Fall 2006 - nemasail.org

Fall 2006
Next NEMA Meeting
Thursday, Oct.18, 7pm
Savin Hill YC
Stan Schreyer
Volvo Extreme 40
photo by Judy Cox
photo by Bill Condon
The Summer of 2006
Black Dog trophy winners pose for a photo.
more photos on pages 8 and 9
In This Issue
NEMA News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
An American at Cowes Week . . . . . 3
Sumo Electric Trimaran . . . . . . . . . 5
Summer Photo Gallery . . . . . . . . . 8
2006 WLIS Multihull Championship 10
Catamarans, Every Sailor’s Guide . 12
Maine Cat P-38 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Multis rafted up at this year’s Summer Cruise.
Extending an Iroquois Chieftain . . 14
Members Classified . . . . . . . . . . .15
NEMA NEWS
October General Meeting: Volvo Extreme 40
The New England Multihull Association is a
non-profit organization for the promotion of
the art, science, and enjoyment of multihull
yacht design and construction, racing, cruising, and socializing. The NEMA Newsletter is
published at no additional charge for NEMA
members. The editor apologizes in advance
for any errors.
Please submit articles to Judy Cox, editor
email: jcox@inzones.com
mail: 5 Haskell Court, Gloucester, MA 01930
Elected Officers
Commodore
Tom Cox
978-283-3943
tom@sailtriad.com
Vice Commodore
Treasurer
Wayne Allen
781-665-7295
20knots@comcast.net
Race Chair
Bill Heaton
401-934-1312
wtheaton@earthlink.net
Secretary
Cruising Chair
Nick Bryan-Brown
508-758-3444
nbbre@yahoo.com
Ira Heller
617-288-8223
nemasail@aol.com
Bob Gleason
508-295-0095
sailfast@themultihullsource.com
Newsletter Editor
Judy Cox
978-283-3598
jcox@inzones.com
Appointees
Fleet Captains
Tony Cabot
tony@caboteria.org, 617-328-4109
Don Watson
dwatson@neboatworks.com, 508-631-5275
Directors at Large
Ted Grossbart
ted@grossbart.com, 781-631-5011
Catherine Kornyei
catherine@themultihullsource.com, 508-748-1551
Richard Bluestein
rbluestein@aol.com, 617-734-24144
Photographer
Martin Roos
781-272-1683
Historian
Les Moore
978-768-7668
Life Members
NEMA Web Site
Dick Newick
Walter and Joan Greene
Les Moore
Spencer Merz
Bill Doelger
www.nemasail.org
See the website for Membership application and
meeting information.
2 N E M A
Fall 2006
he Volvo Extreme 40 was created to
fill a huge gap in Grand Prix sailboat
racing. The 40 foot catamaran was
designed by Yves Loday and created by
Mitch Booth with one thing in mind
“ACTION “.
The concept is a simple, easy to sail,
light weight, all carbon fiber catamaran.
The boat will fit inside a normal 40ft shipping container on its own road trailer. .
The crew consist of 4 +1 non participant,
this is to allow a sponsor, owner, media
person or guest to participate in one of
the most exciting forms of sailing ever.
The boat attains speeds of 35 knots
on flat water in around 20-25 knots of
wind. It will also fly a hull in as little as 8
knots.
The construction is the highest quality currently available built entirely of
autoclaved prepreg carbon fiber and
nomex core. The boat is not intended to
cross oceans although it is strong
enough to take on the toughest conditions with coastal and inshore races.
Come hear Stan Schreyer, talk about
this exciting new development in multihull sailing.
T
Cheers Goes to France
I recently was in France for the happy
launch of the rebuilt proa Cheers, now
designated a French Monument
Historique.
Doctors Nelie and Vincent Besin did
a superb job restoring her over the last
five years and were congenial hosts to
about 300 people who came to the
launching, including over half a dozen
owners of my designs. Moxie was there,
looking very well cared for.
We got her rigged and ready to sail
two days after she went into the water,
but strong mistral winds postponed a
trial sail until after I left. It had been 38
years since I had sailed her, so there
was some memory searching to rediscover how she had been originally set
up. She had been in English and French
museums since Tom Follett sailed her to
third place in the 1968 OSTAR.
The Besin family expect to keep her
ready to sail during the sailing season at
their home in Port Saint Louis du Rhone,
in Province, on the Mediterranean coast.
–Dick Newick
About Stan Schreyer
Stan began sailing dinghies at the age of
four as a member of the Lavallette Yacht
Club in New Jersey, USA. He attended
Boston University, where he earned a
degree in Philosophy. He has extensive
sailing experience in a variety of monohulls and multihulls, and he has been a
member of the US National Sailing Team
several times. In addition to sailing for Team
Hilfiger, Stan sails for
the Rocketeer Racing
Team, and is project
manager of Lightspeed
Boats.
Stan will relate the experiences of
racing the “Extreme 40”, and also reveal
highlights of the Volvo Ocean Race
including its organization and sponsorship as well as the hands on racing, illustrated with slides.
Chat LaMar Update
This was our year to return to Maine and
we had a great three week cruise
around Penobscott Bay seeing all the
wonderful harbors and islands in the
area. We also stopped at the Cape for a
week to visit family and launched/
retrieved at the Pamet Harbor, which has
an excellent ramp.
Weather was just about perfect in
August with temps seldom over 70 and
often in the 40s at night. Light air and
clear skies made for easy sailing and
beautiful views. Saw about 20 multis in
Maine and met with several owners who
of course passed on tips about favorite
anchorages and where the grocery
stores are. We really did not do a great
deal of sailing but somehow put over 250
miles on the boat just in frequent short
hops.
–Tom LeMers
An American At Cowes Week
by Glenn Howell
he Solent is the body of water that
separates the Isle of Wight from
the mainland of southwest
England. Imagine the prevailing westerlies briskly accelerating as they funnel
through the gap between mainland and
island. Now you understand why
“Solent” is the name given to the smallest jib, for the windiest conditions. To
complicate matters, the tide also rushes
through the gap, oftentimes at 3-4 knots.
So imagine how exciting it must be to
sail a multihull in these conditions! Now
mix in 1000 boats with 8500 crew members and add thousands more family and
spectators, and you have Cowes Week,
the largest and at 180 the oldest continuously running regatta in the world.
Seven yachts signed up for the first
organized yacht race at Cowes on the
10th of August 1826. Twenty-five years
later in 1851, America sponsored by the
NY Yacht Club, and 14 yachts sponsored
by the Royal Yacht Squadron, started
from anchor at Cowes to race 53 miles
around the Isle of Wight for the Hundred
Pound Cup. America played the shallows
to avoid the strong currents, and coming
from behind, beat her English rivals to
win. The Hundred Pound Cup was
renamed the Americas Cup which was
subsequently deeded to the New York
Yacht Club in 1857 as a “Perpetual
Challenge Cup for friendly competition
between foreign countries” (the “deed of
gift”).
Yes, there is plenty of history here.
But Cowes Week is as much a spectacle
as it is a regatta. This year the multitudes
were treated to parachute teams, aerobatic displays, world class fireworks,
daily live music, and of course world
class quantities of beer and cider flowing from the regatta tents and the many
pubs that line the streets of the town of
Cowes. The organization of this stupendous event is truly remarkable. Work for
the subsequent year’s event starts imme-
T
diately after this year’s
awards ceremony, as
it must to coordinate
the complexities of
food, entertainment,
registration, dockage,
funds, transportation,
lodging and the like.
They’ve been doing it
for a very long time
and they do it very
well.
A few of the thousand boats participating at Cowes Week 06
After feverish
preparations to lighten
the boat and make
ready our gear we
head south down the
Medina River, passing
dense forests of masts,
colorful pennants
streaming in the stiff
breeze. Fifty-thousand
dollar RIBS are the
norm here and they are
buzzing about, some
bearing gifts…..fly the
Heinekin flag and get
free beer every
day……. wear these
The Solent extracting its toll.
North tee shirts for a
don’t know which headsail we will be
chance to win a set of sails, and others
using or which end of the line or which
leaving “RIB City” to make their daily
side of the course is favored, or whether
crew deliveries. Passing the Royal Yacht
we will be starting with or against the
Squadron to port we enter the pre-start
wind and tide. We’ll have exactly ten
melee where hundreds of boats in Black
minutes to figure this out while at the
Fleet jockey about their pre-start maneusame time readying the boat for the start,
vers. We keep a wary eye out for slower
which adds to the excitement and susboats lest we run them down in the
pense. This format is an evolutionary
crowded mayhem.
step from America’s at-anchor start 155
Carbon Tiger is Brian Haynes’ F-33
years ago, but that does not make it any
trimaran designed by Ian Farrier and
less challenging.
crewed by Brian at helm, Keith Bliss and
Martin is below waiting for the offiGlenn Howell trimming sails, and big
cial
course
announcement by text mesMartin Harvey providing the physical
sage and VHF. In his GPS are the fiftyheft for hoists and the mental heft for
odd marks from which the race
navigation. We don’t know the course
committee will make today’s 30 to 50 mile
because it has yet to be announced by
long course selection. Yes it is going to
the race committee. Which means we
Fall 2006
N E M A
3
Eberspacher and it
is no surprise that
we again find ourselves dueling for
the lead. We have
been dogged by
gear failure during
this heavy air event,
having suffered two
broken halyards, a
kicked up (cassette)
rudder, and a sepaCarbon Tiger and Team Eberspacher
rated boom. Maybe
this will be the race
where everything
goes our way. But
the Raider loves
reaching and we
are seeing our
share of reaching
legs in this race.
Team
Eberspacher is
ahead. We are
pressing the boat
hard in short chop,
two-sail reaching on
starboard tack
Dense forest of masts
toward the northeast corner of the
island. I’m playing
the traveler in the
puffs. Keith is on the
jib and Martin at the
shroud cradling his
beloved GPS. We
have no business
going this fast but
TA is going just as
fast and with the
competitive juices
flowing freely
Ellen MacArthur’s record setting tri sighted at Cowes.
onboard (two
be “around the cans” today but there
Olympic canoeists, one Olympic Tornado
will be plenty of cans and plenty of comsailor) we must catch them! When the
pany. At the ten minute mark Martin has
big puff slams, I immediately drop the
received the course and he is ecstatic,
traveler to the bottom of the track, but
“only eight marks” is the word from the
the leeward float drives down and the
very precise Royal Squadron. “Just give
boat trips and heels simultaneously,
us the first mark Martin and be quick
stern lifting, mast head rushing toward
about it”. It is blowing force 5 now, but
the sea as the windward float wants to
we hesitate to reef given the disadvankeep going fast, twisting us in a bow
tage downwind. When we can hold the
down almost vertical attitude. Keith,
boat together, we are so evenly matched
standing on the leeward side of the
with Ben Goodland’s well-practiced
cockpit, water up to his thighs says “Oh
crew aboard the Raider 30 cat Team
No!” I’m yelling, “Dump the jib!” as I
4 N E M A
Fall 2006
cling to the running back stay. Martin is
gripping the shroud hoping to avoid a
swim. Brian watching the water climb
two feet up the mast base, is clinging to
the lifeless tiller as the boat heels to 90
degrees. We are goners. It’s going to be
wet and cold but the floats will keep us
afloat and the emergency hatch will get
us to the vhf to call for assistance. Cell
phones will be ruined and wallets soggy.
We can eat lunch while we wait. But that
moment of hesitation in our rotation happens. The boat pops backward reversing
its course, forced out by the tremendous
buoyancy in the leeward float, we round
up to windward and flop back onto our
main hull, sails luffing. Crew breathing
hard but no worse for the wear. We
promise Poseidon and Zephyr that if they
give us one more chance we will never
again sail in heavy air absent mainsheet
in hand. “Lets stick with the Solent….the
little jib” are the by words as we continue on our way, somewhat squeamishly.
The wind settles down on the last
leg and we beg Brian to let us try the big
masthead code 1 double slotted with the
genoa. This is a lot of sail area but Brian
wants to win. He is persuaded but very
skittish in the puffs. Well, wouldn’t you
be after that? We are moving very nicely
in the now flat water and we pull away
from the rest of the fleet. The wind goes
aft as we approach the Royal Yacht
Squadron for the finish at mark Beta. We
are sailing through tide and boat traffic
induced chop, while managing a lee
shore plus mooring field. We are moving
painfully slowly as we pass Ellen
MacArthur’s B&Q trimaran moored in
our path. We finish 3rd in this race and
3rd overall. Not bad, breakage and
mishaps considered.
So get ye to Skandia Cowes week.
You can’t go wrong with this crowd! You
will love the experience. But remember,
this is England, where a Duke is a “juke”,
aluminum is “alyouminium”, highway is
“dual carriage way”, trunk is “boot”,
hood is “bonnet” and if it’s in the
“Doomsday Book” it is old!
For more info see:
www.cowes.co.uk/cb/zone?p=index;cat_id=10;cp=0-10
www.skandiacowesweek.co.uk/web/code/php/main.php?
section=home
–Glenn Howell
Sumo Electric Trimaran
Her return trip to Florida, Saturday 15 October 2005
by Larry Bedell
at Lemahaute, a former professional windsurfer and custom sail
board maker, decided to build
Sumo so he would have a fast, comfortable and strong trimaran. He lives with
his wife Suzanne and their two girls
Sophie and Stella.
Curt Johnson is a professional
beach cat racer who has participated in
20 ft catamaran races in the Hybee 500.
The racers go 100 miles a day along
shore and Curt has the GPS for navigation on his wrist. He is also a boat rigger
and owns a boat delivery company. He
and Pat both live in islamorada Florida.
I am a 71 year old sailor who has
built four trimarans, owned seven and
raced them since 1966. The races included seven Bermuda races. I feel that my
days of high risk competitive sailing are
behind me. What a treat, however, to be
asked to sail with two men half my age
on this adventure.
The boat is a Curt Hughes 38' tri that
is 31 feet wide and extremely stiff. She
was built by Pat out of foam and carbon
fiber to a superior factory finish. The
boats rigging is Dynema line with lashings replacing the turnbuckles. 95% of
the steering is done by Otto, a Ray
Marine autopilot ST 600R. The motor is a
Solomon Technologies ST 37 and is
equivalent to a 22 hp diesel.
We leave on Saturday 15 October
2005 after a week long rain event that
flooded highways and basements. I left
Padanaram, Mass. for Long Island as
Curt and Pat are flying to Long Island for
the sail south. The rain is tropical all the
way including the ferry trip across the
Sound. At last the sun comes out when
we all meet at MacArthur Airport on
Long Island and head for the boat in Port
Jefferson.
After provisioning, scrubbing the
boat’s bottom etc. we leave in a 20 knot
N W wind for City Island where we will
sleep waiting for the right currents. I
learn how strong and stiff the boat is and
P
how well she goes up wind in a strong
breeze. A problem develops that involves
the masthead tricolor light on a rotating
mast.
We realized that the tugs and ships
cannot determine our true direction of
sailing. Short term we sail with the mast
fixed forward. In the long run Pat may
use Chris White’s solution in his book
The Crusing Multihull. That is to put two
mast head tri color lights at 45 degrees
to each other and have a switch in the
cockpit so that the light facing forward is
always the one on.
Finding Execution Rocks is difficult
while looking into the glare of
Manhattan. They are just where L.I.
Sound narrows to about one mile wide.
We arrive at City Island at 11:45 pm with
the temperature dropping with the cold
front and anchor for the night.
Sunday, gale warnings are posted
for 25-35 knots with gusts to 45. In anticipation of this we choose to go through
NY and down the Jersey shore rather
than around the east of Long Island. To
get to Hell Gate we must sail and tack
often as the sound narrows. We cannot
use the motor as the batteries in Sumo
are small motorcycle ones to save
weight.
Since Pat
lives in paradise, walks
to his boat,
and is under
way with
only minutes
of motoring,
this is not
usually a
problem.
The batteries have
enough
energy for
1/2 hour full
speed or 1
Going through Hell Gate
full hour at
Sumo at her mooring in Islamorada, Florida
1/2 speed.
The ST 37 motor system uses 144
volts requiring 12 batteries for the motor
and one large one for the cabin and navigation.
It is the perfect bright brisk morning
to sail upwind and upcurrent with a single reef in the main and smooth water.
We enter the East river at the Throgs
Neck Bridge and continue through the
Whitestone bridge dodging tugs with
tows, wind shadows from the bridges
and an ever narrowing East river. Oh yes
there are also planes taking off low overcontinued on next page
Fall 2006
N E M A
5
head from Laguardia as well as the usual
channel markers to stay within. The boat
and crew are performing flawlessly and
we are having a blast. Somewhere north
of Big Brother Island we finally notice
the current going with us slightly and we
sail under the Triborough bridge to officially enter Hell Gate, which can have 4ft
standing waves. We plan and do arrive
at slack with no waves at all. As we exit
Hell Gate the Manhattan Skyscrapers
block our wind and we must motor with a
10 amp 144 volt portable Honda generator charging the batteries for 3.5 knots of
speed plus the current. Everyone with a
boat should one day sail the East River.
The juxtaposition of the city towering
above, the joggers waving and the constant honking of horns with you on your
sailing vessel is a thrill that must be
experienced. It cannot be described
properly.
Even though this is my 6th time
down the East river, when one goes
under the Brooklyn Bridge and sees the
Statue of Liberty, the feeling of joy and
pride becomes intense and a few goose
bumps present themselves.
BANG!!!!!!! The wind hits us with
all its predicted fury and within minutes
we feel the need for a second reef. We
try to get behind one of the 20 ships
anchored in the harbor, but they are
feathered to the wind and offer no protection. Sooooo, throwing caution to the
wind we just round up and reef with no
problems. It worked well so we jib and
head south for Jersey and Florida
beyond. We are moving along at 15 knots
and arrive at the protection of the Jersey
shore which is on our starboard maybe
1/2 mile away. While we are enjoying the
fast smooth sail, the wind increases yet
again and things get a little hairy, The 3rd
reef goes in. The boat has never seen
this reef before. I check the offshore
wind and wave reports and find that 100
miles out the waves are 17 feet high. Curt
thinks the other would be exciting and
that this is boring. Pat and I are enjoying
the speed, flat water and ease of eating
while Otto steers us south, happy not to
be in 17 ft waves.
We pass Atlantic City at night and I
call my wife Barbara and find her agitated that the cellar has flooded in my
absence and the sump pump is not work-
6 N E M A
Fall 2006
ing. She is very competent and manages
to get help pumping out the 20 inches of
water, while I am enjoying my sail. We
are to arrive at Cape May after midnight
and I suggest that we go in, anchor for
six hours and cross Delaware Bay in
daylight. We are tired and have 40 knots
of wind blowing down the bay against a
two knot incoming tide. Besides this, we
have to pass over a few shoals including
the infamous Prissywicks shoal.
It is decided that we are “as if at
sea” and should keep going. This is my
first sea voyage where I am not captain.
I go below to sleep and am awakened at
2:30 am with a lot of shouting and the
boat running down wind. Apparently the
crew encountered a ship in the way in
the entrance channel to Delaware Bay
which had seven foot square waves in it.
It is rough as I came on deck and relieve
Pat who has been up 16 hours straight.
We then sail a close reach back toward
the shore some five miles away. Ahhh to
get back to those two foot waves and
stress free sailing. By 6 am we are off
Chinqateague which was the place of
the best tasting Oysters in the world in
the 1800s and early 1900s. Alas the oysters were destroyed by a virus in the
1960s and are no more. In their heyday
oysters were shipped out of a town
called Greenbackvillle because of all the
money made there.
Our speed is down to nine knots and
we return to two reefs and then to one
reef as we enter Chesapeake Bay. As we
arrive at Cape Henry on the south side of
the Bay at 4 pm we are becalmed. Its
time to rig the Screacher. We have traveled 262 miles since the Battery in NY in
28 hours averaging 9.35 knots. Curt, who
is a rigger, volunteers to go up the
forestay to the hounds and untangle the
two-part halyard, which is twisted.
By 1600 hours we are underway in
an 8 Knot breeze heading towards Cape
Hatteras. At midnight we are at Oregon
inlet and are back to a jib because we
are now beating. We pass Hatteras buoy
at 0530 and by 0800 we make our first
tack as we are fighting the Gulfstream
running about two knots North East. This
is the first of many tacks as we work our
way along the shore. The course we
need is 238 and the wind is at 225. We
notice no counter current inside the
Curt repairs the Screacher halyard in the
Chesapeake Bay
Cape. The Gulf stream does, however,
set you aback when rounding the sea
buoys requiring many short tacks to get
away from the Cape tips without getting
set backwards too much. It is quite a lesson to learn how long it is from cape tip
to cape tip. They look so short on the
chart. However, the actual miles are
Cape Hateras to Cape Lookout 60, then to
Cape Cape Fear 90, then to Cape Romain
80 miles and still 50 Nautical miles short
of Charleston, South Carolina. You really
have to double these distances as we
are tacking into the wind.
So, while we have several pleasant
days of tacking, I decide to memorize the
uses of the 14 lines, all on stoppers, that
come into the cockpit.
1. black and red fleck– jib furler
2. white-gray fleck – screacher furler
3. white- red green fleck spinnaker tack
4. white – port mast rotator
5. white-green red fleck– screacher halyard.
6. white-black– topping lift
7. red-blue fleck– spinnaker halyard
8. white-red– 1st reef
9. white-green– 3rd reef
10. white-blue red fleck– 2nd reef
11. white-black red fleck– main halyard
12. blue–daggerboard down
13. red–daggerboard up
14. white– starboard mast rotator
Wednesday, we finally round Cape
Lookout at 0100. It is nasty and we are
heavily set back in spite of many short
tacks. This morning we become aware
that there is a Hurricane Wilma and it
has becomes a category 5 at noon. Pat
has a laptop computer which down loads
a picture of her on the Yucatan
Peninsula. I get a knot in my stomach
just looking at the screen. It is as tight
and red as I have ever seen. By 1500 all
wives have been called, assuring them
that we will get out of harms way and
keep them informed.
We can promise that as the boat has
a satellite phone onboard. Curt and I
vote for putting in someplace and going
home. The storm is to go out to sea
south of us with 35 knots in this area. Pat
speaks of a pit stop and out again. Stay
tuned!!!!
I can hear voices talking, laughing,
music and old time radio shows in an
area of a crouching hallway between the
aft cabin and the main cabin. As there is
no radio aboard, the guys think I am hallucinating. I check the area behind doors
and find a plethora of wiring and electrical items. Years ago in an apartment in
Boston I had the same experience from
an audio amplifier with no radio involved.
I stop worrying about hallucinating and
dub the area "the talking hallway".
Thursday arrives with another great
sunrise – a pod of Dolphin between us
and the sun. Then we observe that the
mast turning strut has broken and the
mast is oscillating. We try two methods
of restraint and turning before we are
successful. Lines are attached to the
Temporary repair for turning the mast
gooseneck and outboard blocks and
then to winches. These have to be
changed for each tack.
The original will be beefed up back
in islamorada by resident "conch"
welder Carl. Permanent residents of the
Keys are referred to as "conchs".
The usual way of recharging the
batteries is to sail with the three bladed
17 inch Autoprop prop in reverse. This,
however steals about 1.5 knots of speed
from the boat and is costly to our beating
for several days. When not generating, it
is feathered by locking the shaft with a
"Shaft-Lok". We have many discussions
about folding props not working well and
the loss of speed. Pat decides he will
add more solar panels. Then when these
batteries wear out to acquire lithium Ion
batteries from Valence Technologies that
are much more efficient and 1/2 the
weight. There will still be a need for a
portable gasoline generator. This really
means that for the time being "Electric"
sail boats are really hybrids as the autos
are. Fossil fuels will still be necessary for
a while.
We find that “Wilma” has slowed
down and will arrive Sunday. We must
now decide to put in someplace. With 51
years of marriage, I give an impassioned
speech about wives and how important
they are to us and vice versa. Leaving
them in their homes alone to fight the
hurricane would not go over well at all.
Indeed, they would be worrying about
us also. Curt makes a few phone calls
and connects with a friend at Hilton
Head who assures us of space if we can
get there soon, as boaters going south
are all looking for space. Curt had
worked there years ago and was friends
with many people. The importance of a
satellite phone cannot be overstated.
Cell phones at sea can be iffy things.
We quickly decide to leave the boat
there and split, finishing the trip weeks
later.
Now, we must get there. The wind
dies at 1900 hours and fog appears.
Because we have been charging under
sail we might have enough gas to go into
our three knot mode again. Off we go to
Hilton Head. By 0530, we still have 75
miles and no wind. At 0830 we get 3-4
knots of wind and we motor sail onward.
Later in the morning the wind is up to 6
and we stop the generator as we are low
on fuel.
Being anxious to get in before dark,
we take a short cut of 4 miles across
some mud flats that has a tongue of deep
water on it. If the bottom has not
changed since the chart was put in the
GPS and we can get and stay in it. The
bottom proves as charted and this
works.
We enter Calibague Sound and
must tack up the sound to the marina. In
doing so we run aground at the edge
where the GPS says there is plenty of
water. So, I guess we were lucky before
and name the unmarked tongue "Pats
Pass". There are dolphins in the sound,
the sun is setting and haze getting thick
as we enter Hilton Head Marina.
Ahhhhhhh! The hot showers, the
cold beer and a meal in a restaurant
after 6 days at sea. It can't get any better
than this evening.
Yes, Pat and Curt get to their wives
before the Hurricane arrives. Yes, the
hurricane is worse than expected. I get
back to Long Island in a rental car and
have a nice visit with my 88 year old aunt
Edna before driving home in my own car.
Pat and Curt come back three
weeks later and have a nice but slow trip
back home due to light winds. For me it
was a magical trip with not a drop of
rain, sunshine every day, and sailing with
two very competent, affable men half my
age. They never once mentioned my age
or the fact that my energy was half
theirs.
NIRVANA
Epilog: Pat changed the prop to a 16 inch
MaxProp. The other one would unlock the
Shaft-Lok at 17.5 knots creating 80ft lbs of
torque which is almost the limit of the Sail
Drive the boat uses. This one puts out less
amps but can regenerate with only a backwards movement of the joy stick which controls the power forward and reverse. It also
exerts no torque when feathered and now
Pat can safely exceed 17.8 knots.
He also checked on U1 Lithium Ion batteries and found the cost exceeded the price
of a carbon fiber mast which would save
even more weight and which he would rather
have.
The trip back took a total of 10 days
which is almost twice the 5.5 days going
north when the winds were in the SW and
the boat was in the Gulf Stream.
–Larry Bedell
Fall 2006
N E M A
7
photos by Judy Cox
The Summer of 2005 (continued from page 1)
Jon Alvord Celebrates his fourth place finish at the Black Dog
Jim Bourgoin on First Tri takes a 3rd at the Black Dog
Tom Cox
Wayne Allen sailing Pooka in the Gloucester
Schooner Festival Race
Organizers and participants in this year’s Unlimited Regatta
Bill Conlin
Bob Gleason and Ira Heller are first over the line at the Black Dog
8 N E M A
Fall 2006
Bill Condon attends the NEMA Cruise with his sons
Jenifer Parkinson
Judy Cox
Jep Peacock and crew are awarded the Elapsed Time Trophy at the Black Dog
Triad reaching at the Schooner Festival
Jenifer Parkinson
Steve Parks on Flying Fish comes in second at the Black Dog
Multis crossing the start line at the GloucesterSchooner Festival
Jenifer Parkinson
Ira Heller holds up Tri Me’s Black Dog First Place Trophy
The Thomas E. Lanon sails through the course at the
Gloucester Schooner Festival
Fall 2006
N E M A
9
RACING ROUNDUP
2006 WLIS Multihull Championship
September 23 & 24, American Yacht Club
By A. J. Corwin and Damon DelBello
Winner: RAPTOR USA 44
merican Yacht Club, Rye NY has a
long tradition of competition and
yacht racing. Through the efforts
of some of our local multihullers and a
progressive race committee we were
able to assemble a small group of multihulls to join the traditional fall series.
This effort has been three years in the
making, and we are all pleased to see
the growing interest in multihulls here in
Western Long Island Sound.
We chose the best weekend of the
A
Congratulations to David Kissel for
some very consistent racing that earned
him his first Place. Damon DelBello with
2 bullets the first day had to settle for a
second place finish when he was not
able race the second day. The team of
Stookey and Schnever showed everyone
the impressive speed potential of which
a modern light multi is capable.
Unfortunately, due to some gear problems, they were not able to complete
enough races to get the first place that
the boat deserved. Andy Ledins, unfortunately blew out his main early on the first
day, but we were grateful he came out to
join us. We won’t mention the folks who
could not find the finish line.
The weekend Regatta was a great
success although it proved to be a real
gear buster. The wind speeds ranged
from 15 to 25 with gusts to 35 knots. The
boats will be back with new equipment
for the 2007 Spring Regatta to compete
against the new challengers. We look
forward to seeing you there.
–A. J. Corwin and Damon DelBello
whole year to hold the first Western Long
Island Sound Multihull Championship.
Competitors came out from the local harbors to meet for two days of windward/
leeward racing. 102 monohulls divided
into two separate fleets of five divisions,
were out mixing it up as well. High winds
from the north west and choppy eastwest tides created an exciting race
course.
The multihulls outshined the monohulls in performance rather than quantity. Clocking the fastest overall course
VMG of 9.7 knots in the fourth race, the
Lightspeed 32, has left a lasting impression on the Race Committee
and sailing community at
large. The fastest monohull
racing that day, a Transpac
52, had a winning VMG of
only 7.9 knots in the fourth
race. Unfortunately, the
Lightspeed 32 was unable to
sail in the fifth race when the
TP52 reached the top monohull VMG of 8.6 knots.
The Lightspeed 32
WLIS Multihull Championship
Rank
Boat
Skipper
PHRF
Type
Total
R1
R2
R3
R4
R5
1
RAPTOR
Kissel, David
62
Val 31
7
6*DNF
2
2
2
1
2
FIRST LIGHT
DelBello, Damon
100
LW 38
11
1
1
3
6*DNC 6 DNC
3
LIGHTSPEED
Stookey/Schnever
-90
LS32
14
6*DNF
6 DNC
1
1
4=
RENEGADE
Ledins, Andy
15
Stiletto 27GT 24
6*DNF
6 DNC
6 DNC
6 DNC 6 DNC
4=
BLOWHOLE
Harris, Jay
-30
Corsair 31
6*DNC
6 DNC
6 DNC
6 DNC 6 DNC
24
* throw out
10 N E M A
Fall 2006
6 DNF
CATAMARANS, every Sailors Guide
Excerpts from a new book by Gregor Tarjan
60 illustrations and graphs with special photography by Gilles Martin-Raget
An objective, in depth guide to cruising catamarans, focusing on design and seamanship issues with a special chapter highlighting
reputable production multihulls.
Available through Chiodi Publishing (Tel: 617-328 8181, multimag@aol.com) and AMAZON.com $34.95
The Big Picture
o do they flip? “ Long gone
are the days when monohull
sailors asked that question.
At today’s boat shows it is more an issue
of “How many does she sleep?” The
global charter industry, which is a multibillion dollar enterprise, has embraced
the multihull as a profitable platform. The
notion of solo sailors pushing their giant
catamarans or trimarans across the
ocean has proven them not only as blindingly fast competitors, but also has
demonstrated the multihulls’ toughness
in the worst sea conditions. In fact, they
are so exciting that sponsors such as car
manufacturers, fashion houses and producers of Hollywood movies have plastered colorful logos on their racers.
On the other side of the spectrum is
a new breed of environmentalists who
explore the world’s reefs and choose the
“S
discovered the advantages of twinsailing multihull for its low ecological
hulled boats and manufacturers and
impact, shallow draft, and stable, steady
designers have answered their needs.
platform. The eco industry is booming
The first thing I notice when visitors
and so is the awareness of the suitability
step aboard a multihull for the first time
of these new types of craft. Even mariis the enthusiastic appreciation of the
nas and boat yards all over the world
open and airy space provided. Usually
now perceive the catamaran as mainthey come from having inspected a midstream and it is no more unusual to pull
size monohull and are now exploring the
up to a dock in a multihull than it is with a
catamaran section. Typically cockpit
jet ski. From boat shows’ high-profile
space, saloon and foredecks are double
media events to environmental conthe size of those found on monohulls.
sciousness, perception and acceptance
Kids feel at home climbing into the variof multihulls have changed as much as
ous berths or jumping on the foredeck’s
the crafts themselves.
trampoline while parents scrutinize naviBoat Shows are the presentation
gation stations and locker space. This is
ground and testing venue of the current
catamaran
environment.
They are an
invaluable
gauge of the
growing public
interest. When
visiting today’s
boat shows,
the abundance
of cruising
multihulls is
mind-boggling.
At an average
Annapolis or
Miami Boat
Show, both
belong to one
Miami Boat Show – Multihull Lagoon
of the most
quite different from years past when
prolific multihull gatherings in the world,
first-time visitors would be more concruising catamarans typically take up
cerned about the safety features and
more exhibition space then that dedicatcapsize issues.
ed to monohulls. Three dozen or more
It is actually quite interesting to
40-plus-foot multihulls represent the precompare the concerns and comments of
sent cross-section of models available
sailors to those of 10 years ago. Usually
on the market – from small 30’ coastal
boat shows are the best venue to study
cruisers, to folding trimarans all the way
the first-time encounters of monohullers,
up to 60’ or 70’ luxury cats. Sailors have
Fall 2006
N E M A
11
who have either lost their way or have
come intentionally to investigate the
two-hulled boats.
Ask a Woman
A woman’s opinion is more often the
decisive decision maker in the realization of liking or disliking a particular boat.
Galley locker space, natural light and
berth size is as much examined as
engine access and fabric decor. It is a
cliche to think that women only look at
the galley. Today’s female sailors are as
skilled as men and it is often the spouse
who takes the helm to bring a boat to a
dock while the husband prepares lines
and fenders.
The Myth of Speed
And then there is the myth of speed
that still has not quite yet matured. “She
must do 20 knots, right?” you hear people asking while stepping aboard a stately cruising multihull. More often a family
boards a catamaran at a boat show or
demo sail and the 15-year-old son gives
the thumbs up and comments about his
little beach cat and how cool it is to fly by
his dad’s old monohull. The media coverage of the 60’ trimaran regatta circuit in
Europe and the globe-circling monster
cats have captured the fascination of
millions. But, it has also created the false
sense that all catamarans cruise routinely at double-digit speeds. Nevertheless,
the breathtaking velocities of racing multihulls, usually attained in the roughest
conditions, inspire sailor’s constant
quest to go faster. Multihulls seem to
have become the ultimate platform for
these ambitions.
The vast trampolines are playground and lounging space in one.
With the larger size of multihulls also comes the ever-looming challenge of where to
haul, berth and service them. Any catamaran over 35’ could be considered large,
which usually is a function of her beam. Compared to equivalent length monohulls,
catamarans are almost twice as wide. Forget about finding a slip – a water berth surrounded by pylons – unless it is on an end dock. This realization was often the case a
decade ago. Today more and more marinas are catering to multihulls… and charging
double the rent is a thing of the past. Yes, there still is a premium for dockage for a
multi hulled vessel at crowded marinas but no one can turn their back on them anymore.
BANQUE POPULAIRE racing trimaran sailing at over 30 knots
12 N E M A
Fall 2006
NEMA SPONSOR
Maine Cat P-38
by Dick Vermeulen
Maine Cat announces the P-38 powered cat: It’s now in the design phase at our Bremen facility. We plan to
launch our test hull this fall. Between now and then, we invite you to visit us and view the step-by-step planning process and the daily progress on this exciting new addition to our line of quality catamarans. Maine
Cat continues to be the leader is quality, comfort, safety and energy efficient yachting
Maine CatP-38 Design
Preliminary Specifications:
• The aesthetics of the design has to be stunning……beautiful smooth lines
LOA
LWL
• The interior spaces should be wide open, light and 6’-6”
headroom
Max Beam per Hull 36”
• Lightweight Core-Cell composite construction hull and deck
assemblies
Beam
Draft
• Displacement hull form minimizing wetted surface, semi-circular sections
Air Clearance 12’-0”
Bridgedeck Clearance 2’-4”
• Bulletproof systems and highest quality equipment
Lightship Displacement 14,200 lbs.
• 100 hp Yanmar twin diesel power with shaft drive in isolated
engine rooms
Full Load Displacement 22,800 lbs.
• Skeg protected propellers and rudders with a draft of 31
inches
38’-0”
36’-0”
LWL to B Ratio per Hull 12:1
16’-0”
2’-7”
Fresh water
140 gals.
Fuel
250 gals.
• Excellent underwing clearance with large radius corners, 28
inches
Engines (2) 100 hp Yanmar 4JH3-HTBE
• Operable fixed glass windows surround bridgedeck / pilothouse
Estimated cruising speed 15 knots
• Sleep four, two heads, big galley up, walk around master
berth
• Easy access from cockpit to water via stern steps/swim
platform
Range
900 n.m.
For more information, contact Dick Vermeulen at
1-888-832-CATS 207-529-6500
mecat@gwi.net
www.mecat.com
• Limit beam to 16’ for ease of transport and dockage
• Cruise at 15-16 knots burning 4 gals/hour. Range 900 n.m.
Fall 2006
N E M A
13
Boat Project
Extending an Iroquois Chieftain Catamaran
photos by Mike Conley
Before: NEMA member Mike Conley
bought a 31’ 6”loa / 28’ waterline
Ultimate Concept (Chieftain) catamaran,
built by Carlson Marine in 1990, off the
internet for short money. Possessing
both a curious mind and busy fingers, he
set about improving it for his personal
use.
During: The hull has been sawed open
horizontally and the base of the transom
has been lowered by 6”. The bows have
already been plumbed in the side view.
After: Clearly visible is the diagonal lateral scar which shows where Mike
patched with new core and ‘glass skins
in order to increase the volume/buoyancy. Also visible is the new 6’ long stern
section he molded and attached to the
transom, and the new plumb bow. The
new boat is 38’ loa with a 38’ waterline.
The new sterns will serve as swim platforms and no longer house outboard
motors. There will be a sled-mounted 70
hp Evinrude Etec outboard motor
installed amidships.
14 N E M A
Fall 2005
FOR SALE
Andiamo F-27 ready to race or cruise now. Sleeps 5 and has
many upgrades including upper cap shrouds, underwing wires,aft
compression strut, and bowsprit.
Letter from the Commodore
SAILS: 2005 Calvert Maxi-Blade Jib- Hank On / Full Batten -
e’ve wrapped up another on-the-water season highlighted by a
W
successful cruise led by Bob Gleason and the Multihull
Carbon, 2005 Deck Cover for Hank-on Jib – Persian Gree, 2005
Mainsail Cover– Persian Green, 2005 ATN Gale Sail / Storm Jib –
Dacron, 2004 Calvert Spinnaker Launch Bag – Persian Green, 2002
Calvert Jib – Vertical Batten Rolling w/UV strip - Technora, 2000
Calvert Main - Technora, 2000 ATN Spinnaker Sleeve
Sourcers. This week-long affair featured gunk holing in salt
water from Narragansett Bay to Block Island Sound and Eastern Long Island
Sound. It attracted 10 multihulls, many from distant parts, and was one of the
best attended events of the summer. The racers were in short supply, with
ELECTRONICS: LED Running Lights / Anchor Light at Mast Head
(.5 Amp, VHF Radio w/ External Speaker, Raytheon ST50 TriData
System, Raytheon ST50 Wind System, Raytheon ST1000 Tiller
Pilot w/ Remote, Link-20, Amp/Voltage 2-Bank Monitor, Solar
Charger, Radio/CD in Cabin - 4 speakers
at these traditionally best attended events. NEMAnorth and Gulf of Maine
EQUIPMENT: 3 Self Tailing Winches / 2 Spinnaker Winches, 2
Winch Handles, Spinnaker Control Kit, Boom Vang, Cunningham,
Bowsprit Rigged for Screacher and Spinnaker, 2nd Spinnaker
Halyard, Under Wing Wire Stays, Tiller Extension / Tiller Tamer,
Swim Ladder, 2 anchors / rode
felt the pinch too. We did see the inauguration of a new Western Long Island
INTERIOR: Original Interior Cushions- Blue – Excellent Condition,
only 10 competing at the Black Dog Dash, 5 at the Buzzard’s Bay Regatta,
and 10 at the Newport Unlimited – about half the usual number of suspects
Sound Multihull Championship series sponsored by the American Yacht
Club, Rye, NY at their Fall Regatta which fielded 5 multis; they’ve invited us
back for next year’s Spring and Fall Regattas and hope to see an increase in
the fleet.
Is this a new trend for NEMA, or were there extenuating circumstances
(such as the lousy weather early in the season)? We (the NEMA board)
would like to find out, and request your help by giving us some feedback
about your sailing experiences and desires. Please take a moment to fill out
the questionnaire which you’ll find on www.nemasail.org by clicking on the
link to the Survey. What are your plans for next season – racing, cruising, or
just messing about in boats? The Board is undertaking a recruitment initiative and would welcome your ideas about this too.
This is an election year for your Board of Directors and it’s time to step
up to the plate and volunteer to help make NEMA happen. If you have skills
in publishing or web page management, we’re looking for assistance. If you
have some ideas about fun events on or off the water you’re welcome to
pitch in. Don Watson, Bob Gleason, and I are all ears, and invite you to drop
us a line or give us a call; our contact information is listed on page 2 of this
Galley Organizer – Teak, Dining Table, 2-burner Stove, Vanity in
Bow, Marine Head, Holding Tank - Never used, Overboard
Discharge Y-valve, Aft Cabin ports added. $46,000. Call Jim
Burkert 631-656-8897
Cross 36 Tri, Equipped for Cruising
Cold-molded double diagonal ply w/WEST epoxy. 25 HP Perkins
diesel (1988). Fully-battened mainsail, roller-furling Jib (Harken),
Drifter/Reacher. GPS, VHF. 3-burner SS propane stove, double SS
sinks w fresh and saltwater footpumps, halogen interior lighting,12-volt fans over berths, 4-amp solar panel w/charge controller,
sailing bimini, head w holding tank. 45 lb CQR w/40 ft 3/8" chain
and 125 ft road, 44 lb Bruce on 100 ft chain, 25 lb Danforth w 40 ft
2/8" chain and 100 ft rode. $36K. Contact Will Gordon,
loretta@gwi.net, 207-342-3834.
FIREBIRD catamaran, excellent condition, ready to sail, race,
cruise.go to www.wisemarine.com, boat sales, for pictures and
specs or call Tom Grossman 978 546 1190, email
tgnacl@adelphia.net
NORTH ATLANTIC RIGID ARC 18 FT RIB w/90 HP Mariner OB
+ trailer go to www.wisemarine.com, boat sales for pictures and
specs or call Tom Grossman 978 546 1190, email
tgnacl@adelphia.net
Atlantic 46 LR Cat: Cold Molded, “Great White.” Fast, Safe Blue
Water Sailing. Comfort in any weather. Completely upgraded 2006.
New Hall Spars carbon fiber wing mast & Doyle Sails. 2 Queen
Berths, 2 dble Vberths. Single/Double in house. Forward
cockpit/aft pilothouse w/panoramic views, inside steering & nav
stations. Great family cruiser/racer. A46USA5@yahoo.com; Harry,
631-271-1945. (NY) For Sale or Partnership
newsletter.
Next summer will see a return of the big ocean races The NEMA fleet
has again been invited to join the Marion to Bermuda Cruisers race and Bob
Gleason would like to hear from some of the cruising cats as well as the racing tris. Marblehead/Halifax is in the offing too.
We hope to hear from you and see you at our meetings soon.
Tom Cox
Commodore
1978 Tremolino Trimaran, factory built hull No. 28
23 ft LOA, 18 ft BOA, 1000 lbs, Hobie 18 rig Custom Doyle jib new
this season, SunRise teflon thread tramps 3 seasons old, Neil
Pryde asym spinnaker, all running rigging and sheets are spectra,
wire standing rigging less than 1 season old, many new lightweight Harken and Ronstan blocks, carbon tiller and tiller extension. Details/photos at www.geocities.com/tremsetters/nikitatrem.
Asking $6,500 Contact Serge at starcrew@gmail.com.
WANTED
Replace those worn out Navico Corus electronics.
I will help you to buy the system of your dreams by making a
generous contribution for your old stuff. Tom LaMers,
tlam45387@aol.com 937-767-9187.
Fall 2006
N E M A
15
First Class Mail
P.O. Box 51152, Boston, MA 02205
Next NEMA Meeting
Thursday, Oct.19, 7pm
Savin Hill YC
Stan Schreyer
Volvo Extreme 40
THE
MULTIHULL
SOURCE
YOUR FULL-SERVICE
MULTIHULL YARD
ON BUZZARD’S BAY
MULTIHULLS
CORSAIR WINDRIDER GUNBOAT
421 Hancock St., Quincy, MA
BROKERAGE STORAGE TRANSPORT
Box 951 Wareham MA 02571
508/295-0095
sailfast@themulithullsource.com
www.themultihullsource.com
Still
Wa t e r
MultiMag@aol.com
1 Winnisimet Street
Chelsea, MA 02150
(781) 608-3079
Ultralight water craft for low wake environments
Dealers for: FOUNTAINE PAJOT, AERO-EDEL H42, OUTREMER,
BLUBAY CATAMARANS
Gregor Tarjan , 800-446-0010, info@Aeroyacht.com
New and pre-owned multihulls from 38’ to 138’, www.Aeroyacht.com
617-328-8181
www.multihullsmag.com
· Firebird catamarans
· Ultralight kayaks
· Low wake launches
· Teaching barge
· Rowing shells
www.stillwaterdesign.com www.firebirdcat.com
www.lightspeedboats.com
info@lightspeedboats.com
Paul van Dyke
125 Old Gate Lane, Milford, CT 06460
T: 203-877-7621 F: 203-874-6059 M: 860-235-5787
E: Paulvd@sales.northsails.com
W: www.northsails.com
A DIVISION OF NORTH SAILS GROUP, LLC
Triad Marine
Satellite Telephone Sales/Rentals
Marine hardware/cordage at deep discounts
Multihull Deliveries
978-828-2181 tom@sailtriad.com
www.sailtriad.com
D e si gn
E nginee rin g
D eliveries
215.822.5773
3442 Pickertown Rd, Chalfont, PA 19814
kaveathome@aol.com
Composite Engineering
MAINE CAT
277 Baker Ave., Concord MA 01742
MC30 & MC41 Performance Cruising Cats
Carbon Spars Racing Shells
Specialty Composites
978-371-3132
www.composite-eng.com
DICK VERMEULEN
P.O. Box 205, Bremen, ME 04551
1-888-832-CATS 207-529-6500
mecat@gwi.net www.mecat.com