The world of sailing—especially at the competitive offshore level—is a complex tapestry woven from skilled individuals, cutting-edge technology, and profound collaboration.
We recently caught up with David Servais, of SD Boatworks whose work spans everything from high-profile yacht racing to military defence projects. We took the opportunity to explore his insights, focusing on the remarkable Halawa project, the vibrant San Diego yachting scene, and valuable advice for sailors young and experienced.
When Hawaii-raised Kimo Winterbottom lost his father, he decided that the best way to memorialize him was to fully commit to offshore racing. A member of the St Francis Yacht Club, Kimo chose a proven design that balanced two often conflicting goals: speed and comfort. He landed on the Andrews 56 and challenged his team to make what was already a great boat even better.
Kimo, who is also a CEO in his professional life, emphasizes the importance of delegation. He explains that he has "learned over the years how to delegate" and his approach involves bringing on "good people." He chose to work closely with:
Over the course of eight or nine months, Halawa underwent significant modifications to prepare for the Transpac race. According to the owner, a "tremendous amount of work." On the face of it, a new carbon fibre rig, keel, and six new sails were added. The work didn’t just stop there though, a new engine, all new deck hardware and winch systems were also incorporated in a design process which was thought out at every stage to complement the new mast.
David Servais' team was central to this transformation, particularly in the installation of the brand new carbon fiber mast and boom which Offshore Spars built in Detroit, MI.
David passionately states that conceptualising, designing, building, and commissioning a new mast is "one of the most fun projects you can do in rigging.”
However, its proper execution hinges on "very good communication.” This constant "back and forth" between the SD Boatworks rigging team and other key stakeholders
All these systems "must work together flawlessly"—a feat only achievable through seamless communication. David specifically identified Offshore Spars as an "industry leader in this aspect” noting their exceptional responsiveness, even to Sunday morning engineering meetings, a level of dedication "unfortunately not that common in our industry.”
The project faced tight deadlines, with the new spar arriving one week before the race meaning that there was no room for error from any of the key stakeholders.
David's team worked long hours to get the boat ready while also supporting the wider Transpac Race through a temporary workshop in the Race Village, allowing them to provide numerous competitors last-minute upgrades, custom build lines, and fix issues on site.
San Diego's yachting scene is deeply rooted in its America's Cup heritage.
America’s Cup legend Dennis Conner remains an active participant in local fleets at the San Diego Yacht Club, including "Wednesday beercan races.” Crucially, the America's Cup legacy fostered a whole sailing industry in San Diego that has since become a world leader for refits and service work but for local sailors Dennis a regular part of the community, someone “we hang out with, talk with, and sail with” according to Servais
Beyond marine services, San Diego is actively nurturing the next generation of sailors. David, himself a father of three children involved in youth sailing, passionately advocates for supporting local grass roots youth sailing and he observes how the sport imparts "confidence and problem solving skills that are valuable beyond sailing.”
SD Boatworks sponsors local youth events and offers part-time internships at their rigging shop. These internships allow juniors to work alongside experienced riggers, learn "basic splicing skills, gain knowledge about rope and repairs,” ultimately becoming "go to" kids for rigging advice in their dinghy fleets.
When considering competition from other booming watersports like foiling and surfing, David believes "sailing can definitely compete.” He argues that all water sports are complementary to each other, and participating in a wide range of activities makes one a better all-around sailor. He encourages multi-dimensional participation, from surfing to winter skiing, as the diverse perspectives enhance sailing skills.
To prove the value of youth sailing, Halawa’s helm, Paige Johnston’s background includes formative years of Laser sailing which has brought out an innate ability to command a 56 foot race boat and ride waves, crucial in the pacific seastates seen during this race.
Notably, Paige's training partner in the Laser was Caleb Payne, a bronze medallist from the Rio Olympics. They grew up sailing together in a lot of San Diego yacht club programs and traveled together as kids for youth championships. This early and high-level dinghy sailing experience clearly contributed to Paige’s development to perform on larger yachts like Halawa.
Many other crew members, including Skipper Kimo, Conrad Hullbrook, and Colin Savage, also started sailing at a young age, typically eight years old often in smaller simpler boats which provided an early introduction to the sport.
“There's a few directions you could take this, depending on how far you want to go.
San Diego is the final stop in the USA before going to the South Pacific, so we see many cruisers stop here to do refits and make final repairs prior to heading south. The trade winds take you downwind whether you want to go down the coast towards Mexico and South America, or if you want to go west towards the islands like Hawaii, Tahiti or further.
There is also some great local cruising in the Channel Islands. The closest one is Catalina Island which boasts two towns and many safe anchorages where you can get a mooring or drop a hook. The island is known for its wildlife, especially the American Bison which were introduced there a century ago and now live wild all over the island.”
We sat down with David while the TransPac fleet was around half way to Hawaii, the format of a pursuit race making for a thrilling finish (the slower boats start first with the goal being a close finish, regardless of the boat’s potential). While this is a pinnacle event for the West Coast yacht racing community, there is a compelling argument to spend an entire season racing on the West Coast.
“If you're coming down the coast you can jump into the California Offshore Race Week, which is a trio of races in conjunction with each other starting in San Francisco with Spinnaker Cup, which feeds into the Coastal Cup starting in Monterrey, then a couple day layover in Santa Barbara followed by the SoCal 300 which takes boats through and outside the Channel Islands finishing in San Diego.
This is a super fun event which stays close to the coast and keeps the races at a reasonable distance for sailors new to the ocean racing scene. The race often has a ton of different sailing conditions and gives you a scenic tour down the coast stopping in some of the most beautiful towns along the way to take a break, dry off and check out the local culture.”
“Always get a rig survey done prior to your purchase. Many buyers only conduct a hull survey, overlooking potential issues with out-of-date rigging or bad mast conditions that could lead to significant refit bills or insurance problems. The results of a rig survey can serve as a bargaining chip during price negotiations.
Consider your sailing goals. Most stock rigs are not designed for longevity, so building a custom spar with rigging specifically tailored to how you want to handle your boat can "be a real game changer when it comes to enjoying sailing.”
“While racers seek carbon fiber for speed due to reduced weight aloft, cruisers benefit immensely from the improved comfort. Carbon rigs, weighing less than half of original aluminium masts, significantly reduce pitching and heeling, making the boat much more stable, particularly in rough seas.
Modern rigs also integrate technologies like halyard locks, advanced reefing systems, and furling booms, which simplify sail handling, a huge advantage for short-handed cruising.”
“Youth sailing is incredibly important for building confidence and problem-solving skills.
Seeking part-time internships at rigging shops can provide invaluable hands-on experience, teaching basic splicing, rope knowledge, and repairs.
Embrace multi-dimensional participation in various watersports and even other physical activities. The best sailors are those who participate in a wide range of boats and sports, as these experiences offer different perspectives that can make you faster.
Networking with other professionals in the industry and exchanging ideas is crucial for staying updated and progressing the industry forward, which ultimately benefits the customer.”
At the time of writing, Halawa was leading her class, 884 miles from the finish in Honolulu.
You can follow the race HERE and see some of the action on board Halawa HERE.
SD Boatworks and Offshore Spars would love to hear about your next project—whether racing or cruising. Let’s talk about how we can upgrade your sailing experience.
Contact Us to discuss your next sailing upgrade.
