A Boat Donation Helps BAADS
In this month’s issue of Latitude 38, we share John “Woody” Skoriak’s report on boat donations around the Bay Area. Woody writes, “After more than four decades of observing vessel donations, I’ve seen nearly every misconception about how the process works, and why it often benefits both the donor and the nonprofit far more than people realize.” The story prompted reader Teri Shore to share her story of how Believe became a donated boat, sailing in the BAADS fleet.
Dear Latitude 38:
After my partner Stan Pawlak passed away out beyond the Farallones on his beloved Beneteau Oceanis 41 Believe in May 2021, I donated the boat to the Bay Area Association of Disabled Sailors (BAADS). Stan wanted that. The “Boat Donations” article in Sightings, December 2025, provided accurate information about what’s involved. At the time, I had no idea.
BAADS gave Stan the skills he needed as an “alter-abled” sailor. He bought his boat in 2017, and in 2018 sailed with a crew and his Canine Companions dog Ming to Mexico as part of Baja Ha-Ha XXVI in 2018, earning the “Spirit of the Ha-Ha” award. (See Latitude 38 December 2018, page 62). He and another crew sailed it back up the coast in December that year.
What exactly happened on board is unknown, but Stan was offshore getting ready to race in the Singlehanded Transpacific Race to Hawaii in June 2021. After I lost contact with him and called the Coast Guard, he was found onboard unresponsive and evacuated by helicopter to Stanford, but it was too late. His boat sailed on down the coast and was finally recovered and taken to Ventura.
The Singlehanded Sailing Society posted this about Stan in June 2021: “Stan was fastidious and methodical in his preparations by ensuring his Beneteau 41.1, equipment and procedures could face the challenges of an offshore passage. His sailing vessel Believe was modified to accommodate the additional challenges of a disabled sailor. Additionally, Stan made sure it was fully compliant with the offshore equipment requirements set by International and San Francisco bodies for racing and ocean passage making. The ideas that Stan developed like easier life raft deployment and a better deck layout to minimize time on the foredeck could serve as a template for both abled and disabled sailors.”
Stan worked with Scott Easom and his team to customize the boat to make it more or less “push button.” Capt. Paul Amaral of Channel Watch Marine was so helpful and understanding when retrieving the sailboat from nearly 200 miles off the coast and bringing it safely into port at Ventura Harbor. Afterward, the folks at KKMI were so kind and helpful in getting the boat fully seaworthy again.
Today Believe is still sailing the Bay with BAADS, and his dog Ming is now my life partner.
Teri Shore, Sonoma, CA.
See Woody’s story and learn more about donating your boat here.