New England Catamarans

STOHLQUIST bPOD Breathable DRYSUITS

2009-10-28T11:38:00.004-04:00

New England Catamarans is offering a super discount on Stohlquist bPOD Breathable Drysuits if ordered (with a $100. deposit) by Nov 15th, 2009. List price is $625. Discount price is $399. with a further 3% off for check or cash and additional 5% off if the deposit is received by the 15th. You can check out all the features at http://www.stohlquist.com/ Relief zippers come standard. This is a one time offer from the supplier. I have to order these by the 16th and need to know sizes and whether male or female models.

Lipton Cup Photos 2009

2009-10-28T11:24:00.005-04:00

Passing by the committee boat between races at the Lipton Cup, Squantum Yacht Club, Quincy, MA. Great wind and flat water.

Teammate Erica making me show off. The City of Boston is in the back ground. Photos taken by Scot MacKeil.

Other Lipton Cup sailing photos are welcome.

NACRA 6.0na CLASS RULE CHANGE

2009-10-27T22:18:00.003-04:00

The factory has decided to try to catch up with the boat owners after 8-9 years and they have devised a new set of rules for the Nacra 6.0na. Class square top mains are allowed, 13' spinnaker poles max. (open to carbon or aluminum) and only factory (Nacra 20) spinnakers or used factory supplied spinnakers.

PERFORMANCE is MOVING

2009-10-27T22:15:00.002-04:00

Performance Sports, the builder of Nacra catamarans is moving into a new building not far from where they are presently located in California. They are not moving to the Netherlands as some have tried to make everyone believe.

NACRA 20 CARBON

2009-10-27T22:04:00.002-04:00

This is the new Nacra 20 Carbon.

F-18 and NENSA Meeting Nov 7th, 2009

2009-10-27T22:01:00.002-04:00

There will be an F-18 meeting and a NENSA meeting at Chris Titcomb's house in Framingham, MA on Nov 7th. I haven't received the details yet but heard there's a party afterwards.

CRANNE Meeting Nov 14th, 2009

2009-10-27T21:54:00.003-04:00

They'll be a CRANNE end of the year, event scheduling meeting and pot luck supper at Dee and John Decker's house at 11 Lakeview Dr, Nottingham, NH 03290 on Sat., Nov 14th starting at 1:00pm. Please RSVP at 603-244-2165. If it seems like you're heading into the boonies on their road, you are. Keep going but go slow because of some real nasty corners. Everyone welcome but please RSVP.

2009 Statue of Liberty Race

2009-07-06T09:11:00.004-04:00

The shortened, Around the Statue of Liberty race was a blast. The winds were 15, gusting to 20+ from the West. A reach up and reach back. Mega gusts inside the harbor. We had choppy confused seas as we were going from the end of Sandy Hook to the Verrazano Bridge. Little worse when we returned because of the angle. Double trapped way back on the boat with the hulls jumping over the waves. Sometimes the mainsheet and traveler were both out as far as we could let them, then right back in and right back out again. SPEX Goggles made life a little easier.

About 38 boats entered the event. Mike Easton and Tripp Burd on a Nacra F-18 Infusion took the lead right off the line. Brandy Wood and I held second for the first third of the race, gave it up, took it back briefly, then gave it up again. The racers were turned back just before the Statue on orders from the Coast Guard. Most of the competitors saw the mark boat but a few didn't and got chased out from near the Statue by the CG or Marine Police.

Not as many boats flipped as I would have expected. A Hobie 20 pitchpoled in NY Harbor, yuk. A Prindle 19 lost it's skipper when his trapeze line broke. The boat flipped about 100 feet away and he swam like a madman as it was drifting diagonally across his path. He just barely managed to intercept it. We struck a log on our daggerboard while doing 15+kts. Several competitors had an exciting crossing with a big orange Manhatten ferry. The bow decks and railing on the side the catamarans were passing were packed with people. They probably couldn't believe a sailboat could move so fast.

In the end Mike and Tripp smoked the fleet with their Infusion. They took three perpetual trophies, Line Honors, 1st Elapsed and one I can't recall. They also have the new course record but for the abbreviated course. Chris Titcomb and Nate Titcomb hold the full course record.

All in all it was a good day for the Nacras and New England sailors.

Elapsed:

1st -Michael Easton & Tripp Burd - Nacra F-18 Infusion

2nd - Doug Kirby & Andy Herbic - Nacra 20

3rd - Rick Bliss & Brandy Wood - Nacra 20

4th - Nacra 20

Rick Bliss

Hampton Beach Regatta 09

2009-06-21T22:43:00.004-04:00

The surf wasn't much of an obstacle on the way out to the race site Sat but it came close to spoiling the day for a few sailors on the way in. A couple of boats took some mean broadsides. Results will be posted on the NENSA.org website soon.

Sat racing photos

Here are some photos from Sunday after the racing was cancelled due to heavy surf and rough seas.

SAKONNET CHALLENGE 6/13/09

2009-06-13T17:54:00.006-04:00

11 Nacra F-18's competed in this reagatta. Mostly Infusions. Results and a story should be posted soon on the new www.NENSA.org website.

The Hampton Beach Regatta is coming up this weekend June, 20th-21st. All types of beach catamarans are invited. Set up starts late Fri afternoon at the race site which is located just north of the sand castle displays. There's an opening in the wall right where the beach road splits off. Volunteers will be there to unhook your trailer and tow it onto the beach. That will resume on Sat morning. Drop the boat and trailer and then park elsewhere.

TYBEE 500

2009-05-11T00:44:00.013-04:00

Day 1 - Water start within sight of the the dock. One boat (reportedly John Casey) was over early and didn't restart. Probably a 20 minute penalty. We got a report 45 mins ago that they were 24 miles away. Breeze is beautiful here on the beach. Coming in about 12-14 kts from the SE. Frank just spotted the first, second, ok 6 boats now (4:02 pm) from the 9th floor of the hotel. They're coming fast, approx 16 kts, with the spinnakers up. I have to run down and catch some boats.

First in with a fairly large margin was Team Royal Orange with Steve Lohmayer and Jay Sonnenklar on a Nacra 20. They made a smooth landing with their spinnaker flying. Next boat in was Mischa Hemskeerk on a Hobie Tiger and then John Casey on a Hobie Tiger. Hard to post finishes right now since I was there on the beach catching and dodging boats. Lot of action. Todd Hart flipped over 40' in front of the line just as Easton and Trip Burd approached the beach. They were pushing hard to beat out another boat off their starboard bow. Things got tight as the Hart sailors and ground crew struggled to pull the boat over the line while it was still on it's side. I think they may have beaten out Mike and Trip by inches. Only a few problems with boats today as two spinnakers were torn, a few daggerboards and rudders were dinged (mostly at or near the finish) and one rudder casting was broken. They tell me the SPOT locators worked beautifully, at least on the Royal boats. Never got the chance to check the computer.

One Day before the RACE.

The boats and teams are ready to go. Work went on until midnight tonight on a few of them. 24 teams this year with a lot of talent. One female skipper. Forecast is for 5-14 on Monday from the southeast then south and finally west. Probably dropping off to very little as darkness falls. I heard someone say about 110 miles tomorrow. The Islander Resort has been a great place to set up for the race. Lots of room. A water start rather than LeMans due to a depth problem. Almost a full moon low tide. Reefs everywhere for the first 20 miles. SPOT locators on many boats. Link over to the SPOT site from the Tybee 500 website from what I've been told to see where the boats are throughout the day and maybe night. I know more tomorrow about the locator beacons. The fleet consists of Nacra 20's , Nacra F-18 Infusions and Hobie Tigers.

NENSA MEETING 2/7/09

2009-03-12T21:01:00.003-04:00

The meeting was held at New England Catamarans with 16 people present.

1. Chris Titcomb reported that NENSA has $2277.69 in the treasury. Down from last year. Less than $100. was made from the Sakonnet Regatta. Unknown amount was made from the Learn to Sail because many expenses haven't been figured. Some dues were collected at the meeting - That amount is unknown.

2. Craig Hackett offered to check and see how much it would cost to have a new website set up and then report back to us. Todd Williams will do the same with his webmaster. NENSA will possibly change from West Host to a new less expensive server.

3. Michael Easton suggested we needed more events at sites with younger sailors. He mentioned Newport, the BBR and Hyannis etc. He also suggested we have a boat loan or rent program to make boats available for guest sailors.

4. Todd Riccardi was nominated and voted in as Publicity Coordinator.

5. Dino Garbero spoke about having masters classes or some other similar type break in classes. It was discussed but didn't seem to have much support due to the low numbers of people turning out at events. Barbara Corbeil concurred to some extent with Dino.

6. Rick Bliss spoke about some of the difficulties of running a Learn to Sail. Michael Easton volunteered to run it if it could be done at Squantum Yacht Club in Quincy, MA. Scott Malcolm agreed saying that New Bedford was too far for Cranne members to come to help for one day. Rick said he would ask Jen Cague if she would contact the BSSC. Rick said he would contact the Squantum Yacht CLub. A date wasn't set but we agreed to try to make it the weekend before the Sakonnet Regatta.

7. The Sakonnet Regatta will be run the weekend of June 13-14th. Jim Zelmer volunteered to run it and Frank Keefe agreed to assist.

8. Scott Malcolm has much of the preliminary work done for the Hampton Regatta for June 20-21st . He needs help on site though. Barry Moore, Frank Keefe and Rick Bliss all volunteered to help on the beach for set up and boat hauling but two of the three plan to race. One of Chris's friends said he could get a power boat and driver. Scott needs help on the committee boat (Babs Corbeil volunteered to help but he needs more.) He also needs beach help to register people, move boats, etc.

9. Todd Riccardi spoke about the Sail Newport Regatta (July 10,11,12) and asked if we wanted to be in that. There was a positive vote for that with a request that he check to see if they would allow an open class.

10. The Lipton Cup is the same weekend as the Newport Regatta. July 11-12th. It was left on hold waiting for the outcome of the Newport Regatta decision. It was felt that we should support the Lipton Cup if possible because they have been very supportive to us for many years.

11. A motion was made that we hold the NE 100 out of Newport this year. Motion carried to try it for one year. Todd Riccardi will inquire at Sail Newport. Aug 15, 16th.

12. Craig Hackett reported on a vote taken by Cranne members that the Sebago dates would be used for fun sails rather than racing for this year. Some significant Cranne members have moved away recently and the regatta staff is down.

13. Michael Easton will check with the BBR organizers to see if they will allow an F-18 class.

14. Dino Garbero will check with the Hyannis Regatta organizers to see if they will allow an F-18 class.

15. John Harmuth reported on the Madison Regatta which will be held May 16-17th.

16. Votes were taken for new officers. Those voted in are listed below.

Commodore - Frank Keefe
Co-Vice Commodore - Michael Easton
Co-Vice Commodore - Rick Bliss
Secretary - Jen Cague
Treasurer - Chris Titcomb
Publicity Co-ordinator - Todd Riccardi

Rick Bliss
Past Secretary

F-18 INFUSION PHOTO

2008-07-04T12:55:00.001-04:00

FIVE more new Infusions in New England this year.

SPINNAKER PHOTO

2008-07-03T21:04:00.002-04:00

Sailing Photo N570

2008-07-03T21:01:00.001-04:00

NEW ENGLAND LAUNCH SITES

2008-07-02T12:21:00.000-04:00

Here's a list of some locations where a catamaran can be launched. Please add or email me with any that you are aware of. If possible include any parking fees and other pertinent information.

1. Sandy Point Beach - Portsmouth, RI $10. per day. Great sailing on the Sakonnet River. Beach wheels needed since you aren't supposed to drive onto the beach. You can't continually leave your boat set up there over night but you can get away with it once in a while.

2. Third Beach - Newport or Portsmouth, RI. Been told it's now $20. per day. Ramp to launch from and sandy beach next to the ramp. Great area to sail in. The end of the Sakonnet River and a short sail to the open ocean. Some rocky areas so best to get a chart or ask others first. You used to be able to buy a season's pass at Newport Second Beach, hopefully still can.

3. The park next to Ida Lewis - Newport Harbor RI. Great place to launch but nowhere to park unless you have a town sticker.

4. Fort Adams - Newport, RI. No charge to enter the park. Ramp at the end of the barn. Difficult place to launch. Sails have to go up first and then you have to go park. No beach close by and in the summer only a few feet of the beach available around the corner. Before and after the season the beach can be used for launching. The other ramp next to Sail Newport also has no beach right next to it although you can paddle over to it to set up your sails. May be a fee to launch there.

5. Gooseberry Island, Westport, MA - No fee but limited parking and jams up early morning. Ramp and nice beach. Can sail out to the islands or over to other nearby beaches.

6. Sebago Lake, ME - State Park. Entry fee per person. Ramp, crowded parking lot usually. Trailer parking sometimes a 1/4 mile away. Great beach once you get to it.

7. Hull, MA - Near the wind generator. Will try to get more info on this site.

BAHAMAS TRIP LOG - APRIL/MAY 2008

2008-05-02T08:00:00.008-04:00

NACRA 5.0

2007-09-13T12:02:00.000-04:00

For Sale - Nacra 5.0 **SOLD**

NACRA 570

2007-09-13T11:49:00.001-04:00

2002 NACRA 570- SOLD

NACRA F-18 INFUSION

2006-09-26T10:27:00.001-04:00

The recent F-18 North Americans demonstrated the new Nacra F-18 Infusion design pretty well. 42 boats were registered with some of the top sailing teams from around the world. The Infusion finished 1st, 2nd and 5th. No one was close in points to the first place team. The 2nd place team had never sailed the Infusion before the event. The first Infusion was just delivered by my shop with more on the way.

Canted hulls, very wide and flat on the bottom even way forward and very light forward of the front beam. The mast is lighter and more of a wing than previous Nacra aluminum masts. Many of the lines are led under the trampoline