Storied Islander 36 ‘Geja’ Seeks New Owner for New Adventures
Andrew Vik and his 1976 Islander 36 Geja (pronounced “Gaya”) have had numerous appearances in the pages of Latitude 38 magazine, along with a guest spot on our Good Jibes podcast, and a story or two in ‘Lectronic Latitude. After almost 20 years of sailing the Med, Andrew is ready to retie the dock lines and hand over Geja’s helm to a new owner. The USA-flagged boat is located in Croatia, well-equipped and ready to cruise the Dalmatian coast and the Mediterranean.
“Yes, I’m selling my beloved Geja, which I bought sight unseen in 2008 through the pages of the Northern California magazine, Latitude 38,” Andrew writes in the description. Andrew appeared ready to sell Geja in August 2024. We can only surmise that it has been difficult to take that final step and openly list her for sale. But here she is, listed in Latitude’s Classy Classifieds as “Cheaper and better-equipped than most Islanders.…”
Although he is based in California, Andrew has spent 15 summers sailing Geja 13,000 miles to nine Mediterranean countries and two continents. Along the way he welcomed more than 90 different friends, family and acquaintances as crew (not all at once, of course). “She has plenty of life left in her, fully equipped and ready to go for more seasons to come,” he says.
Is there anything wrong with her? “Well,” Andrew says, “she is aesthetically challenged. The hull above the waterline has long needed a paint job. The toe rails leak in a couple of spots, a very common issue. I’ve taken the Band-Aid approach by caulking their edges from the outside, but at some point they should be removed and properly re-caulked, a weekend job for two if things go smoothly. Even with these issues present since my purchase in 2008, they haven’t prevented me from safely and comfortably voyaging thousands of miles through the Med.”
When she was last listed for sale, Geja was based in Italy. And there she remained while Andrew bought the Islander, sight unseen, from San Francisco sailors Eli and Sara Bottrell, who had spent 10 years sailing her across the Pacific and Indian oceans and on to the Med, where they cruised her for a further five years. Sara listed Geja for sale after Eli passed away in 2006.
The Islander was built near Los Angeles, California, during what Andrew describes as a boom of fiberglass boatbuilding. “The hull is thick and strong,” he continues, adding that the Islanders were not made for crossing oceans. “Still, I’ve had her out in some very challenging conditions, which she has always handled well.”
Having owned Geja for what amounts to half of his life, Andrew says she has given him more than a lifetime’s worth of adventure and is excited to see an “equally passionate owner” take her over.
Learn more about Geja here.
If an Islander 36 is not the boat for you, view other listings in the Classy Classifieds here.
And if you’re just curious about Geja, read up on some of the adventures she and Andrew have shared over their 18 or so years together here.