The real story of Amaryllis and the first racing catamarans

Amaryllis

 

The real story of the Amaryllis and the first racing catamarans. It seems the tale is not quite as some folks have liked to tell it in the past, and the cat did not attract universal opposition… And, as always, Amaryllis designer Captain Nat Herreshoff’s part in it is fascinating.

BBA students build a Herreshoff 12½

Boat Building Academy students have built a gaff rigged strip-planked Herreshoff 12½ for the first time at the December student launch last year.

Built of western red cedar and sheathed inside and out with two layers of biaxial glass cloth and epoxy resin, she has a laminated sapele stem, hog, keel and deadwood, and a lead ballast keel, and was built by Steven Adler, Mark Dumble and the class.

Steven already owned a large cruising yacht and wanted a classic example of an early 20th century day sailer, so he chose to build a boat to the Herreshoff 12½ plans bought from Mystic Seaport museum. The plans drawn by the legendary Nat Herreshoff were lofted by the students.

The 1914 designed Herreshoff 12½  was intended to be carvel built, with planking on steamed timbers.

Steven is a retired information technology professional, and came to the BBA as a student from Australia in order to fulfil a dream of building his own boat.

Steven has now returned to Australia with his boat, which is amed Larrikin of Lyme (‘larrikin’ is an Australian word describing a person who ‘acts with apparently careless disregard for social or political conventions’).

Mark Dumble from New Zealand worked alongside Steven on the project. Mark and his father built New Zealand’s first custom-built backpacker hostel at Lake Taupo, which he then ran for 18 years, and created a marketing network to promote the backpacking industry, which grew into New Zealand’s largest hostel network.

Mark learned about the Boat Building Academy’s courses during a visit to the Southampton Boat Show in 2014. He enjoys sailing and having admired the craftsmanship of wooden boats for many years came to the academy to learn boatbuilding skills for himself.

While at the Academy, Mark enjoyed playing his ukulele with The Luggers – a Lyme Regis ukulele band, who performed with Mark at the class’ launch party to celebrate their achievements.

Since graduating, Mark has returned to New Zealand where he will use his new skills to restore a yacht he owns, before choosing a boat design to loft and build for fishing.

See the build diary here and click here for further details about the 38 week BBA course on boat building, maintenance and support.

 

How about arming yourself with a cannon for a proper salute?

Saluting cannon

 

Here’s a fine gift for the yottie who already has nearly everything. And it’s a Herreshoff design too. I think it’s nearly irresistable, though I no idea about the legality of such things in the UK.

Perhaps Hollowshore Cruising Club – my club – should get one? It’d be a blast at social occasions, or am I committing another etiquette faux pas here? (I’m not good at sailing etiquette, which seems to me to belong in roughly the same life category as shaving when a beard will do, cleaning your shoes when no-one will examine them or tidying your bedroom when it’s full of favourite things… )