From the Drawing Board  

by John Welsford - Hamilton, New Zealand

The Foolscap Americas Paper Plate
Yachting Challenge

click for bio

David Perillo has a great website, and over a number of years has documented his adventures in two Navigator yachts of my design. After one of those life changing happenings that happens he had found himself with no boat, no job and no commitments in the short term so after buying his first Navigator he shipped it to Fiji a thousand miles north of New Zealand and spent some months sailing the 15 ft open cruiser around the islands to the north of Viti Levu. He found the pure white beaches and waving palms, warm waters and friendly natives that populate the dreams of the armchair sailors dreaming their winters away in front of the fireplace. His story of the voyage and subsequent cruises is stunning and is worth tracking down through his website at www.openboat.co.nz .

Having had my rave, on with the real story. Dave and I get along well, a sort of mutual admiration society, and I’m drawing him a new boat. After several email exchanges about the latest drawings he sent me some photos from a party he’d been to in order to watch Team New Zealand trying to lift the Americas cup from the Swiss. Bear in mind that the races run from about 1 am to 3 am local time so there is an evening to fill, and the inventive hosts found a couple of polystyrene troughs, a fan, some typing paper and some little plastic New Zealand flags. The held a knockout race regatta which must have been great fun.

Dave wrote:

Went to a great party for the first race. The hosts had set up two water filled channels and an electric fan provided the wind. Guests were given gaffa tape, a sheet of typing paper, a cocktail skewer and a small plastic NZ flag.
An elimination series had me out in the first round, but a
great night was had with a lot of screaming and yelling proving that you don't need billions to have exciting close match racing.

Dave Perillo

Here are the pics, looks like a very good party, made better by the Team New Zealand race win that night.

click to enlarge
The boatyard

click to enlarge
Naming ceremony

 
click to enlarge
Connor Catamaran

click to enlarge
Ready to race

 
click to enlarge
The crew

click to enlarge
Pre-start maneuvers

 
click to enlarge
That's Dave P racing

click to enlarge
Protest, protest, protest!

 
click to enlarge
The spectator gallery

click to enlarge
YAY

 
click to enlarge
Better than all the rest

click to enlarge
The winner


John Welsford.
Designer

Columns by John Welsford

SAILS

EPOXY

GEAR
Designs by John Welsford: