Author: ws lirakis

a sailor who carries a camera

Courageous 1974

The memories are still vivid thanks to the photographs. When we received the plans from S&S by courier,(this is a story itself) The courier arrived at the yard not knowing where to go, fell on me and asked if I would sign for the package, which I did. I always wondered what might have happened if the plans had been delivered somewhere else. It was the drawings for what would be “Courageous”.
We had been preparing the loft and the space where she would be lofted and built, all in the same building.  When we started lofting, we could not make the transitional areas, near the rudder post, fair. When we broke the battens, it worked. As you can see from the filler in front of the rudder, there was no way we were going to wrap the aluminum that tightly. Two different shapes fit together at the rudder post. The centerline of the rudder post was also the end of the waterline.
This would be the first aluminum 12 meter ever built, It was a big transition at the time. Looking back for someone who had not lived through that era, they certainly would scoff; given what is now capable with carbon. I also felt that it was the first time I saw efforts to make the boats user friendly, big turning blocks. The twin steering wheels with trim tab wheel and lock were the next step from “Intrepid’s” trim tab and steering.
“Courageous” would sport a “c” stay, “Mariner” a twinstay, and “Intrepid” hanks. There was still so much room for improvement.

I have already mentioned

12 meter era reunion

I will keep the thought alive. I should very much like to see all of those who walked the same path as I did. With extra pleasure in seeing all those who when before me. The text is from Jerome Brooks, written in 1958 shortly before the start of the first 12 meter defense of the America’s Cup.

An addendum, “Leopard of London” while not yet finished lost the window to eclipse the record set by “Mari Cha” . The weather was not as co-operative as they had hoped.

WING MASTS

The roots of modern wing masts rests firmly in the “C” class catamaran. These boats will be in Newport at the end of August. The technology used in the most recent America’s Cup came from what had been learned sailing C cats. Of course the scale changed the physics dramatically.
     Paul Larsen a friend will be in newport with a boat and a re-worked wing. click HERE
I should add that this is the same Paul Larsen that has been developing Sailrocket

Finally I have added a clip of the big oracle trimaran, which was truly a remarkable feat.

SOUTHERN SPARS,CARBON RIGGING

Yesterday I toured the Southern Spars Composite rigging office in North Kingstown, Rhode Island. My tour arranged and guided by Tony Reaper. Many familiar faces there, Scott Vogel and Richie Boyd formerly of Navtec. (also former 12 meter sailors)
  Carbon rigging is maturing at a quick pace and will be ever more commonplace in the near future. Hall Spars is making carbon rigging, however has chosen a different approach. Southern Spars have chosen the method of bundling individual continuous rods of carbon. It makes a larger diameter which is more flexible and repairable. While I was there they were working on the rigging for a 186 foot boat. The weight savings are staggering and therefore hard to resist, not only is there the weight savings, but righting moment. The longevity is expected to exceed solid rod, I will have to wait and see about that. Never-the-less is is a spectacular fascinating product.
     If the designers like Nat Herreshoff, Starling Burgess, had had these materials available to them who knows where naval architecture would be or what direction it would have taken. Honestly look what has happened in the last 10 years. (the Volvo 70, Moth class, C class catamarans, and the last America’s Cup)

      I am waiting for approval for the photographs I took before I post them. photos are posted 6/7/10

Where is Leopard?

“Leopard of London” is just beyond halfway, reading and looking at their blog,( see the link). While they are 230 miles ahead of the “record” they are at present not pointed at the finish. By their own admission Leopard is not as fast as a Volvo 70. Additionally, Leopard has power winches, which means she can never actually own the outright record. Still and all, we are all rooting for their success.

Memorial day weekend, block island race

Memorial day weekend is the traditional kickoff to summer in the United States. In New England we are always hopeful, as we are usually emerging from winter with cold and short days. This weekend is less than a month away from the longest day of the year.
  Above is the surface weather, significant because “Leopard of London” left New York saturday evening in an attempt to break the record across the atlantic. Given the weather we had for the Block Island Race, I am confused as to the logic of their departure. The low near Nova Scotia has been there awhile, It is the transit from New York to that low, I am wondering about. Time will tell.
   I drove to Indian Harbor Yacht Club to meet up with “Snow Lion” for the Block Island Race. After a postponement, we were off reaching to 1BI arriving at 1am, arriving at the Race about a half an hour too soon at around 7 am.  We fought our way to the Connecticut shore,then reaching to the finish.

  We were treating this race as a tune up for the Bermuda Race, in three weeks.