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75 partners at $400

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After several challenges at the Sausalito shipyard, several miracles happened; allowing Amazing Grace to dry dock at Bay Ship & Yacht in Alameda. Alameda was our first choice but insurance requirements stood in the way. The insurance company required a haul out to give us coverage and the shipyard required insurance to haul us out. Miraculously the insurance came through and our desired shipyard became available within three days. Thanks so much for your prayers and support! On Friday, July 8^th, Amazing Grace officially dry docked.

Bay Ship & Yacht is the only shipyard that can accommodate our ship in San Francisco Bay, a very professional outfit. Ten years ago, we had Amazing Grace serviced here. Therefore, they were able to refer to prior documents to quickly service the ship. They have everything we need to make Amazing Grace seaworthy for the journey south to Mazatlán, Mexico and beyond serving the people of the fishing villages in the Sea of Cortez. While in dry dock, Amazing Grace will receive the following service which we've already been able to pay for:

ultrasonic measurements of the hull
new bottom paint
replace zincs to protect the hull

However, during the shakedown cruise, we noticed that the 3 x 1000 gallon fuel tanks need to be clean and serviced to ensure that in rough seas, no contaminates will plug up the fuel filters and shutdown the engines. After meeting with the shipyard about this, the quote for this service is an additional $24,000 due to California state and federal requirements to properly enter the fuel tanks and dispose of contaminants. Installing reinforced steel plates based on ultrasonic report is an increase of approximately $6,000.

We ask that 75 people partner with us to contribute $400 each for a total of $30,000 to ensure that Amazing Grace is ready to serve in Mexico. Please join us in making a difference.

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Our journey to Alameda

On a blustery windy day, July 7, 2016, Amazing Grace departed Marina Bay Marina in Richmond, California bound for Bay Ship & Yacht, a short 2 hour cruise. Under Capt. Ed Payne’s direction, Charlotte plotted the course on her chart plotter and steered the ship to Alameda while Chief Engineer, Rob Hadley and I kept a careful watch on the engines and propeller shafts. Charlotte navigated through the “slot”, high winds and 4 to 5 foot swells. The “slot” is the section of San Francisco Bay notorious for the waves, winds and fog that blow through the Golden Gate Bridge. Amazing Grace handled the pounding swells on its starboard beam (right side of ship) very nicely. Spray from the waves hit the pilot house, 20 feet above the waterline. Upon entering the Alameda Estuary around 5:30 pm, where Port of Oakland receives major shipping vessels, it was rush hour traffic. Charlotte piloted the ship behind a huge cargo vessel with two tugs. As we patiently kept our distance from it, a Blue & Gold ferry zips passed us on the right and Charlotte followed suit. Minutes later, an Alameda Ferry, bound for San Francisco, makes its way around the cargo vessel and passes us on the left in the opposite direction. Then the cargo vessel pulls over to the loading docks, allowing another huge tanker bound for the Golden Gate Bridge, to pass, heading towards us. Charlotte maneuvers Amazing Grace near the shoreline, staying out of its way. After the vessel passed, she heads back to the center of the narrow channel, until she noticed the big bulbous bow of the first cargo vessel heading for the center as well. Capt. Ed alerts Charlotte of the cargo vessel’s intention and Charlotte goes to full throttle and steers clear. Chief Engineer, Rob Hadley, quietly instructs Charlotte to watch the engine temperatures as she maneuvered calmly. Arriving at the Bay Ship & Yacht guest platform, Capt. Ed resumed the helm and docked Amazing Grace gently onto the dock.

With Gratitude,
Zeus & Charlotte Ebio
Executive Directors