Historical multihulls

One interesting thing I've heard about Geronimo (and I would be interested to hear if this story could be verified) is that they stripped the original Nomex core from inside the hulls and replaced it with foam core to help prevent slamming damage. I dont know any details or if they did the whole hull or just focussed on areas where slamming damage frequently occured. Apparently this was done prior to the succesful Round Australia record attempt where they dropped the record to around 17 days.

 

I really think this big cat is totally cool. I would really like to find out more info about her.

 

I'm not sure it is a CSK. There were many boats inspired by them back then, especially in Europe. Try Emailing a picture to Barry Choy at Choy Design to see if it was one of their's. I'll look through some AYRS books that show similar cats to see if anything looks similar. The sheer and transoms don't look like most of Rudy's boats.

 

I think Cav is right; here is a similar sized CSK cat built in NZ by Jim Young - there is a subtle and refined difference in the transom shapes but the slight reverse sheer looks similar.

 

The second Cat is James Wharrams original 24 ft Tangaroa, in which he and two girls sailed across the Atlantic. Cost him 200 pounds to build.

 

This translation from the French Foilers web site, Daniel Charles relates the correct history of curved foils:
"My friend marine architect Philippe Rivière informed me that in the article "Foils in V foils and T", the first creation of curved foils was allocated to Mark Lombard.
It seems that it is a big error!
Philippe pointed me to a document dated in 1984 when John Shulttleworth speaks of his plan of a 40 foot trimaran with curved foils.
But on Internet, I found information stipulating that Derek Kelsall would have at the beginning of the 1980's, worked on curved foils. So I contacted Derek who confirmed me this point, accomplished towards the end of the 1970's, when he built moulds of curved foils. He also confirmed me that John Shuttleworth worked for him from 1974 to 1976. The possible origin of these foil types by John Shulttleworth came from Derek Kelsall's sailing device called Bits and Pieces, a boat constructed from Tornado parts and tested at Brest in 1980 where it competed with the name Tuiga 11.
But Bernard Smith proposed in 1972 curved foils for his brevet 3 631 828. From near the same time period the same curved foils idea also came from the devilish Didier Costes when he built his Exoplane named Chiens de Mer (Sea Dogs).”
Here is the 1984 Shuttleworth design, from Multihull International.

 

Great info ,Gary! Thanks...

 

The upper one was called Polaris, designed and owned by Captain Dario Salata of Salata Sails in Italy. When built (late 1950's or early 1960's?) she was one of if not the largest catamarans in the world. 60' LOA, beam 20'6", LWL 47', displacement 11 tons, sail area 2100 sq ft. She was cold molded wood by Cantiere Navale di Doncratico (Livorno). A second larger Polaris was launched in 1970, 69' LOA, 24'8" beam, displacement 16tons......

 

I just found the info in AYRS #78 Cruising Catamarans from winter 1971. The twin 35 HP diesels gave a speed of 10 knots. She was said to reach 10-12 knots to windward in at true direction of 46 degrees in 24mph of wind and had reached 18 knots off the wind. I don't have a copier here but I'll try to get the article scanned. The pictures shown are close but the port holes in the sides are different in number and layout, a sister ship maybe?

 

Looks likely......the general layout is identical but you're right about the ports, the picture I have is tiny and fuzzy....in Cruising Catamarans by AYRS 1972. The name on the transom in the picture is perhaps Mariola?

 

Couple of shots taken back in 1988 when Dennis Conner was testing multihulls (Formula 40's) to combat the Kiwi Big Boat challenge; here is a slight mishap with one of the newly acquired French cats - and another of Adrenalin.
These photographs from the Roger Vaughan/Conner book on the AC event.

 

Is Adrenalin still in NZ ?

 

I heard a rumour (and it may be nonsense) that Arnie Duckworth was going to take the boat in its container either to Sydney - or maybe Thailand. But think it is still here in Auckland. Someone with more concrete information may reply.

 

Has it been sailed lately? I always wanted a first hand report of its benefits and vices.

 

I helped shift it with Colin Palmer up to Westhaven from Okahu - but with RIB and outboard lashed underneath; no sailing (which really disappointed me, of course). However looked the boat over. It is really big everywhere compared to my Groucho. There was earlier talk (when it was first taken from container) of modifying floats, main hull with dog box, going to do this and going to do that ... but luckily Adrenalin was left alone. Arnie, I heard, was going to leave it original and not butcher the classic - which was good to hear.
It was sailed a few times and there is a video of it doing so on the Waitemata.