Landlubbers, Family, Sunburn, and a boat that isn't a ComPac

[InertBert]

So its July of last year, and I was telling my sister that I had just sold a boat (down to only one).  She tells me that she just closed on a 34' Gemini catamaran and asks for my help sailing it around from Fort Lauderdale to Tampa.  Fine I say, I am ready for a week of sailing, but there is a catch: this is her first boat (of any kind) and she has no idea how to sail.  My sailing experience is limited to day trips on calm local waters in cheap boats that I don't mind broaching.  Now I've somehow signed myself up to be the subject matter expert in keeping a very fast and very expensive boat upright and floating.  What could go wrong?

So a week or so goes by and I drive across the state to Fort Lauderdale.  We take the boat out for a sea trial with a hired captain.  I am impressed and intimidated by the power and performance of the big cat.  We can't find anything wrong with the boat and we embark on our journey the following morning.  In tow, I have my wife, five year old son, 65 year old father, and the owner and soon to be sailor, my sister.  Ft Lauderdale is a place like none other, where big money boats are a dime a dozen.  Case in point the Mirabella V was there that week, the largest sloop in the world.





We motored our way down the intracoastal, familiarizing ourselves with the boat and counting the bridges we had to wait for.  By the time we got to Biscayne Bay, the sun was low on the horizon and we found a nice sheltered place to make anchor.  A midnight trip to the head revealed an almost hallucinogenic glowing swirl in the toilet water.  In my sleepy stupor, it took a few moments to remember that this toilet was flushed with seawater and I was seeing agitated bioluminescent algae.  I made my way out to the back deck, then made myself a cocktail, and spent an hour or so splashing my feet around in the glowing blue water.  A brief dip in the psychedelic water and I found myself floating on my back, staring at the stars wondering if the hokey pokey was really what its all about.  I clambered back aboard as quietly as I could and fell asleep in the hammock out back over the transom. 



The next morning, while struggling with the anchor, I was reminded that with big boats, you can't just use your muscle to pull on the lines, you have to be smarter than the rope.  After being humbled by an anchor, I figured it was time to put up the sails and see what this baby could do.  We hoisted the main and unfurled the genoa and were off like a racecar.  Without any of what you old salts might call "skill" I had the boat up around 8 knots pretty solidly.  The boat didn't have any heel and sliced the Biscayne waves like a jumbo jet cutting through clouds.  It felt great...



...until we left the bay.  Once out of Biscayne bay, we headed offshore a few miles into the straits of Florida.  Now you need to remember that I'm a Gulf Coast sailor and 7 miles out, its so shallow you can still walk home if you get into trouble.  Well, we headed out into some big blue water and the waves started to get very loooooong.  So long you almost couldn't feel the wave except that the horizon would occasionally be occluded by a giant swell because you were deep in a trough.  It was an amazing feeling.  I had sailed for years but this was the first time I'd really been in the big ocean swells.  This was the same water you'd have to contend with on ocean crossings, and I seemed to be doing alright at the helm. 



We brought the boat closer in shore and found a good reach with the inshore winds.  We exceeded 10 kts on the gps averaged over a half hour.  I never dreamt a sailboat could hustle like that.  We brought it in to the Matacumbe bridge and found anchorage on the north side of the keyes.





The water seemed greener and warmer on the north side, and hey, we were in the keyes now and not south beach, so we bummed around for a day or two (who can tell these things) and drank a fair amount of rum based beverages out of various cocoanuts and sundry containers.  I like to think that I have done my part in keeping the tiny-umbrella industry afloat.  We chatted with some salts who lived in houseboats near the worldwide sports place, I caught a few fish and my sister caught a few lobsters(it was mini-season).  It was a good trial run of the onboard grill.



We waited out a summer storm and left the next morning.  We headed due north.  Easy waters, well offshore of the mangrove tangles.  I am an ecologist, who studies primarily mangrove ecosystems, so I was happy to see my familiar shore again once we neared Marco Island.  I caught a few more fish and we were visited by a curious and amazingly big Green Sea Turtle.  The mosquitos were unbearable that night, even anchored as far off shore as we were.  We had to fire up the diesel and motor out a few additional miles to escape those tiny vampires.



We made our way up the Gulf Coast, aided by familiar currents and favorable winds.  We played chicken with a small storm cell and won by the narrowest of margins (.5 miles or so).  My dad claimed to be miserable in the heat (he's from Minnesota) but I think thats only because he didn't have anything else to complain about.  My son was starting to get cabin fever, being cooped up in a boat for so long.  I took the hint and put the pedal to the medal and we sailed later and later into the night as we neared home.  Plus we must've been low on beer by this point.



Night sailing is an amazing feeling.  Watching the harvest moon rise over the shore from three miles out, with the only noise being the sleek hull knifing through the water is a zen that I feel very fortunate to have experienced.  The Day came that we saw the sunshine skyway bridge.  We sailed close to Anna Maria island where my dad had his wedding.  We were essentially home...





...or close enough for government work.  We called a friend and had them pick up Wife, Father and Kiddo, and transport them up to our house so they could resume their land life.  One more day of sailing and Sister and I brought the boat to its new harbor in New Port Richey.  After the boat was tucked in, we nursed our sunburns and our boatdrinks and that was that.  Mission accomplished, everyone home safe and sound.  When it was all done, after a few weeks of sitting on land, I had made up my mind that I needed another sailboat.  That trip directly led me to buying my ComPac16 and subsequently to this forum, so I figured I should share it with all of you.

[ribbed_rotting_rusting]

 As I have gone through life I have at times heard an instrument played, a guitar or sax or banjo or any instrument that after listening I can only think
"man that man can play."  Tonight I can only think "man that man can write."
MJC

[MacGyver]

That is so cool, great story and thanks for sharing!

One good thing about a sibling with a bigger boat...... you can probably use it if you ask


Mac

[Salty19]

Thanks for sharing in the adventure.  

I do suspect the accommodations on the 16 aren't quite up the standard of the cat.  Maybe some more sailing lessons on the 34 are in order!

I also suspect Bob23 will really be dinging you with his fees. First you sneak in a 16 without paying the fee, then a story about a 34 footer with not one, but two hulls.  And it's not even a Com-pac!  Then there's the South Florida excise and jealousy tax.  Gulp, this could be a doozie.

Glad you're here on the forum, Bert.

[Bob23]

Great story, writing and photos, Bert. And yes, Salty is right: You are getting a surcharge on your membership fees...and so is your sister! We may decide to waive her fees IF she invites all your fellow Compac buddies here down for a mid-summer party aboard her cat.
Bob23

[ribbed_rotting_rusting]

   After reading up on Gemini catamarans I begin to see Bob23's desire to sale on her(the boat). I also have to admire any woman who spends what had to be at least a 100 Gees  on a sport she has never actively become efficient in. Though I suspect any one who is that willing to spend the money will quickly become an old salt in record time. Hats off to your sister.   MJC

[Bob23]

Hey Bert: Do you have any other sisters? Unattached? with deep pockets who like to sail?
Bob23...just wonderin'.

[InertBert]

I've got two sisters.  The one with all the boats (she just bought a 30' doral) is married to the scariest (mercenary "defense contractor" sniper) you'll ever imagine.  I recommend you avoiding the subject of her "availability" around him.  The other sister is available and also likes sailing but has platinum taste and tin income.  I'm afraid you'll be in trouble on either account. Pick your poison I guess.

[ribbed_rotting_rusting]

           I'm sure Bob appreciates the advice. I know I won't make another remark about it. First month I worked in a hospital as a volunteer there was an old boy who just cried for water every 5 minutes. I asked why we were only allowed to give him ice chips in small quantities. Turns out he was in the wrong house being entertained by the wrong man's wife. He was gut shot with a .38.  Took 10 days to die. When I finally got his chart and figured out how to read it, it was pretty obvious there really nothing to be done. After that I gave him all the ice he wanted. There is no woman worth what that fool went through unless it's a rapist you are trying to stop---but another man's house and wife--- not this fella. I want to see grandchildren and great grand children. Sailing or on a motorcycle fine, even dirt biking. But that other stuff forgettabbutit. Mike

[Bob23]

   Uh...I get the point. I generally avoid any poison at all costs and I think that's the route I'll take on this one. Besides, my wife probably might not approve!
   And Mike- very good advice...I completely agree.
Bob23

[InertBert]

I wasn't trying to get all serious.  Sorry you had to see that.

Back on a more light hearted note:  I think we should all agree to try our best at avoiding being shot.  Its a reasonable goal.  I am going to try and avoid being poisoned today also.

[Nicolina]

Smart, move, Bert. Most days I also try to get run over by power boats, cars, trucks, stuff like that.

On another line of thought: what did you think about the Gemini? Did it make you want to go multihull? Speed's good, I think, generous room on board, but the sailing style is very different.

[InertBert]

On another line of thought: what did you think about the Gemini? Did it make you want to go multihull? Speed's good, I think, generous room on board, but the sailing style is very different.

Thoughts on the Gemini:

The good

1.  Tons of floor space and headroom.  I'm 6'1" and I never felt cramped

2.  Once we put the icemaker, and the solar array, and the air conditioner, and the 8kW inverter, and the scuba compressor, and the generator, and the desalinizer, it felt like the only thing I was missing was a Sharper Image massaging lazy boy recliner. 

3.  Beachable.  Put the rudders and boards up and its flat and light to go right up on the sand.  If you forget a rudder though, then you have to call your brother and spend two days repairing your fiberglass.  Just sayin'.

4.  Best feature of the boat: it has a hammock. 

the bad

1.  The room is good but its designed strangely.  Like most boats, it has way too many berths.  You can put down mats for the one or two times you ever have guests, I don't know why boat designers always try and make boats sleep 8. 

2.  Goofy centerboard design.  They allowed water into the bilges in fast conditions.  Enclosed and inaccessible pulley/rope system, ensures any failure is dramatic and expensive.  Had to use a two part wrench/handle thing to work it, I threw it away and welded my own that worked.  Hey Gemini, call me and I'll tell you how to make a handle that works without getting in the way of stuff.

3.  Bad plumbing.  No bilge pump, you have to use the shower pump and run a hose manually.  Small water tank, I refit the boat with a desalinize that we got cheap on ebay.  Shower water gets in cubby spaces. 

4.  Poorly thought out details.  Sheaves missing, lines run around posts.  The throttle could only go about 3/4 because it interfered with fiberglass superstructure.  Steering mechanism inaccessible, can't fix when it breaks.  Poor visibility from the wheel.  Many other little details that I would eventually change out, but at huge cost and time.

5.  Biggest downside, it feels like it will flip or pitchpole.  Its super "stable" for the first few degrees of roll, but then it behaves a little strange.  We've had a hull out of the water (at least everyone on the boat agrees that it felt like it) and dumped the sails.  It doesn't inspire confidence.  Its more of a Ferarri than a Volvo.  Yes, it is unbelievably fast, but in a racecar sort of way.  Far to light and no safety built into the design.  I have been on monohulls that were 10 feet shorter that I felt much more comfortable on at full tilt.

The ugly
Not one damn cupholder on the whole boat!


Overall, $100k overpriced, poorly designed, stupidly fast.  Personally, I'd spend $50k and get slow and simple, and use the extra money on rum and days off work.

[Nicolina]

Thanks, Bert, really itneresting. You confirm my view of cats in a way. I admire the speed and room, never got the aesthetics though. I've read that the Geminis have poor plumbing but I am astonished to read that they don't have a bilge pump; I thought every boat bigger than a sunfish had to have one.

But don't mention the cupholders on a Compac forum - Compacs don't have them either!

[InertBert]

But don't mention the cupholders on a Compac forum - Compacs don't have them either!

I suspect for the same reasons that all Persian rugs have a "flaw" intentionally woven into them.  Nothing can be made perfect, so the makers put a flaw into their work, to acknowledge that.  This is the same excuse I use for my welding skills.