THE SKIPPER

Background:
       After a wildly misspent young adulthood on cruising sailboats, Jim began operating the 40-foot R/V Scammon for UC Santa Cruz in 1976.  A decade in that position put him on worksites all over central California waters, with several death-defying operations at San Nicolas Island, and one dream project in Tonga.  Four of those summers involved commercial king crab and salmon fishing in Alaska, and Jim's first encounter with the Shana Rae, on Prince William Sound.

       The 1986 transition to his own business, running the boat from Alaska down to Santa Cruz in the fall of that year, was a natural progression.  You can follow some of what's come of this union since then by clicking back to Shana Rae Operations.  Our Monterey Bay location, with almost immediate access to deep Canyon water, has proven to be an asset even to some East Coast clients.

       With valued relationships in both the San Francisco and Monterey Bay areas, and a trend towards longer projects further up and down the coast, this expansion to include a second complementary vessel is the next logical challenge.  We have come to know some gifted vessel operators in the Santa Cruz and San Francisco Bay areas, and look forward to having their help!

From the Skipper:
       "So...the Shana Rae has seen the whole West Coast between Valdez, Alaska and Cedros Island, Baja California.  She's a massively-rigged vessel for her size, heavy enough for Alaskan weather, small enough to mobilize out of most harbors, with the economy and calendar flexibility of a small-crew operation.  The combination of my broad experience and the Shana Rae's extraordinary overhead rigging means that your next critical deployment can be accomplished in the safest, most capable, economical, and comfortable manner that you'll find in this size range, anywhere.

       And now that Retriever is here to help, we look forward to offering a more predictable, full-time presence in both the San Francisco and Monterey Bay areas, readier service to the broader California coast and now to the Pacific Ocean itself.  Now, the right coastal support vessel for your next important project can be where you need it, most cost-effectively.  Our deepest thanks to the many investigators who have trusted their vital project needs to the Shana Rae since 1986, and our best wishes for these next exciting years.  I hope that we can be of some help.

       Thanks for stopping by...and be careful going over the rail there."

       Jim
       Monterey Canyon Research Vessels, Inc.