Adventures of Sailing Vessel Merganser: Gato Verde Sunset Cruise

Written by J.

I found it incredibly ironic when I won the grand prize for the Adult Summer Reading Program at the Whatcom County Library: a sunset cruise for two on the Gato Verde (a Ecologically friendly [green] Cat[amaran]). As last summer ended, we found that we only had a few weeks to redeem the cruise, but were too busy on our end of things to take the time. Luckily it was good through this summer, too. We had a great time. Pictures follow.

The Certificate came with a brochure giving details of GATO VERDE. She is likely the only charter boat on the West Coast with an Electric Diesel hybrid engine (much like what you would find in a Prius, save a diesel rather than gasoline engine). When there is any wind, she sails. During our trip, we backed out of the slip and into the wind to raise the mainsail, fell off into the wind, before he turned the electric engine to "neutral" or "off," and unfurled the jib a bit. We sailed out across the Bellingham Bay for about an hour, then turned back toward shore and more sheltered water. At that point, Captain Todd roller furled the jib and we motor sailed around while the sunset. When we were leaving, Captain Todd mentioned to us that we used a small number of kilowats (a week later, neither of us can remember the figure. What we do remember is being shocked at how little the amount was).

Here is Captain Todd at the helm while we were leaving the slip. GATO VERDE's home port is at the Ferry Terminal in Bellingham. As the following photos show.

When Captain Todd went forward to raise the mainsail, I asked if he could use any help. The three of us had chatted on the dock prior to departure. He was curious about where we had gotten the certificate, and we had also explained that we lived aboard our Dreadnought 32 - a lead mine. I was expecting to be asked to pull on the halyard. Nope. He turned off the autopilot and put me at the helm!

What fun! I was there for about an hour or so. I'm not used to steering with a wheel, nor by instruments (you couldn't feel the wind back aft so depended on the wind direction finder - perfect setup for a charter boat, not so much for steering by the wind across your cheek).

There were nine of us guests in total, and of the other seven, only a child had any experience sailing. Needless to say, they were all surprised to see me helming away. It was great fun.

We sailed out into Bellingham Bay for about an hour before turning around and sailing back towards Boulevard Park and the lee of Fairhaven.

It was somewhat disconcerting at first to feel and hear the slapping of the waves between the hulls as they hit the upper deck. On our boat, that means we've hit something. And GATO VERDE had a more sharper "snap" like a sports car while MERGANSER rolls along like a large 1970's Chrysler New Yorker.

Fun to sail, none-the-less, as we were doing an easy 8+ knots in a 12-15 knot breeze with only the jib rolled out 3/4 or so. Captain Todd said we could push things, but for the comfort of the other guests, he was going more for comfort rather than speed.