odyssey 2007 by Ron Weed, one of our crew members on "Kasekuchen," He took the photograph when we were between Ensenada, Mexico and LaPaz, Mexico. "Kasekuchen" was one of seven Selene Trawlers that participated in the rally.

We'd also like to invite you to stop by Selene Florida if you are in Fort Lauderdale.

Some reflections on the FUBAR ODYSSEY 2007 from "Kasekuchen" crew member Ron Weed

The crew on our Selene 53, "Kasekuchen," during the FUBAR ODYSSEY 2007 included our son, Chris, and our friend Ron Weed, a Hollywood producer who'll be working on the live telecast of "The 65th Annual Golden Globes Awards," scheduled to air on NBC on January 13, 2008. This year during "The 65th Annual Golden Globes Awards," Steven Spielberg will received the Cecil B. DeMille Award for his "outstanding contribution to the entertainment field."

When he returned home after the rally, Ron sent out an e-mail to some of his friends, a portion of which we'd like to share with you here:

Just a quick note to let you know that I am now home from the "FUBAR" Fleet Underway to Baja Rally on one of the fifty one boat fleet that made the trip from San Diego to La Paz from Nov 7 thru Nov 19, 2007. I gratefully crewed for my friends, Bob and Cheryl Klein on their 60' Selene Ocean Trawler, "Kasekuchen", German for Cheesecake. We stopped at Ensenada, Turtle Bay, Santa Maria, Magdalena Bay, San Jose Del Cabo, Muertos Bay and La Paz.

Some day passages, some overnight passages up to 33 continuous hours underway. Kasekuchen is well equipped with radars, electronic navigation systems and of course has all or most of the systems that make her a home in every sense on the water. I attached an excerpt from my daily log which kind of expresses my sentiments with a few pictures.

Click on the above image to enlarge it in your browser window

"Kasekuchen's" 1,100 mile journey from Washington to California to join the 2007 FUBAR ODYSSEY

As some of you know, when Bob and I moved from Seattle to Fort Lauderdale to open the Selene Florida office, we left our Selene 53 – "Kasekuchen" – in Washington.

When we decided to participate in the FUBAR ODYSSEY 2007, our good friend and fellow Selene owner, Mark Tilden ("Koinonia") agreed to sail "Kasekuchen" from Gig Harbor to Ventura for us. Here's a copy of the e-mail he sent out to members of the Selene owners and enthusiasts discussion group describing his journey:

Just a quite note to “close the loop” on my earlier posting, since several of you have asked. We completed our delivery of the Klein’s Selene 53 “Kasekuchen” this morning. I now sit aboard, moored in the beautiful facilities at Ventura harbor. We had a very nice trip -- lots of whales, dolphins, several basking sharks, and even a couple of sunfish spotted along the way. The center 2/3 of the trip (from Newport to Eureka and Eureka to Monterey) was some of flattest ocean conditions I’ve ever seen in 25+ years of going up and down this coast. We had absolutely beautiful moon-less nights full of stars. The Cape Flattery to Newport leg was rougher, though not terrible, and the final leg from Monterey to Ventura was also a bit rougher -- perhaps to remind us of how unusual the other legs were. On the last leg, we had the more normal summer conditions of 6 – 8’ swells with afternoon northwesterlies in the 15-25 knot range.

We covered just over 1100 miles from Gig Harbor to Ventura and put roughly 140 hours on the engine running at about 8 knots most of the time. I don’t have accurate fuel usage data at this point, but I think we averaged about 7 GPH for the voyage.

I am so impressed with the Selenes (both my own and now two other boats I’ve had the privilege of transiting the west coast on). My experience is that they handle the seas extremely well—even the periods for a few hours last night where we were essentially beam-to the 6-8 foot swells and 20+ knots of wind. "Kasekuchen" handled it all very well.

Thanks to all of you who have asked about the trip and wished us a great voyage. We did, indeed, have a marvelous voyage! Thanks to Bob & Cheryl Klein for offering me the opportunity to deliver "Kasekuchen."

Enroute from Florida to San Diego, California for the FUBAR ODYSSEY '07

Bob is already in California, and I'm now en route to meet him. On Friday, November 7, we'll join the 2007 FUBAR ODYSSEY, the first-ever rally to take a fleet of powerboats from San Diego to La Paz, Mexico. It's going to be an exciting adventure -- and it will also be wonderful to be back aboard our Selene 53, "Kasekuchen," which remained on the west coast when we moved to Florida to open the Selene Florida office in Fort Lauderdale.

As we make our journey, which should last about 16 days, I'll be posting updates whenever I have an opportunity, so please check back frequently.