Anton asked this morning if those little boards are at risk from overcooking. Each one is rated to handle just under 2 amps. We doubled them up on each cell, figuring about 3.5 amps working capacity. The 400 watt solar array, converting through the Victron MPPT controller, is pumping at maximum about 6 amps total to the batteries. So with 4×3.5=14 amps of resistance capacity, I think we’ll be fine. Jeff said that in practice on his big cat in the tropics, yes the boards got warm when they kicked in, but never hot. We mounted them with double sided tape, which gives an air cushion under most of each board, and the whole cabinet is a good heat dissipation sink. Hopefully we’ve solved for Anton’s warnings.

Locals, let me know if you want to sail the boat next week. Throw some dates out and we’ll make some plans.

Y’all have read our frequent references and thanks to Keith at Skateaway Design for his help in outfitting and optimizing Ravenswing. Today we’re going to talk about HIS boat, Skateaway. I had the pleasure of visiting Keith & Val’s waterfront property on the NJ coast for a sail on their catamaran and a thorough walkthru of the amazing trimaran Skateaway. They had successfully built other ocean boats before this, but Skateaway seems to me to be a life-achievement project. Rarely do you see someone think through their use-objectives, design to those needs, personally build in very high quality, execute and refine year after year, and actually use the object for many enjoyable years.

This boat is light, strong, seaworthy and fast. Fully outfitted it sails at about 6,000lbs. Geez, that’s 3,000lbs LESS for 4′ longer than Ravenswing, and our boat feels rather sporty. There’s a long list of racing accomplishments available. And it was a treat to look at the photo albums of Val’s documentation of the building process.

Here are two walk around videos of the boat:

The interior is clean, comfortable and simple. Everything inside is about as low maintenance as you can get; it’s meant to go sailing long distances and not spend time fussing with gear.

Look closely and notice details like the dining table storing up on the coachroof, with a simple thumbscrew to bring it down in position. The bunks look great. Secure at sea, and your choice of daylight up in the wing areas of central cabin or snug in the forward and aft cabins.

Head is in the fore peak. No thruhulls or tanks needed = light weight and easy to maintain!

The cockpit area seems like a serious ocean safety place – it’s actually twin stations set very deep alongside the massive spine of the boat.

Clearly Keith has sailed many miles here and optimized the sail handling controls for solo or short handed work. It all made sense immediately looking at it. And he’s spared no expense on keeping up the finest hardware on this boat.

I was very interested in the rig, as Skateaway was one of Composite Engineering’s earlier big-trimaran custom carbon mast builds. These are the people building our mast, and we’ve also seen the quality of their work on Rick W’s Explorer 44 Round Midnight. These stiff, light, strong masts hold sail shape so well, making the boats very responsive to their sails. Skateaway’s mast is 58′ and has been through a couple of upgrade cycles. It’s currently outfitted with high end Hydranet sails.

What a treat to get to know this special boat. After so many successful sails, Keith and Val have decided to sell Skateaway. At this point he says they’re ok ‘de-tuning’ the whole high performance gig in favor of the cruising cat lifestyle.

Skateaway needs to find that special buyer; the sailor that wants serious ocean performance along with no-frills amenities. This is a pure sailing craft with seemingly zero regard for today’s distractions like fancy swim platforms, dolphin-watching bow seats, big hard dodgers, etc.

Who do we know that wants to do a major solo ocean race, or super fast minimalist cruising, or jump right into campaigning a crewed boat in coastal series? Help me get the word out for Keith about his one of a kind beauty boat. She needs to make another tri-mariner very happy. Send your comments and I’ll pass them along. Thanks!

PS. Next time we’ll update you from the visit to Composite Engineering, 10 months into Ravenswing’s mast re-do ordeal.

The game plan for Ravenswing’s dinghy is the folding 10’ Portabote and 4hp motor we found “barely used” on Craigslist a few years back for $700. The plastic hull folds flat and secures nicely on the nets. But the original heavy plywood seats and transom were a big bummer. A wise man would have coughed up the $1700 at the boat show for a new one, but no, we thought “we can just quickly redo those in foam core!”  Well over a year later that little project finally concluded. Still need to install the replaced motor choke parts scavenged at Bill’s Outboards in Sausalito last year, then we’ll go find out if Jimbo’s little nemesis boat seems any more realistic as the voyagers’ launch.

If you’ve crewed with us, you know my pain about the one piece of gear placement that had unintended consequences. The main sheet base blocks  in certain situations bang directly on the hull. Here we prepped the area to mold some Kevlar protection pads.

They’ll get some paint and then get sticky-taped in place.

Carlos and I motored over to the sewer pump out dock for the maiden attempt at that task. Of course the big pump was broken. Tried again the next week and up came the unmentionable flow, although just for a moment. After checking all the pipes I could not figure out the lack of suction, and decided to blame the marina for not really fixing the pump. A few days later the head compartment smelled a little ripe so I removed the inspection port cover above the tank area and grabbed a flashlight to peer down into the holding tank. OOPS, the nifty-idea sight glass that we bonded on the inside before permanently joining the tank sections had, of course, been yanked off its mooring the moment the pump got achieved enough vacuum, and will now live in the bowels (I’m not sticking my hand in there!!!). Luckily there was just enough clearance between the tank top and under the toilet shelf to slide a new piece of clear plastic and the right permanent tape to seal this back up. Yuck. We expected to show you new starboard side portlights by now, but the Bay Area FINALLY got some real rain so our al -fresco boat is taped up until the sky dries and sun warms enough for painting to resume. The word from MA is optimistic about our mast getting in to production finally. Haven’t seen photos of carbon on the mandrill yet, but we’ve been assured that’s imminent.  Meanwhile, to stay somewhat sane, we’re taking some rides on OPB.  Rafi upgraded from the Corsair 750 to a really nice F31 OneDesign, ex-“F-bomb” out of San Diego, now LookinGoodII and it’s fast as hell. That’ll get the other bay 31s to take notice. We had a very windy Sunday afternoon South Bay blast, and the mutinous crew demanded the new skipper figure out how to reef the large main :).

And a big thank you to skipper Bill of Dragonfly 1200 Emma for taking me as his crew in Saturday’s double handed Corinthian Race. I didn’t bother bringing the Sailing Instructions because the boat sports her own printer! I was expecting a gentleman’s leisure race, with the fine leather couches and all. Well, we had some issues with the electric winches and the scrawny crew’s muscles. Let’s just say that 65’ mast and big sails are a darn good work out. The appreciative skipper provided a nice dinner and snazzy new crew shirt, so all was well. Emma is a beautiful craft and we encourage all local tri fans to get out there with Bill when you can.

For followers of Farrier Marine’s Philippine progress, the F33 Carbon made it to SF and Gary Helms brought it to the Bay Area Multihull Assoc annual meeting. It’s for sale (295k) and absolutely amazing looking. 33’ of ocean ready rocket ship. Strap in and blast away!  Go talk to Gary!