Editorial
Chairman’s Commentary
Copy of Letter from Sail Craft
The ‘Snoopy’ Story
Copy of Another Letter from Sail Craft
Recommended External Reinforcement
Seine Scene
Autopilots
New Member
Things
Cat Chat
Late Entry
Chairman Dr. Reg Crampton
Secretary/Treasurer/Editor Harry Faulkner
Once again, in Britain at least, we’re at the end of the sailing season and thinking about the annual meeting and get-together - of which more later. Weatherwise 1978 was not a particularly good season in British waters, so I may not have missed quite so much by not getting ‘Taquamenaw’ re-launched until July. She’d spent every winter since 1971 on her mooring, so we decided to bring her home for the 1977/8 winter to do all those jobs which tend to get put off until later. When she’s afloat and the weather’s bad you can’t get on with them, and when the sun shines and the sea sparkles it takes real will power to decide that it’s a marvellous day for varnishing woodwork.
When she finally was afloat again we managed a cruise taking in Cherbourg, Jersey, Granville, St. Malo, Dinan, Sark, Guernsey and Alderney, and a later short trip to Cherbourg and Alderney making the best of what little good weather there was.
Last winter’s Annual Meeting and get-together - to change the subject abruptly - was held at the Penta Hotel in Cromwell Road, and continued the trend towards more and more members attending every year. This year around seventy were present, including the Sail Craft party. The major discussion point was the unfortunate loss of ‘Snoopy’ near the end of her round-the- world travels. Charles Dennis has been a regular contributor to the Newsletter, and so members who have followed ‘Snoopy’s’ adventures in the Carribean and across the Pacific to New Zealand, were especially sorry to hear of the loss. However, to satisfy everyone’s burning curiosity about how it all happened, in this very issue of the Newsletter, Charles tells all. I am also reprinting letters about the loss which Sail Craft sent out to owners, just in case any of you didn’t receive one. Sail Craft have also produced instructions and drawings for strengthening the hulls around the centreboard cases for the benefit of’those of you thinking of emulating the Dennis family exploits. This advice from Sail Craft is also reprinted in this issue.
To move forward a year to the next AGM, this will be held on the usual day, the first Friday of the Boat Show, 5th January 1979 at 7.30 p.m. at an annex of Chelsea College. Details are on the last page.
Once again Sail Craft have kindly offered to contribute towards the cost of the evening, but it will be necessary to make a charge of £ per head. The number of places is restricted so booking is essential if you wish to come. Please return the reply slip on the back page together with your cheque by 20th December 1978 AT THE LATEST. Membership continues to grow week by week and with it the demand for places, so don’t leave it until the last minute and be disappointed.
Whilst on the subject of new members, will any whose reply slip and subscription I haven’t yet acknowledged please take the receipt of this Newsletter as an indication that they are entered as members on our card index system. A subscription of £1 minimum will cover about three issues of the Newsletter, this being our major item of expenditure. Your only other obligation as members is to contribute your ideas and experiences, in the form of letters or articles, to the Newsletter. If you don’t do that there isn’t any Newsletter. Photographs can be reproduced - especially good contrasty black and white ones - and these would be welcomed.
Finally, as I indicated at the last AGM, I have been editing the Newsletter since 1972 and believe that now is the time for a change. Pressure of work is making it increasingly difficult for me to continue as editor but naturally I shall be delighted to give any help I can to the new editor elected at the next AGM.
My very best wishes for Christmas and the New Year and good sailing next season. See you at the AGM.
Those of you who did not attend the annual get-together of the Association in January missed a most informative and enjoyable evening. Although our intended guest speaker, Mr. McAlpine-Downey, was unable to ‘deliver the goods’ the rapidly devised alternative proved to be a very good second best. This took the form of a ‘brains trust’ in that a few brave individuals, including Reg White, exposed themselves to questions from the floor. This soon generated some lively discussions which ranged from centreboard cases, how to win Burnham week in an Iroquois, cockpit drain holes, where to find Utopian holiday creeks in Europe and so on. So much so, that it’s rather a pity that the session was not recorded and all the good stuff extracted and written up for this Newsletter. If some enthusiast would like to volunteer for the next meeting, please let the Secretary know.
Charles Dennis has agreed to talk to us at the AGM, 5.1.79, giving us all the adventures, trials and tribulations of his round-the-world trip in ‘Snoopy and the Whitby to Tonga Express’.
Other points of note include the perennial plea for contributions to the Newsletter and the probability that you may need to find a new secretary and chairman in the not too distant future.
Having written something briefly about what might be expected from the Association chairman, some members may be interested in a little technicality which, at least for me, brought a large pay-off in comfort. About 2 years ago, I (the boat actually) developed a very slight leak. The port quarter berth mattress was damp and therefore cold. It proved impossible to locate the source of this leak, but on the advice of Rick Mahoney, I tightened up the copper ferrules which line the cockpit drain holes. In fact, I just happened to be in Brightlingsea for a weekend and was able to borrow Sail Craft’s special tool. Last year the same sort of leak occurred into the starboard quarter berth, and Fred Boyd was kind enough to loan me the tightening tool which he had made. With the boat ashore last winter, I had a good look at the drain holes, and concluded that if the ferrules were tightened again, I might start cracking the fibreglass. So I adopted a different technique. In effect, this was to mold a small rim of gelcoat on the underside of each drain hole and hence seal the junction between the ferrule and glassfibre. I’ve tried to indicate the method in the following sketch. Perhaps I should add that the quarter berth leak only appeared after a beat in a choppy sea, and therefore it seemed likely that the water gained access to the quarter berths from below.
To date, though with relatively little experience, the leak seems to have been cured. But it’s better to wait until the end of the season before a final conclusion can be justified.
Finally I would like to record my thanks to Fred Boyd for the loan of the tool, which although not used in the way it was meant to be, proved invaluable for the job.
Reg Crampton, VAHINE II, 74.
(Reg’s comment about the discussion at last January’s AGM reminds me of the many beautiful spots to visit which members commented upon. Would those members like to let me have a short note about the places with any guidance or advice on pilotage, anchorages, etc.? - Ed)
December 1977
Dear Sir,
We have just heard of the loss of the Iroquois no. 157 ‘Snoopy’ in the Arabian Sea, nearing the end of a world circumnavigation and due apparently to a sudden, catastrophic leak at one centre case, happily without harm to the crew.
In the 274 Iroquois of both Marks built up to now there has been no recorded trouble of this sort, nor indication of weakness. In the interests of safety, however, all owners are asked to check carefully for possible signs of distress, probably in the form of cracks in the outer skin at the forward end of the case.
An account of the accident is to be published in the next Newsletter.
Yours faithfully,
R J White,
J R Macalpine Downie,
Sail Craft Limited,
Waterside,
Brightlingsea,
Colchester, CO7 0DX,
Essex
In 1974 Charles and Susan Dennis set sail from England aboard their 31’ catamaran ‘Snoopy’. Their daughter Patricia was born in New Zealand. Homeward bound in October 1977 ‘Snoopy’ was holed in heavy weather. All three were rescued safely by the VLCC ‘Esso Bilbao’, east of the ‘Horn of Africa’.
After a fast Atlantic crossing they headed for South Sea islands via Panama. A mid-ocean rudder failure needed difficult temporary repairs. In the Galapagos Islands they found marine iguanas, miniature dragons a metre long.
From New Zealand ‘Snoopy’ set out across the Tasman Sea. A blast from astern pushed her at 5 knots under bare poles. With a tiny jib she surfed wildly down great waves. From Tasmania she headed north. The Bass Straits bared its fangs and wind-god Huey roared giving a wet, uncomfortable beat through steep, confused seas.
Charles is related to Captain Cook. In Cooktown they tied up to the tree that Cook used 207 years before almost to the day. His ‘Endeavour’ was often in their minds as they threaded through the coral inside the Great Barrier Reef and ‘around the top’ to Darwin.
The Hindu temples, terraced paddy fields, spicy food and living arts of dancing, painting and carving are an unforgettable oriental mix. Susan describes Bali as a ‘whitened sepulchre’ - Patricia caught a tummy upset which did not clear up until they reached phosphate producing Christmas Island with its excellent Australian medical service.
At a remote atoll, a last outpost of the Empire, the US are building a naval support base. Yachts are discouraged, but we got a friendly welcome from the 2 RN officers who represent British interests.
‘There are 25 British sailors and 1500 Americans in the joint project - about the right ratio!’ They took long walks through the tall palms and dense underbush of an abandoned coconut plantation - a contrast to more productive young trees on cultivated land at Cocos. To take on water they moored to a large steel buoy in rough conditions. ‘Jonah’, a Welsh seaman, leapt from his boat and sat on the buoy to take the lines, gyrating wildly as if on a fairground waltzer.
In the Seychelles they saw the unique Coco-de-Mer tree whose double coconut looks like a human bottom and is the largest fruit in the world. Giant tortoises are found only here and Galapagos, almost exactly on the other side of the world.
‘Snoopy’ was aiming for the Red Sea and Suez. They had just missed the best season and were hit by a tropical depression just before turning into the Gulf of Aden. They were beating into a rough sea when there was a loud crack. Patricia saw water running on to the galley floor and started to cry.
‘Something’s wrong!’ shouted Susan. The starboard centreboard had broken from its slot and pushed out a section of hull. Waves washed through a split aft of the case. Susan removed food and clothes from that hull while Charles worked in vain to control the damage. The opening sank below the water and that hull filled quickly.
They launched the liferaft but kept it tied to the yacht which was at a crazy angle. Before dusk they loaded water, food, clothing and navigation equipment. Waves entered the port hull and washed over the yacht, now settled with decks awash. Because of built-in buoyancy, she did not sink. Next day the weather was still wild and rainy, visibility 2 miles. Charles hoisted a sail on ‘Snoopy’ to make her easily seen. The raft was cramped, piled with stores and they stayed wet from leaks. Nappies were rinsed in the sea, wrung out and put straight back on. They took turns on watch, the other resting, holding the little girl wrapped in a wet blanket. It is lucky that they were in the tropics! They were sitting in water, which needed bailing frequently. Occasionally a wave would break aboard, but Patricia bore the hardships stoically.
A hazy sun-sight suggested a current setting east at 5 knots towards shipping lanes between the Persian Gulf and the Cape of Good Hope. The second morning was calmer and Charles dived into the wreck to salvage food. Passports, money and valuables had been washed away.
‘A ship!’ shouted Susan. Charles fired a parachute flare. By 1100 hours they were relaxing in a plush cabin in the officers’ quarters, pampered by the Spanish crew and on their way to Cape Town. Charles says, ‘We shall always be grateful to the captain, Jesus Indurain, first officer who was on watch, Ricardo Fernandez, lookout Jose Manuel Torea, and all our friends in the crew. It was sad to leave our 5 star hotel and cordon bleu cooking.’
‘I have no regrets’ adds Susan, ‘We have had a great time. We were lucky to be picked up, especially by such a marvellous ship. She is a great credit to Esso (our generous host) and to Spain.
Charles Dennis
SNOOPY AND THE WHITBY TO TONGA EXPRESS, 157
I do not know where the centreboard case failure started, but I rather suspect the forward bottom corner, as there had always been a slight leak there. The damage happened very suddenly with a single ‘crack’. I would certainly recommend reinforcing the hull where the centreboard case is bonded on.
Our disastrous mistake was, having previously broken both centreboards, to replace them with much stronger ones. The result was that the centreboards broke the boat. As you see from the sketch, the centreboard slot did not extend and slit along the hull, but rather the hull slit upwards at the forward edge of the case. The case itself inside the hull was not damaged.
I am appending some details (1 | 2 | 3 | 4) of the loss of ‘Snoopy’ from the insurance claim. I hope this will be of some help to you. ‘Snoopy’ certainly served us well and we do not regret our adventures. I hope we might have another Iroquois some day.
July 1978
Dear Sir,
In December 1977 we sent out a circular to all Iroquois owners advising them that in the interests of safety they should check for possible signs of stress at the lower ends of the centreboard slots, probably in the form of cracks. This was done after we received details of the loss of Iroquois no. 157 ‘Snoopy’ in the Arabian Sea due to a leak at the centreboard case.
Whilst we have no evidence that this fault applies to all the boats produced, we are recommending that a modification be made to the ends of the centre case slots on the outside, to be absolutely certain. The modification is recommended due partly to the experience we have gained recently in repairing centre case cracks. These developed after grounding occurred, when the centreboard was subjected to additional loads which were transferred to the centre case. Details of the modification are shown on the attached sketch [below] and can be carried out by a local boatbuilding company or anyone who is competent in the working of glassfibre materials.
Sail Craft will be pleased to give any additional advice if needed and trust that owners will take the opportunity of inspecting their own boats as soon as it is practical to do so.
Yours faithfully,
T A G Humphreys
At each end of the slot mark an 8" radius. This area must then be well abraded, preferably with a grinder. However, if a grinder or electric power are not available a coarse sandpaper can be used.
A total of 12 layers of glass should then be laminated using the end of the case slot for the centre of the radius. The glass should consist of 6 layers of l½oz CSM and 6 layers of 12 oz. WR laid on alternately, each layer should be smaller by ½" than the previous one. Each layer must be well wetted out with resin and rolled.
This means you have now covered the end of the slot over by 8" and you must trim the glass before it becomes too hard. When the glass is hard you should sand down any rough edges, making sure the slot is completely clear and finally seal the reinforced area with gel coat and re-antifoul.
Any damage to the skin must be repaired before proceeding with the recommended reinforcement at the slot ends as follows:-
Grind around damaged area a minimum of 2" making sure you get to the bottom of the fracture. Remove any loose glass making sure the area is completely dry and free from oil. Make the repair using layers of CSM and WR alternately until the hull thickness is back to normal at the centre of the repair. Allow to harden, grind off excess glass to make hull fair and continue with extra reinforcement.
Cruising on Europe’s inland waterways was seriously interfered with last (1976) summer by the water shortage. The Touring Club de France Paris headquarters, to be found in a houseboat moored hard by the Place de la Concorde, had something of the air of a battle headquarters about it at times as anxious sailors awaited the latest bulletins about prevailing water levels in some of the shallower rivers and canals. When I was there the only through route to the Mediterranean that was still navigable beyond Paris was the Maine. Fearful stories were circulating of expensive motor cruisers damaging their propellers and shafts on underwater obstructions as traditional routes such as the Canal du Bourgogne, the Canal Lateral and the Canal du Nivernai slowly dried up.
But while the delights of the Provencal coast were less easily reached, France is able to offer, to my mind, ample compensations. There is the Seine with 200 miles of cruising mostly through the voluptuous countryside of Normandy. And at the end of the trip as a special prize after those miles of motor-boating there is Paris itself.
Paris in August. The very thought is enough to make seasoned travellers shudder. After all it is well known that even the Parisians flee for the month. But to arrive in the hot city in a steaming and tired condition by jet or train then to proceed to an airless hotel room is one thing. To arrive at a stately six miles an hour along the final reaches of the Seine below the city skirting the forest of St. Germain and the elegant acres of the Bois de Boulogne is quite another. The boat generates a cool breeze by its passage. To enter Paris like this gives one a feeling of sneaking into a great occasion by the stage door. The new skyscraper complex that seems to have sprung up almost overnight dominates the river for a while and there is an uneasy alien feeling about its blank glass walls and windows. But it is soon put behind and we are back in 19th Century Paris as we pass under a series of extravagant little bridges.
We moored on the right bank quays between the Pont Les Invalides and the Pont Alexandre. The Touring Club de France administers the quays as a marina. Water, electricity and even telephones can be laid on to visiting boats and showers and toilets are available at the club. For our 30’ catamaran the charge was a very reasonable £2 a night. With our accommodation problem so cheaply solved and excellent food shops to be found on the Left Bank around the Rue St. Dominique our 10 day stay in Paris for four was only marginally more expensive than cruising on the English coast. Of course the pastime of rooking the tourist on such items as cafe drinks and ice cream was in full swing. But the BBC was reporting similar extortions in London.
Cruising the Seine demands thought about two important parts of the operation. There is the matter of the mast. Yachts proceeding above Rouen have to remove their masts to clear the bridges. That is probably best done at Le Ravine where the Societe des Regates du Ravine, a splendid club, will give every assistance and M. Olivier, the bo’sun, will store the mast under cover. The marina manager took our booking for the crane next to the club and our 40’ mast was whisked out and away, in just 15 minutes. The total cost of removing and remounting the mast and storing was about £20.
The other point demanding forethought was the strong tide in Rouen which can be a blessing or a curse depending how you handle it. We left Le Ravine just before low water and enjoyed 10 hours of fair tide which took us right up to Rouen. The tide turns progressively later and at Rouen is six hours after Le Ravine.
The first lock is at Poses, 24 miles above Rouen. From there Paris can be reached in 3 days of gentle cruising. But do take longer and explore. While the many barges always give you something to think about on the main navigation (channel?) the real joy of pleasure cruising on the Seine is to explore the minor channels behind the islands which constantly divide the river. There are old water mills. The gardens of great chateaux and small villas run down to the water. Fishermen doze.
Rounding a great sweep of the river the scene changes. A white castle comes into view seemingly floating above a layer of mist. This is Richard Coeur de Lion’s castle Gaillard. While he was in residence no man could pass through the valley of the Seine without his approval.
The weather was hot as we pottered back down the Seine and of course the water is too indescribably filthy to swim in. But it is possible to moor every night at a good open-air pool usually with lido and restaurant attached. Three I remember were at Medan, Mantes and Petit-Andely.
Essential reading:
Roy & Fay Hodson, ADAH RACHEL, 79
I have fitted an Autohelm Mark II on my boat and it has been a non-complaining crew member for about one season. It works well hitherto only used for compass steering, as the windvane seems to be difficult to attach in a comfortable way. I hope the pictures (1 | 2)are able to show how excellently this autopilot can be fitted to an Iroquois. It’s completely out of the cockpit and will therefore not interfere with the sailing gear or disturb space in other manners, which is often seen on monohulls. To be able to attach it to the tiller as well as release it quickly I found it necessary to mount a small cradle beside the socket. Hereby I am able to drop it down in a locked - by shock cord - not working position instead of moving the whole device from its place. It’s always ready for use with the power cable connected moving it to working position just by lifting the actuator to the tiller bracket pin.
The unit’s actuator arm can be connected to the port tiller by using a bracket which fits on the underside of the tiller. I think that’s the best solution for two reasons - you get away from the cords of the rudder blade and you will get the right distance for the pin without the need to raise the unit considerably. The distance for the placing of the pin should be measured according to the sketch.
I therefore doubt if Fred Boyd gave the right distance in his arrangement (see Newsletter Autumn ‘76). Obviously it works but you will probably get more power consumption and forces if you put the pin too close to the rudder’s swivel centre point. There might be an advantage however, you will get quicker reactions on the rudders. For those who want to cope with the wind vane I think Fred Boyd has got an acceptable solution.
When do you have to switch off the Autohelm because of too much wind force? That depends on how well balanced your Iroquois is, the sail area, wind and wave conditions, etc. In general you can use it in a force 5 and even in a steady force 6. Above that and if you meet very gusty conditions you had better rely on a real helmsman. You are not able to bear away fast enough if you have to release the actuator arm first.
Last summer visiting a friend of mine in a guest port we took out the boat in a force 6 wind, which was slowly moderating. We started with the full main and jib no. 1. My friend was interested in seeing the autopilot at work so we put it on without problems.
However, we wanted to make more speed being able to leave some monohulls even faster behind us and dropped the jib in order to change to 150% genoa. We were both working with the sail change thinking that we should be able to sail under main alone as the autopilot was on. But when the jib went down the boat obviously became too unbalanced for the autopilot and in the heavy seas the boat luffed up against the wind. And there she stayed perfectly hoved-to till we had hoisted the genoa.
After one season’s experience of the Autohelm I consider it being most useful and I can strongly recommend it to be able to get even more out of your Iroquois.
Bo Henricsson, DAHINDA, 136
It’s a pleasure finally to join the IOA. With strikes, storms and various other vicissitudes my Iroquois Mark II arrived in early March at the Port of Oakland. The excitement was intense on that morning when I arrived at the dock to first view the baby boat. Though a little dirty she looked so fine I could barely control my elation.
That was to be short lived because when viewed the side near the containers I discovered she had been damaged in shipment. It seemed an overweight mono-marran had slipped its moorings and had fallen on my baby’s port side. After a week of hassles at the dock and a month in Svensen’s Boat Yard the baby was ready for the water.
After some practice we sorted out tacking in the Alameda Estuary and lo and behold she does go to weather. 7 knots in a 15 knots breeze is not shabby and on the reach to Richmond Yacht Club she touched 9 several times. Soon we were to discover 12 knots with the genoa in about 20 - 22 knots but that requires one person carefully tending each sheet. Lately we started to play with the spinnaker and it will definitely get to l5 knots but the hull flies and expert sheet handling is imperative! On those typical San Francisco Bay days (i.e. 25 - 30 knots with strong gusts) a first reef in the main and the no. 1 jib seems to keep this in hand.
The kind of sailing my wife seems to like stays out of the real windy areas in the afternoon when it gets fierce or at least be going down wind. With reduced canvas the boat does this perfectly and we often take 12 - 14 out for party cruises. Even the grandparents have had their day on the bay and came back dry.
I would like to know if any other Iroquois are on the west coast including British Columbia, Canada.
Samuel G Weeks, CATAWAMPUS, 286
How right you are about outboard engine problems being endemic with Iroquois owners. I think that it boils down to the luck of the draw. Once I had a Johnson 18, a forerunner of the 20, which I bought secondhand for use on an inflatable Zodiac. This engine behaved so splendidly that I had no hesitation in buying a new one for my Iroquois. The trouble about the new one was that none of us could start it. All the local engine people had a go at it without much effect. Eventually, I put it in the car and got someone else to have a go at it. This man took a long chance. He changed the coils, even though he could find no fault with those in use, and it paid off. It has started well ever since. If you happen to get a good one, an outboard engine has the great advantage that you can take it home for servicing, or in the winter if you like.
In respect of painting I think that it is advisabe to match the colour, because it may chip off with a bong from a block, and then it won’t show so much. You can get special paint for this now, but I should try it on a small patch first. I have actually used ordinary International paint which I have mixed myself. It is more elastic than two can polyurethene, and easier to touch up.
I enjoyed the Iroquois meeting and learned a lot from various people, but I must mention that the last thing I should do when caught out in a heavy squall with too much sail, would be to luff. My Mark I Iroquois doesn’t carry much way, and so when she paid off to get going again, I should get the full blast on a more or less stationary boat, and so I should have to ease the sheets in any case.
B. Passmore, CATAPULT, 53
Regarding possible boat exchanges, mine is a 2a no. 235, is berthed on Catauba Island in Lake Erie and her name is Vivace.
My particular interest right now is finding someone who has an Iroquois in the Greek Islands such that I could either charter it, or exchange privileges with its owner, for use next summer or fall. If you have any knowledge of someone so interested, I would appreciate hearing from them.
Re. outboards and their performance I have two Chrysler 10hp Sailor outboards and I use them for driving my boat up the St. Clair River to Lake Huron from Lake Erie. The river current is about 5 mph and both engines will drive Vivace about 8 mph in quiet water. One drives it about 6+ mph. I agree that it’s desirable to sail with least weight however, so I use both only when cruising.
R.R. Johnson,
25885 German Mill Road,
Franklin,
Michigan,48025,
USA.
I have owned and sailed cats since 1964 when they were almost unheard of here on the conservative East Coast of the US. I am a member of NEMA and have read everything I can get my hands on about cats since 1963 including English publications. My ancestors came from Wales.
A.V. Hancock, CAT NIP, 96
300 River Street,
Fall River, Mass. 02720, USA.
GULLIVER, 256, was launched on 1.5.77 and we had a splendid season although we have not really been far from home, we had a trip to the Scillies for a fortnight (based on Plymouth Mayflower Marina) on the South Coast, and a trip to Milford Haven.
I have almost finished the interior fitting-out, with the roof-lining to finish off. We plan to launch again at the beginning of March ‘78 to complete the practical side of the RYA Yachtmaster (offshore). I’m hoping that the completion of this exam will reduce the insurance by a little bit:
John Boyd,
North Salterns,
Old Barnstaple Road,
Bideford,
N. Devon.
In the Spring of 1977 I decided to sell my Iroquois. Rarely could I get anyone to help me launch or beach the boat and it was difficult to get a crew as I’m on shift work. I rarely went over 15 miles away as fog and shoals are a problem and there are about 2000 wrecks near Halifax, Nova Scotia.
I advertised in the local paper and received 4 replies which seemed genuine. In addition boatsmen offered to buy it at a very good price. The cat was placed aboard a railway flat car by a huge crane. A train came by and nearly struck the crane and boat. Finally the cat was taken from the siding and ended up near Ottawa, Ontario. A hairline crack resulted from the freight train trip otherwise it was uneventful. The new owner now sails on a wide stretch of the Ottawa River and is very pleased with its performance.
Please continue sending the Newsletter.
John J. Owens
35 Wildwood Blvd,
Dartmouth,
Nova Scotia,
Canada
I have ordered a shell which I intend to complete myself. I wonder if you could let me know whether any member has a road trailer which they would hire to enable me to collect the shell from Sail Craft. I would also be grateful for any information you may be able to give which might help in the construction of the Iroquois.
V.C. Hurrell
1 Fairhill Drive,
Pentwyn,
Port Talbot,
Glam.
I have vague plans (pipe dreams) of making an ocean passage in JENIFER, 130. Are there any published accounts of any long distance cruises in Iroquois? It would probably be most helpful to me if I could communicate with people who have had this experience.
I live on an island 10 miles NE of Charleston. The Atlantic is in front of me and the intra-coastal waterway behind. If any members are ever travelling in this area I would probably enjoy seeing them. Iroquois owners in the USA are few and far between - I know of only one other. The reasons are not clear. The design and construction make an Iroquois a very superior cruising boat. I know of no better compromise for me.
Brian Newbatt Smith,
3200 Palm Blvd,
Isle of Palms,
SC, 2945l,
USA.
If mortgage and other arrangements go successfully we hope to order a Sailaway version of a Mark II in the very near future. Having decided that our cruising boat was going to have to be a cat, I soon decided on the Iroquois as the obvious choice, except for one misgiving, i.e. I don’t like tipping boards for extension cruising. I believe they are a natural target for eventual leaks as the boards rattle away in their cases. From your experience and that of others you must know of, am I correct in presuming this?
Also would you advise me not to have any opening windows as these too are liable to let in water? One last specific question regards the DIY aspect of fitting the skin fittings. Are these reasonably easy to achieve a good leak proof join, or would you advise me to have Sail Craft fit these? Also is it better to have some things built in while the boat is still at the makers.
R.N. Dordi,
Munday Cottage,
Munday Bois,
Pluckley,
TN27 0ST,
Kent.
We have just placed an order for an Iroquois Mark 2a, it should be completed and shipped to British Columbia in May.
I’ve been sailing in cats since l965, when I bought my first boat, a Cougar 18’. When my wife Pamela and I moved out to Vancouver in 1969 our first order of business was to buy a cruising sailboat which was a Creger 22’ Oceanic model. This is a plywood cat with partially ballasted hulls and an 8’ beam. Its been a delightful cruising boat for our family of four for the past eight years but unfortunately we outgrew it.
We’ve been eyeing the Iroquois for the past five years and we are greatly excited to be new owners.
Jon Strom,
Box 42,
Lions Bay,
VON 2E0,
British Columbia.
We have cruised from Maine to the Chesapeake over the past several years. The boat, Mark II DUET, is ideal for coastal cruising and so is worth the effort to improve comfort and handling. Three areas we want to improve are:
We found that 30" outboard shaft has completely eliminated cavitation problems, even in rough inlet conditions - anything less is prone to cavitation.
Paul Capron
Homat Greenhills 610,
4-2-8 Shibuya,
Shibuya-ku,
Tokyo 150, Japan
I’m the new owner of ANTARES OF ASHTON, 132. I’ll let you have a few lines on buying my boat and getting it damaged during delivery because the yard and transporter driver fell out. An amusing little yarn
S.D. Fisher,
Fisher Nautical,
157 Sackville Road,
Hove,
BN3 3HD,
Sussex.
I regret that I have not been able to join the fleet at Calais during the Whitsun holiday but to sail Razamatazz down the Bristol Channel, turn first left and along a little can take a long, long time. Last summer we spent one week getting to the South coast and about 2 days getting home again. The day we left Penarth there was a gentle breeze from the East and I was longing for a pleasant run beneath the spinnaker but as happens to all of us by the time we sailed in the evening a fresh breeze was filling in from the West and we had a long beat ahead. We did not in fact enjoy a free wind until we had passed the Longships and even then it started raining. The North Cornish coast is rather inhospitable and with the considerable swell a fresh breeze from the West can give you a very hard beat.
Fortunately Juliet and I were wined and dined royally on board Scarper and again we thank Frankie and Fred for a most pleasant cruise to Calais.Whilst on the subject of cruising, who were the lucky people who arrived on an Iroquois at Ploumanc’h on 1.8.77 just when we were leaving for home? I was towing out a Bobcat at the time as a bad crossing had caused sea water to damage the electrics on board.
The question was recently raised on the moat suitable type of engine and whether or not weight is important. I have used an Evinrude 40 long shaft for 4 years but there are a number of disadvantages. I set the engine as low as possible yet in spite of the long shaft cavitation prevented any headway in slurpy conditions. When there is sufficient wind one does of course sail but I find the most difficult conditions are when the wind is light, especially after strong winds, and the sea is confused or slurpy. Petrol consumption was rather heavy at less than 4 miles per gallon and on a long journey it is necessary to carry a dangerously high level of fuel. I can imagine a purist (someone with time in hand or no destination in mind) being horrified and saying that a yacht should be sailed. But with insufficient time for a holiday, or with the family on board, one must use an engine. I recall a very enjoyable sail back from the Devon coast not very long ago and with a pleasant breeze I was lulled into sailing and not motoring. I had less than 6 miles to go before picking up the moorings and as darkness was falling I pulled the engine to round the Rannie buoy. It was 1¼ hours after high water and at 6½ knots we were going backwards. At 7¼ knots we were able to stem the tide but with full throttle and the engine flat out we were just able to make headway at a fraction under 8 knots. Needless to say the tide was getting faster and would have probably been impossible a little later. There are strong tides in the Bristol Channel!
Last year I changed the engine for a Yamaha 28E with an extra long shaft. The electric start charges the battery and it obviously more convenient, especially as one is able to look ahead when entering harbour instead of hanging over the stern, fumbling with the engine. Apart from this convenience there is a very real safety benefit as someone else on board can now start the engine in an emergency! There is less cavitation with the extra long leg and I am now able to motor under certain condition when it would have been impossible before. Fuel consumption is better being nearer 5½ miles per gallon, which is about 30% more. Maximum power is possibly less, although I rarely use it, but a very slight loss of speed is nothing to pay for the benefits. When discussing petrol consumption one must not overlook the fact that it is far more economical to cruise at 4 - 5 knots rather than at say 6 knots. In order to try and avoid cavitation I have shortened the original mounting bracket by approx. 6" which has three advantages:-
If I was now contemplating fitting an engine I would without doubt install an inboard/outboard engine which is really the only efficient means of propulsion. It is reliable, economical and does not cavitate.
How, useful is the 180% Genoa? When beating I find that the boat will not point as high as with the 150% Genoa and when off the wind the benefit is very slight. Off the wind you may of course set the spinnaker in which case any advantage is lost. It is clear that there is much confusion and misunderstanding about the handicap numbers given to the Iroquois and together with prejudice that sometimes exists against multihulls many owners have been penalised too heavily and according to the Newsletter they still are.
With regard to the question of weight I have raced with 3 engines of different. weights and I have also raced without a engine. Weight of course is important to a cat but it is only relative. For instance if you have an engine that is 40 lbs. lighter you will notice no improvement in performance but if you also pump out the water tanks, leave the fuel and your extra crew at home and throw into the dinghy all unnecessary equipment then you will observe a slight, improvement which again may only be noticeable under certain conditions.
Originally the Iroquois created quite a sensation due to its excellent performance and it was raced very hard by the enthusiasts. Needless to say they were usually stripped out for racing - all unnecessary gear left ashore and in some cases even the doors were taken off! Weight is very important for fast racing, especially for a catamaran. A cat is light and an extra 4 or 5 cwt is far more detrimental to a boat of say 3 tons than it is to one of 6 or 7 tons, especially if the cat can plane.
It is apparent that a cat used for cruising is at a greater disadvantage than a monohull but it would be extremely difficult to take this factor into account nationally when determining a handicap number and must be left to the club or local area handicapper for re-rating. However the boats raced to a Portsmouth number, which is a measure of performance defined as a time over a common but unspecified distance. For example if a yacht is rated at 100 and it takes 100 minutes to cover a certain distance then in the same race a yacht rated 110 should take 110minutes. In a mixed fleet the Iroquois MkII rates very closely to a basic Portsmouth number of 100. Allowances for sails, engine, masthead float, etc. would be added to or deducted from this figure, as the case may be. It is difficult to rate one mono against another because all boats perform differently under different conditions and circumstances.
To rate an Iroquois against a monohull is even more difficult and it is only practical to arrive at an average figure. In light airs an Iroquois is likely to break away from slow monohulls but will probably be left by fast monohulls; there is more drag, a larger wetted surface area and the sails will not fill as efficiently. This is noticeable on the wind when the slower speed will mean you will fall further off the wind. In force 2 or 3 you should keep ahead of most monohulls but with difficulty on the wind or on a dead run. In the latter event you may well find the fast and hungry monos will catch you up. In stronger winds, well, Goodby monos!
I used to have a considerable amount of condensation inside my Iroquois and judging from correspondence in the Newsletter quite a few other people have shared the same experience. However I eventually discovered that the window were faulty - the glass had not been correctly fitted and sealed in the frames. Unfortunately I had to have all the frames taken out, the glass removed and then correctly resealed. Needless to say this was a very expensive job but since then no more water has leaked in through the windows.
Chainplates appear to be another common fault on the Iroquois and many people have complained about leaks between the cahinplates and the coach roof. My solution and suggestion is to remove the two chainplates and weld a flat plate around them, which can be bolted firmly on top of the coachroof. This should ensure that no more water will enter again.
When I launched my Iroquois there was unfortunately a leak in the port hull. I tried everything to locate the leak but it seemed impossible to trace. On some days there would be no water in the hull but on other occasion two gallons would enter over a weekend. Once, after leaving the boat for a few weeks, the floorboards were below the water level! Then I found it! The glass bonding between the forward edge of the centreboard case and the hull was letting water into the ‘sealed’ space beneath the berth. This compartment is filled with polystyrene but two or three gallons of water would still fill up the empty cavities. When the boat was on an even keel or when nose down now water would enter the bilge but when the stern was down the water would leak through another hole and into the bilge!
Yet another leak I had difficulty in locating was in the two lockers either side of the table, which would gradually fill up with water and then overflow onto the carpets. If you sat at the table you always had to wear boots! Last winter I removed the rubbing strake aft of the trampoline to see there and found a crack between the hull and deck mouldings. Also rubbing strakes had been fitted with mild steel bolts which had severely rusted, thus encouraging and attracting water. After I had rectified these faults I removed all the rubbing strakes and replaced the steel bolts with stainless steel bolts as they had rusted and started staining the wood.
Fortunately these jobs have now been completed and I hope that there will be no further major works ahead.
Keep the good work up with the Newsletter and I hope to see you all again at the January meeting.
David Shankland
RAZAMATAZZ, 160
