News
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Congratulations to Peace IV and the Wharram design Team! Peace won the Outstanding Innovations Award at the 2008 Wooden Boat Show in Mystic, CT this past June. James and Hanneke were there as well to participate in a tribute to the early pioneers of modern multihull design. Jim Brown, Meade Gougeon, Walter Greene, and Dick Newick also attended.
Photo credit: Michael Dougan, NYC
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PCA Meet in Norfolk Virginia - Hosted by Ann and Neville Clement. This will take place the weekend after the Schooner Race. Meet will take place near Norfolk, Virginia in the anchorage of Willoughby Bay just outside of Rebel Marina. Please keep the channel clear if you arrive by boat and anchor out. Bring simple and healthy food to share with others. Showers and parking can be arranged with the marina. Please contact the marina directly to ask about this. There is a good boat launching ramp nearby. Rebel Marine Services 1553 Bayville Street Norfolk, VA 23503 (757) 588-6022
- Sanyasin is for sale. Details on the Classifieds page.
- 2008 Florida Summer Wharram Rendezvous Report from Gene Perry
First, let me announce that there are three Wharram's for sale –
- Tangaroa, 1980, modified, Joe Thrasher, 850-525-9292, coconutjoe0007@yahoo.com.
- Tahini, unfinished, Don Jones, 305-801-5663, don.jones@live.com.
- Tiki 30, new, professionally built in Florida, David Haladay, 561-744-0855, www.boatsmithfl.com. David is building Wharram's for sale in Florida.
Please call or email them with your questions and to get further details.
Other News:
Greg Russell has a Pahi 31 that he wants to modify and would like to hear from others who have Pahi’s. 850-871-1605.
Shane Miller has a new Wharram web site and is building Wharrams for sale in Texas. http://wharrambuilders.ning.com.
On to the Report.....
It is with great pleasure that I am reporting on this recent gathering of like-minded people. Not only was it a very enjoyable three-day get-together but for me, it was a most enjoyable sail both ways to and from the fabulous Florida Keys. Of the many times I have made the trip through the years it was the only time that I had favorable winds and weather both ways and was able to sail the Atlantic ocean passage nearly the entire time. We were also able to stay off the ICW (Intracoastal Waterway), with its many bridges, whenever I wished.
To add to the pleasure of the sail I had the company of Dale Kipp and my friend and neighbor Paul Gaeke. Neither of them had experienced sailing a catamaran. Even so Dale and his son Casey are in the early stages of building a Tiki 30! After the first 100 miles from Hobe Sound, since we would arrive early at Islamorada, we rounded cape Florida through Stiltsville (a small stand of houses on stilts sitting in the middle of Biscayne Bay near Miami). We then sailed the more scenic route down Biscayne Bay and stayed inside the rest of the way to The Lorelei Restaurant and Marina in Islamorada. Dan Kunz was there to greet us as his Tangaroa IV is at the wall inside the Lorelei Marina and his boat was the focal point of the meet on land.
Joe Thrasher was also there in the anchorage and Dan asked us to anchor near his 1980 modified Tangaroa. Before long we were joined by Gil Grove and Annie, his lovely crew and faithful Freddy who protects Gil's 42' Narai. On Saturday I rafted up my Tiki 26 with them to provide an island focal point on the water and a landing spot for the dinghies and other small boats. This kept the anchorage busy for the next two days.
Kevin Hutchinson came down from Stuart with his 'Melanesia' which was built by Tom Miliano and was damaged while at my anchorage in Hobe Sound by hurricane Wilma in 2005. Kevin has restored and modified the outrigger canoe. He entertained us with his activities around the bay. We also enjoyed two sailing dinghies trucked down from Royal Palm Beach by Casey Kipp. The small boats kept a lot of us busy with our cameras and we all took turns sailing Dan's latest endeavor, the AERE’ Inflatable Catamaran which he now has on the market. This boat is simple to assemble and packs into three small packages. The simplicity also extends to its use. Just set the sail, point and go. Everyone who sailed it was amazed at how safe and easy this beautiful little boat is to sail. Makes a great dinghy too
We were pleased to have Col. Clark Grimsley, who sailed up from Big Pine Key with his fantastic Telstar 28trimaran. With him was Doug Posey who has had some experience with a former Narai and is now into fixing up a Piver trimaran.
As usual there were some disappointments. One was that Hans Bortman had some problems (a dragging anchor nearly tore the motor pod off the boat) on his first night out along the west coast of Florida on his Tiki 38 and had to return the boat. He has since bought a large spade anchor and that should certainly solve the dragging problem. However, he was able to drive down and meet with those who were anxious to see the Tiki 38. We will certainly see him next year. Darrel and John came from Texas to see a 38which they are thinking of building. But they seemed to enjoy the time spent well enough to talk of coming to Hobe Sound for the winter Rendezvous. Another Tiki 38 is being built in the Florida Keys and may be ready by the time of our next Spring/Summer Rendezvous. A number of attendees drove from our Rendezvous site to see this Tiki 38project during the event. We were all impressed.
We also had hoped to seethe Tiki 30 being professionally built by 'Boatsmith 'in Jupiter, Fla. Unfortunately it was not quite complete but David Haladay put a finish coat of paint on a skiff the night before and brought it and his wife and son. He also had a slide show of the Tiki 30 being built. This was shown Saturday night at the dinner at Lorelei under a beautiful moon at bayside with Tiki torches at every table.
Among the forty some people that attended were Frazier Martin who has a Tiki 26 which he built. Frazier seldom misses a meet and we are always pleased to have him; Bob Jones who has a 51' Tahini partially built in Ohio that he hopes to sell as physical problems will prevent him from completing it. Dan's friend Jinty and Dale Kipp's Wife and daughter and Casey's wife also visited and had some new experiences with boats. Lets hope Dale and Casey’s families enjoyed their introduction to the Florida Keys and Wharram boats as it will make the building of their Tiki 30 a lot easier.
To wind up the event we had a Saturday night moonlit dinner. Dan, who promoted this meet and made the arrangements with the Lorelei Restaurant, welcomed the guests and presented some awards contributed by the PCA. Kevin Hutchinson received one for the best restoration of a Wharram boat and another for the best innovation for his modification of the ama mounting system for his Melanesia. --- Hans Bortman for having the most anticipated boat that didn't make it --- Darrell Hinson for having traveled the longest distance to see a boat that didn't make it --- and, then there was me…I won a burgee for being the oldest person to sail all the way to get there.
I personally want to thank you all for coming and hope to see many of you again at future meets such as our Winter Rendezvous in Hobe Sound, Fla. --- Dec. 5-7, 2008 when we expect to have three Tiki 46s. Bring your boat so we are not out numbered by the big guys!!! We will hold the Spring/Summer Rendezvous in the Keys again --- May 15-17, 2009. See you at both events!!
Gene