Summer 2006 - New England Multihull Association

Summer 2006
2006 Trimaran Nationals
photos courtesy Stuart Schaefer www.stuartonline.com
Top: Kenny
Winter’s C28R
Rocketeer II off
to a good start in
one of
Wednesday’s
races.
Right:
Bob Gleason
charges ahead in
his Sprint 750
Tri Me (#45).
See story on
page 6.
In This Issue
BBB/NEMA Picnic . . . . . . . . . . 2
NEMAnorth Cruise . . . . . . . . . 2
2005 Racing/Event Schedule . . 3
2005 Racing/Event Descriptions 4
Gulf of Maine Schedule . . . . . . 5
Corsair Nationals . . . . . . . . . . 6
1 woman 1 boat . . . . . . . . . . 8
News from Greene Marine . . . 10
Maine Cat 41 Charter . . . . . . 10
Members Classified . . . . . . . .11

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
Race Chair
Secretary
Cruising Chair
Newsletter Editor
Appointees
Fleet Captain
Nick Bryan-Brown
508-758-3444
nbbre@yahoo.com
Wayne Allen
781-665-7295
20knots@comcast.net
Bill Heaton
401-934-1312
wtheaton@earthlink.net
Ira Heller
617-288-8223
nemasail@aol.com
Bob Gleason
508-295-0095
sailfast@themultihullsource.com
Judy Cox
978-283-3598
jcox@inzones.com
Tony Cabot
617-328-4109
tony@caboteria.org
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
Historian
Life Members
Martin Roos
781-272-1683
Les Moore
978-768-7668
Dick Newick
Walter and Joan Greene
Les Moore
Spencer Merz
Bill Doelger
NEMA Web Site
www.nemasail.org
See the website for Membership application and
meeting information.
NEMA Picnic combined with
Buzzard’s Bay Blast Barbeque
In an attempt to foil the rain gods and
also to make the NEMA picnic more fun,
we’ve decided to combine the picnic
with the BBB Saturday night barbeque.
Racers will compete in a day of aroundthe-buoys
races and will raft up in front
of the Gleason’s house in Wareham for
an overnight and barbeque on Saturday,
June 24. Non-racers can come by land
or sea and enjoy the barbeque. Please
bring a side-dish or dessert to share or
else you can donate $5 to help cover the
cost of food.
The NEMA picnic starts at 3 pm and
allows the cruisers and picnic goers to
welcome the racers back to the beach
for the evening. For those who have not
been to the Gleason’s before there is a
nice sandy beach and a good protected
anchorage. It would be best to bring
beach shoes as there are many shells.
There are a few moorings available for
rafting, plus a small power boat and a
couple of dinghies to kick around in.
BBB T-shirts will be available for $10
each. Please RSVP by June 9 by filling
out the form on page 11 or by email
(sailfast@themultihullsource.com) so we
know how many tee’s to print, and how
much food to buy.
Saturday, June 24
■
■
■
■
9 am: Skippers meeting at Gleason’s house
to determine the course (or contact on
Channel 73 or by cell phone - 508 863-6760)
11 am: start between Bird Island Light and
bell G 13.
Finish: at the same line -take your finish
time and the time of the boat behind you.
3 pm: picnickers welcome at the house.
Sunday, June 25
■
■
NEMA NEWS
9 am: Skippers meeting
11 am: Start between Bird Island Light and
bell G 13
Call if you have questions: 508-295-0095
or email sailfast@themultihullsource.com.
–Bob Gleason
North Shore Cruise
July 1-4 (Replaces North Shore Rally)
NEMAnorth will host a cruise over the
4th of July weekend. The fleet will meet
on Saturday, July 1 in Gloucester Harbor
and rendezvous at 6pm for dinner at the
Rudder on Rocky Neck where there’s a
dock for your dinghy. Anchoring is free in
the Federal Anchorage in the main harbor
or off of Niles Beach. Moorings are
available from the harbormaster (VHF
14/16) or at the Eastern Point Yacht Club
(VHF 16 or tel.978 283 3590) first come
first serve. For trailer sailors there’s a
brand new ramp for launching behind
the Gloucester High School, just north of
the Cut Bridge on the Annisquam River;
launch fee is $10 and includes parking
for your vehicle. Gloucester outer Harbor
is a great place to gunkhole or kayak,
and the waterfront is highly inviting for a
walking tour. Don’t miss the art galleries
on Rocky Neck.
Sunday, July 2nd we set sail for Star
Island in the Isle of Shoals (24 nm north
of Cape Ann) where we’ll raft up in
Gosport Harbor and party aboard. You’ll
find a small welcome center ashore
available during daylight hours, and a
nature trail to hike on nearby Appledore
Island.
An 8 mile jaunt west on Monday,
July 3rd takes us over to Pepperell Bay
on the Maine side of the Piscataqua
River (just south of Kittery Point) where
we’ll anchor for a great view of the fireworks
over Portsmouth Harbor. This is an
easy in-and-out with no obstructions,
and there’s a dock for access to shoreside
activities, including a nice little
restaurant.
Tuesday, July 4th will be departure
day for points of your choice.
To date there are 4 boats participating
– Wayne and Judy Allen (Pooka,
Newick 42 cat), Tom Henry (Seawind 24
cat), Peter Vakhutinsky (Fregat, F24), and
Tom and Judy Cox (Triad, Newick 42 tri).
Come join the fun – contact Tom Cox at
978 828 2181 or email tom@sailtriad.com
with your questions or indication of interest
(and a head count for Saturday’s dinner
reservation).
–TC
2 N E M A Summer 2006

2006 NEMA Summer Event Schedule
DATE RACE/EVENT Location Contact NEMA ORC North
May 27 Owen Mitchell Regatta Newport RI newportyachtclub.org ■
Jun 9 -10 Spring Off Soundings Watch Hill to www.offsoundings.org ■
Block Island RI
Jun 18 EYC Hospice Marblehead MA Ted Grossbart 781-631-5011 ■
Jun 25 MYC Patton Bowl Manchester MA Wayne Allen 781-665-7295 ■
Jun 24 -25 Buzzards Bay Blast/Cruise Marion MA Multihull Source 508-295-0095 ■ +Cruise/Picnic
Jul 1-4 North Shore Cruise Gloucester MA Tom Cox 978-828-2181 Cruise
Jul 7 Corinthian/Chapman Bowl Marblehead MA www.corinthianyc.org ■ ■
Jul 8-15 NEMA Summer Cruise Block Island Sound Multihull Source 508-295-0095 Cruise
Jul 22 Black Dog Dash Vineyard Haven MA Dave Koshiol 508-748-1901 ■
Jul 27 Around Long Island Race Sea Cliff NY www.alir.org ■
Jul 28 - 29 New England Solo Twin Newport RI newportyachtclub.org/ ■ ■
Aug 4 - 6 Buzzard’s Bay Regatta Marion MA www.buzzardsbayregatta.com ■
Aug 5 CPYC Make-A-Wish Winthrop MA Wayne Allen 978-665-7295 ■
Aug 12 Bowditch Race Salem MA Tom Cox 978-828-2181 ■
Aug 12 - 13 Monhegan Island Race Falmouth ME www.gmora.org ■
Aug 20 EYC Chandler Hovey Marblehead MA Ted Grossbart 781-631-5011 ■
Aug 26 - 27 Newport Unlimited Newport RI Nick Bryan-Brown 508-758-3444 ■
Sep 2 Schooner Festival Race Gloucester, MA Tom Cox 978-828-2181 ■ ■
Sep 15-16 Fall Off Soundings New London CT www.offsoundings.org ■
Sep 16 Whalers Race New Bedford MA www.nbyc.com ■
Sept 17 BYC Hodder Regatta* Marblehead MA Ted Grossbart 781-631-5011 ■
Sep 25 MYC Fall Manchester MA Wayne Allen 978-665-7295 ■
Sep 29 - Oct 1 Rock2Rock Stonington CT www.rock2rock.org ■
Oct 1 Phil Small* Beverly MA Tom Cox 978 283-3943 ■
Oct 7 - 8 Nina-Pinta-Santa Maria Stonington CT Bob Gleason 508-295-0095 ■
NEMA - NEMA Season trophy
ORC - NEMA Offshore Racing Circuit trophy
North - NEMA North trophy
*make up race if needed
See page 5 for Gulf of Maine Racing Schedule.
Summer 2006 N E M A
3

NEMA Summer Event Info
KEY
NEMA
NS
ORC
NEMA Season Trophy Race
North Shore Race
Off Shore Racing Circuit
Only those races with four or more paid NEMA rated
racers at the start will be included toward the Season
Trophy. ORC and NS need three or more boats to qualify.
Owen Mitchell Regatta
May 27 NEMA
Newport Yacht Club, Newport, RI
Race from Newport to Block Island, RI.
Good family-oriented event for the beginning
of the season. For more info call
Newport Yacht Club 401-846-9410.
www.newportyachtclub.org/
Spring Off Soundings Regatta
June 9 - 10 NEMA
Off Soundings Club, Watch Hill Pt., RI
On Friday race from Watch Hill Pt. Rhode
Island to Block Island. On Saturday, race
around Block Island.
www.offsoundings.org
EYC Hospice
June 18 NS
Eastern Yacht Club, Marblehead, MA
Sunday around the buoys.
Ted Grossbart 781-631-5011
www.easternyc.org
MYC Patton Bowl Regatta
June 25 NS
Manchester Yacht Club, Manchester MA
Sunday around the buoys race. Social
activities and trophy presentation at the
MYC after the race.
Wayne Allen 781-665-7295
www.manchesteryachtclub.org
Buzzards Bay Blast Race/Cruise
and NEMA Picnic
June 24 - 25 NEMA
Marion, MA
Around the buoys day races Saturday
and Sunday followed by raft-up in
Wareham with barbeque at Gleason’s
Saturday night. The barbeque includes
the annual NEMA picnic. There is a nice
sandy beach, good holding ground and
typically very protected.
Multihull Source 508-295-0095
NEMA North Cruise
July 1-4
Saturday, meet the fleet in Gloucester.
Dine out in Rocky Neck. Sunday: Sail to
Isle of Shoals for raft up. Monday: Sail to
Pepperell Bay, Kittery, ME. Tuesday sail
home.
Tom Cox, 978-828-2181
Corinthian 200/Chapman Bowl
July 7 NEMA, ORC
Corinthian Yacht Club, Marblehead, MA.
208 nm offshore overnight race. Start in
Marblehead on Friday, finish in Scituate
on Saturday, followed by awards barbeque
Saturday afternoon.
www.corinthianyc.org/norssis176.html
NEMA Summer Cruise
July 8-15
Block Island Sound and Narragansett
Bay. The schedule will be very loose to
make it easy and fun for all. Contact The
Multihull Source for details.
sailfast@themultihullsource.com
Multihull Source 508-295-0095
Black Dog Dash
July 22 NEMA
Vineyard Haven, Martha’s Vineyard
This is always a fun event, and is generally
the best-attended event on the
NEMA circuit. Low key racing with
breakfast at the Black Dog Restaurant
and famous Black Dog/ NEMA T-shirts.
Pursuit start race of 20 nm and raft up
along the beach.
Around Long Island Race
Dave Koshiol 508-748-1901
July 27 - ORC
Sea Cliff Yacht Club, Sea Cliff, NY
Overnight race around Long Island.
www.alir.org
New England Solo Twin
July 28 - 29 NEMA, ORC
Newport Yacht Club, Newport, RI
Double-handed 125 nm overnight race
out of Newport, usually around Block
Island via Montauk and Noman’s land.
newportyachtclub.org/nyc/m/_general/solotwin.asp
Buzzard's Bay Regatta
August 4 - 6 NEMA
Marion, MA
Three days of racing around the buoys.
Competitive racing. Well-run event.
www.buzzardsbayregatta.com
CPYC Make-A-Wish Regatta
August 6 NS
Winthrop Yacht Club, Winthrop, MA
12-15 mile (pursuit start) race around
Government marks. Sit down dinner $25/
person. Two dinners included with
racing fee.
Wayne Allen 781-665-7295
4
N E M A Summer 2006

Bowditch Race
August 12 NS
Cottage Park YC, Salem, MA
Saturday around the buoys race.
Dinner/party/dance afterwards.
Tom Cox 978-828-2181
Monhegan Island Race
August 12-13 ORC
Falmouth, ME
Long distance race in the Gulf of Maine.
Great hospitality.
www.gmora.org
EYC Chandler Hovey
August 20 NS
Eastern Yacht Club, Marblehead MA
Sunday around the buoys.
Ted Grossbart 781-631-5011
www.easternyc.org
Newport Unlimited
August 26 - 27 NEMA
NEMA, Newport, RI
Around the buoys racing short courses
in Narragansett Bay. Well attended
event with catered dinner party Saturday
night. Any NEMA member or guest may
register to attend party.
Nick Bryan-Brown 508-758-3444
www.nemasail.org
Schooner Festival Race
September 2 NEMA, NS
Chamber of Commerce, Gloucester, MA
14-mile around the buoys race. After
race enjoy free buffet and fireworks.
Awards reception and free buffet after
Sunday’s Schooner Race all for $20.
Tom Cox 978-828-2181
www.capeannvacations.com/schooner
Fall Off Soundings Regatta
September 15 - 16 NEMA
NYYC, Watch Hill RI, Shelter Is.
Fall Off Soundings Race Series,
Gardeners Bay to Shelter Island, NY
www.offsoundings.org
Whalers Race
September 16 ORC
New Bedford YC, S. Dartmouth, MA
105 mile overnight race around Block
Island by way of Noman’s Land. Dinner
Friday, brunch and awards Sunday.
www.nbyc.com
BYC Hodder Regatta
September 17 NS
Boston Yacht Club, Marblehead MA
Make-up race if needed.
Ted Grossbart 781-631-5011
bostonyachtclub.net/Racing/HodderRegatta.htm
MYC Fall Regatta
September 25 NS
Manchester Yacht Club, Manchester MA
Around the buoys race.
Wayne Allen 978-665-7295
Rock2Rock
Sept. 29-Oct. 1 ORC
Stonington Harbor YC, Stonington CT
This 159 mile race goes from Race Rock
at the eastern end of Long Island Sound,
round Execution Rock on the western
end of the Sound and back to Race Rock.
www.rock2rock.org
Phil Small
October 1 NS
Jubilee Yacht Club, Beverly, MA
Around the buoys makeup race if
needed.
Tom Cox 978-283-3943
www.jubileeyc.net
Nina-Pinta-Santa Maria
Challenge Cup
October 7 - 8 NEMA
Wadawanuk Yacht Club, Stonington, CT
Two day races. Replaces Race Rock
Regatta, which typically had good multihull
participation. Great parties and food.
Bob Gleason 508-295-0095
2006 Gulf of Maine
(GMORA) Schedule
Following is the schedule of GMORA
races for the 2006 season. For more info
contact Peter Garcia, GMORA commodore
at pgarcia@3200.com or visit
www.gmora.org.
June 10
June 17-18
June 24
July 8-9
July 9, 22, 30
July 15-16
July 15
July 22-23
July 29
July 29-30
July 29-30
Aug 5-6
Aug 6-11
Aug 12-13
Aug 19
Aug 20
Aug 25-27
Aug 27
Aug 31
Centerboard Regatta
Pilot Race
Harraseeket Regatta
PHRF Main Champs
MDI Series
Boothbay
Hospice Regatta
Seguin Island Race
Handy Midsummer Regatta
Camden-Castine Race
Downeast Challenge Race
GMORA/ST C/D CA Cruise
Downeast Race Week
Monhegan Race
MS Regatta
MDI Series
PHRF New England
Commodore’s Cup
Yarmouth Cup
Summer 2006 N E M A
5

RACING ROUNDUP
2006 Trimaran Nationals
by Glenn Howell
The year 2006 will go down as a special
year in the annals of the trimaran
nationals. Fort Walton
Beach, FL is a quite simply great place to
sail. Think about it. You can launch your
trimaran at the Fort Walton Yacht Club,
and while your crew is washing down
and parking the trailer at the YC, you sail
across the bay to your beach-side
anchorage or condominium dock.
Secure the boat and walk to your condo
for a dip in the pool or a walk on the
beach. Later on, walk to the Ramada
ocean pier Tiki bar for an adult beverage
or, if you like, a cool Fiji water while
enjoying the live entertainment and
watching the surf roll in.
Then it’s on to the Summer House
restaurant, a short walk from the
Ramada, for a fine dining experience and
camaraderie with the competition. A
brisk walk home will rid you of that overstuffed
tightness in your gut. Next morning
head over to the condo gym or perhaps
the pool for a bit of exercise. Then
it’s a short walk to the boat for a shakedown
sail and some practice spinnaker
sets, jibes, and tacks, or perhaps to participate
in the well-attended and much
appreciated Randy Smyth sailing school.
Glenn Howell’s Adios! (number 22) at the start of one of Friday’s races.
Repeat the next day, etc.
Oh, and did I mention the Boat US
and the West Marine, as well as the
Publix supermarket and the Fort Walton
Yacht Club are all less than 10 minutes
drive from your condo or Leeside Park
anchorage? Sorry for the inconvenience,
but the Wal-Mart is about a 15
minute drive from your accommodations.
Oh yeah, and about the weather.
Well, what is there to complain about?
Seventy something degrees and partly
sunny every day, I mean geez, the wind
blew every day too, between 6 and 17
knots. There was that one thunderstorm
that blew through on the last night and
bashed up the Remmers/Onsguard F-28
float combing, and we actually had to
wait a few hours the next morning for the
wind to fill. What an inconvenience!
And if you can imagine the sight of the
sun glinting off of the turquoise blue
water at the Destin Inlet bridge as we
sailed in from the Gulf races, watching a
pod of dolphins shepherding their newborns
through their first play session.
Then blend in with the fleet of Corsairs
smoking across the large expanse of flat
warm protected water that is
Choctawhatchee Bay as we zoom to our
Dave Calvert helming Bert Kornyei’s Hot Flash.
dock. Yes we did jump into the pool
afterward and walk to the Ramada, and
….you get the picture. I should have told
you about the picnic race to the park
too!
The first race was a “Bermuda
start” with each boat assigned a starting
time based on handicap. The poor F-31s
had to start last and sail through all of
the other boats to win, and of course the
F-24s got to sail in nice clean air the
whole race. But who’s complaining?
Adios! was able to catch all but the
Sprint 750s crewed by the winning
Wigston/McGarry and Styne/Wright
teams, and the always excellent
Kuertin/Shaw f-24 team, to finish 4th
overall. Imagine thirty-something sleek
Corsairs lined up on the tropical beach
like so many giant spiders, with masters
lounging languidly nearby and lunching
lazily on the infamous Grady BBQ chicken
tartar sans tomatoes!
Yes, the wind did build for the race
home and we did see Randy Smyth blow
by at the helm of Kenny Winter’s soupedup
31-1D Rocketeer III. In fact they went
past in a hail of spray and foam going so
fast that it seemed like we were standing
still. How does Randy work the traveler
6
N E M A Summer 2006

like that all by himself with his skinny little
arm?
The first four races, to the park and
back, and two in the Gulf of Mexico were
reaching drag races with little strategy
other than which sails to fly and which
passing lanes to take. The RC did a commendable
job and this regatta was very
user friendly and well run, but can we
please have a windward leg in the Gulf
races? The last two days were filled
with the usual complement of windward/leeward
course excitement with all
of the starting strategies, tactical decisions,
crew work, and boat speed that
separate the really good teams from the
pretty good teams. Yes, boat prep and
sails count too! You can view the results
at http://www.fwyc.org/. If you want to
see photos, check http://www.printroom.com/ghome.asp?domain_name=st
uartonline
Hope to see all of you there next
time. It’s hard to express in writing just
how much fun it is to attend this event.
Feel free to call me anytime to talk about
it! (919-247-6354
ghowell@trademarkproperties.com.)
Glen Howell lives in Raleigh, NC and sails his
F31, Adios!, in New England most summers.
How did the NEMA boats perform?
Out of thirty-three boats, entered in four
classes, the NEMA fleet had impressive
results. Congratulations to everyone who
competed!
Corsair24/750 Fleet (10 boats))
Tri Me (Bob Gleason): 2nd
Corsair 31 Fleet (8 boats)
Rocketeer III (Randy Smyth) 1st
Condor (Peter Freidenberg) 2nd
LeiLoe (H.L. Enloe): 3rd
Adios! (Glenn Howell): 4th
Corsair 28R Fleet (9 boats)
Hot Flash (Dave Calvert): 6th
Overall Scoring (33 boats)
Tri Me (Bob Gleason): 3rd
Condor (Peter Freidenberg): 7th
Rocketeer III (Randy Smyth): 9th
LeiLoe (H.L. Enloe): 11th
Adios! (Glenn Howell): 12th
Hot Flash (Dave Calvert): 21st
Bob Gleason and Ira Heller aboard the 750 Sprint named (you guessed it) Tri Me
The crew of LeiLoe taking it easy.
Randy Smyth on Rocketeer III edges out an unlucky competitor during one of the Friday races.
Summer 2006 N E M A
photos courtesy Stuart Schaefer www.stuartonline.com
7

Absolute Solitude: 1 woman 1 boat
'Though this be madness yet there is method in it.’ [Hamlet]
by Lia Ditton
Seven men gathered outside Tate
Britain this time last year. They
came from Transport for London,
the MET office, London Buses,
Westminster and Chelsea Councils, and
Camden Stewardship Environmental
authority. They knew each other and
chatted away in the spring sunshine.
'Ahem,' I felt a sermon coming on,
‘We are gathered here today...' to discuss
the haul out of a 40ft by 28ft wide
racing Trimaran over the wall of the river
Thames. So, let's get this straight: You
want to bring a 40ft racing Trimaran up
the River Thames and crane it over the
river wall onto the back of a flat bed and
truck it down Atterbury Street. 'That is
correct.' And then, if I am to understand
you correctly, you will place said vessel
onto a frame, as if the boat is surging
down a huge wave, and live on the boat
for the same number of days as it took
you to race across the Atlantic alone?'
There is only one reason why you
might spend six months battling a minefield
of council politics and landscape
logistics to do this.
Its name is ART.
The original mission statement read as
follows: “To race across the Atlantic
alone writing the diary of the experience
on the inside skin of the boat itself and
then to cut the boat in half so that the
diary may be exhibited and read.”
Leaving half in America, [there was
a rumour that the DIA Art Foundation in
New York might buy half] only half was
destined to return to Britain. The
National Maritime Museum in
Greenwich said they would house the
other. Cutting a hand built Open 40 racing
monohull with a torpedo lead bulb and a
keel fin of 3-4ml steel was going to be no
easy task, however. Derecktors boat
yard, in Mamaroneck Harbour, Long
Island accepted the challenge. There
Photoshop artist’s conception of how the boat will look after it has been placed in the Courtyard
of the Chelsea College of Art
was talk of a BBC documentary to film
the cutting. Two years, three boats, two
corporate sponsors. 'All change please,
all change please.’
Finally one rather skinny, bedraggled-looking
25 year old girl arrives in
America with an enormous smile. The
original mission was in one sense,
accomplished. Over twenty-eight days of
absolute solitude a diary was written, not
on the inside skin of the boat [the ultimate
boat was too small for that] but on
a D600 Latitude laptop from Dell. The
audience last counted, was over ten
thousand readers who followed blow by
blow.
While the occupants of Chelsea College
admin building A awaited the arrival of a
boat for the ‘Open House’ Weekend of
September 21st 2005, I was in a windless
zone of the Atlantic, sheltering from
Hurricane Katrina. The 'Open House’
exhibition alas came and went without a
boat, but with one student thankful to be
out of any path, projected or otherwise
of Hurricanes Irene, Katrina or Nate.
I sailed it back across the Atlantic
also alone. The boat was too small to
take a passenger.
What is it like to sail across the
Atlantic alone? Can you even imagine
what 28 days of absolute solitude is like?
Does a diary really answer those questions?
Only in the context of meeting the
skipper and her boat can you really conceive
what it was like.
Juxtapose one 25 year old girl and a
40ft racing Trimaran with a 60ft mast and
pepper on the word 'alone.' Partially
close the left eye and imagine a seemingly
endless expanse of surrounding
ocean. Could you handle 28 days of
absolute solitude? Perhaps this is the
question you might ask yourself as you
climb the scaffolded staircase leading to
the viewing platform [on top of a shipping
container], kindly on loan from
8
N E M A Summer 2006

Peters May... as you peer into the boat's
10ft by 6ft cabin... as your eye runs down
the steeply angled deck of the forty foot
racing Trimaran... as you picture the
furor of spray as a wave breaks over the
bow…
The Event
Who: Graduating student of Chelsea
College of Art, London, Lia Ditton is also
a professional sailor. Her first trans-
Atlantic crossing from West to East was
on a famous 60ft trimaran called Moxie
which had won a race called the OSTAR
(Observer Single-Handed Transatlantic
Race) in 1980.Inspired by this experience,
Lia set out to enter her first solo
race with a view to exploring the nature
of solitude through articles of reflection,
initially intended to be drawn onto the
boat's interior.
During a hard crossing when only 18
of 43 entrants finished the 2005 Faraday
Mill OSTAR, Lia sailed Shockwave, a 34ft
trimaran, to finish 5th in class. She was
the youngest competitor and the only
woman to finish. Last counted, her articles
of reflection were followed by an
audience of over ten thousand readers.
What: The exhibition Absolute Solitude:
One woman, One Boat
Where: The Courtyard, Chelsea College
of Art, next door to Tate Britain Gallery,
London, England
When: Sunday June 4th to Sunday July
2nd 2006
How: A 40ft by 28ft wide racing trimaran
[ProVu] will pass along the River
Thames. Using the slipway adjacent to
Vauxhall Bridge, on Sunday June 4th
2006, the boat will be craned from the
water and rotated to a 75 degree angle,
for transport into Westminster by truck.
Next door to Tate Britain, the boat
will be mounted in the Courtyard of
Chelsea College of Art. On an angled
frame, as if the boat is surging down a
huge wave, 25 year old Lia Ditton will
begin living onboard [without getting off],
for the same number of days as it took
her to race across the Atlantic alone.
In the single-handed trans-Atlantic
race, the Faraday Mill OSTAR 2005, Lia
Ditton was the youngest competitor and
only woman to finish.
Visitors are invited to climb the staircase
to the viewing platform [on top of a
shipping container] and peer into the
boat's 10ft by 6ft cabin. They are encouraged
to interact with Lia Ditton, who will
follow the same 24hr sleep pattern as if
racing.
Why: As Turner had himself tied to the
rail of a ship in the throe of a storm in
order to experience the subject of his
painting, Lia Ditton entered the singlehanded
Trans-Atlantic Yacht Race, the
2005 OSTAR, in order to live the subject
of her art.
‘Absolute Solitude,’ One Woman,
One Boat is about the relationship that
developed between the skipper and her
boat.
About the Boat
As the weather changes, sails will
be hoisted or doused and appropriately
trimmed to the conditions. The purpose
this time is not to race faster, but to
reduce the wind resistance of the
anchored yacht.
Replace a seemingly endless
expanse of ocean with a sea of people.
The work is a static re-enactment of Lia
Ditton’s single-handed trans-Atlantic
odyssey.
‘What is it like to race across an
ocean?’ ‘Or spend 28 days alone without
physical human contact?’ Visitors are
offered the rare opportunity to meet Lia
Ditton as well as glimpse the confines of
the small cabin, in which she ate and
slept across her way across the Atlantic.
More info: www.1woman1boat.com
Clare Pengelly [PR] 0207 193 4564.
If you are a long-time NEMA member
then you are no stranger to ProVu,
the Formula 40 pictured in the
Courtyard photo on the previous
page. Originally called Biscuits
Cantreau, the boat was winner of the
Formula 40 circuit in the hands of
Jean le Cam and also sailed to victory
by Roland Jordain. The 40-foot
Kevlar and carbon fiber trimaran
was designed to be the fastest and
most technically advanced Formula
40 in the world.
NEMA member Tom Bandoni
bought Biscuits in 1988 and raced
her for two years with Philip Steggall
at the helm. In 1990 Debbie Druan
acquired the boat and raced her for 10 years in New England, first under the
name Sea Biscuit and later as Toshiba after obtaining corporate sponsorship.
During this time Debbie won two NEMA Season Trophies and three Halifax races
and made the cover of Multihulls Magazine.
Debbie sold Toshiba in 2000 to Peter Bryant in England. Now called ProVu,
she is currently on loan to Lia for her exhibition.
I asked Debbie what she thought of Lia living for a month on her old boat.
She replied, “Well I actually did that once. I never got off the boat for a month
because the boat did the Halifax race, then around Martha's vineyard then the
black dog then around long island then I think the Newport unlimited. I did actually
get off the boat but I never went home, the entire month. I got quite used to the
boat, like a pair of pants and it started to feel like my own moving private island
with a view.”
–JC
Summer 2006 N E M A
9

News from Greene Marine
In 1978, Mike Birch (Olympus
Photo) won the inaugural Route
du Rhum singlehanded transatlantic
race against Michel
Malinovsky (Kritter V) beating
him by 1 minute 38 seconds
after a grueling 23 day race
ending with a spectacular duel
as Mike came from behind and
reached across the finish line
spray flying, edging out the
much larger monohull by a
nose. He has competed in 6
more Route du Rhum races
since. Mike is now building a
35 foot monohull (!) at Greene
Marine in Yarmouth, Maine for
his personal cruising pleasure.
(right) Mike Birch checks the
lines of the coach house with a
fairing batten.
Walter Greene, Mike Birch,
and Pete Whittelsey watch a
test panel being infused as a
trial run; the entire deck and
coach house will be
fabricated as one giant part.
Maine Cat 41
available for charter
in Rockland, Maine
Maine Cat is excited to offer bareboat-qualified
clients an opportunity
to charter a brand new
MC 41 in Maine this summer. This boat
will be available out of Rockland Harbor,
Maine, from July 1st to September 9th
before she will be displayed at the
Newport Boat Show. Rockland is located
in the midst of world famous
Penobscot Bay and it is an easy day sail
to either Mt. Desert and Bar Harbor to
the north or Boothbay Harbor to the
south. This awesome cruising ground
has the best of both worlds with charming
villages and quaint towns to uninhabited
coves and islands. The MC 41 is the
perfect boat from which to enjoy it all
with its unparalleled visibility, thirty-inch
draft, excellent performance, and ease
of handling. The boat is fully equipped
with 4 kW radar, color chartplotter and
inflatable RIB dinghy with 8 HP outboard.
Just add your provisions and enjoy!
Please call Lynn at 1-888-832-2287 or
email her at mecat@gwi.net. Be sure to
reserve your week early. Don’t miss this
opportunity to enjoy this incredible cruising
ground aboard our performance
cruiser with all the comforts and still a
great turn for speed.
Rich Wilson Scuttlebutt
Rich Wilson, long time NEMA member, OSTAR veteran, short handed sailor, and holder
of numerous long distance sailing records aboard his 53’ Nigel Irens trimaran Great
American II sold that boat last year. He has now purchased an open 60 monohull (!) in
which he plans to do the 2008 Vendee Globe Race, non-stop around the world singlehanded.
He completed a singlehanded qualifying run from France to Maine in 13 days,
arriving in Portsmouth on May 18. Good luck Rich!
10
N E M A Summer 2006

Buzzard’s Bay Blast/NEMA Picnic Reservation Form
Name ___________________________________________________________________________________________
I want to participate in (check all that apply): ___Race ___Raft-up/overnight ___Picnic
Boat Name ___________________________________________________
Home Phone __________________ Cell Phone______________________
Rating _____________________________
Email ______________________________
How many T-shirts do you want ($10 ea.) _____small _____medium _____large _____X-large
How many people will be attending picnic? _______
___ I will bring a dish to share ___ I will contribute $5 toward food
Check for $___________ (made out to The Multihull Source) is enclosed.
RESERVATION DEADLINE: June 9, 2006
Mail to: or Fax to: 508 295-9082
The Multihull Source
Box 95
or Email: sailfast@themultihullsource.com
Wareham, MA 02571
FOR SALE
25' Tennant catamaran and road trailer. Needs TLC,
but hulls sound.complete sail inventory. Good project for
enthusiast. No reasonable offer refused!
Contact Paul Ashton email p.ashton@earthlink.net or tel:
508-877-1891 (office) 508-877-0083 (home)
36 ft Cross Tri 1987 Cold-molded w/ WEST epoxy, 25 hp
Perkins diesel, 3 sails, solar, equipped for cruising and
liveaboard. Just sailed up from Fla Keys, located Maine
$36K Contact : Will Gordon 207-342-3834 or email:
loretta@gwi.net
F-27 Corsair Tri, 1991. Calvert main & jib. Genoa &
symmetrical spinnaker. Spares of main/jib/spinnaker.
Nets and Pacific trailer

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MULTIHULLS
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617-328-8181
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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
Still
Water
1 Winnisimet Street
Chelsea, MA 02150
(781) 608-3079
Ultralight water craft for low wake environments
· Firebird catamarans · Ultralight kayaks
· Low wake launches · Teaching barge
· Rowing shells
www.stillwaterdesign.com www.firebirdcat.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
Design
Engineering
Deliveries
215.822.5773
3442 Pickertown Rd, Chalfont, PA 19814
kaveathome@aol.com
NEW ENGLAND MULTIHULL ASSOCIATION
Composite Engineering
277 Baker Ave., Concord MA 01742
Carbon Spars Racing Shells
Specialty Composites
978-371-3132
www.composite-eng.com
Triad Marine
Satellite Telephone Sales/Rentals
Marine hardware/cordage at deep discounts
Multihull Deliveries
978-828-2181 tom@sailtriad.com
www.sailtriad.com
MAINE CAT
MC30 & MC41 Performance Cruising Cats
DICK VERMEULEN
P.O. Box 205, Bremen, ME 04551
1-888-832-CATS 207-529-6500
mecat@gwi.net www.mecat.com