s/v Karma

Karma in Motion

Who: Clint, Reina & Duke
Port: West Palm Beach, FL

Where are we?

Your destiny, is a result of your actions. Live by a code of conduct that will secure supreme hapiness and worldy joys; which are usually the little things.
22 February 2018
13 June 2016 | Puerto Natlaes
12 November 2015 | Southern Patagonia, Chile 50 39.60S:74 33.12W
02 November 2015 | Golfo de Penas, Patagonia, Chile
17 October 2015 | Laguna San Rafael, Patagonia, Chile
13 October 2015 | Laguna San Rafael, Patagonia, Chile
01 October 2015 | Caleta Poza de Oro, Patagonia, Chile
20 September 2015 | Los Altos, Paraguay
06 September 2015 | Chiloe
04 September 2015 | Puerto Montt, Chile

Rafael Verdera

01 March 2014
Clint
This is a side story about our crew for the canal passage. The circumstances that brought us together and the connection to our South African friends on Gilana make our time with them very special. Learning about them and their story compels me to share the little I learned while we were together.

It is not every day you run into a family that lives on a 30 meter sailing yacht that is 173 years old; yes I said 173 years; "Rafael Verdera" was launched on April 15th 1841 and is the oldest registered boat in the Spanish fleet that is still in use.





Mikel originally was going to purchase "Rafael Verdera" with some partners, restore it and then put it into charter service in the Med. The partners backed out at the last minute and Mikel put the deal together with the help of his family. I understand that Mikel was not a shipwright when he purchased "Rafael Verdera", he certainly is now.



He has owned the boat for 20 plus years. He and his wife, Nuria, have raised their two children on the boat while running their charter business. He described to me some of the very extensive renovations he has gone through putting the boat back together. He explained to me that he found a yard somewhere in Spain that is an old wooded boat building yard. The yard was barely surviving when he found it and he was able to make a deal to use the yard and to restore the ship there. The cool thing was that they had all the old school special wood-working equipment you need to restore a ship like "Rafael Verdera". In addition to utilizing expertise and learning from the old school shipwrights at the yard, he could also do his own work.





Over the years he has worked his way replacing every wood plank on the boat and the hull. He told me that he replaced the old iron nails that originally held the planks in place with stainless steel screws. Each screw and each board has been numbered so that during future hall outs he can remove a screw and inspect it for water penetration. With this method he has been able to re-plank the hull as needed. I can't even find my screwdriver; I can't imagine mapping and numbering each screw and each board!!!





One of the stories I found fascinating is Mikel's description of the diesel engine that was in the boat when he purchased it and one that he worked with for the first few years he owned it. It was a 1934 Volund single cylinder 65 hp two-stroke "hot head ". The video attached is a similar Volund but only a 25 hp twin cylinder. You can see how big that diesel engine is; just imagine the size of a 65hp single cylinder. He told me it was as big as I am; that's big!! In the video you see them using a torch to preheat the diesel. Mikel told me that he would also preheat the diesel then he would hand crank the huge fly wheel to get the piston into the correct position just before full compression. Then he described to me how he would set off the "charge". I understand the charge to be something like a shotgun cartridge. Somehow he would ignite the charge and it would get the piston through the preheated compression stroke and then it should start to run. I am trying to visualize this process and then running to the helm to operate the boat. I did not ask him if it has some sort of transmission?? Oh yeah, if you want to go into reverse you have to stop the engine and do the whole process in the opposite direction. I can't imagine the approach to the dock!!!



After living with that engine for a few years he decided to donate it to a museum. The next engine was an Otto Deuz two-cylinder 40 hp. In light of the fact that the yacht currently does daily charter excursions; the current set up which was done in 1989 are twin Cummings 200 hp engines. With this set up he can get his charter people back in good speed.

I am very appreciative of Mikel and his family taking a part in Karma's story in the Panama Cannel. I know that Mikel, his family, and their very unusual home, sailing vessel Rafael Verdera, have many more stores to tell. I am just grateful that they were able to share with Reina and I what they did and that they could be a part of Karma's adventure into the Pacific for the first time.
Comments
Vessel Name: Karma
Vessel Make/Model: Sunward 48'
Hailing Port: West Palm Beach, FL
Crew: Clint, Reina & Duke
About: We've been working towards this for almost 10 years. It has been a dream with many challenges, all of which have made it more worth while. We are so grateful and excited to start this next chapter!
Extra: Twenty years fom now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the things that you did do. So sail away from the safe harbor, catch the trade winds in your sails, EXPLORE, DREAM, DISCOVER. -Mark Twain
Karma's Photos - Main
1 Photo
Created 14 October 2019
12 Photos
Created 17 January 2019
100 Photos
Created 11 March 2018
70 Photos
Created 22 February 2018
24 Photos
Created 1 August 2016
Tom Comes to Visit Christmas 2015
57 Photos
Created 10 June 2016
Land adventures with our camper.
1 Photo | 1 Sub-Album
Created 20 September 2015
4 Photos
Created 1 September 2015
Tom & Susan visit in March Kurt & Kelci visit in May
92 Photos
Created 1 July 2015
21 Photos
Created 1 July 2015
12 Photos
Created 1 July 2015
57 Photos
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20 Photos | 1 Sub-Album
Created 1 July 2015
Galapagos to Chile
7 Photos
Created 1 May 2015
Isla Isabela
No Photos
Created 13 April 2015
Isla Isabela
No Photos
Created 13 April 2015
93 Photos
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27 Photos
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Bahia de Caraquez to La Libertad, Ecuador
23 Photos
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116 Photos
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30 Photos
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39 Photos
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13 Photos
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22 Photos
Created 11 June 2014
26 Photos
Created 15 May 2014
San Rafael, Ecuador
17 Photos
Created 13 May 2014
Ecuador
11 Photos
Created 12 May 2014
40 Photos
Created 11 May 2014
6 Photos
Created 2 April 2014
21 Photos
Created 22 March 2014
17 Photos
Created 15 March 2014
Leaving the Caribbean behind and entering the Pacific
42 Photos
Created 19 February 2014
12 Photos
Created 19 February 2014
19 Photos
Created 6 January 2014
80 Photos
Created 30 September 2013
53 Photos
Created 2 August 2013
56 Photos
Created 25 July 2013
5 Photos | 1 Sub-Album
Created 9 July 2013
46 Photos
Created 9 May 2013
4 Photos
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13 Photos
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20 Photos
Created 4 September 2012
3 Photos
Created 3 August 2012
15 Photos
Created 2 August 2012
7 Photos
Created 23 July 2012
7 Photos
Created 23 July 2012
11 Photos
Created 20 July 2012
20 Photos
Created 8 July 2012
This is a marine park and home to many turtles
15 Photos
Created 8 July 2012
Dad gets to ride with my girl from Hawaii to SanDiego, via US NAVY
67 Photos
Created 8 July 2012
Visiting family, hitching a ride with the US NAVY, Carl joins the conspiracy
21 Photos
Created 8 July 2012
From Vieques PR to Union Island St Vincent & the Grenadines
7 Photos
Created 8 July 2012
Our home for the last month.
7 Photos
Created 7 May 2012
Pig
4 Photos
Created 7 May 2012
Old San Jaun, Bacardi Distillery & more
29 Photos
Created 7 May 2012
12 Photos
Created 24 April 2012
Touring the DR with Tony
12 Photos
Created 24 April 2012
Some lost photos
8 Photos
Created 31 March 2012
13 Photos
Created 31 March 2012
Costanza
16 Photos
Created 31 March 2012
Puerto Plata to Ocean World
8 Photos
Created 31 March 2012
17 Photos
Created 31 March 2012
7 Photos
Created 31 March 2012
4 Photos
Created 30 March 2012
Ile a Vache
58 Photos
Created 12 March 2012
9 Photos
Created 27 February 2012
ClarenceTown to Salt Pond
10 Photos
Created 27 February 2012
16 Photos
Created 11 February 2012
23 Photos
Created 11 February 2012
38 Photos
Created 30 January 2012
What we've been up to in G'Town
5 Photos
Created 17 January 2012
In and around Staniel Cay
10 Photos
Created 8 January 2012
Christmas & New Years 2011
67 Photos
Created 1 January 2012
Allens Cay to George Town
40 Photos
Created 10 December 2011
Heading to Miami
5 Photos
Created 14 November 2011
Leaving Sunset Bay Marina & on to the Bahamas
8 Photos
Created 12 November 2011
Getting ready for the big day! We moved Karma from her home of two years (WPB mooring) to Sunset Bay Marina in Stuart. Packed up the rest of our "crap", the stuff not coming with us & took it to Texas. After a nice visit with Reina's parents it was back to Stuart to get down & dirty & get Karma ready...
9 Photos
Created 9 November 2011

Karma in Motion

Who: Clint, Reina & Duke
Port: West Palm Beach, FL

Where are we?

Your destiny, is a result of your actions. Live by a code of conduct that will secure supreme hapiness and worldy joys; which are usually the little things.