Mighty Merloe

[96elur]

On the delivery from San Diego to Newport I drove her 99% of the trip with Don managing everything else. Prior to casting off with Don on the helm and just me on the dock and no tender to help, we failed twice and then were successful after I set up a spring.

We had three others aboard. One had no experience and just rode along. The other two day sailed and cruised, but also were of very little help without both instructions and help.

The day before departure I had suggested that I would come along as long as he had experienced sailors that knew this boat, and was told he would have them.

Day of: I arrive and see two men, a father (70's) and a son. I thought these must be the ones that know the boat and began to carefully try to ask questions of them to see if they are the skilled ones.

Turns out, not. At that point, I was ready to bail and Don said we will be fine without you as they readied to shove off...hmm decision time for me. I figured we could shoot up the coast pretty darn fast, and besides, I can sail most everything and have plenty of blue water miles and 50 years of sailing/cruising and racing.

This ain't no sailboat, she's a racehorse in the starting gate at the track and is bumping that door to get it open and start running. That all said, it required 21 hours from dock to dock.

 

[MR.CLEAN]

It’s a pedantic point but you are correct. Technically the Caribbean Sea

So the Gulf of Mexico is another name for the Caribbean Sea now? For fuck's sake Wess.

The only way he is getting to Florida is if he can convince someone to pay for him to ship it.

 

[he b gb]

while in France during a family Europe holiday way back in 1993 we ended up driving the Brittany coast and checking out all the famous French multihull haunts. We found a camping ground next to the marina in La Rochelle and spent some time checking out heaps of famous tris and cats. The most impressive being the brand new Fleury Michon, the just launched tri for Phillipe Poupon. Not much more than a week after checking her out I was surprised to see that the crew had to be rescued after she literally snapped in half!
While we were in La Rochelle there was some sort of marine expo happening at the time and there was one of the older but very cool monster racing cats (Charente Maritime 2) offering half day sails for about $50aus equivalent. No way I was passing this up even though it was a big chunk of our holiday budget. I hardly slept a wink the night before the sail as the wind was blowing a good 30kts shaking the shit out of our tent.
Anyway the wind moderated to 15to 20 kts the next day and ended up being quite a cruisey sail with a reef in the main, they even let me steer for a while. Here’s a couple of photos from the net, I’ve got my own photos in storage somewhere which I’ll try and dig up.

 

[he b gb]

Ps. Fleury Michon was repaired and went on to be quite successful.

 

[[email protected]]

Continued thread drift, sorry. I read that the Ocean 50s are now comparable in speed to the ORMAs... I don't recall if that was in reference to potential overall speed, or just being able able to be sailed closer to their potential while solo, thus similar actual speed.

Has there even been a MOD circumnavigate - crewed or solo?

Dame Ellen's B&G is the closest I can think of, and she (the tri) was far more conservative than Ormas or MODs.

 

[timotheysski]

Continued thread drift, sorry. I read that the Ocean 50s are now comparable in speed to the ORMAs... I don't recall if that was in reference to potential overall speed, or just being able able to be sailed closer to their potential while solo, thus similar actual speed.

Has there even been a MOD circumnavigate - crewed or solo?

Dame Ellen's B&G is the closest I can think of, and she (the tri) was far more conservative than Ormas or MODs.

Nope. The MODs haven't really been singlehanded since the official class racing died out.
Funny enough a bunch of them are popping up in crewed RORC programs now; good to see them back out there!

 

[timotheysski]

Ps. Fleury Michon was repaired and went on to be quite successful.

Yes but no. The Fleury Michon in that picture was scrapped if she didn't sink right then and there.

Document sans titre

There was a another Fleury Michon which you are referring to which indeed enjoyed quite some success.

Document sans titre

 

[LionIsland]

Capsizes etc. I think the NZ, American and Aussie Orma owners were/are slightly more conservative than Zfrench. Sailed incredibly well but perhaps more like 98% v 100%. Fleet racing ORMAs, solo, long distance in the ocean, French sailors. Pride, competiveness, future sponsorship all on the line. What a combo!!
Its a bit unfair. You push too far or get a tricky combo of wind and waves in an Imoca (or any keeled yacht) and it can go ugly but not terminal, it recovers most of the time, and you can repeat that. Have that happen once in a multi and it’s over and out.

 

[MR.CLEAN]

Capsizes etc. I think the NZ, American and Aussie Orma owners were/are slightly more conservative than Zfrench.

that's the difference between a fleet of commercially sponsored french boats constantly training with and racing against one another, and the occasional anglo private owner.

 

[LionIsland]

Continued thread drift, sorry. I read that the Ocean 50s are now comparable in speed to the ORMAs... I don't recall if that was in reference to potential overall speed, or just being able able to be sailed closer to their potential while solo, thus similar actual speed.

Has there even been a MOD circumnavigate - crewed or solo?

Dame Ellen's B&G is the closest I can think of, and she (the tri) was far more conservative than Ormas or MODs.

I think that the B&Q Castorama design brief was basically an Orma 60 rig on a 75 footer.
Worked well. Just a beautiful beautiful boat. Ellen MacArthur. What a friggin inspiration!!
My fave takeaway (and not entirely off topic here) from her is from when she returned, absolutely flogged by the time she completed and beat(!) Francis Joyon’s amazing record set just prior to her attempt, was that she changed sails too often, worked too hard and needed to employ more “economy of movement”. Really stuck with me.

Eg. Ten minute rule. Should we change sails? Give it 10. (Unless it’s reefing time, then it’s the Do It Now!! rule.)

 

[LionIsland]

that's the difference between a fleet of commercially sponsored french boats constantly training with and racing against one another, and the occasional anglo private owner.

What an era we live in!!
Is this the peak or close to it of sailing development??

Ormas Mods Ultims (BP5 etc) Geronimo, AC 90, AC 72, AC/GP50’s/ AC 75’s, fully foiling Imocas. I can’t breathe thinking about RTW in 40 days let alone solo RTW in 42 days. How is that even possible??!!

Have I missed something or is that averaging around 30knots in the ocean every hour of every day of every week for 6 weeks on your own??!!

 

[he b gb]

Yes but no. The Fleury Michon in that picture was scrapped if she didn't sink right then and there.

Document sans titre

There was a another Fleury Michon which you are referring to which indeed enjoyed quite some success.

Document sans titre

I’m pretty sure that I’ve seen a photo of the snapped FM tied up to a pontoon with its bow still pointing skywards so it was definitely towed in (and I thought I heard it was repaired).
The broken FM was a much newer design than the older one in your second link.

 

[MR.CLEAN]

What an era we live in!!
Is this the peak or close to it of sailing development??

Ormas Mods Ultims (BP5 etc) Geronimo, AC 90, AC 72, AC/GP50’s/ AC 75’s, fully foiling Imocas. I can’t breathe thinking about RTW in 40 days let alone solo RTW in 42 days. How is that even possible??!!

Have I missed something or is that averaging around 30knots in the ocean every hour of every day of every week for 6 weeks on your own??!!

Material technology innovations - most notably in sails, foils, masts and cordage, have basically doubled the average speeds of top race boats over the past 20 years. It's pretty wild. And we mostly have three classes to thank for most of it: C-Class, Moth, and ORMA 60.

I've also spent a lot of time imagining how much further along the sport might be if not for the carnage of the 2002 Route Du Rhum.

 

[Jethrow]

You push too far or get a tricky combo of wind and waves in an Imoca (or any keeled yacht) and it can go ugly

This was seriously ugly but most got through it. Hat tip to them...

 

[Crump's Brother]

On the delivery from San Diego to Newport I drove her 99% of the trip with Don managing everything else. Prior to casting off with Don on the helm and just me on the dock and no tender to help, we failed twice and then were successful after I set up a spring.

We had three others aboard. One had no experience and just rode along. The other two day sailed and cruised, but also were of very little help without both instructions and help.

The day before departure I had suggested that I would come along as long as he had experienced sailors that knew this boat, and was told he would have them.

Day of: I arrive and see two men, a father (70's) and a son. I thought these must be the ones that know the boat and began to carefully try to ask questions of them to see if they are the skilled ones.

Turns out, not. At that point, I was ready to bail and Don said we will be fine without you as they readied to shove off...hmm decision time for me. I figured we could shoot up the coast pretty darn fast, and besides, I can sail most everything and have plenty of blue water miles and 50 years of sailing/cruising and racing.

This ain't no sailboat, she's a racehorse in the starting gate at the track and is bumping that door to get it open and start running. That all said, it required 21 hours from dock to dock.

Thanks for joining in the conversation.

Did Captain Don buy MM or is it on loan to him?

We're his abilities to solo such a beast within reason during your time aboard?

KB

 

[Wess]

On the delivery from San Diego to Newport I drove her 99% of the trip with Don managing everything else. Prior to casting off with Don on the helm and just me on the dock and no tender to help, we failed twice and then were successful after I set up a spring.

We had three others aboard. One had no experience and just rode along. The other two day sailed and cruised, but also were of very little help without both instructions and help.

The day before departure I had suggested that I would come along as long as he had experienced sailors that knew this boat, and was told he would have them.

Day of: I arrive and see two men, a father (70's) and a son. I thought these must be the ones that know the boat and began to carefully try to ask questions of them to see if they are the skilled ones.

Turns out, not. At that point, I was ready to bail and Don said we will be fine without you as they readied to shove off...hmm decision time for me. I figured we could shoot up the coast pretty darn fast, and besides, I can sail most everything and have plenty of blue water miles and 50 years of sailing/cruising and racing.

This ain't no sailboat, she's a racehorse in the starting gate at the track and is bumping that door to get it open and start running. That all said, it required 21 hours from dock to dock.

You are a braver man than me!

 

[silent bob]

MM and Tritium clear out, and Snowflake arrives! MOD 70, ex Foncia, Phaedo 3,then Beau Geste. Nice and shinny! The blue mast will make a nice landmark! I imagine she’s there to do Cabo and Transpac.

 

[MR.CLEAN]

MM and Tritium clear out, and Snowflake arrives! MOD 70, ex Foncia, Phaedo 3,then Beau Geste. Nice and shinny! The blue mast will make a nice landmark! I imagine she’s there to do Cabo and Transpac.

I had a pair of boots that were shinny

 

[timotheysski]

Thanks for joining in the conversation.

Did Captain Don buy MM or is it on loan to him?

We're his abilities to solo such a beast within reason during your time aboard?

KB

If I understood correctly it was donated to his nonprofit, Dark Seas Project (can't blame you for not knowing, he hasn't communicated on the org in centuries). Essentially being afaik the only person in the org with his wife, he owns it.
On top of that, because it's a donated boat, he has to wait at least 3 years to sell it.

 

[96elur]

Material technology innovations - most notably in sails, foils, masts and cordage, have basically doubled the average speeds of top race boats over the past 20 years. It's pretty wild. And we mostly have three classes to thank for most of it: C-Class, Moth, and ORMA 60.

I've also spent a lot of time imagining how much further along the sport might be if not for the carnage of the 2002 Route Du Rhum.

I would consider the Moth, of today, as the one boat that made the most significant changes over the decades.

Back in the very early 70's, I recall that the home-build rule was pretty simple to be able to race against other "Moths". It could be no longer than 11 feet.

Now go home, get some marine plywood, and see just how cigar-thin center and ultra-wide flared hiking platform you could make them, how light, how much sail you could sew together in your mom's living room, then come back to mom's and start ripping stitching out to make it smaller.

Even after you were able to luff up along a dock, duck under the way to low boom, and time it just right to step onto the dock with your painter in hand... just like today's Moths she would slowly roll onto her side to wait for you come back.

Good Moth!