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TRANSCRIPT
Thursday, March 117 - 10 pm
Savin Hill Yacht Club
Dave Culp: KiteSailSpinnaker replacement
traction kites (see page 2)
Winter 2004
Dave Culp, KiteShip . . . . . . . . . 2
NEMA News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Tribute to Walter Greene . . . . . 3
Rich Wilson/Annual Dinner . . . . 4
Tribute to Dick Newick . . . . . . 6
Interview: Dick Newick . . . . . . 7
Gunboat 37 Vacation . . . . . . . . 8
OSTAR to Transit . . . . . . . . . . 10
Membership Renewal Form . . 11
Members Classified . . . . . . . . 12
Next NEMA Meeting
I n T h i s I s s u e
Winners of the 2003 NEMA Trophies. L to R, Jon Alvord, Don Watson, Tom Cox, Jep Peacock,Ted Grossbart (see page 3 for details)
2004 Annual Dinnerby Tom Cox
“Very interesting presentation ... great speaker … even my wifeenjoyed it”…“Wonderful to hear about NEMA’s history and the peoplewho have contributed so much to multihull sailing”…“It’s about timethat Newick and Greene were recognized for their contributions tomultihulls”…“The best Annual Dinner I’ve ever attended.”
These were some of the commentsoverheard as people left this year'sAnnual Dinner (and if you were not
one of the 94 members and guests whoattended, we send our condolences).
The 2004 Annual Dinner was indeeda superb mix: a warm and friendlyambiance with spectacular views ofBoston over the water, eloquent speak-
ers saluting our honorees, an excellentkeynote presentation accompanied byimpressive audio visuals … even thefood was good.
Commodore Don Watson openedthe meeting, recognized the club officers(without whose efforts none of thiswould occur), and kept the pace goingthroughout the evening. Treasurer Ira
continued on page 3
Next NEMA Meeting:Go Fly a KiteEducated at Stanfordand UC Davis, DaveCulp began profession-ally designing kite pow-ered boats in 1978 at theage of 24. Culp-designed kite boatswere entered at theJohnny Walker SpeedWeeks in 1978–1981 and the SchmirnoffSpeed Weeks in 1986–1988 inWeymouth, England. Culp also co-designed and built a rigid winged 28 foothydrofoil, a dozen kite powered craftbetween 14-30 feet and the OutLeaderBrand rule-legal spinnaker replacementkites for America's Cup Class and otheryachts.
Culp is also author/co-author of 7monographs on kite sailing for yachtsand commercial vessels publishedbetween 1989 and 2002 by AIAA,SNAME, AYRS, ASES and ISES. Sinceco-forming KiteShip in 1996, Culp hasspecialized in large vessel systems.
Culp has expertise in both inshoreand blue water sailing, kite and vesseldesign, systems design, marine mechan-ics and project management, as well asboatbuilding in wood, steel and compos-ites. Come hear this innovative and ener-getic speaker at the next NEMA meet-ing, Thursday, March 11, Savin Hill YachtClub. Pizza social starts at 7 p.m. fol-lowed by Dave Culp at 8 p.m.
Calling all Racers andWannabesThe NEMA Race Committee has sched-uled a Race Community meeting onSaturday, April 10th from 1200 to 1500 atthe Savin Hill Yacht Club. Lunch isincluded (sandwich/salad buffet, andbeverage); drinks can be purchased atthe bar.
For directions to the SHYC, go towww.nemasail.org/savin.html.
An expert speaker will address thegroup about racing rules and tactics,particularly when boats meet: at thestart, mark roundings, overlaps, wind-ward/leeward, and passing situations.Safety and avoiding collisions is a big
concern of the NEMA officers and RaceCommittee; we all can benefit from anexamination of these issues.
This will be an opportunity to social-ize, and discuss several new events inthe works: a new format for theCorinthian 200 which will be a destina-tion race; a new 242 mile overnight racesponsored by the Ida Lewis Yacht Club,from Newport, RI to Shinnecock, NY andreturn; the 2004 Transat, which will finishin Boston; a Marion to Bermuda raceslated for 2005; and the possibility ofexpanding the roster of Season Trophyraces.
NEMA North MeetingNorth Shore sailors are cordially invitedto help plan the 2004 season racing andcruising schedule. Come join us at 1100on Saturday, April 17 for a social and apizza lunch. Tom & Judy Cox, 5 HaskellCourt, Gloucester, MA. RSVP [email protected] or 978 283-3943.
NEMA Picnic & NauticalFlea Market, Sat. May 1 Clean out your basement and have funbartering with fellow NEMA members atthe NEMA Nautical Flea market and pic-nic. Bring your family and friends alongwith any food, salad, dessert, or gamesthat beached sailors may enjoy. If youmissed the Annual Dinner you can seethe video at the picnic. So mark you cal-endars for Saturday, May 1. More infowill be mailed out prior to the picnic andposted on www.nemasail.org.
Last Call for Membership RenewalIf you haven’t yet sent in your NEMAmembership renewal please do sobefore April 1 and you won’t miss anynewsletters. Our next newsletter will bemailed to 2004 members only.
Check the address label on the backof this newsletter. If the Code in theupper right corner does not contain “04”then you need to renew. If you don’thave an application form you can findone on page 11. Please send yourrenewal form, with a check, to Ira Heller,14 Edwin Street, Dorchester, MA 02124.
The New England Multihull Association is anon-profit organization for the promotion of theart, science, and enjoyment of multihull yachtdesign and construction, racing, cruising, andsocializing. The NEMA Newsletter is publishedat no additional charge for NEMA members.The editor apologizes in advance for anyerrors. Please submit articles to Judy Cox, editor email: [email protected] mail: 5 Haskell Court, Gloucester, MA 01930
Commodore Don Watson508-636-5275
Vice Commodore Tom Cox978-283-3943
Treasurer Ira Heller617-288-8223
Race Chair Bill Heaton401-934-1312
Secretary Sydney Miller617-288-8223
Cruising Chair Bob Gleason508-295-0095
Newsletter Editor Judy Cox978-283-3598
Fleet Captain Tony Cabot617-328-4109
Directors at Large Ted [email protected]
781-631-5011Nick Bryan-Brown
Photographer Martin Roos781-272-1683
Historian Les Moore978-768-7668
Life Members Dick NewickWalter and Joan Greene
Les Moore, Spencer MerzBill Doelger
NEMA Web Site www.nemasail.org
See the website for Membership application andmeeting information.
2 N E M A February 2004
N E M A N E W S
Elected Officers
Appointees
Dave Culp
um and presented him with lifetimemembership in NEMA in recognition ofhis many years of outstanding contribu-tions to NEMA, including a long stint onthe board, and years of service on theMultihull Council of USSailing, advisingon safety regulations relating to racingmultihull design and equipment.
Don introduced the new NEMAOutstanding Achievement Award to bepresented periodically to any personinvolved in multihulls that NEMA deemsas having made an outstanding contribu-tion to the sport– whether a significantrace, cruise, or a body of work in design,construction, or sailing. In this inauguralyear the NEMA board recognized threeoutstanding multihull achievers from theranks of our own club: Dick Newick,Walter Greene and Rich Wilson. BillDoelger presented to Newick, PhilipSteggal presented to Greene (see nextcolumn and page 6 ), and Don Watsonpresented to Rich Wilson, who was alsothe keynote speaker (see page 4). Dondeserves kudos for the award concep-tion, design, and the hands-on fabrica-tion of the 4 beautiful carbon fiber tro-phies that were presented.
Many thanks to all who helped makethe Dinner a success. If you missed ityou can see Peter Ashely’s excellentvideo of the event at the NEMA picnic onMay 1 at the Mulithull Source campus inWareham, or you can request a copyfrom Peter ([email protected]).
3February 2004 N E M A
Heller gave a State of the Club report …declaring that we are financially solvent,and arguably the largest and mostesteemed multihull club in the US, if notthe world.
Race Chair Bill Heaton and ViceCommodore Tom Cox tag-teamedthrough the highlights of the past andcoming racing seasons, and then pre-sented the 2003 racing awards:
Season Trophy (best 7 days of rac-ing of 14 racing days on corrected time):First – Jep Peacock, Second – Tom Cox,Third – Don Watson; Elapsed TimeTrophy (best 7 days of racing on elapsedtime) – Jep Peacock ; Mileage Trophy(most racing miles sailed during the sea-son) – Jon Alvord. North Shore Trophy(best 4 days of racing of 7 races in theNorth Shore circuit): First – TedGrossbart, Second – Tom Cox. Off ShoreTrophy (Best 3 races of 5 long distanceevents, on corrected time) : First – DonWatson.
Cox presented the Moxie PerpetualTrophy, which consists of Phil Weld’ssextant, kindly donated by Dick Newick,which was awarded by a democraticvote of all participants in the longestocean race of the 2003 NEMA season,the Marblehead to Halifax race (320miles on the rhumbline). Votes are castfor an individual or entire crew of a boatthat demonstrates the most “moxie”, asexemplified by Phil Weld’s enthusiasm,sportsmanship, and dedication to thesport. The winner was Juliet Thompson,a 5’3” 100 pound ex-pat Aussie schoolteacher who crewed on Bert Kornyei’sCorsair 28 Hotflash. Never having saileda multihull, and with one day’s notice,she flew to Boston to endure the cold,fog, wet, and hardships of racing a smalltrimaran for 3 days in the North Atlanticwith 2 men she’d never met. The condi-tions ranged from sunny calm to beatingthrough 170 miles of fog; she stood herwatches, pulled her weight, then blastedover the finish line doing17 knots in thefog with the spinnaker sheet in hand –now that’s MOXIE!
Don called Bill Doelger to the podi-
NEMA Annual Dinner
continued from page 1
Tribute to Walter Greene
Award presentation by Phil Steggal atthe NEMA Annual Dinner, Feb. 7, 2004
Imet Walter about 30 years ago inFlorida when I was sailing with TedTurner on Lightning and the boat need-
ed some repairs. I was wanderingaround the docks with my tools and abroken winch looking for a repair shopwith a vice when someone suggested Ifind Walter Greene in Cascade. I trackedhim down and found this weird lookingcharacter with funny looking glasses,and wild hair aboard a funky looking boatthat amazingly had a workbench and avice inside. He said, “Sure go ahead”– Iwas dumfounded – no one races a boatlike that. This was the start of a 30 yearfriendship. Both Walter and his wife,Joan, have contributed greatly to multi-hull sailing.
What can you say about Walter?Guru comes to mind…Walter larger thanlife Greene…Walter don’t let him buy thefood for the race Greene…Walter not aslave to fashion Green...Walter the cost-effective solution Greene…I’ve nevermet anybody who could get more out ofa dollar to make a boat go faster thanWalter Greene. He has an innate art fordragging the last few percent out of abucket of resin, or a pound of fiberglass,or a kilo of carbon. Today I’m dealingwith PhDs in the composite business on
continued on page 10
Commodore Don Watson (left) presents NEMA Outstanding Achievement Awards to RichWilson, Dick Newick and Walter Greene.
N E M A February 20044
Speaking primari-ly about his latestadventure – asuccessfulattempt to breakthe world sailingrecord from HongKong to New York,held by the clippership Sea Witch –
Rich Wilson entertained, educated andinspired the audience at the AnnualDinner on February 7. Wilson and ship-mate Rich du Moulin departed fromHong Kong aboard Wilson’s trimaran,Great American II, on March 16, 2003and arrived in New York 72 days later,breaking the Sea Witch record ( 74 days14 hours) by a little under 2 days. His wellorganized interactive PowerPoint showincorporated maps, photos, video clipsand data that complemented his com-mentary on the voyage.
The Hong Kong to New York pas-sage was the third of three voyages thatWilson had planned in the early 1990s.The first trip from San Francisco toBoston racing against the sailing recordset during the California Gold Rush bythe clippership Northern Light requiredtwo attempts. Wilson and shipmateSteve Pettengill left San Franciscoaboard Wilson’s first trimaran, GreatAmerican, but never made it to Boston.They capsized in storm conditions beforerounding Cape Horn , then were flippedover like a pancake by a second roguewave and were later picked off GreatAmerican by a containership in a dra-matic hair-raising nighttime rescue in 60-foot seas. The de-masted GreatAmerican was lost near the Falkland
Islands after she had drifted around theHorn. During the voyage they communi-cated with school children throughrecordings of daily telephone calls madefrom the boat. That would have beenenough excitement for most people, butthe enthusiasm of the kids promptedWilson to try the trip again.
By 1993, he had raised the money tobuy another boat, Great American II, andhe and co-skipper Bill Biewenga set sailfrom San Francisco. During the secondattempt, the front of one bow broke offshortly after the start and he was forcedto return to San Francisco for repairs.Walter Greene flew out, made a newbow in 8 days and saved the race.Wilson and Biewenga arrived in Boston69 days and 20 hours later and brokeNorthern Light's record. Over 300,000children followed their adventure, athousand of whom came to Boston towitness their arrival. In 2001, Wilson and
Biewenga sailed from New York toMelbourne, Australia to break the recordset in 1856 by the tall ship Mandarin dur-ing the Australian Gold Rush.
About Great American IIGAII is a Nigel Irens design built by
Mike Birch in France, with WalterGreene as senior advisor and “go to”guy. She is 43’ wide and 53’ long withvery narrow hulls and draws 2’ under thehulls or 5 ½ ‘ under the rudder. The boatwas loaded with redundant systems forthe voyage: 3 Iridium telephones, an SSBradio, both an Inmarsat C and a Mini-Msatellite system, 2 desalination units, 2wind chargers, solar panels, and a 70amp alternator run off the inboard dieselengine. Inside there is only sitting head-room, except for one spot with standinghead room by the companionway next tothe galley. There are 2 single bunks anda 2 burner propane stove. The boat was
Rich Wilson Speaks at Annual Dinnerby Judy Cox
Raised and educated in Boston, Rich Wilson, 52, received an A.B. Degree in Mathematics from Harvard, an S.M. Degree in InterdisciplinaryScience from MIT and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. He has worked as a math teacher, a defense analyst , and as technical consultanton power/desalination plants in Saudi Arabia. He was also a successful investor in six entertainment companies in Massachusetts. In 1980, Wilsonbecame the youngest Overall Winner of the Newport to Bermuda Race skippering Holger Danske. In 1988 he won his class sailing the 35-foot tri-maran Curtana in the Carlsberg Single-handed Transatlantic Race from Plymouth, England, to Newport, Rhode Island.
Rich Wilson
Great American II leaving Hong Kong Harbor
5February 2004 N E M A
designed for a 64’ rig, but the originalowner, Pascal Haerold, had a 72’ riginstalled, and widened the boat toaccommodate the increased sail area. Ahard dodger, that Wilson calls the VistaDome, extends back into the cockpitabout 2 feet and keeps the crew “fairlydry if you duck under it in time”.
PiratesOne thing people always asked
about was the piracy issue. Wilson didquite a bit of research on the topic. ThePiracy Reporting Center, headquarteredin Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, tracks piracyincidents worldwide, and tries to per-suade governments to be more active inpolicing their countries' waters. Eachweek, the center publishes a WeeklyPiracy Report online. Learn more at iccwbo.org/ccs/menu_imb_bureau.asp.
For 45 weeks, Wilson printed outthese reports and then prepared aspreadsheet that showed where the inci-dents were most prevalent in the areaswhere he was sailing. He also consultedwith two advisors, Mike Purdy from theAustralian Customs bureau and MurrayListen, Chief Mate of the containershipNew Zealand.Pacific. Wilson found thatin Indonesia, most of the incidents are inthe Straits of Malacca, which runsbetween the large northwestern islandof Sumatra and mainland Malaysia; andin the anchorage of Jakarta, the capitalat the northwestern end of the island ofJava.
They advised him to avoid specificareas and if he was going through theSundra Straight (between Java andSumatra) at night, to sail without lightsbecause many of the local fishermenmay moonlight as pirates. Wilson askedMike Purdy if he thought he should takea gun. Purdy’s reply, “Are you trained inthe natural and predictable escalation ofa firefight?” convinced Wilson thatfirearms were not for him.
ProvisionsGreat American II carried 850 lbs. of
food for the anticipated 75 day journeyallowing for 4,500 calories per person
per day. Most of the food was freezedried enabling the sailors to easily pre-pare nutritious, tasty meals. FreshGranny Smith apples, oranges, eggs andMestemacher bread – all good keeperswithout refrigeration, rounded out thesupplies and lasted the entire trip. Eachday’s supply was packed in plastic bagsand those in turn were packaged in triplegarbage bags holding a week’s supply ofprovisions.
The VoyageThe non-stop 72-day voyage was
comprised of four legs:#1 Depart Hong Kong, sail south
through the South China Sea (reefs,islands, ships, pirates, oil fields), pastVietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia,Singapore, and Indonesia, transit the 5mile wide Sunda Strait (past volcanicKrakatoa), and enter the Indian Ocean.
#2: Sail WSW across the IndianOcean, downwind using SE Trades; sailnear Madagascar, carry the Agulhascurrent south toward the Cape of GoodHope; cross the current to hug SouthAfrica before current meets west windsof South Atlantic, creating waves thatbreak ships in half.
#3: Round the Cape of Good Hope,head NNW into the South Atlantic, hugthe coast of Namibia, staying on eastside of the South Atlantic High (rotatescounter clockwise), catch the SE tradesnear the Equator; cross into the North
Atlantic Ocean.#4: Work through the doldrums north
of the equator, catch the NE trades,cross the Horse Latitudes, and head NWfor New York; pass Bermuda, cross theturbulent Gulf Stream; cross the shippinglanes coming out of New York; enterNew York Harbor and finish at the Statueof Liberty.
In preparation for the journey,Wilson discovered Sea Witch CaptainWaterman’s original ship’s log at thePeabody Essex Museum. He made acopy of the log and tracked his progressagainst Sea Witch each day of the jour-ney. Waterman left Hong Kong in earlyJanuary, while Wilson set sail in mid-March giving him a weather disadvan-tage due to lighter winds at that time ofyear. And even though Great American IIis a modern trimaran, she would havebeen dwarfed next to the 192’ Sea Witch.
For much of the trip, GA II was oneto three days behind Sea Witch. Alongthe way, Wilson and du Moulin enduredsailing through unfriendly waters aroundIndonesia, a close encounter with a seasnake, frustrating calms, and wildweather in heavy seas off the Cape ofGood Hope. They also witnessed thegreat constellations of both hemi-spheres, waterspouts, countless thou-sands of birds, and flying fish. Wilsonclimbed the mast for full rig inspections 7times, making repairs as necessary. They
Rich Wilson Speakscontinued from previous page
Tugboat, Miriam Moran, filled with well wishers, greets Great American II as she sails intoNew York Harbor on May 28, 2003.
continued on next page
N E M A February 20046
spanned 190 degrees of longitude and 75degrees of latitude while crossing theequator twice. On May 28, 2003 GreatAmerican II sailed past Ambrose LightTower off Sandy Hook at the entrance toNew York Harbor, completing the journeyin 72 days 21 hours 11 minutes and 38seconds.
Interactive School ProgramWhile breaking the record is a great
accomplishment, the main focus of thevoyage for Wilson was to supply educa-tional material to over 360,000 school-children who were following the adven-ture of Great American II on a daily basisthrough the sitesALIVE! educational pro-gram at www.sitesAlive.com . Wilsonwrote and transmitted a comprehensive12-part educational series from the boatthat taught students about math, sci-ence, history, language arts, and thehard lessons of life at sea.
Before and during the journeyWilson fueled his website with a wealthof information containing backgroundmaterial on Sea Witch, the China traderoute and Great American II; medicalinformation; detailed lists of provisionsand menus; power and communicationssystems; nautical maps; weather infoand maps; safety info; ship’s logs of SeaWitch and Great American II and muchmore. In addition, Wilson preparedweekly essays about such topics asPollution, Ocean Wildlife, and Teamwork;and numerous journals, like Going Aloft,Spinnaker: A Blessing and a Curse, andFred the Flying Fish. The website alsoincludes activities for families, teachers,and home-schooling guides, hundreds ofphotos, videos, quizzes – many of whichWilson and du Moulin prepared andtransmitted from the boat.
An interactive forum enabled schoolchildren to submit questions to the twomen; each week, one student selectedby lottery was called by Wilson from hissatellite phone. Wilson told the story ofCaleb Stewart – a 10 year old diabeticboy from Calgery, Alberta, Canada,home-schooled by his single mom – whowon the lottery one week. Wilson chat-ted with Caleb for 45 minutes about thejourney, Caleb’s diabetes and Rich’sasthma, flying fish, and more. At the end
Tribute to Dick NewickAward presentation by Bill Doelger atthe NEMA Annual Dinner, Feb. 7, 2004
In the history of multihull design,Arthur Piver is generally consideredas a father figure of the modern multi-
hull. Dick Newick was almost his con-temporary. Where Piver was the brashrevolutionary, Dick became the inter-pretive artist. He brought beauty andelegance to multihull design.
A Newick design has a recogniz-able style that more closely resemblesthe natural curves of a sea creature, buthis designs were not just pretty boats.
The history of the single handedTrans Atlantic Race is the best demon-stration of Dick’s success. Held everyfour years, this race against the prevail-ing winds and currents of the NorthAtlantic attracts some of the finestsailors from around the world. In 1968, itwas his proa design, Cheers, which fin-ished third. In 1976 there were 125starters. Because of a time penalty onthe massive Club Med, the 31-foot Valtrimaran, Third Turtle, finished second.Then in 1980, Moxie was first overall. Ina sailing event so dominated by theFrench, an original American designerhas accomplished truly remarkablefeats.
A Dick Newick design represents adiscipline of simplicity, a focus onreducing weight, and hulls that are skin-ny. When several others worked todesign for the cruising sailor, Dick main-tained an independent approach. Itseemed he wanted efficient sailingdesigns before thinking about interiorcomfort. Over a nearly sixty year career,he has completed 132 designs.
Dick continues to design, to experi-ment and to innovate. He grew up inNew Jersey, Oregon and California
where as a young man he built and pad-dled kayaks. His professional careerstarted in St. Croix where a boat yard heoperated became the birthplace ofmany of his designs. He later moved toMartha's Vineyard to focus almostexclusively on marine architecture. Heand his wife now live in Kittery Point,Maine. Dick has also done consultingon projects that have taken him toAfrica, India and the South Seas.
I am particularly honored to makethis award because my sailing careerbegan when I went for a ride with Dickon his boat in October of 1974. That ridechanged my life.
I spoke with Charles Chiodi, pub-lisher of Multihulls, and asked himwhere he would place Dick among all ofthe designers he has known over thelast thirty years. He said he is certainlyin the top ten. If not a founding father ofthe modern multihull, Dick Newick iscertainly a preeminent grand master.
I am truly honored to presentNEMA’s Outstanding AchievementAward to Dick Newick.
–Bill Doelger
of the conversation, Caleb’s mother goton the phone and told Wilson that Calebwas having so much fun with the pro-gram that they decided to change theirvacation plans; Caleb had never seen theocean so they were going to Vancouverto enable Caleb to experience it first-
hand. “That 45 minute phone call madethe whole voyage worthwhile,” saidWilson. “That was the whole point ofwhat we were doing.”
For more information about RichWilson, his voyages and programsplease visit www.sitesalive.com.
Moxie
7February 2004 N E M A
What was your first experience with amultihull?
Sailing onBiscayne Bay,Florida in theearly 50s with SidHeartshorn, in a60 foot catamaranhe used as a daycharter boat. Helater sawed it into4 parts and made
it 72 feet; lengthened and widened toexpand the passenger carrying capacity.It seemed like it would be an interestingway to make a living, which I did later inSt. Croix.
What was your first design?
My first design was a kayak at age 12. In1956, at age 30, I found myself in St. Croixafter bumming around Europe in sail-boats for 2 years. My first multihulldesign was a 40 foot cat named Ay-Aythat lasted 40 years in the Caribbean daycharter business, (that’s equivalent to100 years of New England yachting). Ibuilt her myself in one year, with occa-sional help, but mostly alone using dou-glas fir framing and plywood, with somefiberglass sheathing,10 oz. woven on thedeck, and 17 oz. woven roving on thebottom.
The boat was built in Frederiksted;the hulls were built in a sugar ware-house, and then moved onto the beachfor assembly. She was licensed for 20passengers, later re-licensed for 33 bythe next owner.
I ran her for16 years, as skipper forthe first 5 years. We wound up with 5boats and 7 employees. I built three andrebuilt two, one a Tortola sloop, the othera 30 passenger motor vessel. The sec-ond boat in the fleet was the 32' trimaranTrine, still active in the charter trade.Most designs thereafter were trimarans,but I did do two power proas and the 40'proa Cheers, which placed third in the1968 OSTAR and is now being restored in
the south of France. She has been desig-nated a French Monument Historique.
How many designs have you produced?
Over 132 boats; about 100 have beenbuilt. 300 Tremolinos have been built todate, the most popular class.
What is your favorite design?
It depends on the application. For cruis-ing and crossing oceans: the 60 footRogueWave. For bombing around theharbor: a little16 footer named Rev isnow being tested; I’m looking for abuilder to go into production. For racing:the 50’ Traveler, now named Alacrity andowned by Rex Conn; she has a new car-bon fiber wing mast and a 2,200 squarefoot kite on order from Kiteship. She isentered in this year's OSTAR .
What is your most recent design?
Val III is the most recent completeddesign, intended to be a modern Val. Shesleeps one uncomfortably and isdesigned to be a transatlantic solo racer.There will also be a 6 passenger daysailing version. The boat is easily sailedat 20+ knots, solo. The racer has a shel-tered steering station and a high powerto weight ratio; the Bruce Number is 1.65.
Rev is a prototype tri, still beingtweaked; she’s a daysailer that may beatbeach cats in winds under 5 or over 25knots, with a lug rig, rarely seen today.Rev is a solo boat with room for 2 people.
Do you have any other projects orcommissions underway currently?
I’m finishing up a 57’ proa, Joie de Vivre,intended for an around the world cruiseby two doctors (husband and wife) whocurrently own the 40 foot proa Cheersand a 40 foot Raca trimaran. They willwind up owning 7 Newick hulls: 2 foreach proa and 3 for the tri! I’m alsoworking on a 40’ cruising trimarandesign, Pacific, intended for 1 or 2 per-son long distance cruising; she’s also lugrigged. The original client bowed out of
the project; another client may take overthe incomplete design.
What are your views on racingsponsorship?
I’ve never had much success or interestin getting my boats sponsored other thanby individuals. Intense, expensive spon-sorship can turn an enjoyable sport intojust another business. The Val III isdesigned for a self-starter to embarrassthe big boys; that can be fun! I’veenjoyed the experience several times:Ocean Surfer, Traveler, and the Valswere all giant beaters.
I did a sail alongside the 1964Bermuda Race aboard the 36’ Trice, tag-ging along after the start (multihullswere not officially allowed in the race),and we came in 3rd across the finishline. Richard Bowmer’s article inMultihull International magazine estab-lished that Newick designs have held theNewport to Bermuda race record for 30years. (Moxie, Naga, and GreenwichPropane have all held the record duringthat time). The record’s been beaten onlyrecently by Steve Fossett’s Playstation,and Lacota, which weren’t in a race perse, and had the luxury of awaiting per-fect weather for the attempt.
Do you have any favorite memoriesabout your times building multihulls onMartha’s Vineyard?
We had a happy time building the firstVals – about 7 – in Rory Nugent & OvidWard's shop (Daffy Duck Marine) – Ipitched in from time to time. Bill Doelgerand Tom Ryan were down every week-end. That was the heyday of polyesterresin and fiberglass, cored with foam.
Were there any other notable charactersvisiting then?
Mike Birch was there part of a wintergetting his Third Turtle ready for the ’76OSTAR in which he placed 2rd. Mike will beracing a sistership of Great American II
Interview with Dick Newickbu Tom Cox
I N T E R V I E W
continued on page 10
Dick Newick
N E M A February 20048
Gunboat 37 Vacationby Sydney Miller
C R U I S I N G C H R O N I C L E
The first Gunboat 37 was deliveredby freighter from South Africa toTampa, Florida in late December
2003. Bob Gleason and Ira Heller drovedown from Massachusetts to meet theboat and ready it for a family vacation inthe Florida Keys. While Ira and Bobsailed the boat to Dave Calvert's canaltie-up in Islamorada, Jane and I flew toTampa the day after Christmas with theGleason boys – 9-year-old Henry and 11-year-old Gordon.
From Tampa we drove the Suburbanacross Alligator Alley to the Keys. Wesaw several alligators and lots of birds,and met up with Bob and Ira late onSaturday December 27th. We sailedaround in the Keys until the following
Friday, when we sailed back toIslamorada and cleaned up the boatbefore driving back North. During ourvacation we saw lots of birds, some dol-phins, lots of mangroves, and a beautifulfireworks display for New Year’s Eve.We ate very well, preparing our meals ona two-burner propane cooker and aCobb charcoal grill. The water was abeautiful green-blue, but was still slightlycold. Nonetheless, we all enjoyed swim-ming and snorkeling, and showeredafterwards with warm water from thesun showers we carried on the nets. Werelaxed on the bow nets, in a hammock,or in the main cabin – reading, writing,listening to music, flying a kite, or playingwith our Gameboys (some of us).
There was plenty of room on boardfor the six of us to spread out – with aqueen-size bunk and head in the porthull, and a queen and a double bunk inthe starboard hull. Large windows andgenerous head room make the hulls verycomfortable, and the main salon is well-protected from the elements by plasticcurtain walls and a huge hard-top. Theboat feels very light – both in weight andsunshine – and sails very comfortably,whether people are lounging, cooking, ortalking. Although our vacation was lessthan a week long, we all returned veryrelaxed and refreshed and look forwardto our next cruise!
–Sydney Miller
Gunboat anchored at the beach
View from the Top
Henry helms with help from Jane
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9February 2004 N E M A
Relaxing on the nets
Ira at the helm
Boys on the bunk
Boys wash their crazy hair
Jane cooks dinner
N E M A February 200410
(Rich Wilson’s Nigel Irens 53 footer) in2004. Walter Greene also got his multihullstart in a Val; he bought the hulls and fin-ished them off himself to make his earlyFriends.
Would you like to comment on yourideas for finding a new home for Moxie?
Moxie has been readied for the 2004OSTAR, and is now in Mallorca, Spain.The owner wishes to sell her due to fam-ily problems. I’m looking at the possibilityof getting a group from the Cape AnnArea to “bring her home”. It just mighthappen that she’d come by way ofPlymouth, England, and do the OSTAR,which will be finishing for the first time inBoston.
–Tom Cox/Dick Newick
Dick Newickcontinued from page 7
OSTAR to Transat
Sailing's 'original' single-handed Trans-Atlantic ocean race has been renamed –again. Established in 1960 as the 'OSTAR'and since known by a number of variationsof the word 'STAR' (Carlsberg, Europe1,Europe1NewMan STAR etc.), the single-handed transatlantic race will now official-ly be known as "The Transat."
This race is arguably the toughest oftrans-ocean races, taking competitorsnearly 3000 miles upwind across thetreacherous, North Atlantic. The Transatwill run four classes: IMOCA Open 60monohulls, ORMA Open 60 multihulls,Class 2 Multihulls (48.1 foot to 50 foot) andClass 2 Monohulls (48.1 foot to 50 foot).OCE have chosen to keep a single start andthe same course for all classes of boats.The start will be from Plymouth, England at1400 on Monday 31 May 2004.
Newport, Rhode Island has been thefinish point for every race edition since thefirst race in 1960 that finished in New York.However, as the level of competitor profes-sionalism has increased, so too have thedemands placed on the start and finishlocations. Following a broad evaluation ofalternatives, Boston has been selected asthe venue that will deliver the best eventfor all stakeholders (sponsors, sailors,shore support and media), and be capableof receiving the fleet of potentially over 40fifty and sixty foot race boats.
The race is the key event in both theIMOCA and ORMA class 2004 calendars.For the 60 foot monohulls it is the effectiveprologue to the Vendée Globe, and, for themultihulls it will be the first solo race sincethe storm-lashed devastation of the 2002Route du Rhum.
The Notice of Race and Entry Formare available at www.the transat.com.
a daily basis, but when I want to know thereal deal, I call Walter. If I give him a lami-nate sample, out comes the knife and thehammer, and right away he knows allabout what’s in it, how it went together,and if it will work.
Walter build me a boat that can sailthe ocean Greene…Over the years thatI’ve know him, all of his boats have had asuperb functionality… and these aren’tjust bay boats, but ones many of us havecrossed the ocean in. He’s built 30 ...closer to 40 boats and he’s designed andbuilt 18 of them himself – this in itself is agreat achievement. He’s crossed theAtlantic 20+ times. He did SORCs whenSORCs were for real sailors, not justwimps. He has also done Admirals Cups,Fast Net Races and 3 Round Britonraces, one of which he invited me on in1985 – an unforgettable experience.
He’s truly one of the originalthinkers. He believes there is a bettershape for the wheel than round - if onlyhe can think of it. He has not only thepower to think in dimensions that are dif-ferent from those the rest of us experi-ence, but also the ability to come up withthe end solution. Sometimes it’s a bitfrustrating to be around him when he’sdoing this because you’re not really
tuned in to the same frequency. He givesnew perspectives, great ideas and origi-nal thoughts. A discussion on any topicis guaranteed to be fun and enlightening.
We both worked and sailed with TedHood in the 70s – sometimes joining inone of the famous cruises at the NewYork Yacht Club. And it was always inter-esting to see Walter amongst the mem-bers at the bar who were wearing ties,red pants, and blue blazers .. it’s hard tobelieve they’d been sailing. Walter feelsextremely comfortable in his skin - withhis glasses with the string, his crazy hair,and his clothes dappled with epoxy. Itwas interesting to see how many NYYCpeople wanted to get close to himbecause they knew they were going tolearn something. This says a lot aboutWalter’s character and what it means tothe world of sailing.
Provisioning. I remember oneBermuda race I was sailing with Richie(Wilson) on Curtana, and Walter wassailing with Damion Mclaughlin, andWalter’s idea of provisioning was 12 BigMacs. I wondered what lunch was likeon that boat on the 2nd or 3rd day –Walter coming up on deck munching aburger, saying to the crew, “Anybodywant some of this?” as they were heav-
ing over the side.He brings life and enjoyment to
everyone he knows. He is the richestman I know; he’s a true follower of hisown dreams and has no hidden agendas.He’s blatantly honest – you may not beready to hear what he has to tell you, butit’s the truth. During one transatlanticrace I did with him on Ted Turner’s boatin ’75 when I was still young and inexpe-rienced, we were beating into hurricaneforce winds and I was up on the bowdoing a sail change facing mountainouswaves. Walter quietly came up behindme, grabbed me with his big hand andsaid, “Don’t worry – I got ya’.” He gaveus the confidence to find within ourselves the ability to do our best.
Even though he’s worked with manyof the world’s multihull luminaries suchas Marc Lombard, Nigel Irens, CharlieChapelle, and Jean-Francoise dePrimereau (they all learned about build-ing boats at Walter’s yard) Walter alwayshas time for everyone; he’s extremelygenerous. He’s been a best friend, men-tor and as close as a brother can be tome. Congratulations Walter.
–Philip Steggal
Tribute to Walter Greenecontinued from page 3
11February 2004 N E M A
2004 NEMA Membership/Rating Application
❐ Single Membership $25*______________
❐ Family Membership $35*______________
❐ Single/Racing Membership $45* _____________
❐ Family/Racing Membership $55*______________
❐ Corporate Membership $100*______________
* Includes Rating Fee
Name ___________________________________________________________________________________________
Address __________________________________________________________________________________________
City/State/Zip _____________________________________________________________________________________
Phone ________________________ Fax ___________________________ Email ______________________________
Yacht Name _________________________________________ Home Port _________________________________
Design ___________________________________________________________________________________________
Rating Section (for Racing Membership only)
L.O.A. __________________________ L.W.L. ________________________ Beam __________________________
Max. Draft ________________________________________________________ Yr. Built ________________________
Sail # ________________________________________________ Engine: Model & H.P. __________________________
Race Weight (without crew)______________________________ Engine: Model & H.P.___________________________
Rig Type ______________________________________________ Mast Height (above deck) ______________________
Mast Type ____________________________________________ Mast Area (If wing) ___________________________
Boom Length _________________________________________ Bowsprit Length _____________________________
Mainsail area __________________________________________ 100% Jib Area________________________________
Other Headsails and Areas ___________________________________________________________________________
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Principal Helmsman, if not owner ______________________________________________________________________
I certify that the above information is correct. I understand that the New England Multihull Association Race Committee must be informedin writing of any changes to the above information and that any such change may require rating review. I agree to observe the NEMA rules of racing and to conduct myself in a manner reflecting courtesy and sportsmanship on the race course.
Date __________________________________ Signed ___________________________________________________
Send completed form with check payable to NEMA to:Ira Heller, 14 Edwin Street, Boston, MA 02124
P.O. Box 51152 , Boston, MA 02205First Class Mail
Fountaine Pajot Tobago 35 catamaran, 1994, excellentcruising catamaran, appreciated by both genders;twin Yanmar diesels, electronics, Caribe RIB withTohatsu 8hp on davits, refrigeration, three doubleberths, and many other options. $129,000 PaulPaquin: 781-925-3069 or [email protected]
Warren27 Trimaran, Zachary D. I, for sale. 29' LOA, 27'BOA, 44' mast, 1200 lbs bare. Daysailer/Racer unde-feated in the 2001 racing season in NEMA North. Thishas been my development boat over the years andwill make a fun project for someone who wants to sailreally fast. $12,000. Ted Warren: 978-744-5477 or [email protected].
Sails by Voiles Incidence (the top French loft)Mainsail: Full battened, fat head, Mylar/KevlarApprox size: Luff 40’, Foot 13 1/2-14’ Currently hasrope luff, could add slugs, cars, or slides. Good condi-tion. $1000. Screacher Package: Original dimensions:Luff 49’ 7”, Foot 32’ 4”, Leech 47” 8”, 2’ foot skirt, 970square feet. Profurl drum with custom Sparcraft snapshackle and upper swivel included. Mylar with tightcrossweave reinforcement. French graphics. $500.Ted Grossbart: [email protected].
1995 Chris White Design Discovery 20 MKII.LOA 20' LWL 19' BOA 15' 3" Draft 11" - 3'5" Sail Area:Main 175 ft sq Sail Area: Jib 60 ft sq Weight 525 lbs.Design enhancements include a 20% increase in amavolume, carbon rig, carbon foils, tiller, etc. Saleincludes: boat, sails, trailer and misc. items. Sail at thespeed of beach cats in a more comfortable boat.Asking $14,000. John Zisa: 978 745 2755 [email protected].
MAINE CAT MC30 & MC41 Performance Cruising Cats
DICK VERMEULENP.O. Box 205, Bremen, ME 04551
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F O R S A L E
Next NEMA MeetingThursday, March 11
7 pm, Savin Hill Yacht Club
Dave Culp, KiteSailSpinnaker replacement
traction kites
(see page 2)
Does your address label have 04 in the corner? If not, then yourNEMA membership has expired. Renew by April 1 and you won’tmiss any NEMA newsletters (renewal form on page 11)