A Move to the Pacific Ocean

A new owner at Marina Del Rey

A Move to the Pacific

In October of 1970, Curlew was sold to Louis G & Mildred Holcomb of Saratoga California. The couple apparently sailed Curlew down the east coast, transited the Panama Canal, and then sailed her up to the San Francisco Bay area. Curlew was subsequently put up for sale again and purchased in 1971 by Carlos Romer, owner of a restaurant named Donkin’s Inn (later sold and changed to Clem’s) just adjacent to the slip where he berthed her in Marina del Rey. We are also told that a year later he had her hull completely rebuilt in Newport Beach CA.

Carlos sails Curlew in Marina del Rey.

Docking Newport Beach.

Arriving for repairs at Lido Island Shipyard.

Wire Halyard Winches.

Sailing off the California coast in 1973.

A look aft at her cockpit.

Dry Docked in Newport Beach.

The original focs’l hatch.

Working on a New Stem.

Rudder Removal.

Recollections from Michael

It was between 1971 and 1973 to the best of my memory, I would have been 13 years old in 1971 we had moved our boat to this location around 1963/1964.

A salty old man named Mr. Peoples was a sort of caretaker of Curlew and was leftover from the previous vessel Moored here named “Pancheta” which was a 65′ gaff rig main two masted schooner. The Pancheta left port around 1970 and the dock was modified removing a slip to extend the end tie for the Curlew to tie up.

Curlew was moored in B-Basin on Marquesas Way nearest Via Marina

The South Pacific

In late 1972, Carlos, with Captain Jeffery Finch and wife Linda, sailed Curlew to the South Pacific, visiting Samoa and Tobago before venturing on to arrive in New Zealand in 1973. Curlew was slated for a complete interior rebuild, one that has made the most significant change from her original design. Her interior layout was modernized, with no shortage of fine joinery work. According to Linda, Curlew was hauled at the Alan Orens Shipyard, Whangarei NZ, for an eight month $40,000 refit. She was relaunched in December 75, and headed back to the US. In addition to the new interior Curlew’s foremast was renewed, the original having been found to be termite infested requiring it to be burned, fuel tanks replaced, and rudder renewed. A record from the 1975 Lloyds Registry of American Yachts also reports that by now she had a 1972 4 cylinder 85 bhp Perkins diesel.