S4, Ep48 Seven Knots is a Perfect Speed to See the World
December 21, 2025 · 28 min · 772 views · Ensenada, Mexico
Crew waves as Westward backs from dock, stern visible
What this video covers
The 86-foot wooden motor vessel Westward, built at the J.A.0:24 Martinowicz Shipyard in Docton, Washington in 1924, gets a full tour from Tim aboard in Ensenada, Mexico.0:29 The boat was launched as the flagship of the Alaska Coast Hunting and Cruising Company and now runs an annual circuit from Port Townsend, Washington to Baja and back under owner Jordan Elliott, carrying eight guests on kayaking, hiking, snorkeling, and whale-watching expeditions.0:34 The heart of the vessel is a four-cylinder Atlas Imperial diesel built in Oakland in 1923 — a 50-liter, 1,436-cubic-inch engine with a 9-inch bore, 12-inch stroke, 115 horsepower, and roughly 1,900–2,000 foot-pounds of torque, running at 270 RPM.8:48 It starts on compressed air rather than electric ignition, requires oiling at 116 external points every three hours using 40-weight Bellow 400 oil and two-stroke oil on the rocker arm rollers, and burns three to three-and-a-half gallons per hour.15:11 The 2,200-gallon fuel capacity allows passage from Port Townsend to La Paz without refueling, with a stop at Pearson Marine Fuels in San Diego.14:25 Skipper Casey Hurt and naturalist Bryce walk through the air-start procedure, the reverse planetary gear system, the pump rack, and the original 1924 pilothouse wheel still in active use.20:20 The boat's cruising speed of seven knots prompted a previous owner's observation that seven knots is a perfect speed to see the world — the line that titles the piece.13:49
More from Sailing Into the Mystic
From Sailing Into the Mystic — see the channel’s boat, crew, and every analyzed video.
The Sailing Directory Newsletter
One email with the fleet's best finds — the moments, boats, and stories worth your watch time. Enter your own address to get your own copy.