Retired airline pilot and offshore sailor David Zaharik is no stranger to Whitehall Spirit®️ Rowboats. He bought his first boat, a Whitehall Spirit®️ Solo 14®️, several years ago and loved it for the sheer pleasure of rowing, as well as for the fitness benefits. He also used the Solo 14®️ as a ship’s tender and shore boat for his previous cruising sailboat, a Benateau 42.

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A couple of years ago, David upgraded to a larger offshore sailboat, a Boreal 47 called “Beyond the Blue”. This sailboat is a truly magnificent cruiser that he sailed home to Vancouver, BC from Northern France, Tréguier, via Spain, Portugal… Along with the new cruiser, David now wanted another Whitehall Spirit®️ boat to go with the sailboat and to replace the Zodiac inflatable that came with the Boreal 47.

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A Solo 14®️ was a bit too long to fit the stern davits on the new sailboat however a Whitehall Spirit®️ Westcoast 11.6 Rowboat would be a perfect fit.

David ordered a custom built model, complete with an fully buoyant ocean tender floor and slide seat sculling gear. He required a spring delivery and agreed to pick it up with the “Big Blue”.

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Whitehall Rowing & Sail’s production manager Colin Rolls was able to meet with David at his boat at the Port of Sidney marina. Colin custom fitted the spectra lifting strops so the new Whitehall Spirit®️ Westcoast 11.6 Rowboat hung on the davits level and true. The stern davit system swings down using a powered winch so launching and picking up a ships tender is relatively easy. Just row up, or motor up using his electric Torqeedo outboard, clip the Spectra lift strops to the the davit on both sides, disembark, then use the winch to hoist the davit and the boat up into the stowed position.

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David was able to take “Lil’ Blue” out for a first row and was totally impressed that it was as fast to row as his previous boat, the Whitehall Spirit®️ Solo 14®️.

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David plans extensive voyaging in the next few years with his sights set on sailing to Alaska and later to the South Pacific. One thing for sure, wherever he goes, David will have a super tough, unsinkable ship’s tender along with him that does double duty as a fitness gym keeping David and his crew trim and healthy.

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Find out more about
Whitehall Spirit®️ West Coast 11.6 Slide Seat Sculling Rowboat

Find out more about
Whitehall Spirit®️ Solo 14®️

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