From Latitude 38
January 2004

Seayanika Launch Date -- Finally!

Erik & Katriana Vader, who have chronicled the building of their 1974 Cal 46 bare hull into a first-rate cruising boat in these pages for the last three years, have finally set a launch date.  Seayanika  -- the 'last Cal to hit the water' -- will splash down on January 24 at Driscoll's Boat Yard in San Diego.  And the Vaders are making it a special point to invite all Latitude readers who have followed their series of Sightings articles on the building of the boat.  (Most of the information, as well as photos and the latest news, can be reviewed at www.seayanika.com.)

We'll cover the launching in the February issue, but we won't be alone.  Through the building process, Seayanika has attracted the attention of numerous newspapers (including the Los Angeles Times  and San Diego Union Tribune), as well as TV and radio stations near the Vader's Vista, California, construction site.  (Most common interview question:  "So when are you getting done?")  There will also be several professional photographers present, not to mention industry reps and 'sponsors' like West Marine, Glacier Bay, IMTRA, Pacific Offshore Rigging and others. 

If you have trouble finding Driscoll's (at 2500 Shelter Island Drive), just drive around until you see what looks like Ben and J-Lo's wedding.  That'll be the place.  The guest of honor, if he can make it, will be designer Bill Lapworth.

When the Vaders first queried us in late 2000 about whether or not we'd be interested in a series of articles chronicling the building of a boat "capable of transporting us around the world beginning in October, 2002," we had to chuckle.  No reflection on them, of course, but last we checked, something like three boatbuilders in history had launched boats when they said they would.  But Katriana was so enthusiastic (and she writes so well) that we thought readers would enjoy such 'real TV'.  She succeeded way beyond our expectations; we hope you have enjoyed her updates as much as we have so far.

Congratulations, Erik and Katriana!