Sailing UV ( UltraViolet )

Jonathan sold his home and vehicles in Ohio, loaded his 100-pound Doberman named Violet into his truck, and drove to the Northern California to buy a neglected 1996 Henry Morgan 57 named UltraViolet (UV). Operating out of Sausalito, he is currently utilizing his professional background as a marine electrician to execute a comprehensive, system-by-system DIY refit of the Bruce Roberts design. The immediate mission is to rebuild the 57-footer's failing infrastructure, with the long-term goal of untying the dock lines for a global circumnavigation.

Key Takeaways

• Professional-Grade Systems Refit: Jonathan utilizes his background as a working marine tradesman to document complex electrical troubleshooting, from pulling heavy-gauge power cables to diagnosing rogue fuel system issues.
• Major Equipment Upgrades: The channel offers a highly technical look at heavy machinery integration, notably documenting the installation of a Seakeeper Gyro stabilizer in a classic 1990s cruising hull.
• Large Breed on Board: Violet, a 100-pound Doberman with a distinct lack of patience for local harbor seals, provides a constant presence throughout the refit process in the Northern California.
• Bootstrapped Financing: The refit is funded directly by Jonathan working local marine repair jobs, bypassing the typical sponsor-heavy model for a pay-as-you-go reality.

⚓ Quick Specs & Channel Vitals

• Vessel Name: UltraViolet (UV)
• Designer / Model: Bruce Roberts / Henry Morgan 57
• Year Built: 1996
• Sailing Style: Blue water cruising / Heavy DIY refit
• Primary Crew: Jonathan & Violet (Doberman)
• Current Location: Sausalito, California
• Technical Focus: Marine electrical, fuel system diagnostics, gyro stabilization.
• Key Upgrades: Seakeeper Gyro, Garmin VHF/AIS.
• Audience: 2.3K+ Subscribers, 3.7M+ Views

Meet the Crew and the Fleet

The Sailors Behind the Helm

The dynamic aboard UV is straightforward: one professional tradesman and one large dog navigating the logistical hurdles of reviving a neglected 57-foot sailboat. There is no large production crew. Jonathan leverages his day job to fund his circumnavigation goals, documenting the gritty reality of a major boatyard overhaul.

Jonathan

Jonathan is a marine electrician and systems installer who traded a land-based life in Ohio for the cold, wet boatyards of the Northern California. After liquidating his real estate and vehicles, he took ownership of UV and immediately tore into her failing systems. Jonathan brings professional diagnostic skills to the project. He funds the refit by working on other boats in the San Francisco Bay area, ensuring that every piece of gear installed on UV is paid for through local labor. His videos provide technical tutorials, covering the routing of complex DC electrical busses and the mitigation of dangerous fuel system failures. Source: Sailing UV YouTube Channel.

Violet (The Doberman)

Violet is a 100-pound Doberman who rode shotgun across the country from Ohio to her new life on the water. She is the primary ship's security and a constant companion amid the grinding dust of the refit. Violet maintains a well-documented personal vendetta against the local harbor seal population. She actively patrols the decks of the 57-footer while Jonathan wrestles with wiring harnesses and heavy machinery below.

⛵ Professional Fleet Forensics

Jonathan commands UV, a 1996 Henry Morgan 57 designed by Bruce Roberts. He purchased the neglected vessel after liquidating his assets in Ohio and hauling his 100-pound Doberman, Violet, across the continent to the Northern California. The boat is currently undergoing a massive, highly technical DIY refit in Sausalito. The ultimate mission is a full circumnavigation, but the immediate reality is grounded in heavy fiberglass work, complex marine electrical overhauls, and structural triage.

UV (Flagship Cruising Sloop)

The Henry Morgan 57 is a heavy displacement blue water cruiser. Bruce Roberts designs are legendary among home builders and serious offshore sailors for their robust scantlings and seakindly motion. UV represents a massive undertaking. A 57-foot vessel from 1996 carries complex systems that require near-constant maintenance. Jonathan leverages his professional background in marine electrical troubleshooting to gut and rebuild the boat's nervous system.

Source: Channel documentation and vessel introduction.

🛠️ The Gear Locker: Crucial Hardware

Jonathan is not installing budget gear. The refit of UV prioritizes top-tier equipment designed for extreme blue water endurance.

• Seakeeper Gyro: In a massive upgrade rarely seen on older DIY refit sailboats, Jonathan tackled the installation of a Seakeeper Gyro. This active gyroscopic stabilization system spins in a vacuum, generating angular momentum to eliminate up to 95% of boat roll. The installation process demands serious structural reinforcement to handle the extreme torque loads transferred to the hull.
• Garmin VHF/AIS: Communication and collision avoidance rely on a fully integrated Garmin suite. A modern Class B AIS transponder combined with a reliable VHF network is non-negotiable for navigating the commercial traffic-heavy waters of the Northern California.

📊 Vessel Systems Health Scorecard

The technical overhaul of UV is aggressive. Jonathan tackles deep-seated issues that would force most owners to write a blank check to a boatyard.

• Electrical Architecture: Excellent. As a professional marine systems installer, Jonathan approaches the wiring with surgical precision. Old, corroded harnesses are ripped out. He sizes power cables correctly for heavy DC loads, mitigating voltage drop and fire risks.
• Mechanical Integrity: Critical but improving. The refit has unearthed severe issues, including fuel system contamination where gasoline was found in lines. These are dangerous, legacy problems from the boat's neglected past.
• Stabilization & Comfort: Cutting-edge. The integration of the Seakeeper fundamentally changes the motion of the 57-footer, though the structural grid modifications required for the install push the boundaries of typical DIY fiberglass work.

Notable Gaps or Homemade Solutions

While Jonathan installs premium hardware like the Seakeeper and Garmin electronics, the refit is inherently a bootstrap operation funded by his daily marine repair jobs.

• Phased System Commissioning: Systems are often brought online sequentially rather than simultaneously. The boat operates as a working testbed.
• Structural Adaptations: Fitting a modern gyroscopic stabilizer into a 1996 Bruce Roberts hull requires custom fiberglass work and fabricated mounting stringers. This is not a factory plug-and-play installation. Jonathan engineers the load-bearing structures himself.
• Fuel System Remediation: Discovering gasoline in unexpected places forced a complete purge and redesign of the fuel delivery system, a makeshift emergency repair that evolved into a permanent upgrade.

Jonathan, an experienced marine electrician, left his life in Ohio behind to embark on a massive refit project aboard UV, a 1996 Henry Morgan 57 designed by Bruce Roberts. Driving across the country with his 100-pound Doberman, Violet, he relocated to the Northern California to resurrect this neglected 57-footer. Their ultimate mission is to restore the vessel to blue-water standards and circumnavigate the globe.

Voyages, Destinations, and Local Waters

The primary theater of operations for UV is currently the Northern California, specifically anchored around Sausalito, California. Jonathan's journey began with a monumental cross-country move, selling his houses and vehicles in Ohio to establish a new base on the West Coast.

The cold, nutrient-rich waters of the Salish Sea and the Strait of Georgia provide a rigorous testing ground for the refit. The dense maritime traffic, shifting tidal currents, and unpredictable weather patterns of the PNW demand robust seamanship and reliable gear. Navigating these waters with a massive, heavy-displacement 57-foot vessel undergoing a ground-up restoration presents unique logistical hurdles. Violet, the Doberman, has also adapted to this coastal environment, maintaining a vigilant watch over local marine life, particularly the resident seal populations.

⏳ Voyage Milestone Timeline

The timeline of Sailing UV documents the transition from a land-based life in the Midwest to the gritty reality of a major boatyard refit in the Northern California.

• April 2025: The project officially commences. Jonathan introduces the massive undertaking of restoring the Henry Morgan 57. S1E1 it all starts here .
• May 2025: The literal transition from land to sea. Jonathan and Violet depart Ohio, driving west to their new coastal life. S1E9 Heading west !
• August 2026: A critical diagnostic phase. Jonathan tackles severe and hazardous technical issues, highlighting the reality of reviving a neglected hull. S1E57. We Found GAS Where It Should NEVER Be!
• September 2026: A major technological upgrade. The installation of advanced stabilization gear marks a turning point in the vessel's blue-water readiness. S1E59. Installing a Seakeeper Gyro in a Boat… This Thing Is INSANE!

Skills & Tutorials: Learning from Sailing UV

Sailing UV provides technical insight into marine electrical systems and heavy mechanical refits. Because Jonathan works professionally as a systems installer and marine electrical troubleshooter, the technical depth of the channel far exceeds typical DIY cruising content.

The tutorials are grounded in professional yard standards rather than trial-and-error guesswork. Viewers gain deep insights into tracing ground faults, isolating catastrophic fuel-system failures, and sizing heavy-gauge power cables for complex loads. A standout educational sequence involves the structural and electrical integration of a Seakeeper Gyro—a highly complex piece of modern stabilization technology rarely installed by owner-operators on older sailing vessels. The channel also details the integration of modern Garmin VHF/AIS networks into an aging electrical grid, providing practical schematics for safe marine wiring. Source: Channel technical logs.

The YouTube Journey and Financing the Dream

Jonathan approaches the financial realities of refitting a 57-foot sailboat with pragmatic transparency. The project is not bankrolled by a massive trust fund but rather sustained through direct, hard-earned capital and active trade work in the marine industry.

💰 How Sailing UV Funds the Voyage

The primary economic engine driving the restoration of UV is Jonathan's professional expertise. He actively works in boat repair, specializing in marine electrical troubleshooting and systems installation for other vessels in the San Francisco Bay area. This allows him to generate steady income while simultaneously sourcing parts and industry knowledge for his own boat.

Beyond his professional trade, the channel receives vital community support. Viewers contribute directly via Patreon and Ko-fi, which helps offset the staggering costs of raw materials, heavy cabling, and structural resins. A Cash App account facilitates direct donations for immediate refit needs, while Amazon wishlists allow supporters to purchase specific tools and hardware directly for the boat. This diversified income strategy ensures the project maintains momentum despite the massive financial drain of a ground-up refit.

💸 Cruising Budget & Financial Blueprint

Top Episodes: Where to Start Watching

Jonathan's transition from an Ohio-based professional to a Northern California boat owner is heavily documented across his meticulous refit series. The timeline emphasizes structural reality over glamorous travel.

• S1E1: it all starts here . – The initial jump point detailing the raw ambition of selling everything to tackle a massive marine project.
• S1E9: Heading west ! – The logistical hurdle of driving across the country with a 100lb Doberman to claim the neglected Henry Morgan 57.
• S1E57: We Found GAS Where It Should NEVER Be! – A masterclass in diagnostic marine mechanics, highlighting dangerous fuel system troubleshooting.
• S1E59: Installing a Seakeeper Gyro in a Boat… This Thing Is INSANE! – A rare look at retrofitting advanced stabilization technology into an older, heavy displacement hull.

Community Impact and Future Horizons

Sailing UV occupies a highly technical, educational space within the marine repair niche. While boasting a relatively modest subscriber base of 2,310 as of late 2026, the channel's 3.7 million total views indicate a deep, dedicated audience. Viewers tune in for the grueling reality of refitting a 57-foot Bruce Roberts design, relying on Jonathan's professional electrical and mechanical expertise.

Looking forward, the immediate horizon remains docked in the Northern California near Sausalito. The current phase is strictly preparation and systems integration. Once the Henry Morgan 57 achieves offshore readiness, Jonathan plans to untie the dock lines for a global circumnavigation. Until then, the community directly supports the grinding refit timeline through Patreon, Ko-Fi, and Amazon Wishlists.

Frequently Asked Questions about Sailing UV