Originally from Coos Bay, Ore., Pam Tregoning grew up on the water in Northern California as the youngest of five children. At age 19 she made a decision that would change the course of her life and her life’s work: she bought her first sailboat and taught herself to sail.

Pam moved aboard her boat that year and anchored off Sausalito across from the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. She cruised all over the bay with a newfound sense of freedom most young people her age only dream about. Pam credits some of the old boaters of the day with looking out for her during those times.

Pam began her career as an awning fabricator in 1982, owning and operating Deluxe Awning in Ashland, Ore. She transitioned to the marine canvas business in 2004 and today operates Portage Canvas & Upholstery. Pam is known for her superior craftsmanship, attention to detail and the grace and ease with which she patterns a boat’s interior. Pam has been using Sunbrella fabrics for years and looks forward to outfitting Steve Mason’s boat with some of the newest Sunbrella fabrics for marine interiors. Check the blog regularly to learn more about Pam and see a true artist at work.

Today Pam and her husband live aboard a 45-foot ketch named Savarna. They work hard during the year and endure the cold, rainy winters of the Northwest, looking forward to the weeks in the late summer when they can cut the dock lines and cruise to the San Juan and Gulf Islands with everything they need aboard.

Pam says that she will live aboard Savarna for as long as she can, enjoying the simplicity of her life on the water.