Sula was designed by John Brandlmayr, a naval architect in Vancouver BC, who offered frame kits consisting of pre-fabricated components for frames, stem, transom, and keelson. She has a hard-chine hull constructed with sawn yellow cedar frames and stringers, covered with Douglas fir plywood and fiberglass. She has a steel box keel that contains the ballast and a 200-gallon diesel tank.

Sula was built by Robert Lockard, a UW professor, and launched in Seattle 1971. He chartered Sula in Washington and British Columbia.

Sula was subsequently owned by Herb and Betty Weston, who sailed Sula out of Tacoma for a number of years before undertaking a 10-year refit, during which they replaced most of the interior, systems, and rigging, doing the majority of the work themselves. After relaunching Sula in 2007 they sailed to Alaska, Mexico, French Polynesia, Tonga, and New Zealand. They then had Sula shipped back to Seattle.

We’re the third owners, having purchased Sula in 2017. We have undertaken a number of improvements, including a new hard dodger; cockpit coamings; two diesel heaters; solar panels; a new bowsprit, kranze iron, and bobstay; and new chainplates. We took Sula to SE Alaska in 2022, and are preparing for a longer voyage next year.

Beginning with her original construction almost all the work on Sula has been done by her owners. She’s 55 years old this year and a testament to the beauty and longevity of wooden boats.