The Boat
Swell is hull #68 of the Cal 40 fleet built by Jensen Marine of Orange County in 1966. The Cal 40 was a revolutionary design for its time--fast, comfortable, safe, strong, and made of fiberglass instead of wood. To this day, it's a legend in the sailing world. Cal 40s have sleek lines, a roomy cockpit, usable deck space, a fin keel, spade rudder, keel- stepped mast, and ample cabin space.
Cal 40 Specs:
Length over all: 39' 6"
Length at Waterline: 30' 6"
Beam: 11'
Draft: 5' 6"
Displacement: 15,000lbs
Ballast: 6,000lbs
Swell was in fairly good condition when I bought her, but had been used infrequently and was geared only for light coastal sailing. She did have a beautiful new 4-cylinder Yanmar diesel, which eliminated one major project. Little did I know at the time, turning Swell into a legitimate blue water cruiser was going to take quite a bit of work. Looking back, it may have been cheaper to have hauled her out and gutted her. Instead I tried to live aboard through the retrofit...until finally the projects booted me onto land. Having some cruising experience, I knew what I wanted to boat to do, but not always how to get Swell to do it. Often the solutions to problems were reached by a combination of opinions and research, but they never came easily and there was always a naysayer somewhere nearby. Throughout the retrofit one thing became glaringly clear--every project took me at least five times longer than I thought it would, but it sure feels good to know that I did them. After all the projects, I've learned SO much, and know Swell inside and out. Check out all the improvments listed below.
Above decks:
- Replace standing rigging: beefed up the rig wire by wire, used Norseman fittings
- Replace running rigging: ran reef lines to cockpit, reconfigured mainsheet arrangement, replaced halyards
- Replace boom
- Remove teak rail and fiberglass over hull to deck joint (it leaked terribly)
- Replaced rudder bearing
- Reinforced anchor roller
- Add two self-tailing winches in cockpit
- Install solent stay (inner forestay)
- Replace masthead sheaves and tang bolts
- Replace bow chainplate
- Add tri-color mast light
- Dodger and side curtains
- Move propane system belowdecks
- Overhaul hatches
- Mount life raft (8 person Givens)
- Enlarge cockpit drains
- Mount Monitor windvane
- Davit Solar panels
- Reinforce rudder post
- Replaced rudder bearing
- Reinforced anchor roller
Below Decks
- Re-fiberglass bulkheads where tabs had detached
- Reconfigure bilge access
- Move salt water intake thru-hull out of battery compartment
- Replace batteries
- Replace electrical panel
- Replace all old wiring: lights, add 12-volt plugs, 110-volt outlets
- Replace refrigeration system: Glacier Bay with combination AC compressor
- Install battery charger
- Waterheater
- Extend mid-cabin bulkheads
- Devise new table system
- Build nav station and shelf into starboard side
- Add second diesel tank: 60 gallons under port settee
- Install Single Side Band radio: copper plate, copper tape, and digital antenna
- Add shower area: fiberglassed floor between foreward cabin and main salon, add shower drain
- Install watermaker
- Install autopilot
- Replumb head: new hose, added thru-hull and macerator
- Repaint interior
- Refinish floors
- Refinish countertops
