Cape Horn in a Electra

[frank durant]

I just read about a Insurance broker ,who at 48yrs old , sailed solo-NON STOP from California down and around the Horn in an Electra !! That's our baby sister !!! Wow...talk about cure for midlife-crisis. :eek:

[Scott Galloway]

Although 48 years of age is the appropriate time for a mid-life crise, the behavior exhibited sounds more like end-of-life crises. :D

If you want to read an interesting book about serious voyages in small boats, try Frank Guernsey's book "Racing the Ice to Cape Horn," about the voyage of "Cestus", Lapworth 24 Gladiator hull # 21, from California to Uruguay:
Available on Amazon.com

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1892216205/102-4312648-2935368?v=glance&n=283155#18922162053000

Last I heard, Frank was missing at sea on another small boat single-handed voyage to South Africa.

More on the full keel Lapwporth Gladiator at: http://www.solopublications.com/sailglad.htm#links

[epiphany]

Frank -

enquiring minds want to know where you read about this? the links, man, show us the links! :D

Scott - thx for the title tip, will have to find that one. Here's one for you, not sure if I mentioned it here before:

Journey of a Hope Merchant (http://www.sc.edu/uscpress/2004/3564.html)

South African guy builds his own boat from plywood, sails to England, does the OSTAR to qualify for and sail in the BOC (twice!). Good book, and the author happens to live within 30 miles of here. I plan to get in touch with him soon, if possible.

[frank durant]

boss..boss.....da link...da link http://easyreader.hermosawave.net/news1999/1111/Cape%20Horn.Htm should have thought sooner....EDIT...as I was trying to find the above link...I found this one http://www.latitude38.com/LectronicLat/2003/0503/May14/May14.html scroll down past the 'babe'...OK ..take a lil look ..then scroll down to the note on this guy..I guess he didn't make his 2nd attempt.Thought the 1st article was a bit off as it states 24ft...an electra is 22. Now I'm curious to find more info on this guy.

[epiphany]

Nice lookin' gal. Too bad she's sailing on a Hunter - blech. Put herself right out of contention with that... ;)

Thanks for the links, Frank. I guess they never did hear from him. He was right not to carry an EPIRB - he made his own choices, and didn't want anyone to risk their life because of that, and I can respect that. Of course, YMMV. He died while doing what he loved and wanted to do - and that happens to few people.

I hope that when I go, people can say the same about me. It would sure as hell beat faceplanting into a desk as your last memory... :)

[ebb]

It's these hard romantics, few and far, who make the world a better place.

In my philosophy, you can organize all people into 4 general types - in a wide bottom pyramid.
Most people are asleep, some are having bad dreams, some are struggling to wake up. At the top of the heap there a few who are conscious and have their eyes open.
See Frank Guernsey somewhere near the top. :cool:

Maybe it was like this with Frank:
" If we learn to let go into uncertainty,
to trust that our basic nature
and that of the world are not different,
then the fact that things are not solid and fixed
becomes, rather than a threat,
a liberating opoportunity.
Then we are free to savor what life offers,
to taste the texture of each moment fully,
whether the moment is one of sadness or joy."
Carol S, Hyman

[c_amos]

He'd previously sailed around the Horn in a Pearson Gladiator, which is only 24 feet, and had previously sailed to Japan, Hawaii and Tahiti. During his 128-day passage on the Gladiator, he lost 30 pounds, gashed his head, and broke three ribs when he fell from the rigging onto a stanchion. Compared to an Electra, a Gladiator is a big boat with a much larger cabin.

I hope he is found alive.

Either way, my hat is off to him. Would love to hear the stories of the journeys he has taken.

[mbd]

" If we learn to let go into uncertainty, to trust that our basic nature and that of the world are not different, then the fact that things are not solid and fixed becomes, rather than a threat, a liberating opoportunity. Then we are free to savor what life offers, to taste the texture of each moment fully, whether the moment is one of sadness or joy." Carol S, Hyman
Well put. I'll have to add Carol S. Hyman to my winter reading list... Thanks, Ebb.

[Scott Galloway]

Sorry to tell my fellow Pearson geeks this, but the Letronic Latitude article is incorrect. That was not a "Pearson" Gladiator. The Gladiator was built in Costa Mesa California by Continental Plastics. The designer was obviously William Lapworth. The flat top deck molding somewhat resembles the later Lapworth designed Cal 25. The Gladiator had 2050 lead in its deep (4 foot draft) modified full keel with a total displacement of 4500 lb. If you see one out of water, you will be impressed. You will recall that in 1965, sixteen-year old Robin Lee Graham began a solo around-the-world voyage from San Pedro, California, in his twenty-four foot sloop, the Lapworth 24, "Dove." The Gladiator hull is identical to that in the Lapworth 24 (cruising model) used by Graham. Five years and 33,000 miles later, Graham had accomplished what few had dared to attempt. That journey was well documented in the pages of National Geographic Magazine, and later in Graham's own book, "Dove".

Although he completed the last leg of his voyage in a larger Luders 33, Robin Lee Graham sailed three-quarters of the way around the world in a twenty-four foot boat without a two way radio, and without SatNav, GPS, Loran, EPIRB, or even a real life raft. That boat was the sister of the Lapworth 24 Gladiator. The hulls are the same, but "" was the trunk cabin or cruising version of the Lapworth 24, and the Gladiator was the raised deck model.

Frank Guernsey sailed his Lapworth 24 Gladiator, hull #21 "Cestus" from Redondo Beach, California to Punta del Este, Uruguay, via Cape Horn on a 128-day non stop voyage with no motor. The story of his voyage is told in the book referenced on my earlier post. That book is available on Amazon.com

Like John Neal's "Log of The Mahina", Frank Guersey's "Racing the Ice to Cape Horn" is a very personal story, and it is well worth reading. The book provides much insight into the mind and soul of a single-hander on an incredible voyage in a very small boat. Sad that he was apparently lost at sea.

I created and maintain the website for the Gladiator 24: http://www.solopublications.com/sailglad.htm

I was privileged to obtain a digital copy of the original brochure for the Lapworth Gladiator from Phil Jay. Phil's father was the original owner of Gladiator #21. Phil started single handing hull #21 when he was 12 years old. He later met Frank Guernsey, who single handed hull #21 around Cape Horn. All this, pretty pictures, testimonials about the boat from former owners and more can be found on the above referenced website.

For instance, Phil also wrote:

"The builder put 2000 lbs of lead in the keel and I was told they moved the lead a little farther forward in the keel than the Lapworth, which made it go faster and really surf with a following sea. A couple of kids sailed a Lapworth to Hawaii from California in 19 days, as stated on the original Gladiator brochure. This was quite a while before the Dove adventure."


:cool:

[frank durant]

Scott...thanks for the info.It's all much clearer now.I first stumbled upon this while searching for info on the 'electra'. The 1st site I posted was a 're-direct' from another site that said..."electra does cape horn". Then while reading it ,it stated a 24ft boat. I figured something was wrong.Great adventure in any event.thanks for the clarity.

[commanderpete]

Very sad.

What have we learned about making a voyage like this?

22 foot boat? Too small

24 foot boat? OK

Should be a piece of cake in a 26 foot boat :)

My advice is to forget the voyage. Get a 46 foot Hunter and a girl like Carla :D :D :D

[epiphany]

Get a 46 foot Hunter <snip>
Pete? Did you go off your meds again? Remember last time you did that, and they gave you the electroshock afterwards? Come on now, suggesting that there is *any* reason to buy a Hunter, you know better...

:D

If it takes me giving up my Ariel for a Hunter - of any length - to get a girl like Carla, well, a girl who demands something like that has got to be just plain trouble anyway. :) I'm not bashing Hunters... , oh, wait - I am! :p

Gimmee a Classic Plastic vessel any day over these new lightweight underbuilt wanna-be-racer shaped floating condos! Especially when it has these sweet Alberg lines! :D

[frank durant]

PS.....Pete.....I had a gal like 'Carla' once...trust me , the 46ft hunter is cheaper !!! I'll stick to my ariel and my present 'sweetie' any day :D PSS..both the hunter and the 'babe' will give ya grief in the long haul....both expensive , pretty looking ornaments

[Scott Galloway]

Might I remind you guys that this is an equal opportunity forum? What you ought to be doing is keeping your Ariels and Commanders for coastal cruising and save your pennies so that you can buy a ride on Carla's new fifty-nine foot Hinckley Sou'Wester (pictured below) after she makes Captain and heads out for the Caribbean and/or beyond. Who knows, she may want to take along some experienced crew and a cook for that matter, and you might be able to earn your keep.

As to boat length and safety, and to quote a song from the sixties, "A hurricane don't pay no mind to who is gentle or who is kind." The same goes for boat length. There were a lot of large beautiful boats in messy looking piles in the photos after Katrina came to town.

In his book "Twenty Small Boats To Take You Anywhere", John Vigor focuses on a number of small boats. The Triton is among them, but the Ariel isn't. The Cal 20 is in the book, and so are some other small boats. Omissions aren't an indication of unseaworthiness, but it is interesting that Vigor's safety ratings are in part related to length (due to the relationship of pelagic wave size to pitch polling and other unwholesome acrobatic maneuvers) I presume. Thirty feet seems to be the magic number.

But despite that magic number, my guess is that that Frank Guernsey's Electra would have done just fine on that voyage, were it not for one big storm. :D

[epiphany]

Scott -

Correct me if I am wrong, but didn't Vigor, in that book, describe the Triton as "the Ariel's big, ugly brother"?

:D

.

.

.

.

JUST KIDDING!

/me ducks and runs away, very fast...

:D:D:D

[Mike Goodwin]

I knew Bill Lapworth personally , he is a hell of a nice guy and a great designer .
My employer of 15 years ago was his next door neighbor , my pal Tony Sota , does the varnish on his boats .

[Scott Galloway]

Actually, John Vigor referred to the Triton as " A Worthy Son of Neptune, but he also wrote,

"...and while it would be wonderful if a fairy could wave her magic wand and make the sidedecks wider, it isn't going to happen except in your dreams. About all you can say of them is that they're manageable. You might also wish that if the fairy could spare a second wave of her wand, something aestheric would happen to the doghouse, that upward step in the coach roof. It's more likely, however, that her wand would short out, or blow a transistor, when faced with a task of such magnitude"

--from "Twenty Small Boats to Take You Anywhere" by John Vigor. You just have to keep a copy of that book around the house.

Cool contact to have Mike. And by the way Mr. Lapworth did design a great little boat and an enduring plastic classic in the Gladiator. They clean up nicely and look great under sail: One of the best looking flat tops around... Great hull. There were three of them on my dock, until recently. Now there are two.

[mbd]

Correct me if I am wrong, but didn't Vigor, in that book, describe the Triton as "the Ariel's big, ugly brother"?
"E", You keep that talk up and you'll get yourself banned from certain forums. :D

And I just gotta add a couple of pennies here: as to the John Vigor quote - I wholeheartedly disagree!! I'll concede the side-decks - maybe, but I happen to really really like "the doghouse, that upward step in the coach roof" on our Ariels and Tritons, and the Vanguard too. I think it really sets our boats apart aesthetically (in a good way). This is one instance where I think our boats sacrifice function for form. But it's a worthy sacrifice.

I just don't much care for the "flat top" boats. And I was docked next to a beautifully restored and beautiful Cape Dory 27 this summer. A comparable Alberg hull, but with the "standard" cabin with the same height for and aft. Whenever I would turn around as I was leaving, I'd look at my boat, then the CD and think, "No contest. I bought the right boat." I think the lines of our Pearsons are waaaaayyyyy more graceful...

[dasein668]

Correct me if I am wrong, but didn't Vigor, in that book, describe the Triton as "the Ariel's big, ugly brother"?

John certainly has a way with words... he posts quite frequently on the Cape Dory board...

What, exactly, "that way with words" is, is debatable however!

:p

[epiphany]

Mike - Yeah, I'm surprised that there has been no response to that from certain "classic plastic" people. :D Darn! It was all in fun, and I think they know that. Superficially there is very little difference in how the Ariel and the Triton look, so the comment was made with tongue firmly in cheek. Pot calling the kettle black and all that. :)

I'd read what Vigor had to say about the Triton and, IIRC, the Bristol 27 was in that book as well, right? Also the Albin Vega. These boats all fit the requirements of what I was looking for in almost every way. The Triton and the Ariel stood out from the B27 and the AV in no small manner because of the quality of the owners groups/websites, and the restorations I'd seen done on them.

I looked hard at the AV based on recommendations of several very experienced long-term and -distance sailors I know (one who has 3 circumnavigations under his belt), but I just couldn't get a warm feeling going for the AV like I do when I see the Triton, B27, or Ariel. I'm sure the AV is a fine boat in its own right, but I don't think I'd turn around for a look every time I walked away like I do with the Ariel. The lines Alberg drew are just so graceful, so right, so... well, you know. :) (/me preaches to the choir...)

I'm with Mike - I feel differently from the reviewers who say the stepped house detracts from these boats lines. I think it adds something, besides plain functionality. I see a *lot* of boats coming through the marina, and few look as good as ours do.

So do, evidently, many other non-reviewer people. This summer, post-sail one day, I was motoring through the anchorage over by Front Street. There was a *gorgeous* 45-50' classic looking gaff-rigged ketch there, low, sleek, lots of brightwork agleam, a great example of the traditionally wood boat, with 3 people on deck. She was pretty enough that I circled around her to take a long look. When I yelled "She's pretty!" to the deck people, they yelled back "So is yours!", and you could tell they meant it, after they repeated it several times, and asked what kind of a boat Katie Marie is.

Edit: As soon as I posted this, I see what Nathan wrote. :D

[commanderpete]

Well, that's some consolation for our boats complete lack of Corian Countertops

[mbd]

Actually, I think we sacrifice functionality (read forward headroom, and even enclosed head in the Ariel's case) for the stepped doghouse look.

I too, got a similar compliment this summer. We were sailing on opposite tacks past one of the 50 something foot S&S charter boats in Casco Bay, and the captain yelled "Nice boat!". "Likewise", I replied. :D :D :D

Early on I had looked at the AVs and B27s as well, but ultimately kept returning to the Pearsons and the stepped doghouse. I almost bought a Cheoy Lee Frisco Flyer too, one of my all time favorites - stepped doghouse and very "folkboaty" with the transom hung rudder. Yeowsa!

But, I think our little Ariels are right there though - very shippy, even pert, you might say...

[ebb]

There's a nice iceblue Triton, permanently on the hard in the yard, two boats down from 338 - so I've looked at both boats now, for years. My peep is this: the Triton has a lean lanky look - especially in the boatyard waterline view. Tritons look to me like a scaled down larger boat. Tritons are immensely improved (in looks) with an added bowsprit imho. I've read that the Triton is Ariel's big sister. They may have meant big brother! They're related because they have the same father, but they aren't different sizes of the same boat.

The Ariel, including its doghouse,which seems was very much in vogue at the time when boats were being redesigned for fiberglass, is, imho, the most beautifully proportioned 26 footer ever conceived. There is no angle of view that is not pleasing to the eye. There is no curve in the hull that doesn't have all other curves expand organically from it to a sweet logical conclusion. There is a healthy plumpness. There are no flat sections. The curves in the buttocks, up from the bilge to the transom, cannot be improved, in any way, shape or form. Trust me. I've looked at her from every angle, now. It is a very sexy boat.

BUT. Did you know that the sheerline, ie the toerail, is dead flat from stem to stern?

[c_amos]

I second that.

My friend has #243 in his yard. I hope to visit him soon.

Every time I do, I find I am drawn to the yard..... to stare at the hull.

I helped him do some sanding a trip or two ago, but not a trip up to see him does not pass when I do not spend some time out in the yard just staring at that hull.

I looked at other boats before I found #226. I was actually looking at other boats the day I got the lead on her. As soon as I saw her, I knew there was no other.......

Man, I need to log off and go sailing. :)

[mbd]

Did you know that the sheerline, ie the toerail, is dead flat from stem to stern?
Well I'll be! Danged, if you're not right about that Ebb! I pulled up a line drawing, and sure enough, it's true. With the squatting stern, you'd never know it though. Cool illusion. :cool:

[dasein668]

I too, got a similar compliment this summer. We were sailing on opposite tacks past one of the 50 something foot S&S charter boats in Casco Bay, and the captain yelled "Nice boat!". "Likewise", I replied. :D :D :D

Palawan? 58 feet.

http://www.dasein668.com/art/sailing/bermuda/800511.jpg

[mbd]

Good call Nathan, I had a feeling you'd pick up on that one up! :D

PS. c_amos - we've got potential snow in the forecast for tonight. :mad:

[dasein668]

Good call Nathan, I had a feeling you'd pick up on that one up! :D

Yeah, I have a soft spot for her, since I learned to sail on her... And did almost every day for 4 summers...

A few more pics here. (http://www.dasein668.com/sail/other/bermuda99.php)

[frank durant]

I gotta say...Ole Carl drew BEAUTIFUL boats !!! I love the look of the Triton. Our ariels have to be one of thee best looking boats of their length. Pull up the 'electra' site and you'll see not only the 'dog house roof' family resemblance,but what I consider a proper looking lil 22ft yacht. I didn't know ole Carl or work for his nieghbor ..but to my eyes the old swede drew beautiful boats.It's great he would not compromise his values. Even the lil typhoon has to be one of the most capable 19fter's that was mass produced.In my opinion the stepped cabin top gives the boat a lot more character than a straight roofed cape dory. Opinions...we all have them. Heh Pete...we'll put our own 'corian countertops' in.I'm thinking the Italian marble look myself. Like they say...it's the little touchs that count.

[frank durant]

This is the electra site http://www.jollytime.net/electra_index.htm click gallery..scroll down to #108 at the dock. Next to a Falmouth Cutter 22...this has to be one of the most proper looking lil yachts out there!!!

[Scott Galloway]

Well, I posted Mr. Vigor's quote from "Twenty Small Boats..." in response to a tongue in cheek comment on the Ariel being more aesthetically pleasing than the Triton. I actually don't concur with Mr. Vigor in his aesthetic comments on the Triton. Hey, they are all beautiful in their own way, but compared to the Ariel, I do think that the Triton's doghouse and that of the Bristol 27 are a bit out of proportion when viewed from certain angles. The Ariel, on the other hand, is perfectly proportioned in all ways. I prefer to think of the Ariel as a smaller version of the Whitby Alberg 30. Also, that door through the main bulkhead and the lower ceiling in the V berth area are adaptations to save on barber costs. :D

And by the way the Cal 20, Catalina 27 were also in that book, with specifric instructions on how to strengthen them to make ocean passages. It is a very interesting book.