A New Wharram Hinemoa Catamaram

From "A Wild Call" by Martin Murray  (Context: Sailing his 36' timber ketch  Molina  singlehanded into Tarbet harbour on Scotland's storm ridden NW coast.)  "Most of the boats were out fishing ... further down a wooden trawler lay against the south pier, with a row of tyres strung along it's side as an invitation to others... Opposite the boat were some new pontoons stretching out from the marina on the north side. They virtually filled the loch including the area where we used to anchor." (After tying up he enters the portacabin by the marina.) "At the back a woman was busy on her computer. I waited by she didn't look up.  After a while I coughed, "Do you have a map of the harbour?" Getting a blank look, I added an explanation. "There's been a lot of change since I was last here, what with the new pontoons and all."  "I think there are s an old brochure." She searched a drawer and retrieved a tourist brochure w

   Lately I've been down on the calm-ness of the wind around here and my being trapped ashore. But this week with full moon and an official change to winter, the weather has deteriorated as a result of a large Low pressure system many miles ESE in the Tasman Sea.    In respond to weather warnings over the radio I went to a headland overlooking the surf break where I spent much of my childhood to young adult years. In fact I was quite underwhelmed, the swell was just 6' and the 15-20knot wind was dutifully following from behind. As "rough" seas go, it all looked pretty orderly (a well sailed Hinemoa would cope), but there were occasional breaking wave tops.    Fast forward 24 hours and the contrast was alarming. Wave height had ramped up appreciably, say 10 to 15 feet, but due to a subtle change in wind direction, it was no sea for a happy sailor. The swell was maintaining its previous direction (SE), the wind was now from the S and the interaction between swell and

   As a single father and only being able to work part-time, I don't have a lot of spare cash. And, typically, there's guilt involved with each dollar I spend on myself. But, I'd rather "die on my feet", so I'm committing myself to build a Hinemoa. I'll just have to budget myself ahead onto an unknown future. I built a Melanesia a few years ago using a similar approach, so I know it can work.     So for the first time in 26 years of owning the Hinemoa building plans (yes I know!), I looked at the plans with a different perspective: where to start? As my mind searched for information from Sheets 1 & 2 I thought about a comment on the only recent "Building a Hinemoa" blog, about the plans being so  easy to read that "anyone could build one", I realised why he never proceeded. Well, the blog stopped soon after.    My first steps will involve logging the keel, a typical start point among wooden bodybuilders. The major difference with

" If the fool would persist in his folly he would become wise ." William Blake. So, if I persist with this dream and forge ahead to manufacture a double canoe, and then take her voyaging upon the sea there will be cognitive rewards?  "The biggest danger, that of loosing oneself, can pass off in the world as quietly as if it were nothing; every other loss, an arm, a leg, five dollars, a wife etc., is bound to be noticed ." Soren Kierkegaard. Unfortunately I know this to be true. During a 27 year marriage to a woman with a hounding and harrassing personality, I lost myself. No one among my family recognised my loss, nor did I until it was finally over. The good news is that time is effecting a rapid recovery. Our own life is the instrument with which we experiment with truth . Thich Naat Hanh. See previous comment. We have to risk life to get into life, then it takes on colour, otherwize we might as well read a book . Carl Jung. As a child and young man, I

   I love numerous comforts, reading, sailing and drinking coffee, chief amongst them. Last night while reading " Sailing Around the World on Two Oceans " by Mike Barzan , this passage sang to me: "I need a boat on which I can make and drink coffee". I suspect that prior to this time in his sailing career, Mike B had been sailing dinghies or open boats and being roundly tired of exposure, he just wanted a yacht on which he slip below and take shelter from the elements and enjoy a nice hot cup of coffee. I instantly recalled my sheer delight for the first time on a boat I built from a bare hull, being below while the Navik windvane steered, drinking coffee and looking out watching the waves pass by. When I read last night  I thought, what a wonderfully simple need to have regarding the design of one's next sailing boat.    Mike B went on to build a Wharram Tane, not the boat he ultimately circumnavigated with, but a boat he joyously sailed for over seven years.

A freshly minted Hinemoa with spare sails and registered trailer for just £2,300.Buy it, do a basic prep and sail UK then pop over to the French canals, onto the Med.? Store it over there and fly over each season ....    It's torturous knowing how much money and time goes into this type of build and this one is going for so little money.

   James Wharram Designs has been very productive since the first transAtlantic voyage by a Wharram double canoe in the 1950's. Unfortunately this has resulted in a glut of beautiful designs in the 21 to 27 feet range. These include: the Coastal Trekkers Tiki 21 and 26, the Classic Hinemoa and Take, in the Ethnic class the Tahiti, Mana and Amatasi and finally the Pahi 26.    Paraphrasing from JWDs Design Book:- > The Tikis are a "modern design, lightweight, trailable and fast on the water". The award winning Tiki 21 is probably singularly responsible for breathing new life and financial success into the company.  > Pahi is a heavyweight, a real contender for singlehanded ocean sailing, she has beautiful upswept bows and sterns, she is also  trailable.   > The Ethic class goes back to the origins of double canoe building with simple, dc  friendly construction.  The Tahiti Wayfarer 21' is by far the lightest of all and is designed as a utility craft. Her bu