Santa Cruz Sea Scouts Ship 669 has been a powerboat program for local youth for the last 90 years. Now, we're expanding into SAILING!

After searching for months for the right sailboat, we were lucky to find the perfect boat, a Catalina 30 sailboat with a motivated seller - but we have to move fast! Please donate to give Scouts access to sailing!

Santa Cruz Sea Scouts Ship 669:

Is one of the largest Sea Scout groups in the country
Took top honors this month competing in the South West Regatta!
Serves girls and boys from sixth grade up
Is a 100% volunteer-run, youth lead group
Teaches maritime skills through short and long trips in the Monterey Bay Marine Sanctuary and beyond
Is a registered nonprofit, making your donation completely tax deductible!
Santa Cruz Yacht Harbor has traditionally been a sailing harbor, and is the birthplace of some of the most important sail designs in the world. Our crew of sailors will continue this tradition with pride.

A sailboat will give us a much more peaceful and environmentally conscious way to be part of our ocean ecosystem!

Sea Scouts Ship 669 - Santa Cruz, CA

The Pearls - 38 foot Trawler

Our vessels are a living testimonial to the success of the Sea Scout program, and demonstrate what can be done with the cooperation and hard work of the Volunteers, Scouts, and Sponsors like the Santa Cruz Host Lions Club

Volunteers

We are in need of volunteers. As you may know, a ship is in continuous need of upkeep and repair. We are looking for men and women who can help teach us about Ship Maintenance/Repair, Sailing, Navigation, Fishing and more. Adult program volunteers are also needed to help co-manage our Scout program.

Budget

Our budget of 65,000.00 a year supports all ship operations, day cruises, weekend overnights, and our long Summer Cruise. We sponsor scouts in need so they can be a part of our program. Additionally our budget covers important repairs, haul outs and maintenance.

Activities

Our Sea Scouts run and maintain our ship. Through day-long and extended excursions our Scouts practice team work while having fun boating and exploring the coast. In addition to running our ship, Scouts participate in regional regattas sharing skills and activities with other Sea Scout Ships. Weekly meetings and at least monthly activities are a mix fun, training, and leadership development.

Make a Donation

Santa Cruz Youth Maritime Foundation is a private non-profit 501(c)3 organization based in Santa Cruz, California who own and sponsor the SSS Pearls Sea Scout Ship #669.

Help Keep Us Afloat! MAKE A TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATION TO SCYMF. All of your donations will go to the support of youth in our local community. Our tax ID number is: 88-3275728.

Donate $ with Venmo

Donate $ with a Credit Card

Sponsor our Ship - View Sponsorship Form

Donate a Water Vessel

In addition to financial support, SSS 669 values donations that help get our Scouts out on the water. Specifically, we are seeking a 10'-12' sail/row/motor yacht tender for Pearls, paddle boards, kayaks, or an 8-Oar Pull Boat. We received our 38' Trawler "The Pearls" via a donation and it has served as a foundation of our program. Contact us via email to discuss donating a water vessel.

Wishlist

Power tools (saber saw, power drill, lots of bits)

Whiteboard and expos

Handsaw

Level

Wireless hand vac

Wooden hangers

Garden hose

Pressure Washer

Colander

Tool dip

Protecting Our Oceans

We’re training our youth to sail and protect our Oceans! Santa Cruz Youth Maritime Foundation. A California Non-Profit Corporation. Federal ID #88-3275728.

About The Pearls

Read about the Pearls and how we acquired it.

The Pearls is a 39 foot 8 inch diesel Defever Passagemaker Trawler, built in the late 1970’s. It has a fiberglass deep V hull and a draft of 4 feet. It has a beam of 13 feet 8 inches. She has a flared bow, a soft chine, and a box stern with a teak swim deck and transom. She is powered by a Ford Lehman 120 diesel and is governed to 2100 RPM, or around 9-10 knots. She burns 2-3 gallons per hour when cruising at 9 knots or 1900 RPM. She has a fuel capacity of 200 gallons in one tank, on the portside. There is a starboard side tank but it doesn't have a bladder and is therefore not in use. She is a single screw, but has a hydraulic stern thruster. She has two 8D marine batteries, and a Garmin radar system, a depth sounder, and is operational from either the fly deck, or the helm in the salon. The Pearls has a fly deck with a foldable bimini, as well as a split main indoor deck with a V berth forward, and a full size bed in the stern stateroom. There are emergency exit hatches in both the v-birth and the stateroom. She has two heads, one forward, one aft, and one shower, as well as a closet and several cabinets in the stern stateroom. The salon has what is supposed to be a pullout settee, but doesn't actually pull out. It also has a small T.V. a heater, and a galley including a refrigerator, a freezer, a 3 burner stove, a sink, a cutting board, and a mini oven. The railings, deck, indoor floor and paneling, window, porthole and hatch frames, and mounts are all teak. There are two small foldable tables in the salon for dining.

The Pearls was originally called the String O' Pearls, and was ordered by a wealthy celebrity in the late 70s, but within a few years was sold to one Mr. Bob, who is a Coast Guard Auxiliary member, and used the Pearls both as his private boat, but also for training the auxiliary. It was used for over 200 operations, more than any other Auxiliary vessel in the Bay Area. Then, it was based at the Antioch Marina, until December of 2021, when we acquired it after some back and forth calling and emailing. It stayed in the Antioch Marina until Sunday, February 6th, of 2022 when Boatswain Huck Higgins, Skipper Kevin Melrose, Mate Bryant Grigsby, Pilot Derrel, Boatswain's Mate Magnus Grigsby, and Boatswain's Mate Gabriel Orange prepared it for the cruise back to Santa Cruz. They left at 0706, and went under the Golden Gate Bridge at 1215. There was reasonable weather and seas until Pacifica, and from Pacifica to Pillar Point Harbor in Half Moon Bay there were 15-20 knot winds, and 4-5 foot swell. They berthed at Pillar Point Harbor for the night, with Boatswain's Mate Magnus Grigsby and Mate Bryant Grigsby having to leave early at this time. The rest continued the trip to Santa Cruz the following morning, August 7th, and arrived in Santa Cruz Harbor at 1510 on February 7th, 2022. The ship was thereafter renamed the Pearls, and is currently owned and operated by the Santa Cruz Sea Scouts and the Santa Cruz Youth Maritime Foundation. The Pearls is berthed at V Dock at the Santa Cruz Harbor.

The Sea Scout Ship 669 “The Pearls” - 38 foot Trawler

Past Ship "The Bosso"

Past Ship "The Steeves"

The Sea Scout Ship 669 “Steeves” was built in 1962. The Steeves is a 63 food Welded Steel Hull Diesel Yacht-Motor Trawler.

The Steeves has a Vee hull, raked bow, hard chine, and a round stern. The hull is made of one-quarter inch (1/4”) steel below the water line and three-sixteenths (3/16”) above the waterline. The support structure consists of 3/8” x 2” x 8” T-bar vertical frames on four foot (4’) centers.

There are five watertight compartments below the main deck.

The Steeves is powered by two (2) Cummings diesel NT-855 engines with 325 horsepower each. She was repowered in 2015 in Moss Landing.

The Steeves can achieve a top speed of 11 knots at 1650 RPM. The Steeves consumes eight (8.0) gallons of diesel fuel per hour when cruising at nine and one half (9.5) knots at 1450 RPM. The transmissions are 3: 1 reduction and cooling is by heat exchangers.

The fuel capacity is 3200 gallons of diesel fuel in four (4) tanks She has twin five (5) blade bronze 40 x 29 RH and LH propellers with 3” stainless steel shafts.

The electrical system consists of eight (8) marine batteries, for port and starboard of 32 volts and converts to 12 volts and 32 volts 4-12 volt battery; 32 amp alternator and auxiliary 12.5-kilowatt generator for 110 volts. The Steeves has 240 volts and 110-volt capacity.

The wheelhouse has a 48-mile radar system, a depth sounder, forward sonar, three (3) compasses, and two(2) GPS.

There are three (3) heads on the main deck. The starboard head has a stand-up shower. There is on outside shower to port by the stack.

There are two berthing stations below deck. The after quarters sleep six (6) and the forward quarters sleep four (4). With four staterooms sleeping six (6) makes for a total berthing of sixteen (16).

The water capacity is 1200 gallons in two water tanks.

The railing is Burmese teak. The deck is 1” thick Queensland beech planks, secret screwed with rubber caulking.

The Salon is paneled with polished Queensland Maple paneling. The galley and main salon are surrounded by windows.

The Galley includes a built-in refrigerator and electric oven, microwave oven, and a buffet bar over an 18 cubic foot freezer.

The Salon includes a flat screen TV-DVD, a ship’s clock and salon table that seats twelve (12) at each seating.

History

In 1962 this ship’s original name was Tahuna. The original owner, Mr. Hillary Willkens, had Tahuna built in South Wales, Australia. The U.S. Government took possession of the boat in 1977 from a subsequent owner in a DEA forfeiture. The U.S. Navy had possession of the ship from 1977 to 1985. In 1985 the General Services Administration offered the boat to the Sea Scouts. It was initially given to the Piedmont Council and renamed “Revenge”.

In 1998 the Piedmont Group wanted to have the ship moved from the Naval Supply Center in Piedmont, California. Robert L. French, Commodore Area III, Stockton offered the ship to the Santa Cruz Group. On March 2, 1998, while the Santa Cruz Group’s previous boat, Gavalan, was in dry-dock, the paperwork was prepared to transfer the ship to the Monterey Bay Council.

Meanwhile, John Laingor, Charlie Stoores, and the crew from the Santa Cruz Sea Scouts took the ship to Keefe, Kaplan Maritime Inc. (KKMI) in Point Richmond for a haul out. Mr. Lorne Gould performed a survey of items needing repair. Many parts were in storage, including settees, table, rail, etc.

On May 24, 1998, twelve people from the Santa Cruz Host Lions Club joined the Sea Scout crew for the trip to Santa Cruz. Departing at 0700 the Steeves passed under the Golden Gate Bridge at 0815 and arrived in Santa Cruz at 1600.

The Steeves was greeted by a welcoming committee of Santa Cruz Host Lions Club off Santa Cruz Point. The welcoming committee escorted the ship to its berth in the Santa Cruz Harbor.

As the Steeves motored into the harbor for the first time, the Harbor Patrol commented on the radio, “Wow, that must be the Scout boat. Make sure they can get it under the bridge!” At the lowest tide of the day, the Steeves slowly approached the bridge with only one and one half (1 ½) feet to spare. The Skipper blew the horn and shouted, “We made it!” The Steeves is berthed on V dock on the south side of the Upper Santa Cruz Harbor. The Skipper, adult leaders and Scouts have been working hard since 1998 to restore the Steeves.

Get in Touch

Find us at V Dock in the Santa Cruz Harbor

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Make a Donation

We are grateful for your donations! This link will take you to our donation page.

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Sea Scouts Ship 669 - Santa Cruz, CA

Volunteers

Budget

Activities

Make a Donation

Donate a Water Vessel

Wishlist

Protecting Our Oceans

About The Pearls

History

Get in Touch

Find us at V Dock in the Santa Cruz Harbor

Make a Donation

Get In Touch!

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