Charles Chiodi-Multihulls!

Discussion in 'Multihulls' started by Doug Lord, Jan 7, 2015.

  1. Doug Lord
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    Doug Lord Flight Ready

    Charles Chiodi, of Multihulls Magazine(and more) has died . Here is a post from Multihulls Digest:

    I received word today from Eric Erwin, the publisher of MULTIHULLS
    Magazine, that Charles Chiodi has passed away after a brief bout with
    cancer. He died on Jan 5, 2015. Charles was the founder and long
    time publisher of Multihulls Magazine.

    Eric is collecting thoughts and recollections from those who knew
    Charles over the years. He can be reached at Eric.Erwin@multihullsmag.com

    Charles Chiodi's bio from Amazon:

    Charles Chiodi was born in Hungary and educated in Budapest. He
    survived the German, then the Soviet occupation during and after
    World War II. As a journalist, he traveled the Communist block for
    the Hungarian Army newspaper while in the service. During the 1956
    Revolution he started a newspaper, but had to flee the country when
    the Soviet army crushed the uprising. He settled in New England and
    began his new journalistic career at a local daily newspaper by first
    learning English and adjusting to a new culture and lifestyle. In
    1975 he started MULTIHULLS magazine, a bimonthly publication for
    catamaran and trimaran yachts. In 1998 he started a powerboat version
    of the same magazine. He had written several books, mainly related to
    boating and boating safety. His first novel / autobiography, There Is
    Always Sunshine Behind The Clouds, was published in 2004.
     
  2. cavalier mk2
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    cavalier mk2 Senior Member

    Lots of us till have a stack of Multihulls Magazines kicking around. I was sorry to see that mag go glossy then Charles drop from sight after the shakeup a few years back.
     
  3. oldsailor7
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    oldsailor7 Senior Member

    It is very sad to hear that Charles no longer inhabits this mortal coil.
    We were three partners who put on the first World Multihull Symposium in 1976. Charles brilliantly did the promotion and marketing through his great "Multihulls" magazine. Jillian did all the organisation. I was just the hanger on.
    That symposium brought together the cream of the worlds multihull designers and the parameters they hammered out that week remain today as the basics of all requirements for sailing at the interface of wind and water, using buoyancy for stability rather than a ball & chain in the form of a lump of lead.
    The whole symposium was recorded and Charles put it all into "The Symposium Book", which he wrote and published. I don't know if it is still available today, but it deserves to be re-editioned because it is a part of multi hull history.

    It boggles my mind that I pulled "The Symposium Book" from my shelf and started reading it again on the very day, unbeknownst to me, that Charles died.
    He has gone to join a growing number of famous multihull personalities that are no longer with us, but who we will always remember.
    RIP. Charles.
     
  4. cavalier mk2
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    cavalier mk2 Senior Member

    The Symposium Book is really a design primer with conversations with the best designers of the time, there is nothing like it today, many bases are covered. It and the companion volume "The Capsize Bugaboo" have much content that is relevant today.
     
  5. ImaginaryNumber
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    ImaginaryNumber Imaginary Member

    The Symposium Book: World Multihull Symposium June 14-17 1976 Toronto Canada
    by James Wharram (Author), Vance Buhler (Author), Ed Horstman (Author), Thomas J. Johannsen (Author), Lock Crowther (Author), Rudy Choy (Author)
     
  6. Doug Lord
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    Doug Lord Flight Ready

    Multihulls!

    I just read this wonderfully written account by Derek Kelsall in Multihulls Digest,Vol.127, Issue 10 :

    I knew Charles, ably assisted by Ava, thro-out his time as founding
    editor of MM. Our last meeting was in his basement printing facility (I
    found it fascinating to see just what was involved in producing and
    distributing an international magazine) as he was about to move out. The
    IT world was taking over.

    It would be true to say, that Charles made a difference in the field in
    which he chose to employ his talents. . He went out of his way to help
    anyone he could. He organized events which proved to be memorable to the
    multihull people of the time. Like many enthusiasts, profit was not his
    motivation. If a topic was of interest to his readers he would publish,
    unlike some publications today where advertorial decides. No doubt, his
    mag converted many sailors to multis.

    One of Charles' achievements was to bring together people with an
    interest in these strange craft with two and even three hulls. For
    example, the meeting in Toronto (1976 I believe, with 750 attending).
    Though rivals, particularly in racing, men from around the World, like
    Dick Newick, Lock Crowther, James Wharram etc. met and became friends.
    We openly exchanged our latest ideas. Each had his own distinctive
    style. Those were the good old days. All from very different
    backgrounds sharing the common interest.

    The journalists had a lot of influence. Charles certainly spread the
    message in the US, but then internationally. The development would have
    been slower if there had been no MM. For the record books - as editor
    Charles carried on the tradition set by Dr John Morwood with the AYRS,
    Montgomery and then Jack Hemming with Multihull International. Each a
    character in their own way, doing the Job they loved, reporting on the
    exciting topic which was often breaking new ground. Jack with monocle,
    pipe and beard was so typical.

    It was interesting to watch how the multihull interest jumped around the
    World. I am no historian, but as I recall, the multihull interest
    started in UK and Ca., around the same time, though Arthur Piver was
    very active and sold a lot of plans the US general sailing fraternity
    took little notice. The Australians and Kiwis took up the cause as did
    the French, with a little help from myself.

    To give an idea of the situation - in the early 70's I went to SA a few
    times to visit mono projects in build there to my design and foam build
    technique. I talked multihulls at a number of clubs in Cape Town and
    Durban. ?Multis would never survive in our waters?. Going back 15 years
    later, talked to builders and everyone wanted to be building
    multihulls. MM was on every-ones' desk.

    On one occasion, I met Charles and congratulated him on having his
    magazine published in French. I had just read my first copy. The layout
    was precisely that of MM. ?Nothing to do with me?. It is said -
    Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

    I am proud to have counted Charles and Ava as friends. Their magazines
    fill many sailor's book shelves and will do so for a long time to come.

    Happy Boating,


    Derek.
     
  7. oldsailor7
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    oldsailor7 Senior Member

    I don't quite understand what all these references to (Author) mean.
    Perhaps they should be (Designer), since all the names shown are just a few of the delegates, (except for Tom Johannsen, who was the manufacturer of Airex foam and a member of the audience). There were 12 designers and one moderator, D. H.("Nobby") Clarke.
     
    Last edited: Jan 13, 2015
  8. cavalier mk2
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    cavalier mk2 Senior Member

    Hey Paddy, it is a bookseller approach so names pop up on a author search or the book shows up when looking up one of the designers.. The designers at the forum are being listed as the authors of the transcribed discussions.
     

  9. oldsailor7
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    oldsailor7 Senior Member

    Thanks Corley, I just wanted to clarify that. :cool:
     
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