Wharram Pahi catamarans

[mark_dugong]

Hi ,
Yes the "Dugong" is Bolger's Jesse Cooper design of about 1975 vintage and was I believe his first foray into square boats-I wanted one that size because of it's live aboard capabilities and low cost. As such it is one of the few Bolger boxes with a pointy end.
I am coming south in September I think, and I would love to drop in to Mooloolaba and give you a hoi.(and a test drive).
The sandhills are not that steep everywhere-there is actually a resort about a k north where yacht persons are welcome with free showers!
Cheers
Mark

[Boatmik]

Now That's a Boat!

Howdy Mark,

I'm interested ... in a way both the Jessie Cooper and the Pahi are nice examples of low tech cruising boats.

Why did you make the move to monohulls?

What do you miss about the Pahi?
What are you glad to miss about the Pahi?
What did you find unexpected about making the move to the Jessie Cooper.

Bolger talks about the JC being a home for one person - does it work out OK enough?

Notice the leeboard is down - it that to reduce the blowing around?

Cheers
MIK

[mark_dugong]

Hi Mik,
Sorry about being so slow to reply, been away.
I was thinking of building another Wharram however I wanted one to live aboard with a bit of standing headroom and the Pahi didn't have it.
Actually there was a 10 year gap between the Pahi and the "Dugong".
I decided to go back to Uni, didn't seem to have the room for a sailing life as well (in retrospect, I probably could have), and I sold the Pahi much too soon.
Later on I couldn't find a Wharram with the parameters-headroom and 30 ft or less.
Anyways, I met someone who was building a Bolger AS29 -the builder sadly is no longer around but he did a real nice job on the AS29 and I helped him out a little and was introduced to sharpies and Bolger boats all in one go.
The priceless little classic book "The Good Little Ship" influenced me strongly to building a sharpie and Bolger had designed a 25' Jesse Cooper which was the answer-it had standing headroom in the galley, a spacious rear cabin and a comfortable salon and good sailing for its' size. A great coastal sailing yacht. I did get rid of the daggerboard and replaced with leeboards, which sometimes are a bit cumbersome but they work quite well.
I replaced the lugsail rig with a gaff and a bowsprite, Bolger said as long as I left the lines of the boat as is, modifications of a reasonable nature were OK. I raised the rear deck slightly and Dugong now also has -Dah de Dah-twin rudders! which work fantastically.
I miss having a yacht that can cross the ocean-those south sea islands still look pretty tempting to me. Although the Dugong is a tough little vessel.
The trouble with the Pahi and all catamarans without exception is that anything you want is always in the other hull!
Monohulls, and Dugong being one, lean over rather alarmingly, which for an ex multihull person is somewhat alarming! 10 years and I am still getting used to it but sure does increase the excitement factor. Dugong is very handy/ manouvreable also.
I did build the "Dugong" with minimalist liveaboard capacity being important to me, as at the time it looked like a good alternative to a cardboard box.
It is surprisingly comfortable -might be blowing half a gale outside but it is still nice and cosy down below. And anything I want is within easy reach!
Now I have a sailing partner and we don't live aboard generally but have lots of fun when we do.
Yes, the leeboard is down to counteract wind when necessary,overnight in the case of the photo, I put a fender between the leeboard and the side to keep it quiet.
Hope that satisfies your questions Mik and it's been a pleasure.
Cheers
Mark

[Boatmik]

Howdy Mark,

Great stuff! Liked the hint about putting the fender under the leeboard - in all the acres of reading I've done and the people I've talked to their only solutions have been to pull them out of the water or put up with it.

Wonder whether a couple of fenders might stop the GGGGGRAAAAUUUUUNCCCCH
and BANG when the leeboards respond to a tack - they might ease their drop back onto the guards - but you would need a fender of just the right size I guess.

Not that I've found it a big problem anyhow - boat noises are great.

I really like the mods to the JC that you mentioned. She looks nicer than the original I think

What do you reckon your average cruising speeds are?

[mark_dugong]

Hi Mik,
Depending on conditions the "Dugong" will cruise between 4 and 6 knots. It will go faster and I have touched 7&1/2 knots and surfed across a few bars considerably faster than that. But cruising 4-6 kts on average with faire winds.
The leeboards do do funny things when tacking like duckwinging etc however they just tend to go CLUNK when I go about-but I acquired a new pair and they don't have the same design work on the top of them as Bolger has on the Martha Janes' leeboards and I plan to remedy this as they do do the GAAARUNCH a bit and that comes from a lot off pressure being put on the board as it goes out from the side to do its' duckwing thing
I was looking at Wild Dingoe's St Valery-what a great yacht!-I don't think he should change anything on it and if there is trouble coming about just pull the board up!
Cheers
Mark.
I just remembered the most useless part of the Pahi was the dagger boards-I don't think I used them once apart from trying them out, and when I think of all the stuffing about making the cases-phew!