Beach Cat in Singlehanded Transpac?

[ronnie simpson]

To any SSS members that have the power to accept or deny an SHTP race entry, I have a question for you.

If someone (me) were to put together an offshore-capable beach catamaran that was 20-feet or longer in length, and then completed a qualifier and make the boat meet all race rules, would the RC accept their entry?

Beach cats have crossed the Atlantic and the Pacific multiple times singlehanded, and Yvan Bourgnon from Switzerland has almost circumnavigated a beach catamaran.

I'm not super serious about this endeavor yet, but am just curious if it would be allowed. It has been on my mind for quite some time.

Thank you,

Ronnie Simpson

edit: per reviewing the rules, this rule would likely pose a problem. if a multi-time race veteran showed up with an otherwise sea-worthy vessel that didn't meet this rule, would it be possible to get an exception or waiver?

5 ADDITIONAL MULTIHULL REQUIREMENTS
5.01 Multihull yachts shall meet the requirements of RRC Rule 3 and 4 as well as the following: [a] A combined length and beam of at least 40 feet, with a minimum beam of one half the length.

[CRC1965]

Ronnie:
Damn you dream big!
Best of luck!
Chris

[Philpott]

Ronnie, if you are discouraged from sailing your beach cat, maybe you'd like to try with this pretty blue lido sailboat in my backyard? You could build a hard dodger, add lifelines, borrow my plb and I'll pay for the decal with any name you like. Perhaps xs?

[brianb]

Hi Ronnie, We have one Proa that has asked a similar question. You likely have seen the design concept, a boat that is easily shipped and believed to be seaworthy. The only way we could even consider such an effort is if the design was deemed seaworthy by a noted naval architect who had given the boat complete scrutiny. When you say beach cat I think of the various Hobie's and Nacra's I raced for 10 years. I took them as far as 20 miles offshore (outside Monterrey) Bay and would not want to attempt crossing gale alley in one. The one time I was caught in a very nasty squall I intentionally flipped the boat and sat on the upside down hulls watching the November rain squall pass. Easier than reefing on that day. Brian

[SeanRhone]

While I wouldn't want to do this race in a Hobie 18, I have been thinking about Corsair F-27. Anyone here have experience with these?

[Harrier]

Pretty sure one did the SHTP in the '90s. Got to Hanalei in good shape.

[brianb]

While I wouldn't want to do this race in a Hobie 18, I have been thinking about Corsair F-27. Anyone here have experience with these?

Contact Dave Morris or Larry Olsen, both are members here. I will PM you with their address. Also, you should contact the BAMA group, Bay Area Multi Hull Assoc. They have a lot of boats on the water that plow the waters of the Gulf of the Farallones. If you want more contact data I have an acquitance in Florida who has a small cruising cat, he is a professional rigger, and has done a lot of sailing in Florida and points south.

Thanks,

Brian

[ronnie simpson]

Brian, I don't know if I am familiar with the design that you are referring to.

Ryan Finn however is attempting to put together a Bieker-designed Proa to establish a solo non-stop NY to SF record, going east to west around Cape Horn in a proa. Ryan is one of my friends and a great inspiration to me. http://2oceans1rock.org/

Thanks for your story about sailing a beach cat in hairy conditions. I just did a delivery from Hawaii to SF and constantly evaluated the sea state asking myself "would I want to be out here in a beach cat?". The answer was usually no, but for some reason i'm still drawn to the endeavor. This is the magic of SHTP - a bug light for weirdos.

[ronnie simpson]

Thanks for all of the other contributions to this thread, it's turned into an interesting read.

thanks for your kind words Bob and I understand where you're coming from on bending rules, but I like the idea that Brian expressed of allowing exceptions if they're deemed to be seaworthy by a naval architect. Before setting out on an endeavor such as a beach cat SHTP, it would be probably be very wise to sit down with a respected naval architect and come up with a design and build strategy. that would be a neat process.

Spot on as usual General. Flipping and not being able to right the boat are the single greatest concern of any ocean racing multihull and that will be an area of intense focus if i were to pursue this endeavor.

multihulls are just so much faster than monohulls though and i'm beginning to really see that multihull light and become very drawn to them. approaching the SHTP from a poor man's perspective as I generally do, the beach cat is compelling to me because i think it may offer a realistic chance to be first to Hanalei (on a typical year with non Open 50's) in both the smallest and cheapest boat in fleet. i wonder, could a 21-foot Hobie purchased for a few thousand dollars and widened and re-inforced with a beefed-up rig and reefable main, reefable jib and a screecher and kite get to Hanalei first?

auto sheet release systems could be neat to have, but not sure how feasible this would be. perhaps Brian B could help engineer one maxi-trimaran Lending Club 2 had an extremely cool set up called "Up Side Up", as in keeping the up side up! The system had about 4-5 knobs that would allow the user to plug in maximum angles of heel, acceleration, etc. When any user-input value was exceeded, the electronic box would activate a solenoid that shot air pressure out to two nipples that were under the rope as it was cleated in a cam cleat on both the main and gennaker sheet. boat heels too much = air pressure pushing nipple up and blowing both sheets. neat-o.

[K38Bob]

To any SSS members that have the power to accept or deny an SHTP race entry, I have a question for you.

If someone (me) were to put together an offshore-capable beach catamaran that was 20-feet or longer in length, and then completed a qualifier and make the boat meet all race rules, would the RC accept their entry?

Beach cats have crossed the Atlantic and the Pacific multiple times singlehanded, and Yvan Bourgnon from Switzerland has almost circumnavigated a beach catamaran.

I'm not super serious about this endeavor yet, but am just curious if it would be allowed. It has been on my mind for quite some time.

Thank you,

Ronnie Simpson

edit: per reviewing the rules, this rule would likely pose a problem. if a multi-time race veteran showed up with an otherwise sea-worthy vessel that didn't meet this rule, would it be possible to get an exception or waiver?

5 ADDITIONAL MULTIHULL REQUIREMENTS
5.01 Multihull yachts shall meet the requirements of RRC Rule 3 and 4 as well as the following: [a] A combined length and beam of at least 40 feet, with a minimum beam of one half the length.

Stilletto 27 works http://www.stilettocatamarans.com/st...ifications.htm
Survived DHF 82 when the Moore 24 and Ranger 23 (27?) was lost. sailed up on the beach
http://www.nwas.org/digest/papers/19...-Duckworth.pdf

Ironically boat and one crew (Madigan) was lost in 84 when hit junk in the water and capsized ( I saw the helo from my SC27)

Thread with some ocean references http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ml#post1050081

You might want to read the DHF99 stories. F31 lost (and made it to the channel islands). Wild ride on F25c . Cruise on Seawind. Harvey Schlasky (you won the memorial in 2012) was lost. http://www.sfbama.org/fs/index.html

Also DHF95 when Peter lost Mama Shama's Aotea