California coastal upwind bash on a Chris White Explorer 44 trimaran

We took the opportunity to serve as delivery skipper for a segment of this boat's long delivery voyage from Chicago through Alabama, the Panama Canal and up the Pacific west coast. I took over the boat in Barra de Navidad, Mexico. This video is Caliente's final travel segment, from San Diego to San Francisco.

[@trisailor3318]

Thanks for that, Greg. Interesting.

[@Giovanni-rz6ny]

Wow. Seeing the GG bridge and the hydrofoil is inspiring! Nice vid! 👍

[@bequiakt]

Ahh finally we got a new video, wow! Been waiting for this for a while now. 🙏

[@Ravenswingsailing]

Life’s a little complicated these days but we’re continuing to film and edit when possible. Thanks for staying subscribed!!!

[@bequiakt]

@@Ravenswingsailing great videos, keep them coming.

[@zzzxxzzz3248]

Thanks for sharing !

[@iamyourantonberteaux3296]

What a great trip! Glad to have had the opportunity.

[@SimonClaringbold]

Some really nice footage, thanks for sharing. I'm sure you don't get too many boat deliveries of that length!

[@Ravenswingsailing]

Thanks! That was actually my first job as a delivery skipper. The boat set the bar pretty high;)

[@ganthrithor]

Well that's weird: I feel like I watched someone do a boat-tour video of this when it was for sale in the midwest not too long ago, and here you are driving her into my hometown (Santa Barbara) of all places :D Great video, looks like a real nice boat!

[@Ravenswingsailing]

Yes we both saw the same video and that prompted me to do the delivery. That video however did not uncover a number of issues we had to fix along the way. The new owner is really going after everything to get her back in fighting shape. I was also pleased that Ravenswing feels the same at sea as that Explorer 44. Similar upwind performance!

[@kirkhateswork]

I wish I could have joined you! I filmed the boat tour in Chicago and then saw your shout out on the FCT forums looking for crew a couple months later. I would have loved being a part of the journey over to the west coast! I’ve been following your videos on Ravenswing for a while and it would have been a lot of fun meeting up!

[@Ravenswingsailing]

Hey Kirk, I’m starting to plan some longer trips for Ravenswing next year. Let me know if crewing for a couple weeks is realistic for you.

[@kirkhateswork]

@@Ravenswingsailing As of right now, in the short term it's probably not. While I can work remotely, my schedule is pretty full. Hoping I can cut back again at the JOB in the not-so-distant future. I'll stay in touch though!

[@Ravenswingsailing]

Ok, I just realized you’re 1/2 of Soulianis and we had those f-boat comments over on your video;). Warren says you made a choice and I’m happy for you, especially a pro-built! Towing windage SUCKS and will be tough on the nice Transit. Perhaps there’s a rusty but reliable 2WD pickup that costs LESS than a transit replacement transmission? We found a cheap F350 for our years of long distance towing the F27. Overkill is a good thing in this case. And I sold it 8 years later near what I had paid …. Looking forward to your reveal video(s).

[@markdavis8888]

I just made this trip in my new to me F31 at 60 mph.

[@Ravenswingsailing]

I had more sea room on my route, not like that nine foot wide highway 1!!!

[@dyslexiusmaximus]

Do trimarans of this size have a good motion for sleep/rest? Or are they very bouncy like many catamarans?

[@Ravenswingsailing]

This boat Caliente and my Farrier39 tri are very comfortable at anchor. They ride like a nice 40’ monohull, except NO LEANING! Their issue can be swaying/sailing on the anchor, which you manage with bridles and possibly a tiny “riding sail”. Overall I love the sleep aboard the larger tris. But be wary of lightweight tris that feature one ama hull always sitting above the water. These boats can flop over to lean on the other side as the breeze or crew weight shifts. That can get annoying at anchor. But those boats are very rare.

[@The442nd]

You had to motor from SD to Catatlina?

[@Ravenswingsailing]

Main was up for motorsailing, but wind was light & variable that night. Built to 30kts the next day.

[@Seafariireland]

Nice chariot!

[@petermiller114]

Good job, Skipper. That is a powerful boat. Where are you and Ravenswing at this time? Writing from San Carlos, Sonora.

[@Ravenswingsailing]

Hi Peter. She’s up in Puerto Penasco for a while. Wondering if you know of dock options / availability down there, either DC or Guaymas? I’m thinking of heading there next, in April. Never been so don’t know the scene for a 27’ wide boat. It’s always tricky for us ;)

[@petermiller114]

@@Ravenswingsailing There are 3 marinas in the area and they are pretty full but they seem to accommodate everybody. Marina Real, where I'm docked, Marina San Carlos and Fonatur in Guaymas. There are a few moorings available in Bahia San Carlos as well. Good cruising area, 40 bays and coves within 40 miles of San Carlos. We have communicated before on the Trimaran lovers page. I had a Searunner, now I'm on a Mono. Let's have a beer when you are in the area.

[@Jack-ne8vm]

Can you attach a tiller to steer, if cable breaks?

[@Ravenswingsailing]

Yes Jack there’s a fitting on the steering quadrant where you bolt in the emergency tiller for this boat. The problem is the temporary tiller is in the aft cabin and you can’t see forward from there. So it would have taken two people to drive at all times. But the autopilot is also connected right there, so it is not dependent on the cables or steering wheel. That is really how the boat would be driven if the cables broke.

[@Strange_Brew]

I don’t see how a monohull passed you guys up. I guess it can point a little higher into the wind. Also probably had a larger engine.

[@Ravenswingsailing]

Hey Strange - no, we could actually outpoint that big Benetau. The pass was because he indeed has a big engine, and it was running the whole 25 miles that day. We were sails-only for most of that run. But also we were very emotional about the Golden Gate homecoming and wanted to cross mid channel. Tide was ebbing. The mono is a veteran racer guy who was riding the eddy close to the bridge tower ;). All fun stuff.

[@donnanhuggler8451]

That boat looks fast

[@Ravenswingsailing]

Yes, some would say she hauls the mail.

[@carlamerritt490]

I got a little confused. Ravenswing is your boat right? I was confused by you saying "new owner"? Does this mean you sold her?

[@Ravenswingsailing]

Yep, Ravenswing was idle in Mexico while I flew further south for this short term job delivering Caliente. I returned to Ravenswing for another cruise (and an upcoming video) in the Loreto Islands Natl Park area. Stay tuned.

[@carlamerritt490]

@@Ravenswingsailing I will.

[@slacker2101]

I wd have thought that stainless cables are not the best for steering. They tend to become brittle with this type of service, as it seems the old cables did. Galvanized is much better and will last well if dressed with anhydrous lanolin.

[@Ravenswingsailing]

I agree about the dressed galvanized. But hundreds of thousands of yachts have SS and it works very well for a given service life. We think in this case these cables had not been replaced on schedule. Personally, I would switch it all to dyneema bc I’m willing to monitor and hand adjust, just as I do the sailing rig.

[@Narb-tri]

Hi. Nice trip with this very nice trimaran. I would like to contact the new owner (boat bought last december). Do you FB or mesenger? Rgds

[@Ravenswingsailing]

Hi Bernard. What would you like to ask the boat owner? I can relay your message.

[@robertcleveland2038]

Guess your glad you got motors 🙈🙈🙈