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Rupert
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Joined: Thu Sep 16, 2004 8:40 pm
Location: Cotswold Water Park

Post by Rupert »

Alan, you'll have to rebuild your trailer (or borrow a different one) by next year then, so you can take the Shark visiting!
Rupert
davidh
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Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2005 10:43 am
Location: Ventor Isle of Wight

Post by davidh »

Hasn't one of our members got a cat somewhere around Fareham portsmouth Harbour? If so...speak up now!!

D
David H
alan williams
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Location: Devon

Post by alan williams »

Hi Dave
Yes Lastman was given a Prout Cougar from John Coster but now has it up for sale at £450 on catamaran uk. The old Shearwater at Netley I'm glad is sailing as I gave the guy my old Shearwater to cannaballise so that he would at least get one boat going. Is the boat yellow with Oh No on the side or has he used the other hulls. My Sail number for the Shearwater was 1857.
Cheers Al
alan williams
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Joined: Thu Sep 16, 2004 10:44 pm
Location: Devon

Post by alan williams »

Hi Rupert
Can't take Shark to Clywedog hills too steep and I'll boil my transfer fluid. Problem is Shark Trailer has bearings which are installed in the Wheels and they are imperial as are the axes and suspension units. So I'm looking at a heavy bill for wheels, hubs, tyers and suspension need changing plus witha trailer built in 1963 the strength of it is also suspect. As these trailers are custom jobs the cost of a new one is out of my reach. Would love to take the Shark home to its birth place Brightling sea and let Reg White lose with it.
Cheers Al The only Shark sailor in Europe(that we know of),.
davidh
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Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2005 10:43 am
Location: Ventor Isle of Wight

Post by davidh »

Alan - and Lastman.

Are there any pictures of the Prout Cougar 'at sail'

what are my chances of getting pictures of

Swift

Jumpahead

Yachting World Cat

Thai

Hydra

Australis

Rivercat

I could chat up Greg gregory and see if he's any shots of the 'Flash' Cat (that will get some reaching for the reference books).

PLUS..... you could argue that the Darawinian selection process has been more brutal in Cats than in dinghies of that era.

Comments as to why????????????????????

D
David H
Rupert
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Location: Cotswold Water Park

Post by Rupert »

Steep learning curve, would be my guess...
Flashcat, 12' long, 98sqft sail 160lbs: what happened to short cats?
Contact Charles Smith and see if he still has any of the original pics from the boat world guides?
Same goes for Reg White and Bob Fisher for the pics they used in Catamaran Racing, and the book I wish I'd stolen from the library when I was a kid, Catamaran Sailing to Win, by a couple of Aussies whose names I forget, but was very good on the Australis, Quest series etc.
Rupert
alan williams
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Joined: Thu Sep 16, 2004 10:44 pm
Location: Devon

Post by alan williams »

Hi David
Thai Mk4 Pictures no problem,my friend Jon has one at Roadford, Shark No prob. Other's would depend on Publicity material and copyright photo graphs in journals and books such as Expert Catamaran racing by Reg White & Bob Fisher.. As I said can get you pic of Seaskater, Flying Cat series of Cats I proberbly can also get some more shoots of the Hell cat and of the American Shark Fleet which is still active I've also some photgraphs from the web of Cougars still racing in the States but can try and contact J.Coster to see if he has any. Shearwater Ron Norman is the Man c/o Shearwater Assoc. he also sailed Rivercats at Netley. I have a contact who sailed Jumpaheads at the club you mentioned and he may have images. I have a fair amount of material which may be useful.
Dave are you going to drop in at Brightlingsea? If so will bring some with me.
Cheers Al
alan williams
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Joined: Thu Sep 16, 2004 10:44 pm
Location: Devon

Post by alan williams »

Dave
Talking about the Australis.Worse A class ever designed in my opinion. Sailed Both Aus and Unicorn, Unicorn far better boat in every conditions, narrow canoe asymetical sterns and bows of Aus lead to spectular pichpoles and stern sinks very weight sensitive. Suspect all Auss's broken up years ago.

Hydra' I'll ask around Brightlingsea for you. Reason Some cats Failed like Condor, Hydra, Mystere, Selling Power of Laser with Dart 18,15.
Hobie 14, 16 difficult to sail due to same reasons as Australis but sold on image big organisation. Shearwater Grandfather of all racing cats still going and winning due to very loyal band of fans. I must admit that of all the cats I've sailed the Shearwate and now I need a good weight carrier the Shark are my Favourites being light on the helm, turn quickly for a cat and deliver the spray in the face sensation.By comparison my Nacra has aheavy helm only corrected by angling rudders foreward which required modifications to them, can run on rails due to hullshape, but its saving grace is that it is capable of being pushed very hard. Nacra not in use at present awaiting a production run of parts after we broke it with a very spectacular capsize. From which I needed Physiotherapy and Chiropractic attention for over a year.
Beautiful Sharks are still built in the States some cold moulded red cedar and West, whilst recently they have developed and all glass boat.
The Cold moulded boats are built by one man at a rate of one each winter when he's snowed it, these are beautiful and cost around £11,000 ready to go which is a bargin for a boat of this size and quality, the glass Sharks are moulded in the Mid West somewhere and are even cheaper. I am interested in finding if there are any of the Shark Trimarans still around and also the Cheetah Cats as I have some one looking for a Cheetah. The Reason that I suspect cats faded badly in the 60's was the attitude of the sailing establishment towards them something which is still present today. I was banned from entering an open handicap event purely as I was sailing a cat recently, although the Race instuctions stated that it was open to all comers. Also cats were the Rolls Royces of their time costing considerably more than a monohull dinghy. The old duffer's/farts made out that they were not safe even though cats have been around thousands of years longer than their floating/sinkable lead mines a very recent invention by comparison.
Hope we can get something together.
Regards Al The last Shark sailor in Europe( that we know of)
alan williams
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Post by alan williams »

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by alan williams</i>
<br />Hi David
The Cat group welcomes any new members. The problem with us is that our boats are spread thinly throughout the Uk. Please could you include in your articles that there is a classic cat group and that I can be contacted either through the board or at alanbow@yahoo.co.uk or work hours at 01752 777188 ext4286.
Cheers Al
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
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neil
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Post by neil »

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Rupert</i>
...Catamaran Sailing to Win, by a couple of Aussies whose names I forget, but was very good on the Australis, Quest series etc.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

it was Chris Wilson and Max Press. Bizarrely I bought this book a couple of weeks ago in a charity shop.
IC: K26
Harrier +: 2

Zenith's rebuild - www.pegasus18.com/zenith
davidh
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Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2005 10:43 am
Location: Ventor Isle of Wight

Post by davidh »

Alan,

I'm lucky in that I know the Shearwater fleet well - not just from racing one (albeit eons ago) but I was PRO for their Nationals last year and will Race Officer for them in 3 weeks time at their Southerns. I'll chat to Ron then and see what info he has - and on the Swift as well.

Like you say - the arrival of the dart changed everything, whilst many of the smaller classes (Hydra/Condor etc) fell by the wayside the Dart did revitalise what was becoming rather a moribund Cat scene.

Has the Uk missed out somewhat on what's happened with Cats in maybe the last 15-20 years? A good question.... it's been a long time since the White dynasty ruled the Cat world, these days you're as likely to see the FRA or ESP sail insignia's leading the fleet.

D
David H
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