Category: Splendido

Photos, stories, and interesting things about Splendido, our 1993 Catalina 270, who has lived and sailed her whole life on Lake Tahoe.

A Taste of Tahoe on a Holiday Weekend

On By David BranbyIn Food & Drink, On The Water, Overnighters, Ports Of Call, Splendido1 Comment

This could be a story about changing out a thermostat on a 1993 Perkins diesel (and how it took two strapping midlifers 48 hours to tear down the engine in a wildly rocking boat on a busy Fourth of July weekend), but to hell with that. This is a story about Tahoe’s unexpected delights—places, pizza, tacos and thirst-quenching libations.

The good news is, we replaced the wonky thermostat. The better news is, my buddy Jamie and I discovered some Tahoe treasures, including a front-row seat at Chambers Landing Grill for an awesome sunset. I tucked into a veggie pizza and a Coors N/A, while Jamie devoured a plate of their amazing tacos and a crisp glass of Kim Crawford sauv blanc. Chambers was hopping with relaxed familes and lots of kids running around, climbing trees and playing paddle ball on the golden sand. The food was yummy, the service was outstanding (despite the fact that we had on Eau du Boat fragrance, two-day beards and grimy boat clothes, amidst the finery of the folks around us). The setting, of course, was pure summer Tahoe: pinkish light settling over the Sierras, the scent of warm sugar pines, and the sounds of happy families sharing stories and talking with their neighbors, largely vaxxed and relaxed, a prelude to a return to normalcy.

Not gonna lie—it wasn’t hard to become a member of the Clean Plate Club at Chambers Grill.

After dinner, we made it back to Splendido and decided to sleep on the lazarettes in the open air—something I had rarely done before. The view was spectacular as the sky darkened and the Milky Way appeared.

After a great afternoon sail in balmy 14 kt. breezes, we slept out in the cockpit in sleeping bags.

I woke up about a quarter to five to absolute silence and the stars overhead fading quietly into the dawn. Jamie was out like a light, so I chilled and just watched the light come up over the lake.

About 5:45 a.m., the first water ski boat roared to life, breaking the silence and the millpond surface of the lake.

After a couple of cups of hot coffee, we rowed in and drove up to Fire Sign Café to see about breakfast. Not surprisingly, the place was packed with holiday guests, so we wandered across the street to West Shore Market and picked up provisions for the day.

Back on board, I put up the shade tent to beat the heat, then we got after swapping out the thermostat. Jamie and I both ended up getting a little “green” from the constant tossing and turning, so we alternated “coming up for air” in the cockpit. Mission accomplished, we ran a number of tests, made sure everything was tight, then buttoned her up and headed home.

I can’t wait to get back on board with Debbie and friends and get some more summer sailing in! Huge thanks to Jamie for helping wrench on the engine and sharing a classic couple of days at Lake Tahoe.

Happy Fourth of July to all who celebrate—and fair winds to you and yours. DB

Sail & Steam

On By David BranbyIn SplendidoLeave a comment
Not a lot of wind, but lovely to be out on Lake Tahoe (June 26, 2021).

Last Saturday (June 26) dawned bright and clear, with high temps forecast (as all of our West Coast neighbors can attest), so I knew there wasn’t going to be a lot of wind. Debbie and I threw back some coffee and motored the mighty Prius up to Tahoe, where we loaded two full sailbags and two storage bins of cargo into our floating summer home. While Debbie put things away below decks, I replaced the turnbuckle on one of the shrouds (thank you, Pete Lewis of Tahoe Sailboat Service) and got out the Loos Gauge to tension the shrouds and stays, attached the reefing lines, then fixed a broken latch on the galley under-sink door. As my good friend Ancil Sigman says, it’s always something on a sailboat.

We motored out a 1/4 mile or so and set sail, but the winds were light and variable at about 2-3 knots, so we drifted hither and yon for about an hour and decided to get out out the sun and back on the hook. I fired up the Perkins Perama M20 and headed back to the mooring buoy.

When we arrived, Debbie said, “Hey, what’s that burning smell?”—five words you never want to hear on a boat. I jumped below and realized the engine had overheated. All the water in the reservoir had evaporated, and the smell was from the very warm rubber tubing. I vented everything as best I could, and after a while, gently opened up the radiator cap with a thick towel, as we’d only had the engine running about 10 minutes. A blast of steam came out, followed by a small eruption of rusty goo splattering all over the fiberglass above the engine.

Still cozy after all these years.

What I suspect happened was that the thermostat got stuck closed, maybe rusted from the long layup. After she cooled down, I topped off the reservoir with water once again and she fired right up, and I could feel from the sea water pump and the tubing that cold water was running through her once again. I ran it for about 10 minutes, and everything seemed to be OK. Nevertheless, I ordered a new thermostat from Trans-Atlantic Diesel and intend to put that in this coming Saturday morning—after first removing the old one and flushing out the water channels which likely got rusty/gunky during the long layup.

Still working on that sunscreen thing.

I always try to seize a victory out of the jaws of defeat, so one thing I am proud of was rigging a shade sail to keep us out of the sun when the boat was on the hook. I had a triangular woven “shade sail” from Costco ($29) and used eight WalMart carabiners ($12) to attach it to the boom, lifelines, and backstay for an excellent, airy boom tent that was just delightful to hang out under after the work was done. We lolled about for a couple of hours in the 85º F. heat, and I even pulled on my shorty wetsuit to take a dive, on the hunt for that dang impeller I dropped overboard (No luck as yet!). I’ll keep you posted.

Fair winds and following seas. DB

Back On Lake Tahoe After 634 Days

On By David BranbyIn Commissioning & De-commissioning, Mechanical Stuff, On The Water, Splendido1 Comment


It feels awesome to have Splendido back out on Tahoe. Tracy and I launched her last Wednesday, June 16, and had a relatively smooth time of it. Launching every year is an exercise in project management—I had a three page pre-launch checklist, and still, we somehow lost a shroud turnbuckle on the drive up. Tracy, who started his working life as an iron worker before earning his degree in civil engineering, pulled out some high-tension wire and rigged a temporary latticework wiring to hold the shroud in place while we put in an order for a replacement turnbuckle. It was a work of art.

There’s a new rigger at Obexer’s named Pete Lewis, a mechanical engineer by training and a helpful guy. He put the order in for the new turnbuckle, and he and I got to talking about rigging in general—which made me think about the last time Splendido’s standing rigging was replaced. Short answer: I don’t know. So, that is also on the list for fall 2021.

I actually had a lot of fun getting her ready to sail last week, but I had to laugh—after more than a year and a half on the hard, a robin had made a beautiful, elaborate nest in the anchor locker! I just discovered it when Debbie and I went up yesterday to install the 150 genoa and attach the lines to the newly-tailored lazy bag. I gently picked up the tangle of hay, feathers and broken egg shells and set it out on the water—an avian Kon Tiki that gently floated away.

As soon as we get the new turnbuckle delivered and installed, it’s sail time. Grateful to our new buoy owner, Chris Champas, and hoping that the summer fire season is mild. Fingers crossed—South Lake Tahoe hit 91 degrees last week … six degrees warmer than the last same-day record of 85 degrees, set in 1985.

And, as happens when launching, I dropped a brand-new $38 impeller over the side at our buoy. It will be the first thing I dive for when I get my PADI scuba certification in mid-July.

Fair winds and following seas! DB

Getting the old girl ready to splash

On By David BranbyIn Commissioning & De-commissioning, Keeping Up Appearances, Splendido1 Comment

Life is what happens while you’re making other plans. 😀 I had all but despaired of not being able to sail this summer because the influx of folks at Tahoe during the pandemic meant that buoys were scarce, and competition for them was fierce. After putting out feelers for buoys since February with zero results, Debbie and I had begun making plans to do other things—road trips to rural Nevada, hiking, biking, etc.—in lieu of sailing. Last Saturday, out of the blue, our old buoy owner reached out to say his neighbor had a buoy for rent, just 40 yards from where we’ve been moored for the past few years.

Now, the push is on to get the boat ready for launching next week. Fingers crossed—she is dusty and dirty and I have a list of 36 pre-sailing checks to do. I’ll shoot a little video to try to capture the fun.

I cannot express how excited I am to get out on the water again.

Fair winds and following seas! DB

Midwinter Musings for 2021

On By David BranbyIn Splendido3 Comments

It’s been a season on the hard for Splendido and for us. Through it all, though, we’ve been mindful how fortunate we are to be healthy and safe, and looking forward to better times ahead. Inspired by the sailing videos I’ve watched over the past year (thank you, SV Delos and Off Center Harbor), I am learning video storytelling to add a little zing to our blog. I also bought a used drone which I’ve been learning to fly (only three heart-pounding—and thankfully, minor—crashes in a month!), with the aim of getting some footage of Splendido at Tahoe this summer. Oh, yeah … and if anyone along the West Shore at Tahoe can give me a tip about finding a new mooring for her this summer, that would be much appreciated. Evidently our old mooring was snapped up. C’est la guerre.

Fair winds and following seas! DB

Back in the Boatyard

On By David BranbyIn Commissioning & De-commissioning, Keeping Up Appearances, Mechanical Stuff, Splendido1 Comment

Splendido is nearly 28 years old and it’s time for me to get after some refitting projects this winter. I am continually inspired by SV Delos skipper Brian Trautman (a fellow UW grad) not just for the cruising lifestyle but also for the hard work he puts in maintaining his 53-ft. Amel Super Maramu.

What I like best about the SV Delos video series—apart from the beautiful locales and fun adventures—is the accurate depictions about the amount of effort it takes to keep things ship-shape. So, duly inspired, I have a list of things I’m going to attack this winter:

  • Tailoring the lazy bag to fit the sail more snugly—hopefully with less windage
  • Checking all the standing rigging for signs of wear
  • Removing all the brightwork that needs refinishing and getting that done in the garage
  • Light sanding and repainting the trailer, which got pretty scuffed up in recent years
  • Changing the oil and filters in the Perkins Perama diesel
  • Polishing the fuel so it’s ready for spring sailing
  • Replacing the incandescent bulbs with more LED lights to reduce battery drain when boat camping
  • Repacking the rudder shaft stuffing box
  • When it warms up, touching up the gel coat
  • And a bunch more stuff I haven’t thought of yet.

A special shout-out to Ancil Sigman of Le Crapaud fame for letting me work on Splendido at his place this winter. Thanks, Ancil!

I’m also stoked to discover that Brian Trautman’s brother Brady Trautman and his partner Alex Blue (and their new rescue pup, Sharky) have settled for the time being at Lake Tahoe. They’ve launched a new business called Cruisers Academy and have a small fleet of Catalinas at Tahoe offering lessons for all levels. They are both accomplished scuba divers as well, and they’re offering dive adventures next year, starting with what looks to be an epic adventure for more advanced divers in the Galapagos Islands. As an SV Delos fan and supporter, I hope to see them out on the water in 2021. Welcome to the Tahoe sailing community, Brady and Blue (and Sharky, too)!

The pandemic—and my struggles with anxiety related to it—have got me thinking about how I would like to live my life with more adventure and fun in the future. I’ve decided to get a PADI Open Water Diver certification as soon as it’s safe, so hopefully I can participate in the Clean Up The Lake diving project in 2021. I’m also learning video shooting and editing to bring more short videos to this blog, so keep an eye out. I’ll start with simple GoPro videos about my projects this winter as I dip my toes in the water.

In the meantime, mask up, stay safe, and drop a note in the comments below about how you like the blog and what kind of content you’d like to see more of. As this crazy year draws to a close, Debbie and I wish you health, happiness and peace—and optimism for better days ahead.

Fair winds and smooth sailing. DB


Evening at Sugar Pine, Lake Tahoe

Flashback: Two Nights Boat Camping at Sugar Pine State Park

On By David BranbyIn SplendidoLeave a comment

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

I just discovered this unpublished post from 2015, when the water at Lake Tahoe was really low and—in retrospect—something that seems so trivial compared with what we’re dealing with today. At any rate, a lovely weekend on the water with my two favorite girls.

Fair winds and smooth sailing! DB

Eight Bells: Frank Butler, founder of Catalina Yachts

On By David BranbyIn SplendidoLeave a comment

Catalina Yachts Announces Loss of CEO Frank W. Butler
(From an announcement provided by Catalina Yachts)

It is with great sadness that we announce that Frank Willis Butler, President and Chief Executive Officer of Catalina Yachts, passed away November 15, 2020 in Westlake Village, CA, due to unexpected complications from a recent illness. We extend our most heartfelt condolences and sympathy to Frank’s family. Our thoughts are with them at this most difficult time.

A sailing icon and industry “kingspoke”, Frank Butler has introduced hundreds of thousands of people to sailing during his lifetime. Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Frank have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor. Frank leaves behind a company that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Catalina Yachts.

Frank W. Butler

Born in California in 1928, Frank’s line of popular sailboats put more than 85,000 Catalinas on the water throughout the yachting world. His boatbuilding career began in 1962, when he contracted with a Southern California builder for a 21’ daysailer. The builder was unable to finish the boat, and gave Butler the tooling. He completed building the boat himself, found he enjoyed the process, and agreed to take over the company.

A few years later he founded Catalina Yachts, which has grown to become the largest builder of fiberglass production sailboats in the United States, a position it holds to this day.

A key to Butler’s success in the sailboat industry was his attention to Catalina customers. Handling warranty issues himself, owners were nearly always surprised and reassured to get a personal call from Frank to discuss their concerns.

Butler was inducted into the National Sailing Hall of Fame in 2013. In recognition of his support of the Congressional Cup, a world match racing event, Long Beach Yacht Club awarded him the Crimson Blazer. He was also a founder and lifelong member of the Westlake Yacht Club in Westlake, CA.

Following his graduation from Glendale High School, he served in the US Navy. He met his wife, Jean, at a school dance; they recently celebrated their 71st anniversary.

Frank is survived by Jean, their four daughters, Deborah Reese, Mary Linn, Nancy Bear, and Karen Butler; three sons, David, Robert and Steve; 20 grandchildren, 28 great-grandchildren, and four great-great-grandchildren.

Awakening the joy of sailing for so many people in past generations, Frank Butler’s sailing legacy will certainly continue well into in future generations.

Looking back, looking forward

On By David BranbyIn Splendido2 Comments

Few things give me as much joy as sailing – as you can see here, when I got a chance to drive a friend’s J/100 on Lake Tahoe a few years ago. This summer, I’ve been boatless, and like many folks, struggling a bit with anxiety about how to keep my loved ones safe through this pandemic. When things got particularly rough back in June, I reached out and got some help. The good news is, I’m on the mend now, and looking forward to getting to the other side of this and getting back out on the water. Until then, I hope you and yours are staying healthy and safe, and squeezing as much joy as you can out of every moment, on the water or off.

Fair winds and smooth sailing. – DB

Once again to Emerald Bay

On By David BranbyIn Commissioning & De-commissioning, On The Water, Ports Of Call, SplendidoLeave a comment

On Sept. 14, our last sail of the season, Jamie Filbin and I cruised down to Emerald Bay on a glorious Saturday morning. Lake Tahoe has rarely looked more magnificent, and we pretty much had the lake to ourselves as we made our way south about 11 miles to the entrance of the bay.

Before we set out, we pulled Splendido up to a nearby public dock and offloaded a bunch of stuff for the winter – spare anchor, chain and rode; pillows; blankets and linens; kitchen supplies and bathroom décor; basically, anything that wasn’t nailed down. To me, it always feels like Splendido springs to life when she’s lightened of all the boat-camping gear. She’s a little livelier, a little more “yar,” as they say.

When we got to the entrance of Emerald Bay, it seemed like every boater left on the lake had had the same idea. These photos don’t show it so much, but there were dozens of boats hanging around Fannette Island, anchors down, girls sunning themselves on the backs of speedboats, guys trolling around, admiring the scenery.

The wind came up and we had a strong sail back north with the wind on the quarter. We averaged 6 knots all the way home, and Splendido sailed like a champ.

Once we tied up, Jamie and took off the sails and boom and stored them below for the winter ahead. I’d scheduled a pull-out later that week, so this was the last hurrah for the season.

Grateful for every day on the water, and for friends to share it with.

Fair winds and smooth sailing, until next time. DB