Choate Boats from the past

[Bulga Naba]

Do you remember a CF 27 owned by Brad and Linda Elander? I can’t recall the boat name but she did a fair bit of damage in the IOR C Fleet back in the 80s. Nice little boat.

Back in the day, Alan Andrews worked with Pete Hambrick to modify the sail plan on Ribbet to improve the IOR rating with the specific intent of winning the LBYC Island Series. Whatever was lost going upwind in the channel in mid-afternoon was gained back in those 11AM starts for the return trip - ghosting away from the Island in wisp of wind and almost halfway home before the big boys found passing lanes.. Yep, won IOR C.

 

[Great Red Shark]

Not one of Dennis’s best efforts. Could have been due to the owner. I delivered the boat HI to LA for...

I take it that boat was still white, then?

The Kamisugi family owned the boat from '86 or so(?) - was originally built in '84 and I had been TOLD that it was a cancelled order for someone else/not their spec, but I don't really know, I started sailing with them in '88, I think - did the '89 Transpac on it (7th overall, 2nd in class) - we didn't have any problems that I remember - but the boat had be extensively re-worked by then (new keel, rudder, rig, engine spun around and moved fwd, interior removed, etc) - but I thought it was a darn good-handling boat for not being a 'serious' race boat - it always took good care of me, anyway - I was sad to see pictures of it on the bottom off Lahaina a few years back (as 'Good Timin')

this one looks like one of our (many) Kona trips

 

[longy]

Yes, boat was still "Libalia Flash" Kamisugi were original owners. I think I delivered it in '85. First delivery clown cancelled, said "he couldn't get crew". Art called me on the west coast in a panic, said boat had to get to Choate for mods. I flew over, called around, left a week later. Survived the trip. On arrival (staying in a private slip on Naples Island, courtesy of friends) I called Sobstad sailmakers, as directed, and they (Ed Lawrence)came & picked up ALL sails (some for work, others just for storage. I called Choate, said boats here, when is haulout? Choate says 'what? nothing agreed to/arranged'. The vee drive busted on the trip, it had never had the water cooling loop installed. I removed it & delivered it to builder (n0 charge for mech work, and I put it back in). I send K a bill - no reply for many weeks - OK, he's busy with race. Finally get a reply, in which he wants me to go after original clown who he'd advanced monies too. Told him no way, hire your own Samoans for recovery. Then was accused of stealing a dacron delivery sail - after checking with Sobstad, it was a loft sail that was borrowed for the first trip to HI and never returned, so loft took it back.

 

[Somebody Else]

Yes, boat was still "Libalia Flash"

You misspelled Labia Flesh

 

[inneedofadvice]

Our Choate built Andrews is still manufacturing grins:

View attachment 556426

At what point does it become faster to switch to an upwind sail? Honest question, I'd really like to know.

 

[longy]

When you need to point higher
when the spi collapses to many times
when the spi blow up
when the wind increases
Too many answers, very much depends on the boat, the sail inventory, the crew talent, the desired course, wind and wave conditions

 

[Raz'r]

At what point does it become faster to switch to an upwind sail? Honest question, I'd really like to know.

Very short course left and the wind headed. Wound her up to the finish and doused. Maybe a couple hundred yards like that. (Wind bends around Angel Island right where the finish was). Also crew was a bunch of juniors so there wasn't any sail change available in a flash...

 

[Great Red Shark]

Survived the trip.

On arrival I called Choate, said boats here, when is haulout? Choate says 'what? nothing agreed to/arranged'.

So, typical delivery, then.
Yeah - Dennis and Art. Those two were made for each other.

 

[longy]

We had a meeting after discovering the rudder problems and their corollary issues. Put it to a vote - continue or turn back? As we had gotten thru the first third of the trip (the hard part) all elected to continue. Full body slamming the lead chunk on top of the rudder post was good for releasing tensions