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Join The Steeves for it's 2nd Silent Auction-Dinner Fundraiser
at the Santa Cruz Yacht Club in April 2013
Limited Seats Available • Sold Out Last Year
Raffle Tickets will be on sale for $5.00 or 6 for $25
with a chance to win up to $500
There will be a Silent Auction with Maritime Goods

Donations help keep us "afloat". Sea Exploring Youth Activities Inc. (S.E.Y.A.) is a private non-profit organization based in Santa Cruz California who own and sponsor the SSS Steeves, Sea Scout Ship #669. We accept tax deductible donations in many forms. We are a 100% volunteer and non profit. All donations will go to the support of maritime youth in our community.

                


About The Steeves:

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

Specifications:

Structure:

The Steeves has a Vee hull, raked bow, hard chine and 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 water tight compartments below the main deck.

Power Plant and Electrical:

The Steeves is powered by two (2) Gardner diesel engines, each with 685 cubic inches and 150 horsepower.

The Steeves can achieve a top speed of twelve knots at 1350 RPM. The Steeves consumes eight (8.0) gallons of diesel fuel per hour when cruising at nine and one half (9.5) knots at 1200 RPM. The diesel engines are twin 6LX 6 cylinder diesels, each with 2- 1/4 : 1 reduction gears. Cooling is by heat exchangers.

The fuel capacity is 2500 gallon of diesel fuel in four (4) tanks.

The Steeves has twin five (5) blade bronze 40 X 29 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 volt and 32 volt 4-12 volt battery; 32 amp alternator and auxiliary 12.5 kilowatt generator for 110 volt. The Steeves has 240 volt and 110 volt capacity.

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

Crew Quarters and Amenities:

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

There are two berthing stations below deck. The after quarters sleep eight (8). The forward quarters sleep four (4). With four staterooms sleeping six (6) this makes for a total berthing of eighteen (18).

The Water capacity is 1,200 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 upgrades include a built-in refrigerator, and electric oven, microwave oven, and a buffet bar over an eighteen (18) cubic foot Cosplich freezer.

The Salon upgrades include a built-in flat screen TV-DVD, a ship's clock and a 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 Federal 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 (GSA) of the US Government offered the boat to the Sea Scouts. It was initially given to the Piedmont Council in 1985. The Piedmont Council renamed the ship "Revenge".

In 1998, the Piedmont Group wanted to have the boat 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 paper work was prepared to transfer the ship to the Monterey Council.

Meanwhile, John Laingor, Charlie Stoors, 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 at the dry dock there. Mr. Lorne Gould performed a marine survey to give the Santa Cruz Sea Scouts a list of items to repair. Many parts were in storage, including the settees, table, rails, etc.

On May 24, 1998, twelve (12) people from the Santa Cruz Host Lions Club joined the Santa Cruz Sea Scout Crew for the trip from Richmond, California to Santa Cruz, California, departing the KKMI docks at 7:00 AM. The Steeves passed under the Golden Gate Bridge at 8:15 AM and arrived in Santa Cruz Harbor at 4:00 PM. On the trip down the coast to Santa Cruz, the crew and their guests observed whales, dolphins, orcas, and seals. The ship averaged between 10.5 and 11 knots at 1300 RPM.

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 Small Craft 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 1/2) 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. As of last report The ship was looking good.

The Steeves is a living testimonial to the success of the Sea Scout program, and demonstrates what can be done with the cooperation and hard work of the Volunteers, Scouts, and Sponsors like the Santa Cruz Host Lions Club.

Activities:

Crew meetings are normally held on board the Steeves twice monthly. The meetings provide an opportunity to work together and learn together as members of the active team of officers and scouts who make up the crew of The Steeves.

Work days are scheduled for two weekend days each month. Sea Scouts learn how to maintain all aspects of the Steeves power plant, electrical systems, hull and deck systems, and cabins.

The Steeves makes frequent day trips from its berth in the north harbor of the Santa Cruz Small Craft Harbor. Longer cruises are scheduled each summer ranging from one to two weeks.

What Does it Mean to Be a Sea Scout?

Sea Scouting is a youth adventure program through, Boy Scouts of America, on sea and land. Sea Scouting is a co-ed program offered to young adults between the ages of 14 and 21. It's a chance to learn and have fun at the same time.

Sea Scouting is organized to promote better citizenship and to improve members' boating skills and knowledge through instruction and practice in water safety, boating skills, outdoor, social, and service experiences, and knowledge of our maritime heritage.

As a Sea Scout you will learn to keep a ship in shape. You will cruise local waters and go on long cruises far from home. You will learn to take care of ships and boats. You will be active in social events, tours, excursions, and seamanship contests. You will also have a chance to develop maritime skills that may lead to careers in the maritime industry later on.

Most Sea Scouting units are called "ships" In Santa Cruz, California, our Sea Scout unit is named after our ship, Ship #669 "Steeves". Some units also have sailboats or small power vessels for learning to sail and handle small boats. In Santa Cruz, our unit has two small boats. Every member has a change to try his hand at the helm, and to perform all of the other duties of a skilled maritime crew. All members are taught safe and proper methods of handling boats and ships. Sea Scouts also learn the meaning of buoys and lights, how to take advantage of wind and tide, and how to drop anchor or approach a dock. Day, weekend, and long cruises are held for all ship members.

Every ship or boat owner takes pride in the condition of her or his boat. Each season she or he sands, scrapes, caulks, and paints until the boat is trim and "shipshape". Sea Scout vessels are no exception. A significant part of our Sea Scouting program is teaching and learning methods of ship and boat maintenance. The Steeves Crew centers a significant part of its program around maintaining their ships floating equipment. You will learn all facets of marine maintenance, including learning what it takes to keep the Steeves Twin Gardner diesel engines running.

Swimming, Lifesaving, First Aid, Coast Guard Auxiliary Sailing and Seamanship, and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation courses are taught by our own officers, or by members of the Coast Guard Auxiliary.

The Skills We Teach:

·        Sailing, Cruising

·        Marlinespike Seamanship ~ use of line, knots and splicing

·        Piloting ~ learning the aids to navigation, reading charts

·        Rules of the Road Small Boat Handler

·        Radio ~ Qualify for Marine radiotelephone F.C.C. operator license

·        Boat Maintenance

·        Engines ~ maintenance of inboard and outboard engines

·        Maritime Careers

·        Electricity

·        Weather

·        Sailing ~ technique and parts of the boat

·        Boats ~ identification of boats, teaching and commanding a crew under oars and sail

·        Ground Tackle ~ anchoring, proper use of anchors, identification and use of 
      fittings on board

·        Galley ~ learning to prepare food and to buy provisions for a long cruise

·        Safety ~ fire, man overboard, etc.

·        Sea History

·        Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

·        State Safe Boating course

·        First Aid
 
·      Swimming and Lifesaving