"How did I get up here?"
My name is Zachary Shane Orion Lough. I am a photographer, filmographer, and self-proclaimed naturalist who enjoys discovering new places, eating new things, and watching lots of movies. I always have a camera and always use it; I guess you could call me ‘natures paparazzi.' I have never broken a bone, and I never want to break a promise. People call me Fireshark... That last part I made up, but I will respond to Fireshark.
I grew up on this boat. Enjoy her&d BTW there used to be a barf bucket with my name on it.
Its interesting how everything on a cruising sailboat becomes personified. I think this habite is a disease.
Hey Zach
Very cool what you’re doing, but you probably already know that. I’m trying to gather the stones to do the very same thing, or something of that nature
Huge fan of your pics.
If you have some free time can you let me know what kind of boat Panache is?
Fair winds Glenn
1976 Catalina 30!
Hey Zachary,
This is going to be a random e-mail to read but, hang with me because after 25++ years or so, my memory is both faded and creative.
My wife and I were moored at Avila Cove on Angel Island in San Francisco Bay in June of 1980 something. Our oldest son (now 31,) was celebrating a birthday, one where getting Tonka Toys to play on the beach would be a really cool birthday present. Our daughter was a babe in arms. (We were young Catalina 30 owners, like you!) Panache had just returned from her cruise through the South Pacific and was tied up next to us, along with a number of other Catalina 30s from Fleet 1, including Seth Bailey’s Fat Cat. I do remember (or is this the creative part of my memory) someone had lost their halyard up the mast and the lady on Panache scampered up their mast sans bosuns chair, in a rather ‘hot’ bikini, to retrieve the lost halyard. Needless to say, there were a lot of men gauking in amazement.
Take care of Panache. She holds a very memorable spot in our thoughts. We had friends who owned and sailed their Cal 2-27 through the South Pacific who had poo pooed Catalina 30’s until they ran into Panache in the South Pacific. They changed their tune! (And guaranteed their boat has long been put to bed and Panache is still sailing.) That’s a call out to Frank Butler. (The only problem with Frank is he builds boats that are just too good to give up. We’ve had our 30 for 30 years and we’re planning to follow you in a couple of years. We’re hull number 2814.)
Have a great and safe time and don’t ever hurry to a destination to meet a deadline. Cruising know no deadlines and if that sucks for friends with airplane tickets, it sucks for them, not you.
And always remember what Jack Sparrow said about the Black Pearl, “It’s not just a keel and a hull and sails; that’s what a ship needs. But what a ship is . . . What the Black Pearl (what Panache) really is, is freedom.”
Sail on,
Ron and Gail
Great to hear from you both! The history of Panache, and Catalina 30s in general, is overwhelming. I’m currently tied up next to a huge ketch in Bahia del Sol, El Salvador, and the owner chatted me up for 30 minutes about his old Catalina 30. His first boat. Half the people I meet started on a Catalina 30!? Catalina 30s have a price thats right for first time buyers, and they are stout enough to take anywhere if you have the skills. They are the workhorses of the sea! Thanks for taking a peek at my website, and I hope to see you out here!
Was interested to read about your adventures in Latitude 38. Sorry to hear about your dangerous incident on the reef at Niue! We too have a Catalina 30. It is a 1978, hull number 1210, named “Goose”. She’s been a great boat for our family and our two sons spent a lot of time onboard crewing for us as they were growing up. We have raced her very successfully in San Francisco Bay. We have gone on the Delta Doo-Dah (3 times) and taken her on short trips outside the Bay. As racers, we have not outfitted her for cruising, but have considered doing some upgrades to go on the Baja Ha-Ha, or some other long distance cruise. We will look at your site for ideas. Your photos are beautiful. We hope to cross paths with you someday. Good luck and we wish you fair winds and following seas.
Hey Skipper,
Met you on the hill in Santa Maria. Hoping for an update soon from NZ! I will be following your footsteps in 2019!!
Aloha.