| RE: .1, let me try to answer your questions:
Membership in NEMA is $20/year (Sept-Sept). For details, contact Debbie
Druan at 508-620-0832 or John Marshall at 617-628-2475.
More-or-less monthly meetings are usually held at the Savin Hill YC (on
Morrissey Blvd in Dorchester, between the JFK Library and the Corita gas
tanks.) To keep up with dates, you might want to join; they seem to be
announced one-at-a-time only a month ahead in each newsletter issue. If I
notice in time and have time, I'll try to post them here; non-members are
welcome as guests of members, and while I don't get to meetings but once
in a blue moon, someone there would be glad to be an official "host".
Now that it's summer sailing season, next meeting is the fall sometime.
Topics are great: Greg Ketterman spoke on his world-record tri-foiler,
"Longshot"; Rich Wilson described the attempt he and Steve Pettingill made
to break the West-to-East Cape Horn record (which ended in "Great
American" breaking up in 50' seas when they were several days ahead of the
record pace); various multi builders including Dick Newick, Chris White,
and Everett Pearson -- and those are just from the past few months.
There are both avid racers and avowed cruisers among the membership.
Boats vary from three Formula 40's (2 are tris imported from France,
*very* slick-looking and unbelievably fast in the right conditions --
they just fly by our Condor 40), through the production racer-cruisers like
the F-27 (4) on down to the cruise-only Seawind 24, who gets time on
everybody but the breakwater. Sizes range from the Seawind 24, 25'
Dragonfly and "Cornish Meadow" (class winner in the last CSTAR), up to a
Newick 50 and Chris White's 52' Juniper.
While the published event schedule emphasized races, several of those
organized by NEMA -- as opposed to those organized by others (like the
Buzzards Bay Regatta) -- in fact are quite friendly affairs, which though
timed, are sailed by the majority for the fun of it. A few members
organize coastal cruises from time to time; last year it was a trip from
Buzzards Bay up to Maine and back, over about a 2-3 week period. Sail on
your own and rendezvous late afternoon. I understand about half a dozen
made the whole trip, and another 6 or so were there for part of it. Lots
of stories seem to be repeated from that epic adventure. So there's
something to do for anyone with an interest in multihulls; the group is
aimed at all owners and sailors of multis, especially those larger than
beach cats, though there are some beach cat members, too.
J.
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| I joined the New England Multi Hull Assoc to gain more experience in
this type of sailboat. Last week Gary Hoyt gave a presentation on the
experimental designs he was tinkering with. His Manta was on display
at the Newport Show, which I saw and was fascinated with. Anyhow he
made some rather astounding observations when he said something to this
effect:
1. The real innovation in sailing over the last decade or so is the
windsufer.
2. The advances in monohull design are almost neglible, given the
fact that large amounts of money are being spent (like in the America's
Cup) for only small (.5 to 1.5 knot) gains.
3. The real "frontier" of sailing is in the multi-hull area.
4. There are a lot of monohull sailers who are tiring of the 6-8 knot
performance of monohulls, and who long for more speed.
5. Even when you motor, you still only get 6-8knots.
6. Observing the ramps where power boats launch, he remarked that it is
no wonder that power boats are more popular because in timing a
launching it took less than five minutes to get the boat in the water
and to engage engines. A sailboat launch on the other hand can take up
to 30 minutes. He said that to make sailing more attractive to the
masses (like power boats) it has got to be more easy to get the engine
(i.e. sails) engaged. Thus, his designs incorporate easier start ups.
7. He believes that the US is ready for a "multi-hull" invasion from
Europe, where multi's have enjoyed more success.
8. He also pointed out several "design flaws" of the current monohull
sailboats, such as too small cockpits, inadequate sun protection, low
speed even under power, poor utilization of sails as true wings, etc.
He went on to remark about the used boat market's current depression
and the fact that current boat manufacturers are competing with their
own brands of boats on the used market. Due to the longevity of
fiberglass, buyers look to older models from the same builder because
of a better price.
Manufacturers of multi's, especially the F-27 trimaran, are not
experiencing as much downturn as the monohull builders. Another
testament to the move away from mono's to multi's? Perhaps.
Overall, it was enlightening to me because he was articulating some of
the very reasons that are propelling me away from monohulls and towards
multi's.
Paul
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| Paul
A lot of people buying the f-27s are ex-cat sailors who are
getting too old to be plucked down on a piece of trampoline. The idea
of a trailerable racing boat is neat and Corsair deserves the acolades
they currently enjoy (well thought out machine). My only concern is 10
years from now. What will be be the resale value? Talk about a boat
that has nothing short of sails to degrade. They could become the next
one-class superstar, or @ $65,000 , they could become a giant turkey to
anyone trying to unload these stripped (comfort wise) boats. The Hobie
33 was designed in a similiar vien many years ago. Quality problems and
an inability to be set up quickly killed it.
Access:
A hobie cat is a much easier boat to put together and launch. But we
have found we cann't get race sites from mid June until early Sept.
That's because it is impossible to find a place we can trailer in 100
boats for the weekend that want us around during the summer season.
We don't even need ramps. We cat-wheel them across beach if neccessary.
I have seen us put 80 boats into a lake with only one entrance. With a
lot of patenice and planning, it only took 3.5 hours. How will you get
large cat and tri marans in? Today only a couple are out there, so they
get to use the ramps. But what happens when the popularity increases?
A lot of people have gone to windsurfers. They are fast, need
little capital investment or upkeep and go together quickly. The real
benefit is the fact you need NO launch site. The waterways are getting
increasingly crowded. The bigger the boat or the deeper the draft, the
less locations you have to pick from. Unless some sensible coastal
strategies are put into place, condo owners are going to own every
piece of coastline in New England that could have been used for dry
sailing.
If we could just put aside some ramps now like Goosebury point or
Salsbury beach or Ames Farm that have a ramp, a place to park, and a
non-rocky bottom to move the boat over to until we are done setting up.
Then we wouldn't piss the powerboaters off, and a large population
could start to drysail.
To sum it up, I love multihulls. But it isn't speed that will win
people over, it is access. And that problem will be found on monohulls
as well as powerboaters.
john
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