Jan Gougeon passes away

Discussion in 'Multihulls' started by Corley, Dec 18, 2012.

  1. Ike
    Joined: Apr 2006
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    Ike Senior Member

    A huge loss. He will be sorely missed.
     
  2. ThomD
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    ThomD Senior Member

    Greatest designer, never. He was at one time going to sell plans for Ollie, and perhaps other boats. I would still like to see a detailed article about all his designs, many of which are not well known, and for which I have mostly seen pictures in their office, or old boatbuilder articles, or multihull international.

    I never met Jan, but I did exchange a few emails over our mutual interest in building a G26 type boat. At the time, the push was on to finish Strings and he was already thinking of the next boat (at least). Something a lot smaller and simpler. I would have liked to see that.
     
  3. rapscallion
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    rapscallion Senior Member


    What do you mean by a "G26" ? Do you mean a GP26 monohull? I have always wondered why Jan placed Ollie's centerboard ahead of the mast. Ollie is a very fast boat. I wish I understood the design.
     
  4. Gary Baigent
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    Gary Baigent Senior Member

    We put he dagger on Marguerite Star (much modified Piver 24) ahead of and slightly to one side, of the mast. Works perfectly. I think on a multihull you can sidestep monohull fixed-in-concrete theories (because of the spread out platform). Same thing applies to daggers in floats; they too can be forward of the mainsail CoE.
     

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  5. PAR
    Joined: Nov 2003
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    PAR Yacht Designer/Builder

    The only personal recollection of Jan I have is a short one, from nearly 20 years ago, but the one impression I've always remembered was how positive he was. A special way and attitude, that will surely be missed.
     
  6. oldsailor7
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    oldsailor7 Senior Member

    I am really sad to hear of the passing of Jan and of the reason for his demise.
    Back in the late 1960's we found we were working in parallel on the wood epoxy method of protecting wooden boats. We were still perfecting Bote-Cote epoxy when we found out Meade and Jan were marketing their WEST epoxy system only 200 miles away.
    We contacted them saying it was silly of us to re-invent the wheel as it were, and would they give us the agency for their product in Canada, instead.
    Jan answered that they had already given the agency to Arni Duckworth, but thanks for the offer anyway.
    We noted that WEST included long and short asbestos fibres as a thickener at that time. We already had heard the early warnings of asbestos problems, and so we opted with glass fibres instead in the Bote-Cote system.
    Since the gestation time for asbestos related problems to surface has proven to be around forty years I can't help wondering if the real reason for Jans lung fibrosis is asbestos fibres rather than "Dust and Mouse poop".
    Meade, if you are reading this please accept my sincere condolences.
    Regards, Patrick McGrath.
     
  7. PAR
    Joined: Nov 2003
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    PAR Yacht Designer/Builder

    Considering the frankness I noted in Jan, I have no reason to believe other wise, in regard to his struggle with fibrosis. I have a buddy suffering from the same thing, gotten the same way. He's a house remodeler and got it pulling down infested drywall.
     

  8. salglesser
    Joined: Apr 2012
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    salglesser Junior Member

    Very sad to hear. Thanx for sharing. One of the greats in our industry.

    sal
     
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