IROQUOIS OWNER'S ASSOCIATION

January 1994

Contents:-

Editors Notes
Tablets from the Mount
The first Circumnavigation by an Iroquois
Helicopter Rescue
Travels with the Bears
Sailing Multihulls
Reader's Write
Cartoon
Technical Pages
New Iroquois Design Brief
Race Page
Boat Price Guide
Last Words

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Editors Notes

Well, it's late very late, I know this and I’ve got excuses - lots of excuses - I’ve been ill, they made me work at the office, my computer got sick, I’ve been worried about single parent families - would anyone believe writers block? Anyway Ken’s shouted at me and used rude words so here in all its glory is the newsletter - sorry about the delay.

This issue is rather special [however] because it marks a notable achievement by Philip Corridan who is believed to have completed the first solo circumnavigation in a Iroquois Mk 1, a 27 year old one as well. More on this from Ken Pack but I would offer Mr. Corridan on behalf of all our members the most sincere congratulations on this ultimate achievement.

It does make me wonder what anybody could do to top this - unless they allow one of us to enter the next Whitbread, now that would be fun - except for the long stopovers waiting for those overweight and relatively slow mono’s to turn up!

So much has happened in the brief period since I joined the IROQUOIS OWNERS ASSOCIATION that I’m somewhat bewildered, so for my sake as much as yours I will attempt to outline the more important bits which those who did not attend the AGM will possibly not be aware of.

Iroquois Yachts

As most of you know I have joined forces with Reg White and Tim Dieu de Belafontaine to build a new IROQUOIS range of boats starting with a 37ft version, followed by the long awaited update to the original which we may call the IROQUOIS LEGEND. This will have more beam than the original and a new interior. Final plans are yet to be fixed and I would invite suggestions from all members as to the "ideal" set of improvements seen to be desirable. More on this later.

We are also considering the prospect of a factory rebuild scheme for existing boats either as a service to owners or a buy-back and resell option.

This issue

I’ve had to scrap the promised "Cat for a Cat "story due to intense pressure from certain feline loving readers who, although quite willing to have dogs made fun of, drew the line at having their pussies ridiculed.

Having said that we do have a very good newsletter, with a varied bag of bits and pieces along with three good contributions from members, for which I offer my thanks. However I still need more so in this issue I am adopting a new policy of announcing some of next issue’s contents and who’s writing them.

Firstly we will have a contribution from one of our American members on "Sailing USA!". (Note that failure to supply the aforementioned will result in me personally visiting Boston and demanding our tea back).

In addition we will enjoy a contribution in the series "My Boat" from Ron and Heidi Blake on their boat KATIKI, who’s names have been kindly suggested by David Smith.

In our technical pages this issue Ken Pack discusses the relative merits of the new Aero-rig sail system and we have a long missive from Victor Asprey on sailing cat’s which I thought would be very useful for those of you contemplating trying to beat me in the next Round the Island Race!

Contents

Tablets from the Mount

The Chairman’s Page

Thanks to John the Newsletter has certainly moved into a new era. It is clear enough to be read, professional looking and written with that touch of humour that makes it so enjoyable.

Don’t put too much money on the coup John reckons I have achieved, Geoff’s position is the result of years of dedicated determination and he is very much his own man. I do hope that none of this inhibited anyone from writing in. The message is what it is all about and nothing comes from on high. Even Reg White and his associates, who I have the greatest respect for, were always testing, upgrading and innovating. We all need to hear what your experience is and how you tackle the hundred and one jobs on the boat. It is then down to you to assess and deal with the various problems your way.

For me, having recently moved the boat from Shoreham to Brighton Marina, the radical alterations of yesteryear are reduced to tinkering and cleaning infernal weed but the boat will probably be grateful. Having sailed "THELKEN" for a number of years the challenge became to modify her for my own purposes. For me this meant "trim" if four of us were aboard most of the additional weight ended up aft which made the bows too light and resulted in some pretty spectacular hobby horsing. Presumably Sailcraft thought something along those lines and extended to MkIIA etc. Access aboard after swimming was also difficult.

Nothing’s for nothing when you go down this line and before anyone puts a boat together there has been a lot of professional expertise considering the various options within the given boats parameters. Inevitably one gains one thing at the cost of others.

I decided to take off the rudders, cast up two fibreglass tanks and by using the back stay and pintail holes attached the tanks with only two drillings in the transom. Effectively this would move the hydrodynamic centre further aft at the cost of increased wetted surface. More buoyancy inevitably creates greater wetted surface but the flow lines can improve the situation for the centres of effort and resistance which were of some concern. The length to beam ratio I had decided was a necessary evil and even 30 years after the inception of the IROQUOIS, is still for me her only shortcoming.

For several reasons moving the centre of effort forward did not concern me greatly and has not created any problems. Increasing the sideways resistance aft however is particularly radical since the resistance to water is 80 times greater than air. The boat is normally pretty stiff when going about and I had put some of this down to feeling it necessary in practice to use much of the leeboard, so I wanted to create greater lift from any new rudder system.

Rudders are of course a useful appendage and owners will know how critical balance is. Since my rudders are now fixed, draught was a consideration. I have tussled with this problem and changed it four times, the present arrangement is adequate and had I not moved into the Marina my fifth attempt would have been to reinstate the same deep rudder shape as original but increased to include the skeg area. This would have been housed in the tanks which would hinge up when not in use or kick up in an emergency.

Fortunately there are not many people as stupidly quizzical as me. Should you contemplate any such operations, can I warn you to make adequate arrangements for testing. I have had good reason for being grateful for a steering outboard on several occasions!

Ken Pack

Contents

The first Circumnavigation by an Iroquois

Philip Corridan’s Epic Trip

We have received this following brief account from Mr. Philip Corridan regarding his around the world journey.

A circumnavigation, the good yacht ALLEDA has done it!! ALLEDA, a 27 year old Iroquois Mk 1 catamaran, sail number 22 set off from Carrow Yacht Club, Norwich on 12 August 1991 and returned to the same mooring on 4 October 1993 having travelled by way of the Canaries, Caribbean, Panama Canal, Pacific, Australia, Indian Ocean, Red Sea, Suez Canal, Mediterranean and French inland waterways. In all 27,460 nautical miles sailed in 784 days with 249 nights on passage. No records were broken but, as far as I know, ALLEDA is the first of her class of yacht to circumnavigate and perhaps the oldest catamaran to do so. If either of these prove not to be so then that is fine by me.

I sailed solo, without major injuries but the main problem now is blistered feet from having to wear shoes after 2 years of barefoot sailing! ALLEDA was not so lucky. Having had a fairly trouble free Atlantic and Pacific, the Indian Ocean and Red Sea came close a number of times to ending the dream - splits in the cabin roof leading to a wobbly mast, port rudder smashed off in the notorious Straits of Bab al Mandab, roller reefing failure, shredded sails.

But she survived, looking after me when I was least able. It would be easy to give the impression that it was one drama after another. In reality the good times outweighed the bad with the South Pacific providing the highest peaks by which subsequent troughs were measured.

And I met some marvellous people. When is a circumnavigation done? Take your choice from completing 360 degrees of longitude on the River Aa in France on 24/9/93, crossing our outward track outside Ramsgate harbour on 29/9/93, arriving back at our home port of Great Yarmouth on 2/10/93 or our club mooring on 4/10/93. A truly memorable reception at Yarmouth with another club yacht, Edna May, press photographers and TV cameramen aboard, escorting us in to meet a large group of relations, friends and colleagues wielding champagne. People remarked on how calm I looked, manoeuvring ALLEDA to the quay. A great actor in here!

The future? For ALLEDA a survey, refit and a modest little commemorative plaque mounted in the cockpit. I was afraid that I might also need a survey and refit but there are small signs that after a week I may be adjusting to "normality" including a break-in at home during the weekend of my arrival at Yarmouth. Despite this, it is very good to be back.

Phillip Corridan, 10 Oct. 1993

Note - these figures are for miles sailed as distinct from miles made good. A motor vessel would have recorded some 2,000 miles less. Passage average speed became progressively less with the growing need to nurse ALLEDA home.

Contents

Helicopter Rescue

Whilst taking part in a group assessment for Yachtmaster Offshore onboard Antares we had the opportunity to take part in a helicopter hi-line rescue exercise. For those who don’t know, the following notes may prove interesting.

The helicopter stood off and passed his standard briefing, on VHF Channel 67, that we should proceed at a steady speed on a close hauled course on port tack. Included was the advice to switch off any Decca and navigation instruments, because of the possibility of high voltage static discharge, and the stern warning not to fix any lines from the helicopter to any part of the boat (the consequences could be imagined!).

We had previously watched another practice with a monohull and had got into the downdraft from the helicopter rotors, which was some considerable distance downwind from the helicopter, this had caused us a few anxious moments as we had been threatening capsize. Consequently we dropped our main, to be on the safe side, but retained a partially rolled genoa and used the engine to keep us moving at about 5 knots.

The helicopter approached and indicated with hand signals that they would board directly over our stern (this was because of our twin backstays, they normally come in over the port quarter on a mono). He came up astern, travelling with us, but turned slightly so that we could see both the pilot and the winchman. As he was only about 10 feet above mast height the noise was deafening, like a heavy machine gun next to the ear, and communication on board was nearly impossible. Surprisingly even though he was directly overhead there was no downdraft. I put the main traveller as far to starboard as it would go to clear the boom from the cockpit area.

The winchman slowly lowered a couple of weighted nylon bags on a quarter inch nylon line until they were directly over the cockpit, then let them drop with a thump (scoring a direct hit on my toe in the process). The helicopter then dropped back a few yards as our crew hauled in several metres of the line. The next step consists of the diver being lowered on his winch wire while we kept a steady tension on the nylon line which was attached to him. He continued down until he was a few feet above sea-level and signalled for us to haul him aboard. It needs a fairly strong person to pull him in, but eventually, with a single bounce on our tiller bar, he was on his feet in the cockpit.

At this point, in a proper rescue, the diver would release the winch wire and let it swing out astern, still attached to the nylon line. If required, the winch wire would be retracted, a stretcher attached and lowered, then hauled aboard as we had for the diver. When the casualty was secure in the stretcher, it, along with the diver, would be winched back up to the helicopter.

As it was we only had chance to yell a quick welcome before he eased himself over the stern and swung out once more over the sea. Our crew kept a light tension on the nylon line until he was back into the helicopter then fed back the line, trying not to tangle anything.

The whole thing took only 5 minutes but the experience was well worthwhile and if we now have to do it for real it will be marginally less traumatic. One last thing, the diver came down onto three boats and not once did he get his feet wet!

If you happen to see the helicopter, and he is not on service, it is worth asking if he would like to practice on your boat, the experience is both useful to both them and you.

Contents

Travels with the Bears

This year on May 1st, our plan was to sail to Denmark direct, a three day trip through the north sea through the Linfiord to the Baltic, three of our friends with us as crew. But of course the wind remained determinedly in the wrong direction for a whole week, while the crew ate heartily they practised man overboard in the River Orwell. As their time was rapidly running out we decided to do the short hop over to Blancenburge instead. Our friends spent an enjoyable few days with us, we left them to catch the ferry home from Zeebruge.

We then set off through Holland on the canals, for the third year running. We, of course, phoned our Dutch friends we had made on these previous trips - and so time crept on.

We said goodbye to Holland and when out through Lauwersoog Sluice into the Waddersee, we passed between Schiermonnikoog and Amerland spending our first night on the German Friesan Island of Borkham - not much to see - we then went the shallow inside route to Nordenny following the twisting channel through the withies, the weather was good with very little wind, so off we set for Hegoland, the visibility was so good that we could see this little island about 20 miles away, the red cliffs rising dramatically out of the sea.

A huge inner and outer harbour, but a very officious Harbour Master who insists on all boats mooring side by side of the same size, i.e. l0 metres with l0 metres, 8 metres with 8 metres, boats which arrive during the night who do not conform are aroused at 6 a.m. with a loud knock on the hull of their boat and asked to move! however if you want to buy some duty free’s there are lots of interesting shops nearby.

We left Hegoland at 6 a.m. as we were going into the River Ida, no wind hot and sunny, motored for 9 hours. As the tides are very strong in the estuary we had to time our arrival at slack water which we did. The lock at the mouth of the river was under repair by Dutch engineers, and at this point our 9.9 hp Yamaha engine decided to stall due to overheating, once in the river we managed to sail. We were the only boat in the lock and we only saw one other boat that day.

We spent the night at a delightful little harbour called Tonning, which looked very Dutch, this area of Germany has been fought over through the centuries so there are many different types of architecture, this river is very beautiful, so much wildlife, many deferent kinds of duck, and we have never seen so many hawks. No commercial traffic at all - and the weather was hot and sunny.

We entered the Kiel Canal at Gieselau about half way along the canal, we stopped one night at Rendburg and then out of the Kiel Canal and onto the British KieI Yacht club, we spent a couple of nights there as we needed to buy our charts for the Baltic, we got them at Captain Steadmans in Kiel. We could not find a pilot, however a visiting Dutchman very kindly gave us an old one from 1970, as he had a more up to date one.

We had decided to look for a harbour during the summer to over-winter TWO BEARS, we had heard of a catamaran friendly yachthaven at Kapperby, there were quite a number of cat’s, including two Kelsall’s being built, nearby a German was designing and building catamarans.

We found the cost for winter moorings here was quite high, so we thought we would carry on locking. We arrived in Denmark on the 17th of June and the weather was awful, cold wet and windy which was to set the pattern for the rest of the summer.

However the overwhelming friendliness of the Danish people made up for the weather, there are so few multi-hulls in Denmark that there is kind of comradeship between us. We were invited to club barbecues and to the INTERNATIONAL MULTI-HULL RALLY at Ishoi, near Copenhagen, there were boats from Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Germany, Latvia and Great Britain (us!). Some 90 boats altogether - and what a marvellous week we had.

We left the boat in a pretty harbour Bogense’ in North Fyn. And the cost is less for the whole year that it costs us just for the winter at the reasonably priced Titchmarsh Marina at Walton on the Naze on the East Coast. Our Dutch friends keep their Hirondelle in the same harbour so they are keeping an eye on TWO BEARS for us.

We saw about 6 IROQUOIS on our travels, two at the Ishoi meeting, one owned by an old East German sea captain, he bought as a wreck called KITTEMAX, it had no sails so he does not know much about it, now called PANDA, if anyone knows anything about this boat perhaps they could let us know and we could pass it on.

Well the winter will soon be over, and then we can be on our travels again, back to Denmark, we hope to cruise Sweden, Finland, and maybe a quick trip to Russia and St. Petersburg, we will let you know.

Happy sailing

Angela and Terry Moody.

Contents

Sailing Multihulls

Introduction

For the last few years I have been instructing sailing for one of the major sea schools training people for their RYA Certificates and now run my own Catamaran school, MULTIHULL INTERNATIONAL LTD. My first thought was to read up on the finer points of catamaran sailing, e.g. man overboard, anchoring under sail, etc. The literature seemed to concentrate very well on why a catamaran will not capsize, and whilst it was all very interesting it was not what I was really looking for. As a consequence of this, continued teaching the same techniques that I had employed at the monohull sailing school but found they did not work particularly well. As my knowledge of handling catamarans has grown I felt compelled to write something to explain the differences that I have found and hope that it will at least stimulate others to write on this interesting topic.

The School and Boat

The school is situated within the marina complex at Port Solent, Portsmouth running both RYA theoretical and practical courses. The boat that I used previously was a Fidji 39ft built by Fontaine Pajot. She is a stylish, straightforward modern broad beamed cruising catamaran with a good turn of speed. She has been known to do a steady 15 knots but between 8 and 12 knots is more usual. Her sleek lines and fully battened mainsail give her a good turn of speed even in the lightest of winds.

Aspects of Catamarans Under sail

There are a great variety of catamarans on the market varying in hull shape and construction, sail plans and hull balance, which will determine to some degree the performance, handling characteristics and stability. I am concentrating on the very basic characteristics of catamaran sailing here, whilst the specific manoeuvres shown below are slanted towards the modern broad beamed catamaran. Lightweight (lack of momentum) and shallow draft (not a lot of grip on the water) means that a catamaran will decelerate and accelerate quickly causing the apparent wind to do likewise. Consequently trying to pinch up to windward is futile since the boat will decelerate and gradually fall of to leeward. Often it pays to drop off a point or two, go faster but arrive at your windward destination earlier despite having travelled further. Tacking in a catamaran generally needs more care than in a monohull. Just before commencing the tack it often pays to bear away a fraction first in order to increase speed and corresponding weight on before throwing the helm over smartly. In heavy weather when tacking against the predominant wave direction it may even pay to back the jib for a moment to help the bows pass through the wind. Getting a catamaran stuck "in irons" often takes some time to sort out and get sailing again. The boat may well start moving backwards and reversing the helm i.e. steering the boat backwards through the tack often gets the boat sailing more promptly.

Sailing onto Buoys - Monohulls and Catamarans Compared

Wind against tide under foresail

The above represents the usual monohull technique of sailing onto a buoy where the wind and tide are opposing each other. Fine control is possible by sheeting in or releasing the foresail sheets as necessary. In a catamaran this fine control is much more difficult to achieve as even the drive created in a flogging headsail is enough to carry a light shallow drafted catamaran quickly past the buoy. Having a roller furling headsail helps matters because the headsail can be quickly furled completely if necessary. However, if you do manage to tie the boat to the buoy you might be in for a further surprise. Whilst all the other monohulls are lying to the tide, you might find the catamaran skating further on, tangling up with the buoy trying instead to lie with the wind - opposite to all the other monohull boats. Where moorings are very close together you might find yourself in danger of a collision. Recently I had this situation in the middle of a particularly dark night in the upper reaches of the Bosham channel. The catamaran decided to lie completely opposite to everybody else and clutter into an adjacent small craft (fortunately no damage). There was no option but to move, weaving in and out of moorings in pitch black, to find more space which was most disconcerting.

Wind with tide under mainsail

The above represents the usual monohull method of sailing onto a buoy where the wind and tide are coming in the same direction. The approach is again possible with the Fontaine Pajot. The catamaran has to be sailed full and fast tight up to the buoy then both traveller and mainsheet released bringing the catamaran to an instant halt to make a pick up. However the wind and tide are rarely in the same direction and the boat tends to shear around on its mooring buoy between wind and tide. This can easily lead to the huge fully battened mainsail "powering up" once more and accelerating quickly over the buoy.

Sailing a catamaran onto a buoy - wind with tide

Approach is similar to a monohull on a fine reach. Pick up is on lee bow.

Sailing a catamaran onto a buoy - wind against tide

Approach is the same as above on a fine reach. Note how catamaran swings around into the tide on this occasion. I did a number of trials mainly off of Cowes in 25 knots of wind to find the best way of making a pick up and concluded that in both cases of wind with/against tide it was better to drop the mainsail and concentrate on the more manageable foresail. The boat tacked happily under foresail alone and in both cases the approach was the same - fine reach under foresail, keeping the boat up to windward and making the pick up on the leeward hull. The boat is then free to make its own mind up whether to lie to the wind or tide without getting tangled up with the buoy.

Tying up and leaving the buoy.

If the boat starts to sheer around on the buoy (the same applies if at anchor) two possible ways can be employed to bold her steadier. Instead of lying to a centrally placed fairlead and cleat, make up a bridle to alleviate some of the sheer. Alternatively one can give the boat a natural sheer by mooring her to one or other of the bows - mooring on port bow will sheer the boat around to starboard.

When leaving the buoy I found that it was better to leave under foresail alone. If the wind is ahead it is better to decide which tack to leave on and then tie the boat on the corresponding bow (see caption).

If the wind is astern, again sail away under foresail being careful not to allow the boat to accelerate over the buoy.

Anchoring under sail

Essentially the same techniques apply as for sailing onto, tying up and leaving the buoy - approaching the position where the boat is to be anchored under foresail, furling it at the the appropriate moment at the same time letting go anchor. Usually one can anchor very close to the shore in very shallow water so tidal streams do not present much of a problem.

Man overboard

One of the reasons for me writing this article is in the hope it might stimulate others into writing more on the topic of catamarans at close quarters. Nowhere would seem to be more important than man over board procedures. With regard to catamaran sailing I stated that in general a catamaran accelerates very fast off the wind and needs more attention than in a monohull when the need arises to tack. The generally adopted reach-tack-reach method therefore, I believe, needs rethinking when it comes to a catamaran.

Reach-tack-reach on a monohull

Man overboard in a catamaran

If the above method is employed the catamaran will of course accelerate very quickly away from the man as soon as it is brought onto a broad reach and will be difficult to tack if the helm is put hard over, trying effectively to turn the boat 180 degrees from broad reach to fine reach through the wind. When doing this manoeuvre it is very easy to stall the boat, putting it "in irons" and taking time to get the boat sailing once again. This of course could prove fatal. Catamarans such as the Prout and Heavenly Twins with small mainsails may be more inclined to gybe but in the Fontaine Pajot and other large mainsailed catamarans I am more inclined to tack because of the safety factor. In order to tack effectively it means the boat should be sailed to windward and the sheets hauled in tight - bearing away slightly to gather more momentum and then pulling the helm over smartly and possibly even backing the foresail for a moment to ensure that the boat goes through the wind. The man will thus lie downwind of the boat and it will be accelerating towards him at a rate of knots. Instead of aiming at him which would be both dangerous and frightening, steer the boat in a wide arc around him bringing the boat into the wind. The boat will come to a very abrupt halt. Obviously it needs practice to perfect. In addition, the behaviour of the boat once it comes to a halt is more difficult to predict depending on the aspect of the hulls to the wind.

Hove to technique

The technique of hoving to near the man was tried but was found to be ineffective because at no time could I get the boat sailing slowly enough to make any sort of controlled pick up. The crash stop technique of hoving to, starting the engine, rolling up the foresail and motoring back to the man - stopping the boat head to wind was employed making a pick up from the bows. This proved difficult with any sea running because the bows pitch violently and being so fine make it dangerous for a crew member to assist from this position. The boat being so lightweight means that a pick up from the stern also needs care because the engines need to be engaged to prevent the boat from falling off to leeward or getting blown downwind.

Under power

The Fontain Pajot has an 18 hp saildrive engine in each hull making it remarkably manoeuvrable. The fact that the propellers are offset from the centreline (offset effect) gives the catamaran superb turning ability. Having one engine engaged in reverse and the other in forward enables the catamaran to spin on a sixpence. Turning the rudders in the direction of the turn increases the rate of spin. The transverse thrust (propeller walk) is almost insignificant in relation to the offset effect of the propellers to the centreline. When manoeuvering under power the wind is more influential than manoeuvering most other types of craft.

Pile moorings.

Pile moorings usually lie on the outskirts of rivers and therefore the tidal ebb and flow runs fore and aft of the pile. In a catamaran I have found it is usually better to moor the bows first into the tide on to the forward pile, (forward pile being uptide). It is relatively easy then to use the engines as outlined above to reverse the boat on to the stern pile. The wind obviously plays a part in the manoeuvre but with the exceptional control of a twin engine installation, the amount of throttle can be adjusted accordingly on the appropriate engine.

Leaving pile moorings

The problem of a catamaran being so wide means there is a danger of colliding with one more of the piles. The likelihood of this occurring can be largely overcome with the use of ropes taken on to the appropriate angle to the piles so it can be motored clear of the mooring.

Victor Aspey
of Multihull International Ltd.

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Reader's Write

The members bite back!

From Mr Phillip Corridan

Dear Mr Pack

Well, somebody had to, didn’t they? Copy of these notes has also gone to Reg White, MOCRA, Geoff Pack plus some others who may be interested.

Regards
Phillip Corridan

Ken Pack’s reply

Dear Phillip

I am surprised it took you three lines to tell me that! In today’s brassy society the charm of your modesty overwhelms me. Thelma and I over breakfast held an Extraordinary, Interim, Annual General Meeting and decided unanimously that, "The membership of the IROQUOIS OWNERS ASSOCIATION would want to us to appoint you their first LIFE MEMBER".

Your letter of a couple of years ago when you told us Crow Yacht Club were putting up a map of the Norfolk Broads to chart your progress around the world, still makes me laugh - to be honest at the time there was an equal scepticism in my mind. Your dream needed more than the actor you claim.

The enormity of the task you undertook, to us mere mortals, is mind blowing, as I sit here thinking about this letter - Galle, the Galapagos, seemingly endless seas (sometimes a bit bumpy!), that little boat with those vast front windows, definitively a shortcoming if it gels a wobbly mast, you should get onto Reg White about it!

Whilst I am well aware that what you have done has been a very private matter I do hope that someone will come up with an incentive adequate to encourage you to share your experiences.

The satisfaction of finding, let alone entering a strange harbour after 21 days at sea and going to their sort of pub. How you could tear yourself away from such a place as Ceylon to do another 17 day stint to Oman. Fascinating. To most of us a large dimension of sailing is swinging the Yacht Club lamp, varnishing the brightwork and comfortably reading about others adventures.

As well as your feet, are your finger nails growing again now?. Congratulations on a safe circumnavigation that was really well done.

Welcome home.

Ken Pack

Yes, its centreboard time, this one from Bill Rich.

Dear John

I note from the Tech Pages of the last newsletter a plea for alternative ideas on replacement centreboards. I made two boards for CHATANIKA, No 267 - now believed to be called ALLEYCAT?, so assuming these have proved durable (and presumably Colin Innes can confirm this?)these details may be useful.

I made mine at home in my garage on trestles when fitting out the shell, I used 25mm good quality BS1088 ply, Thamesply I think, and made each board from one 8 x 4 foot sheet by splicing the roached trailing edge piece onto the main board using resoraniol glue and silicon bronze nails - the curved pieces were obtained from the offcuts as shown on the sketch the whole was then sheathed using a very thin slow setting polyester resin and woven rovings - both sides, nowadays I would use WEST epoxy resin instead. It’s obviously vital to get good penetration and bonding.

I have long ago disposed of the drawings unfortunately but this gives the general idea. I reasoned that gives the high stress area still within the original sheet and the trailing edge was less severely stressed, this should give strong board at reasonable cost.

When reversed, the angles match perfectly. Forgive me if this is too obvious. Anyway if these boards have proved satisfactory since, (they were fine for 4 years whilst I owned and sailed CHATANIKA) Colin Innes will know who to thank, if not ……! As far as board strength goes, it’s probably worth stressing (pun) that it’s better for the board to fail than the housing.

In passing it may be worth suggesting that owners bore their floorboards at each end with a hole or two of 1" dia. so as to allow ventilation through the almost sealed bilges. I have seen several boats with rotting floorboards and bearers and these "dead" areas badly need to be ventilated, if you use a shower which drains into the bilges you are asking for trouble, even if it does keep the ladies quiet! (Methinks this boy’s going to pay for that remark - Ed.).

Regarding the forebeam replacement - I have seen one boat (DOUBLE VISION, I think she was called) which has had it replaced - apparently by insertion from outside the hull and threaded through -the result of a mast dropping accident, I think.

Regards
Bill Rich

I need more letters and again letters of an international nature, so please do write on your boats, your trips and just about anything you like - BUT WRITE.

Contents

Cartoon

Flying Saucers

Boat Show

Avast Behind

Contents

Technical Pages

Aerorig & Iroquois? - an investigation into the projected impact on your boats performance

A friend of mine kindly alerted me to Practical Boat Owner’s sail test of the Aerorig Hirondelle which I found most interesting. I have followed the Aerorig project from the original press release on a 36 metre monohull and have seen the Hirondelle many times on the Hamble.

Having at one time tested "CHEFRON" the Prout with pyramid rig and "THANKS TO" the wing propeller driven Iroquois etc. I rather dismissed it as one of those. With such innovation, one is full of admiration for the expertise, originality and determination that gives people the confidence to back the project. Too often however these projects run out of steam and one is left with a poorly finished prototype.

Not so with this one! The practicality and finish of AERORIG is excellent and there is the feeling that any update becoming evident will be incorporated. As soon as I am well prepared I have every intention of a sail in the boat. The HIRONDELLE is such a lovely boat, my son owned one for sometime and we had great fun in it. Whilst not in the same class as the IROQUOIS it is a good performer and I was impressed to read that the AERORIG was outperforming the conventional rig with a smaller sail area. At the time we had the option of a 3l8sq. ft. rig.

For we happy few - the IROQUOIS owners - the significance is in "stability figures" again. If you can suppress the "oh he’s not going into that again surely" I am persistent. At that time, for safety considerations produced a stability meter capable of dialling up a comparable dynamic stability windspeed for any given boat or rig or vice versa based on Catamaran Stability Figures published in PBO August, 1991.

From the PBO figures using the same formula you will see there is a 1.83 knot improvement between the standard and AEROR1G cruising boats or a 10.66% which can be only from improved rig efficiency. For an IROQUOIS Mk II the formula gives you the following results

I believe that the IROQUOIS performs perfectly well with its present sail area and configuration but would still recommend AERORIG on safety grounds. There is however a conflication in my mind when considering leeboards and a limited sail wardrobe. The IROQUOIS beam is below current design thinking (more’s the pity) and there is no equally ambitious plan to update comparable to Swallow Yachts HIRONDELLE. (Oh, yes there is -Ed).

Should CARBOSPARS design a rig in our present mast position that only equalled IROQUOIS current performance then it is possible to relate the added efficiency factor in terms of 2 ft increased beam.

There are of course the non too minor matters of altering the A frame and provision of deck head bush and bridgedeck bearing.

MOCRA’S Safety Committee established that one of the major safety provisions on multihulls would be an automatic sheet or rig release. While AERORIG does not provide this, since the mast bends 20" in a force 4 and 78" in a force 9, it must significantly improve matters by losing efficiency in the upper part of the sails thereby reducing the height of centre of effort.

There are many other attributes to be assessed and I hope to take this a step further before the next Newsletter and would be grateful for any comments from Members. Can I use reiterate that nothing works as well as good seaman-like reefing!

Ken Pack

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New Iroquois Design Brief

A study of ideal needs in the new boat!

As reported Iroquois Yachts are planning to manufacture a new design of IROQUOIS and in advance of the detailed design being set, it was thought to be a very sensible idea to discuss with all Members the basic technical prime specification of the new boat. So far nothing is set in stone, apart from the name! We would welcome any input on any part of the project. In order to get the ball rolling we have set out below some suggested specifications for you to argue with, and about.

Firstly, Use

i.e. What is it for - racing or cruising? Can we achieve both from one basic hull shape? Conventional thinking would suggest that we determine a typical client needs and service those as the best way of providing a successful product - this sounds easy, it’s not. Another method is to pretend that the boat can be tailored to suit different needs by suggesting that by changing the content of the equipment, it can do all things, e.g. win the Whitbread and "do" for holiday’s simply by removing, say, the central heating and the freezer - again, not too easy to design a boat that way.

A way forward is to adopt what can be termed the perceived best of the old with the minimum changes to update. This, in design circles is also called "the fear of the old" policy. What I have found most successful in the past as a design philosophy is to listen to all and then just chose what you think seems right, but allowing some product performance upwards margin.

The IROQUOIS was fast, and remains so, in the hands of a skilled sailor - this, we still want. The boat was never one that could be claimed as a good long term live-aboard for most of us, so therefore, let’s limit its basic equipment to that required for say a couple of months holiday! or ….. well we’ll see …..

Length?

Between 30 - 32 ft would seem a good starting point.

Beam ?

Between 16 - 20ft or like the Woods design various options, such as 16 for cruising and 18 for the midway and 20 as the out and out racer.

Rig?

This is more difficult and readers will I hope forgive me if I do not go into much detail, although it must be said that the Aerorig does seem to have much to commend it at the very least as an option. Even if we stick with the existing rig then the addition of lazy jacks and all sail controls taken back to the cockpit must be sensible?

Centreboards ?

Well Lee Boards then, do we want them or not? - if we do change to some kind of fixed keel will that change the very nature of that which we are trying to reproduce ? Do you agree that on balance the retention of improved boards is essential? - Again we will see.

And of course this list of ideal basic details can go on and on. And why not.

Let me just mention a number of points which seem important to me, there is an oft repeated view that you can either have a multihull which is fast but spartan below or a heavy comfortable boat which sails badly. I think this, to a great extent, is rubbish- yes weight does play a large factor in the performance of these boats but, for example it is possible to have, at little weight penalty, a good working shower and a sensible heating system. It must be also possible to have a well thought out galley and storage.

I would imagine the question of headroom in the cabin is one that will vex us, with some who believe that it’s a major problem and some who do not mind as long as the overall windage is kept to a minimum. Let us see if we can’t have the best of both worlds or at least as close as good economic sense allows. Certainly there will be the opportunity to modify the cabin top with the increased beam which we intend to provide. This brings me on to a subject very dear to my heart, that is the styling of the Iroquois.

When I first saw the Iroquois I simply fell in love with that shape, I had been told by Pat Boyd that it was supposed to be fast, but until I saw the boat I was not sure. Of course no one could doubt it seeing those lines, that reverse sheer, that bow section, it looked as if it was already doing 12 knots, sitting there in its berth. I find that when I arrive down at my boat’s mooring that the first view I catch of it is as exciting as the very first. I think this boat is beautiful. In fact, I regard as the biggest challenge in this project, the retention of that gorgeous shape while changing the overall configuration.

Now this does rather sound odd, after all a lot of people like the lines of their boats, even some monohulls look quite good. In the case of the Iroquois however the actual design of the boat is in a different class. I have been a designer for over 26 years and in that time you only see a small handful of "complete" classic designs, literally timeless and standard-setting, this boat is one of those - along with the 911 Porshe, Concorde and the "E" type Jaguar. If we cannot get the shape right we should not build the new boat, it’s as simple as that. We will of course try.

Please write to me on this subject - if we are to end up with a new boat which, even if you don’t buy one, you can enjoy, as you see it passing you on the Solent approaches.

John Rolfe

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Race Page

And Coming Events.

As this Newsletter is very late you have luckily avoided the telling of the amazing triumph pulled off by yours truly, in the Round The Island Race last June, which resulted in our Mr Colin Innes selling his boat in disgust after being so soundly beaten.

Of course he was able to pull back a little of his self respect by coming a worthy 2nd in the Nab Tower Race (a race which I was not able to attend, having been asked by a certain Mr Lawie Smith to advise him on tactics for the forthcoming Whitbread).

We had a good showing at the Dutch Meeting at which no less than 5 IROQUOIS attended and gave an exceptionally fine set of results, if we could get anything like that turnout at a UK race it would be great.

There are some races planned for next year which may be of interest, which are listed in more detail in the current MOCRA Yearbook. I have listed these and hope that you can enter to keep the flag flying for our class.

What about a feeder rally to France or Alderney on the weekend before, with a meeting on the beach for those going on to the race? Say you take the family for a weeks holiday in Alderney with those not wishing to race back taking the Seacat (only 2.5 hours to Weymouth), and wizz along to Cherbourg on the Friday? I am willing to organise some pretty hairy beach activities for the week. If you are interested please contact me on 0276 681238.

I need a contributor who will write the race page for me - I’m not capable of understanding the details of racing, someone needs to report on this area to you with a tad more authority than myself, for example Ken Pack did pass on to me the message that the Dutch Meeting was very successful for our class - if, as he put it, you analysed the results, Well I tried. I couldn’t understand the figures - what is handicapping, how long is a Portsmouth Yardstick, what’s corrected time and why can’t they get it right the first time? So I need a helper, ideally one of those Blonde, wetsuited, ladies who you tend to see around the clubhouse on race days- failing this - anyone who can spell Iroquois.

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Boat Price Guide

There are only three IROQUOIS apparently for sale with UK brokers, these are listed below along with the 35ft stretched version shown during the Southampton Boat Show. Recent sales however include ALLEYCAT, sold within 2 weeks at £20,000 plus. Both brokers contacted require more boats to sell, complaining of a shortage of good IROQUOIS particularly. Some US dealers suggest waiting lists of buyers awaiting boats. So if you must sell, combine your first Atlantic crossing with a trip back on Concorde!

Colin Innes has 3 rudders for sale, for which he seeks offers, on 0705 661381.

(3 rudders? -- is this why he’s been so successful on ALLEYCAT?)

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Last Words

I thought it might be interesting for me to mention the way I have produced the Newsletter and the equipment used, hopefully some of you may also share an interest in such matters and ideally could offer some advice.

Firstly I’m no computer expert, up until about 12 months ago I was very much a non-believer. Indeed I have had a computer on my desk for no less than 6.5 years and in that time did not even switch it on once! About 9 months ago however I was forced to produce a seriously large market survey for my company this involved masses of charts and text - I tried to recruit more staff - no! My new chairmen said, you can do this all in-house - the swine.

Anyway I started to use the damn thing - lo and behold actually enjoyed it. So the first Newsletter which I produced was in fact done on a networked 386 running under UNIX. i.e. a simple word processor software package, which having printed out the sheets on the cheap laser printer we use in the office, was Xeroxed.

This took about a week and a half in total, much too long but I was learning as I went. I went to my chairman and said "look here if you want me to produce decent looking reports I need to buy some equipment". So we bought a new machine, in fact several new machines plus a raft of expensive software, notably Pagemaker, a heavyweight Desk Top Publishing package. This was good - it looked as if the Newsletter was going to be dramatically improved from the previous issue - Ha, I had reckoned without my staff, Ho, said the team, new goodies, we’ll have some of this.

Well every time I tried to use the machine, it was - "oh sorry Mr. Rolfe we’re just doing the interface log" or formatting the database, or some other daft reason. Anyway I couldn’t get on the system, I tried threats "your job’s on the line young lady" - well that didn’t work, (I’ve used it before in the pursuit of other matters, with that one and not got anywhere), so we actually ended up using the machine for the purpose which I made up for my chairman.

So I borrowed a computer from a friend; and using the aforementioned software composed this issue. Now this machine is a 386 25Hz, with only 100Mb of hard disk, and it’s slow really slow. I’ve got to buy my own and after many an hour pouring over the equipment available have, I think, come to a decision. My new machine will be a 486 66Hz with 500 Mb hard disk and 16 Mb ram, it will have a CD ROM capable of supporting photo CD, and a 21" SVGA monitor. I will have a 600dpi laser printer and a colour A4 flatbed Scanner. - Can you believe this, I mean 12 months ago I just used to use a pencil.

The biggest advantage with the new kit will the ability to use photos to a much greater extent than it’s possible to do now, we should have the situation in which you can send in photos and I can scan them in to the computer or using the Kodak CD disks load them directly, and then using some more software called Photostyler, modify, crop, and place into the newsletter. Also, with this new OCR stuff, capture in a useable form whole bunches of typed text for editing. Neat in’nit.

And it will not cost a penny - I’ll just pay by cheque.

John Rolfe

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