Our Boat

s/v TIOGA

"Home is where the heart is."  

Powered up in the Med!

  • name: TIOGA, which we discovered to be an Iroquois word meaning something like "where (life) forks" or "new beginnings"
  • description: 1979 Fast Passage 39 Cutter
  • builder: Philbrooks, Sidney BC  Canada
  • designer: William Garden (1918-2011)
  • dimensions: LOA 39'6" LWL 33'6" B 11'2" D 5'6" DISP 22,000 lbs

For those not initially familiar with the Fast Passage 39, she is a much sought-after late-1970s canoe-stern cutter designed by William Garden and sailed to distinction by Francis Stokes in the inaugural 1982-83 BOC Challenge single-handed around-the-world race.

The 39 enjoyed a ten-year production run totaling some 40 boats in the 1970s and 1980s. Most were built at Philbrooks Shipyards in Sydney, British Columbia, Canada. A handful, including Moonshine, came out of Tollycraft in Kelso, Washington. William Garden's design is a capable amalgam of performance and sea-keeping well suited to a sensible offshore voyaging mindset.  If you are looking for an optimal bluewater cruiser, take the time to research the Fast Passage 39. Fast Passage 39 - Cruising World Review.

Here is how our boat was fitted out for our trip....

Navigation & communications
  • Standard Horizon 50 VHF radio - ship-to-ship and ship-to-shore radio communications
  • Kenwood TS-50 HF shortwave radio - long distance radio and digital communications
  • SCS PTC-IIe pactor 3 modem - to fetch email and weather while at sea
  • Furuno 1721 radar
  • Garmin GPS 76
  • Panasonic Toughbook laptop with charts by C-MAP
  • SatFind 406II EPRIB
  • Wagner S50 Hydraulic Autopilot
  • Capehorn wind steering vane
    Friend Wayne checks out the wind steering vane
Aux. engine & propulsion
  • Perkins 4.108, 4cyl, 108 HP diesel
  • Borg Warner transmission
  • Maxi-prop (3 blade)
Capacities
  • Freshwater: 53 main, 18 aux (US gal.)
  • Fuel: 48 main, 20 aux (US gal.)
Electrical
  • Surrette 530 6-volt deep cycle batteries (4) 1060 Ahrs total

  • Ample 105/130 amp alternator
  • CruzPro SAR 20 4-step smart regulator
  • BP Solar BP-85 solar panels (x4 = 340 watts)
  • Solar Boost 2000E solar charge controller
  • Statpower Truecharge 40 Plus battery charger (shore power)
Galley

  • Kenyon Marine gimbaled 3-burner range/oven
  • 12-volt refrigerator/freezer
  • 6-gallon water heater (heat exchange & 110-volt)
  • Force 10 BBQ
  • PowerSurvivor Pur-35 watermaker
Deck & rigging
  • All 316 stainless steel rigging
  • Barient winches
  • Lofrans 12-volt electric windlass
  • Hard "Dodger by Jacques" - Sidney BC

  • DBC 6-man offshore life raft

  • Anchors: 66lb Bruce, 45lb CQR, 25lb Danforth - 300' G4 chain
Sails
  • Schaeffer roller furling
  • North Sails: asymmetrical spinnaker, 130% genoa, 100% stays'l, main with 3 reef points, storm-jib
Other
  • Polaris tender with Mariner 15hp outboard
  • Atkins & Hoyle davits