Mighty Merloe

david r

Anarchist
693
98
pond
Wouldn't it be unsafe to embark on a long ocean journey in an old race boat with out hauling it out, taking the mast off, then doing a proper inspection?
Screen Shot 2023-02-04 at 11.16.29 AM.png
I count a crew of 10 visible. That is a crazy amount of boat for 1 person to handle.
 
Wouldn't it be unsafe to embark on a long ocean journey in an old race boat with out hauling it out, taking the mast off, then doing a proper inspection?
View attachment 572982
I count a crew of 10 visible. That is a crazy amount of boat for 1 person to handle.
Yes, it is unsafe, and considering the crazy shit MM has been through recently, borderline suicidal. The boat did undergo a full ultrasound inspection of the hulls and rig in 2018, but the events since then definitely merit a new full checkup.
You'd also have to get rid of the patchwork that's currently getting slapped on the hulls for a proper repair; that will never hold...

FYI the trimaran in the picture is Groupama 3, a 100ft maxi trimaran, another level of crazy compared to MM. It has been sailed solo on transatlantics (and won the race) before though and people still sail 100ft tris solo.
 
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munt

Super Anarchist
1,555
596
The belt
In the Broceliande vid it looks like there are probably 2 or 3 aboard? But I'm guessing it was set up for the heli shots and then taken out and pushed extremely hard for a limited amount of time? You can see the driver getting firehosed almost constantly as he balances the boat on a very fine edge. Hard to imagine doing that for more than a couple hours in those conditions. Seems like if you were singlehanded and relying on the autopilot you would have to power wayyyyyy down. Doing that at night???
 
On a side note, this is from Don's update from 3 days ago:
"I have seen some crazy things online about the Defiant, my skills, our program and so on. While it may be annoying to have to correct so many false narratives, I do find it a blessing we mean so much to so many people! I wish I could share the DMs I receive everyday from so many great sailors and people out there!"
Well, if you're here Donald, I really do hope we over here are wrong and we really aren't seeing the full picture from our corner of the internet as you claim. It would be a happy ending for everyone. In addition, if we're being honest, we are all to varying degrees armchair experts when it comes to ORMAs.
But then again, common sense is universal (supposedly), and I have little faith left that these hopes are not misplaced.
 

MR.CLEAN

Moderator
On a side note, this is from Don's update from 3 days ago:
"I have seen some crazy things online about the Defiant, my skills, our program and so on. While it may be annoying to have to correct so many false narratives, I do find it a blessing we mean so much to so many people! I wish I could share the DMs I receive everyday from so many great sailors and people out there!"
Well, if you're here Donald, I really do hope we over here are wrong and we really aren't seeing the full picture from our corner of the internet as you claim. It would be a happy ending for everyone. In addition, if we're being honest, we are all to varying degrees armchair experts when it comes to ORMAs.
But then again, common sense is universal (supposedly), and I have little faith left that these hopes are not misplaced.
Reid Stowe and Rimas had lots of fans
 

REW

Anarchist
983
157
10 very, very competent crew. Anyone remember how many the ORMA sailed with in fleet racing? The MOD was 7 or 8 when I raced.
I don't know what the ORMA actual crew numbers were, but in my personal experience racing on Arete' (nee Sopra Group, launched in 2002) I preferred 6 to 7 knowledgeable, well coordinated crew. more than that turned onto a real crowd. we did a few races with less, maybe 4 people, but not in really sporty conditions. You can have up to 4 people on the handles, 1 or two tending sheets and always a driver.

We removed the upside up system as it was not functional when the boat was acquired and there was no. thought of single or double handing.

The ORMA's are crazy powerful and really a blast to sail. They also regularly break and require constant maintenance. We had a couple of collisions with UFO's at 25 to 30 kts resulting in bow damage to the offending floats twice, properly repaired both times. Ripped track out of the mast at least once, ripped the traveler off the deck once and the list goes on and on. These were always properly repaired. in the three years I was involved from late 2014 through late 2017 I have never worked harder or put in more time working on a boat, including ones I have personally owned and similarly couldn't have had more fun with a great group of guys.

All of that said, we had a group of guys that represented decades of multihull experience (not ORMA experience) that each brough their own expertise to the program. The owner was a great guy but didn't have a fortune to spend on the project, and we cared for everything accordingly. we had a professional rigger as part of the team and also a sail maker for the first two seasons among some other long term industry professionals. All great friends who brough lots of knowledge to the table.

Unfortunately I fund what DL doing with MM to be fraught with error and disaster with an apparent lack of comprehension on what it takes to really manage and take car of this boat, nor does he seem to grasp how outlandish his claims and goals are for his program.....but that has already been beat to death on this forum.
 

Wess

Super Anarchist
I don't know what the ORMA actual crew numbers were, but in my personal experience racing on Arete' (nee Sopra Group, launched in 2002) I preferred 6 to 7 knowledgeable, well coordinated crew. more than that turned onto a real crowd. we did a few races with less, maybe 4 people, but not in really sporty conditions. You can have up to 4 people on the handles, 1 or two tending sheets and always a driver.

We removed the upside up system as it was not functional when the boat was acquired and there was no. thought of single or double handing.

The ORMA's are crazy powerful and really a blast to sail. They also regularly break and require constant maintenance. We had a couple of collisions with UFO's at 25 to 30 kts resulting in bow damage to the offending floats twice, properly repaired both times. Ripped track out of the mast at least once, ripped the traveler off the deck once and the list goes on and on. These were always properly repaired. in the three years I was involved from late 2014 through late 2017 I have never worked harder or put in more time working on a boat, including ones I have personally owned and similarly couldn't have had more fun with a great group of guys.

All of that said, we had a group of guys that represented decades of multihull experience (not ORMA experience) that each brough their own expertise to the program. The owner was a great guy but didn't have a fortune to spend on the project, and we cared for everything accordingly. we had a professional rigger as part of the team and also a sail maker for the first two seasons among some other long term industry professionals. All great friends who brough lots of knowledge to the table.

Unfortunately I fund what DL doing with MM to be fraught with error and disaster with an apparent lack of comprehension on what it takes to really manage and take car of this boat, nor does he seem to grasp how outlandish his claims and goals are for his program.....but that has already been beat to death on this forum.
What you guys did with that boat was pretty amazing!!
 
Yes, it is unsafe, and considering the crazy shit MM has been through recently, borderline suicidal. The boat did undergo a full ultrasound inspection of the hulls and rig in 2018, but the events since then definitely merit a new full checkup.
You'd also have to get rid of the patchwork that's currently getting slapped on the hulls for a proper repair; that will never hold...

FYI the trimaran in the picture is Groupama 3, a 100ft maxi trimaran, another level of crazy compared to MM. It has been sailed solo on transatlantics (and won the race) before though and people still sail 100ft tris solo.
Look up Idec and Francis Joyon.

let me help.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Joyon
 

That's the point.
 



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