Rowena is a 1963 Philip Rhodes cutter, 48 feet 9 inches, built of carvel Honduras mahogany planking on oak frames and backbone, bronze fastened, with a fir deadwood and a 13,000-pound lead ballast keel. Her teak deck rests over a plywood sub-deck. The superstructure is teak and mahogany, with a white-painted interior, varnished trim, and a teak-and-holly sole. The mast and spars are varnished sitka spruce and keel stepped. 

She crossed to Hawaii in the Transpac races of ’65, ’69, ’71, and ’73, placed second in the 1991 San Diego to Maui Race, and took third in the 1992 Ocean I division of the Master Mariners Regatta.
 She has benefited from a succession of exceptional owners who sailed and cared for her well. When we were preparing to sail Rowena from San Francisco to Port Townsend, I spoke with one of her former owners while seeking one more hand for the trip. To my surprise, he flew down the next day and joined us. Watching him at the helm was eye-opening—sailing Rowena offshore with him at the helm was nothing short of incredible. I had an idea how she might sail offshore in big weather but it was then I truly realized what she could do. In that moment, it was an awakening to just how remarkable she is.
 One of Rowena’s most surprising qualities is how she brings people together. In harbors up and down the west coast, strangers have stepped forward to share stories of time spent aboard, passages made and cherished family memories. She has opened the door to many new friendships and meaningful connections.
 In the last five years, we’ve had the privilege of living the cruising life she was built for. From Port Townsend through the Inside Passage to Alaska, to Haida Gwaii and down Vancouver Island’s wild west coast, Rowena has carried us steadily and surely. Under sail, she feels strong and steady—alive yet reassuring. She’s exhilarating when pressed and cozy and comfortable to live aboard for months at a time.
 Being Rowena’s current stewards is incredibly fulfilling and has given us more than we could ever have imagined.