Nootka Dancer

A couple of years ago I spotted this vessel in a marina near Annapolis MD. Just had to take a closer look. And I found a number of unique ideas. These photos have been languishing on my computer unused. So here they are...enjoy:

This was over on a sail maker's website, http://www.ukhalsey.com/newsletter/jan2006/
NOOTKA DANCER was conceived 15 years ago in Hamilton, Ontario, by John and Helen Eisner, when they decided to build a big catamaran based on the catamarans of the native America Indians of the Pacific Northwest. Its unique profile is admired by all who see it.
Three years ago and tons of epoxy later, they finally launched the boat and motor-sailed to south Florida where they finished the project. Several innovations are obvious, the most conspicuous being the Aero Rig. This was the second set of Aero Rig sails UK Halsey Miami built and there are very specific challenges to be met. The leech dimension is very precise with little leeway because there is some mast deflection in spite of the carbon lay-up. Matching this deflection with the luff curve and the leech length leaves little room for error — according to John, we nailed it.

 

Is it just me, or does this look like a modified Wharram Pahi?

 

Definitely a modified pahi 42. The stern treatment might dampen pitch.

 

Waaaaaa????

 

Did american indians really use catamarans?

 

No, they used canoes of various types and constructions. Up here in the NW the cedar dugouts do have beautiful bows, but they don't look like James Polynesian adaptions ! Or have his lashings etc......

 

They should probably have said "stylistically inspired" by the Pacific Northwest dugout canoes, with their high stems and sterns.

 

Inspired by pahi plans! Seriously, I have talked to the native fishermen who beach seine attempting to sell them on the notion of cats . They prefer their traditional watercraft which are outboard powered runabouts usually of fiberglass with esoteric emblems like Bayliner on the stern. The coveted craft are made of aluminum but all native fisherman use bring what you got to the trade. I was hoping lower fuel consumption and native styled ends would be appealing but these people work regular jobs and only fish during the salmon run and need a low maintenance boat. They can also afford the gas due to the salmon prices. The coast Indian canoes do have beautiful ends often emulated in kayaks and would look equally fetching on a catamaran.

 

...from another forum

Yep !Looks like Wharram Pahi to me as well :but not to worry because Thor Heyerdahl {Kontiki/Ra etc] spent several years in N.W.B.C.and felt that "the Polynesians"spent appreciable time on this coast before propagating southwest ;so maybe everybody should get some slack if a guy from Hamilton Ontario [3000miles away and Canada's Pittsburgh] builds an interesting boat with an interesting Rig,Hulls by J.Wharram esq.[with a passing reference to Rudy Choys wave cutter bows] and a bit of West Coast Figure Head.
I am sure Thor [an out of the box thinker of the first water himself } would be impressed
I wonder if the Stern Bulbs were an after thought to prevent Hobby horsing or pitching ?
Nice...different...like...!

 

...from another forum

www.clippercanoes.com make a fibreglass replica of a traditional NW canoe,paddled ,as were the originals for inshore voyages
However the Polynesians regularly lashed a platform on to two war canoes of disparate sizes for expeditionary inter island voyages which necessitated sailpower augmentation ; there is certainly no reason why this simple and obvious modification might not have been made in the NW especially in bad weather as modern sea kayackers often practice

 

Give them slack but keep the lashings tight ! It is a beautiful boat and fun to see what people come up with. The best things about Wharrams is that they lend themselves to further development. It also looks wider than stock.

 

I'm not familiar enough with catamarans to judge the boat on its merits. But I do think it has a little pizzaz when it comes to looks.

 

I've got a few more photos I can post if you guys are interested??

 

The stern was most likely made that way to counter the pitching. I've seen other Pahis (and the Fisher cat) with horizontal stern fins for the same reason. In the case of many of Wharram's designs they are essentially symmetrical for and aft under the waterline and tend to hobbyhorse . The Wharram classic I sailed on did but central loading is supposed to help. Pictures are good, did you see how it sails?

 

Brian wrote: "there is certainly no reason why this simple and obvious modification might not have been made in the NW ..." referring to double canoes and sailing .... but to date, by numbers of historians, there has been no mention of the indigenous NW Indians doing such a thing. After the French voyageurs arrived, yes, a few coastal Indians put Western type sails on their canoes. But the "simple and obvious" is actually not that at all, it is the result of intelligent minds inventing something new ... and it is only simple and obvious after other people have seen it. Pacific Islanders were using double voyaging canoes 1000 and more years ago. On the other hand, they didn't use that brilliant weapon, the bow and arrow for warfare or hunting ... although it too was simple and obvious .... whereas the North and South Americans did.