Interim Newsletter
Tablets from the Mount - The Chairman’s Page
Editor’s Notes
Letters
Chairman - Ken Pack
Editor - John Rolfe
Treasurer - Thelma Pack
I apologise for taking you back into Pack publishing technology, it really is pathetic after John’s efforts. John is most apologetic but has been let down by one of his clients in his highly specialised field which has caused a whole re-think of his career at a most challenging period and he simply hasn’t the time to devote to the Newsletter.
The Newsletter is, of course THE essential function and I should be most grateful for anyone who could take it on for the Association. I now have John’s current file and there are at least two more editions of information there.
The AGM is booked for the 14th September from 7p.m. in the Albert Room at the Star Hotel, Southampton and they have come up with a very good menu for a buffet supper at £5.95 per head. Early booking would be appreciated to avoid the problems of last year.
The first item on the Agenda I am afraid will be my resignation. Since Christmas we have had major medical problems to deal with which at our age need continuous attention. The warnings I have given the Association over recent years have I am afraid materialised. I am most concerned my ability to hand over properly to an incoming Chairman is not lost.
As I have said before my tenure of this office has considerably enhanced my own enjoyment of my chosen sailing catamaran pastime and I am most grateful to you all.
It may be a good time to look at the objects of this Association. They do not have a high profile except when buying or selling. Newsletters and the ability to have questions promptly answered have, I am sure, helped vendors sales through and given confidence to purchasers. The register has helped with contacts between owners and I have known of several friendships formed from such contacts. Our recent affiliation to MOCRA is beneficial to both parties at a very threatening time in our sport. There is no doubt there are an increasing army of paid interests and inspectorate which will need to justify itself with results to survive. Since there is a very small problem they will do it by sinking us with rules.
The enclosed MOCRA magazine’s safety recommendations are an attempt to keep things on an even keel and in our domain and form an excellent check list before a season or passage.
The Association was given a very good hearing at their interception reported in Summer 1991 Newsletter. In my time we have evaluated strengthening and use of leeboards, they are certainly more judiciously used these days. The question of balance and weights have made us all more aware of care needed when installing new equipment. This is also a general point when moving the requirements of the boat from its cruiser/racer design into more cruising than racing and vice versa.
Rig has also had a very good airing, perhaps my report on Rob Denny’s propellor driven boat was a bit before its time but Chris Nutt’s Aerorig would be a very useful evaluation. Maintenance items, insurance, stories of Phillip Corridan’s wonderful circumnavigation, Buster’s cruising adventures, Racing Round the Island (Iroquois still hold 6th fastest time for a production Multihull Around-The-Island) down to "Is This Saltfleet" by Russell Jackson and so on. These are all on going and could be much better if more thoroughly covered.
I heartily recommend this job to my successor and will do all I can to support him whenever he wishes.
Ken Pack
Continuing the last newsletters theme on sails I have not been inundated with other peoples experiences, in fact the general view at the AGM was "Why don’t you leave well enough alone Ken". David Smith says it’s an obsession, the prestigious AYRS asserts "In many cases a 50% improvement can be expected without resorting to rig rebuilding". The importance for me is demonstrated by the fact that one of our skegs x the difference of water and air densities can exert the same effect as a l05fs sail. The small genoa of about 230fs has worked well - you can set it close around the shrouds, unfortunately the slot still leaves a lot to be desired. For some years now I have used a small inner foresail of 65fs to create a cutter rig on the baby stay for winds up to about 10 knots. Beyond 10 knots once the inner forestay has been removed with judicious main reeling a 40% reduction of the genoa results in a l36fs sail which is manageable in winds of 35 knots when of course it’s time you were in the Pub!. Presuming one is caught out 35 knots plus it is not the ideal time to get the genoa off. Initially I had hoped to roll it away and use the inner foresail but 135fs down to 65fs is a long way and secondly as yet I have not come up with a satisfactory way of converting the baby stay into an adequate inner forestay.
So I placate myself with
All of which leaves the main. The one I am using is an original which I bought recently to modify. The main that came with the boat I had converted into fully battened and a high roach added since I had this on No.1 Bobcat. Rather than recognise it overwhelmed the rig, I assumed the jib was inadequate and used larger headsails which is okay in light breezes. It is however a no win situation because of leeway caused by underwater resistance in a stronger blow. With the improved efficiency from foresails the main seems oversized, converting to fully battened which is now well accepted as best for eats improving performance by 10%.
The logical sail layout would seem an area of maximum 170fs fully battened, a 15% reduction. For light winds the height of the mast and high roach will bring best results with good twist characteristics. The resulting reduction would be in the foot, moving the centre of effort forward and making good reefing essential. Proposed rig alterations make it possible to hold the centre of effort nearly consistent throughout all sail changes. That together with the Iroquois hull which has a well proven parameter of underwater centre of resistance, is a good framework to base your art of sailing on. It is probably well past time to have a professional evaluation of the hulls’ capability and recommendation for rig uprating in the light of contemporary equipment available - but who, and there are about as many solutions as owners times locations.
For those of you who did not manage to get to the AGM held in Sept - you missed a very good meeting unfortunately a very large number of you failed to make it this AGM was the most poorly attended I seen. Your loss, you missed a treat. A brief report is listed in this issue on the back page.
It is however a little dispiriting for your committee members to set up these meetings and have such a low attendance. The other consideration is that of Guest speakers, we cannot get the kind of speaker we would like if he or she is only addressing a handful of people. I would like therefore to expand our meetings to include others from the Multihull fraternity and combine with others to give us a more varied meeting than just the Iroquois Owners. MOCRA would be an obvious choice along with some of the other class associations. We could then get a variety of input on cruising matters with a much better level of guest speaker than we can going it alone.
I’ve started designing bits for the boat the first of which is shown later in the issue, a steering console for mounting on the cockpit bulkhead, hope to do the galley next. If I can I will make these from GRP moulds so if any of you are interested in these kind of features get in touch before the design is finalised, in fact I would welcome any comments on the shape or construction planned.
It’s easier for me, I have no false illusions regarding my knowledge in this area and so have no shame whatsoever in picking other peoples brains. For example Tiller versus Wheel steering what are the pro’s and eon’s of each type why do purists believe that tiller steering are so much better? Lets have some input please!
John Rolfe
From David Dorrington
Dear Mr Pack
You wrote to me some while ago now with details of the Iroquois Owners Association and enclosed a copy of your newsletter. Unfortunately, I seem to have lost your letter, though the newsletter is safe and sound and has been read from cover to cover several times. All this leads me on to say that I’m sorry for not sending you an application and subscription before now.
I don’t know what information you need so I’ll tell you lots and you can decide what you want. My name, address, telephone and fax are at the top of the letter, so that’s the basic bits done. I will be in trouble if I don’t mention that, whilst I paid for the boat and have a cap marked CAPTAIN, my wife, Sue, insists that she’s at least commodore and possibly Admiral (which means that she can sit back and watch it all happening) and the crew are my three children (17) 14 & 12 ) who are Joanne, Ian and Nicola.
The boat was unidentified until Jeff Pack recognised it from a photo and sent my first letter to you. So we now know that it’s an Iroquois Mk I, but it’s age and sail number are still unknown. It’s history as far as I’ve been able to determine, is that it was sold to an Englishman named Smith in Feb 1986. I know that he bought it from another Englishman but I don’t know who actually brought it to Cyprus. Unfortunately, Mr Smith died in South Africa about 1988 and his widow knows nothing except that she has the bill of sale which shows an official number 379755 and a registration number 323 in 1978 at London Registrar of British Ships. Mr Smith sold the boat to a Cypriot shortly before he died and it was subsequently sold again to the Cypriot I brought it from last September. I’ve just realised I haven’t told you the boats name! She’s called SPLIT INFINITY. She is currently in Paphos Harbour and we hope to get some sailing in during the next few months.
I don’t know how much of the following you will be interested in but it might help to fill up some of your newsletter or at least fill a few moments of your time. I thought I’d tell you of our problems the past eight months and there are a few questions which you or other owners may be able to answer.
SPLIT INFINITY was in a slightly sad state when we first looked at her. Her owner hadn’t used her for two years and then found that he needed money to build a bigger house, so he did some "quick" maintenance on her to sell her. Unfortunately, he didn’t manage to complete all the things he wanted to do and he did what can only be described as a "tidy up" paint job to improve her looks. Sue and I decided that she was what we wanted, being big enough for the five of us at a price we could afford. Especially when I offered slightly less due to the unfinished maintenance. I did ask the owner what she was but the answer "a catamaran" wasn’t too helpful. Anyway we duly bought her and planned the trip from Larnaca (the Eastern Port of Greek Cyprus ) to our home in Paphos (the Western Port). September is a lovely month in Cyprus. Not too hot but still excellent weather. I have sailed for almost 40 years (as crew) and Sue has about 15 years experience, so we didn’t feel it was too hard to coast hop 80 odd miles. Two friends offered to accompany us. Norvelle has many years of motor boat experience including some merchant navy time and Ron has sailed dingies. Norvelle’s wife Anne offered to stay with our three children and Ron’s wife, Margaret, offered to feed the cats (a kind offer but Anne and the children did that).
Our first laughable experience was at Larnaca Marina where I had a very interesting conversation with the Police and Immigration. It went something like "Where is your passport, Mister" "At home" "It can’t be, we must have it here from when you arrived" "No, I arrived in a taxi" "What boat is taxi" "No, I came from Paphos by taxi. My passport is in Paphos" "Where are you going" "To Paphos" "Where is your boat" "Here. I’ve just bought it. Here are the sale papers". It only took about twenty minutes to explain that we didn’t intend to leave Cyprus waters and we didn’t have our passports with us because we didn’t realise we needed them. It wasn’t their lack of English that was a problem, they are just so used to dealing with visiting boats.
At last we set off through the marina and finally out to sea. There hadn’t been any wind in the marina but we hoped to find some once we left shelter. We were wrong. The sea was as calm as a mill pond and the only breeze was the five knot one from our passage.
So we pointed ourselves to the West and headed to Limassol. One of the main things I had asked was about fuel consumption. I was told that the 25hp Suzuki had brought the boat from Limassol on about 20 litres of fuel. We had a 25 litre main tank with another 20 litres in a spare can, so we felt fairly confident of making at least Limassol, where we could refuel as needed. Unfortunately that was when we found that the Suzuki has two speeds. They are 5 knots and economical and 7 knots and very thirsty. We found this out by cruising along at a comfortable 7 knots until we ran out of fuel less than half way to Limassol. The Cyprus coast is not well provided with facilities. In fact we had a choice of going on to Limassol or turning back. Having refueled with our spare 20 litres, the captain made the decision to go on. That was when we found out about the economical speed. At 5 knots we breezed on to Limassol, enjoying ourselves (with the occasional cheek on fuel levels) until we sighted the Sheraton Marina at Limassol. A radio call assured us that they had fuel, and would happily sell it. That was when we found the second problem with the catamaran. Once into the marina, having been given the wrong instructions for the fueling point, we found that a cat is very, very hard to manoeuvre in confined waters. however we managed (just) and tied up beside the fuel. Then came problem number two. They had diesel and petrol but no 2 stroke oil (Larnaca Marina provided both). A quick taxi ride to the nearest petrol station remedied that problem and we filled our spare tank and topped up (only about 10 litres) our main tank. The Sheraton Marina is well to the East of Limassol so we decided to press on, to give ourselves a better chance for the next day. Dusk found us off the main part of Limassol but with nowhere to moor for the night. The only facilities there are a fishing harbour which was crammed full of boats with no space. However, as it was still a very calm day, we anchored just off the coas, with a few other small vessels. Dinner was served and a cool beer drunk to the sounds of revelry from the sea front tavernas.
The next morning started rather early. At 4am to be exact. I had been lying in my bunk, rather warm, listening to a sound I couldn’t quite identify. When I finally rose I found Norvelle on deck, where he had slept for the night for comfort, also trying to identify the strange noise. It was Sue who identified one part of it. "That sounds like an elephant" The other sound could then be separated and identified as a lion. What had woken us was the Limassol Zoo, with a lion and an elephant having a dawn argument.
Limassol is the main port of Cyprus and at any time there were many large cargo ships anchored in the harbour approaches. This morning started with a slight sea mist and it was decided to wait until that had lifted before running the gauntlet. Finally, at 7.30, the mist lifted enough for large ships to be identified and so up anchor and away. Still no wind, so the Suzuki was set to an economical 5 knots and we motored out and round Acrotiri peninsular where RAF Acrotiri is situated. It’s quite fun sitting in a small boat watching Phantoms doing aerobatics and such, right over your head.
About 10.30, I noticed a slight breeze. At least slightly more than we had been experiencing. Captain’s decision time once again. Up with a fore sail, went the cry. We had already sorted out the various sails, so finding what was marked as main jib and raising it didn’t take too long. Sure enough, the trailing log showed another 2 knots. Unfortunately the wind speed indicator appeared to be stuck fast, so no accurate indication was available. However, the crew pressed for mainsail up and turn of that engine. Raising the mainsail proved to be at least a three handed job. My previous experience with roller reeling was on a system which allowed the boom to be released so that the main could be raised. This wasn’t the ease with SPLIT INFINITY. It takes one man to unwind the boom, one to hook the mainsail into the mast and one to raise it. It could be done with only two but we were still experimenting. Finally the main was raised, the engine stopped and in blessed peace we ghosted along at 4-5 knots. This was what we had brought the boat for.
Six hours of blissful sailing had brought us to within sight of Paphos Airport. Just round the headland was home. Unfortunately, by this time the wind had died and we were only making about 3 knots with 2 hours of daylight left and about 3 hours of sailing to port. So our first decision was to find somewhere to lay up for the night and enter harbour in the morning. However, though the wind had died, it was blowing enough that we needed a sheltered anchorage for the night and we had left the last one about an hour behind us. Nothing along that part of the coast gave us any shelter from the current wind direction (which was exactly opposite to the normal prevailing winds). So there was nothing for it but to start up the engine, say to hell with economy and go flat out for the harbour. We made it with about half an hour to spare. In Cyprus, once the sun goes down you get very little twilight. I had entered Paphos harbour many times but this was the first time as captain of my own boat, so I wanted to do it in daylight if at all possible. As we entered the harbour mouth we could see the sun just sinking into the sea on one side and Anne and the children standing on the harbour wall on the other.
We were able to find a mooring place in the harbour but our biggest problem was a sunken fishing boat which has been sitting half in, half out of the water for two years. That made it a little difficult to get to our mooring. However, we were able to get a few weekends sailing in before I had to fly to Bahrain on business. Unfortunately, within days of my leaving, we had what turned out to be the worst storm of the winter. SPLIT INFINITY was moored fore and aft with good new ropes, so she didn’t move. Unfortunately, and against the harbour masters instructions, another small fishing boat had moored close to us and she broke a mooring rope and swung into the starboard rear quarter. In so doing, the rails were buckled, the starboard rudder was ripped out of its fittings and the lower fitting was pulled through the hull heaving a whole just above the water line. As Sue said, trust David to be away when I need him! Anyway on the second day of the storm, when the winds had abated slightly, she managed, with the assistance of several young Cypriot lads, to get SPLIT INFINITY to the harbour wall and craned out. As luck would have it, part of the rudder, with the missing fitting, was recovered for us but we lost the tiller arm and cross rudder connections.
So, since the start of the year, we have been making repairs and doing serious maintenance and at long last, she was craned back in just a week ago. Unfortunately, we still have a few problems. The crane broke the wind indicator of the top of the mast, after I’d spent a lot of time and effort lowering the mast to repair the thing (as well as renew the wiring to masthead light). We also had an almost laughable situation when we relaunched. I had replaced the outboard engine mounting because the old one was broken. I thought I’d got the measurements right but when we went to start the engine to motor across the harbour to our mooring. I found that we were about three inches to high. That was quickly solved by the addition of a couple of large friends standing in the rear of the cockpit. Although I’ve managed to lower the mounting slightly, it’s still a little too high and the engine leaves the water with every wave. Not a very satisfactory situation. I would be very interested to know what other owners do for motor power and how it’s fitted. I would also very much like to know anything you can tell me about the steering. I’m not sure if she had the original steering layout when I brought her but in any ease, most of it ended up in the bottom of the harbour. Basically, how do you tie the two tillers together so that one tiller controls both rudders? I’d also he interested to know if anyone has a way of including their outboard in the steering, at least for close maneuvering.
This started off to be a quick letter to apply to join the owners association. Sue suggested I should write a bit more than that and I’m now on page four, which I think is far too much. So I think I had better stop right here, include the ten pounds for membership fees and ask you to send me a copy of your next newsletter whenever it is ready.
Good sailing to all in cold and chilly UK from hot and sunny Cyprus.
DAVID DORRINGTON
Dear Sue& David
Thank you for your cheque and welcome to the Iroquois Owners Association. It is idyllic to have a letter like yours and emphasises why the IOA needs a better chairman.
To start, your family I can tell you are in a halcyon sailing period. I remember my son at your children’s age, I dotingly taught him all I knew, he says he has got over that now so when you read Yachting Monthly, the Editor’s opinion is the reverse of my training! You should consider elevating Sue to First Sea Lord, calling Thelma IOA Treasurer cuts no ice if the wind exceeds force 3.
Before I could be sure of the boat’s sail number, which I believe is 21, could you tell me the name she was registered under in 1978?
My friend David Smith from "Chiquita V" had a Suzuki 25 and it proved very reliable. Sailcraft fitted most engines on hinged brackets off the transom, see sketch. David’s engine is steered by lines attached to the tillers and the back of the engine. This can give problems when going astern and needing opposite lock. Prout boats use an independent Morse control and this gives excellent manoeuvrabilty In a quiet place, experiment handling the boat going backwards, I find it much more controllable He has now replaced it with a 9.9 four stroke jordan. These engines have the great advantage of economy (about 3 hours to the gallon) saving weight and increasing range.
I am enclosing a drawing from Pierre Gestin which may be of some use but otherwise I would need some pretty detailed photos or drawings of your stems. Philip Corridan had some problems in that quarter and may be able to help.
I compared your relaxed delivery trip with David and I’s performance yesterday. We left Brighton Marina at lunchtime in "Thelken" which is always blessed with one of my latest brainstorms that hung together until we ??? peace of Fareham Creek having dinner reduced my heart rate.
Enjoy the remainder of 1995. I enclose the current newsletter.
Ken Pack
Another letter from David Dorrington
Dear Ken
I’ve just received the owner’s register, via Cyprus, which is quicker than my boxes of paper containing your address. As you can see we’ve moved to England, for a couple of years at least. SPLIT INFINITY is currently stored in Larnaca Marina where we shall be able to use her next summer, with any luck.
One interesting item from the trip to return her from Paphos to Cyprus was that we, at long last, managed to find some wind, after spending all summer sailing in very light breezes. Did I say some wind? The met office at Larnaca Airport told us that the wind had been force 4-5 on the Saturday when we sailed from Paphos to Limassol and advised us that it would be worse on Sunday, so we chickened out and left her in the Sheraton Marina for a week until the winds reduced. However on the Saturday we definitely recorded 7 knots and, as I’ve only got a trailing log which tends to swing a bit, we did see speeds of 8-10 knots which I consider was an average of 9. The journey of 43 miles took us less than 7 hours, though I can’t be too sure because we didn’t take much notice towards the end as we were searching for a sheltered mooring.
I would like to see another Iroquois at some time, if only to look at the mainsail. I’m sure that ours is wrong. I’ve tried every-thing to get it set right, as an example, when we turned across the wind, towards the end of our trip, I felt it best to lower the mainsail ready to moor (we didn’t but that’s another story). We then continued at a steady 7 knots using only the No.1 jib. In other words, the mainsail had only been adding about 1-2 knots. That doesn’t seem right to me.
Anyway, that’s enough for now. My main reason for writing was to inform you of our new address and to apologise for missing the AGM, we were on a ferry from Cyprus to Greece.
DAVID DORRINGTON
PS. Do you have that owner’s register on computer ? I’d be interested to know how you’ve stored it if so (or if not then can I help).
From Per Morch
Dear Ken & Thelma
A wonderful sailing season has passed and the boat is out of the water, now I have time to give some news here from Denmark. We have had some absolutely wonderful experiences with our new boat ( ).
As I wrote last December when we had just got the boat, there were some things to do. First I couldn’t live with a 20hp diesel engine in the cockpit, though it worked very well indeed. I had it removed and by that 300kgs. We bought a 15hp four stroke Honda with electric start. On our previous boat, a Hirondelle 23 we also had a Honda 75hp and I am certain that a four stroke is the right engine for a multihull. It has a lot of power without having to rotate too much (the big propeller), it doesn’t pollute so much and it’s economic, (uses less fuel) and it is much quieter, so of course it has to be a four stroke.
Then I cut of some 70cms from the mast which has been holding the mast float. I drilled a hole so I could lead the halyards from the top of the mast and inside down to the bottom and from there to the winch on the starboard side of the cockpit. There I put two halyard stoppers, so I now can hoist and let go of the sails from the cockpit. We had a new trampoline made from some special trampoline net. My wife Pia sewed a new mainsail cover (I don’t know the right word).
So we were very pleased when the boat got into the water in April.
We have been sailing a lot and the weather has been very fine indeed. We live in the Southern part of Sealand, some 100 kilometres from Copenhagen. The area in which we sail is very fine, many islands, beautiful bays and sheltered beaches. Our main trip this year was to the Southern part of Fyn (Funan) which is also worth a visit. Our children Emilie 11 years old and Simone 3 years old loved it, especially when their grandmother and grandfather came to sail with us for some days.
The boat absolutely fulfills our expectations. I can be thrilled when it accelerates and it is a great joy to see how it behaves towards other boats. Yes, it is fast and comfortable.
A man from Fyn asked me if I would recommend an Iroquois for him and of course I did. Now I have been invited to come and look at a boat which lays in ??? in Aihas. So we are going to check the boat. The boat is Hiawatha a MkII from 69-70, where do we find the number? The owner doesn’t know which number it is but he thinks it’s from 69-70. You are welcome to print this if you wish to. I would also be very happy if you could answer my question about the number before the 8th November. I am looking forward to hearing from you.
With kind regards
Per Morch & Family
Dear Per
Thank you for your super letter, you do have all these unique experiences once at that period and it colours your family life, thank you for sharing it with us.
I think your experiences with 4 stroke outboards is now becoming universal. The trick seems to be to evaluate the gear ratio which reduces the propellor revolutions compared with the engine compression ratio which brings long life, lower revs and reliability, particularly when taking up the driveload (it momentarily stopping when engaging astern can be heart stopping).
We have a boat called "Hiawatha" it is numbered 244 and the last registered owner is:- Johnny Ahlers, Utenende 16 2953, Rhauderfehn, West Germany. Hope we hear some more of "Hiawatha" and your own exploits, you are in a lovely area which is not familiar to most owners.
My regards to your family
Ken & Thelma Pack
From Norman Brown to Philip Corridan
Dear Phil
It has taken me so long to write you that I’m really quite embarrassed - for two reasons. First for the delay and second for the listing of my ports of call in my earlier letter which prompted you to inscribe "who got to most of these places before me" in my copy of your journal. Although I’ve been to the places, and possibly before you, I did it mostly the easy way (except for the French Polynesia trip) by flying to destinations and picking up charter boats.
Your Journal is a wonderful story which I’ve read several times since receiving it in early 1995 just before leaving for a couple of months holiday (if going away from pretty sedentary retirement can be classed as a holiday ) in Hawaii. My excuse for not writing you a letter of thanks after first reading was that I don’t have a laptop and didn’t think I could hand write a legible script. Since that time I have no real excuse except sheer bone laziness. Please accept my apologies.
We’ve not sailed our Iroquois MkII beyond the San Juan Islands in the USA and the Gulf Islands in Canada - to about 150 miles North of our home base at Maple Bay which is about 10 km away from Duncan. There are literally hundreds of ports, marinas and anchorages within these confines, and all in fairly protected waters.
The only boating excitement I’ve had recently was in August last year when I had a "small" explosion in the aft compartment of the starboard hull. When I bought the boat this was, and continued to be, the battery location and I had frequently used a charger right in the compartment usually for a six or eight hour period at 2 Amp rate to keep the voltage at about 12.5. Last spring I installed an Electro-San unit to comply with USA sewage anti-dumping regulations (and soon to be adopted in Canada). With the length of wiring I was not able to get the required 11 volts at the unit and it was suggested by the marina operator that I should charge the batteries up to 14.5 volts by charging at 10 Amps for a full 12 hours. I set this up at about noon one day and came back the following morning to find complete devastation. Apparently the accumulated hydrogen was sparked by the charger shutting off with a resulting explosion that was heard around the whole bay.
The entire main hatch, along with the smaller access hatch, was blown off along with some of the hull sides. The blast went into the "master" cabin and galley area doing a fair amount of damage on the way. Fortunately there was no one nearby for the midnight blast and there was no fire or any damage to adjacent boats. Also, fortunately the whole mess (barring a $500 deductible) was covered by insurance.
Further proof of the advantage of catamarans was the use of the portside hatches as patterns for the reconstruction which tied up the boat until mid-December. The shipyard did a tremendous job of the repairs so Skana Sting is now in better condition than before the blast. Needless to say, the area is now ventilated and a permanent battery charger is mounted outside the compartment. I was reassured that my stupidity was not unique by the number of yacht club members who acknowledged that they also charged batteries in confined spaces.
If you learn of any MkII owners who need replacement stern hatches we have a beautiful mold here in Maple Bay.
Before retirement in 1989 I had fairly frequent business reasons to visit the UK and still have a former colleague in the Manchester area who, with his wife, joined us here last year for a tip to Alaska. Sorry to say it was on a 1500 passenger liner and not anything like sailing one’s own small craft. In any event they want us to revisit the UK sometime soon and I would hope to look up some of the numerous Iroquois owners at that time. It would be delightful to attend an AGM.
That’s about all my ramblings for now. Again, thanks for sharing your marvelous voyage with your Journal. I’ve had occasion to recommend it to several cat owners and hope this has resulted in a few extra sales for you.
Best regards and good sailing,
Norman G Brown
P.S. If you are contemplating selling our member Nigel Topham would like to hear from you on 01305 250470.