More Launching Photos

Loading all the parts on the trailer

Ready for the road

On the beach at Biloxi

Afloat at last, Bill and Houston Barker in the

background (photo by Artie Vaughn)

At anchor off Deer Island the next morning

Element is Afloat!

Element at anchor off Deer Island, Biloxi, Mississippi

The launching of Element finally happened Wednesday, after a much longer than anticipated refit. The whole thing, from trailering to the Gulf coast to offloading the hulls, assembly, rigging and sea trials went smoother than I ever expected. To this I owe thanks to all the great help I had from my good friend Artie Vaughn, of the sailing vessel Halcyon, and to Bill Barker and his son Houston, who traveled all the way from Colorado to participate in this launching and to buy my Hitia 17, Segundo Vez.

We arrived at the beach in Biloxi shortly before 9:00am and took our time to carefully move the hulls to the water's edge and assemble the boat and stow all the gear. Since I don't intend trailering this Tiki 21 except to bring it home for maintenance, I was more concerned with taking great care to get everything right than to try and see how fast I could get the boat from the trailer to sailing. We enjoyed conversation as we worked and took a break for lunch, but by 2:58pm, all gear was on board for an overnight excursion and vehicles and trailer were shuttled to the parking lot of the marina where the boat will be docked. We then shoved off and motored upwind to get away from the broken pilings of the many hurricane damaged piers along the beach before raising the main and jib and bearing away on a beam reach. Other than some issues with the main and jib halyards not working smoothly inside the mainsail sleeve, the boat performed as expected and felt much like sailing the smaller Segundo Vez.

Tomorrow is Launching Day!

Element will finally be afloat again sometime tomorrow. I completed the disassembly and washed the hulls and all parts yesterday, and today will load everything on the trailer for the trip to the beach in Biloxi. I will have help with this from a new Wharram enthusiast who has driven here to Mississippi from Colorado with his son to purchase my other Wharram catamaran, the Hitia 17, Segundo Vez.

Today we will prepare Segundo Vez for the trip to her new home in the Rocky Mountains and finish organizing all the gear needed to sail Element. After launching tomorrow, we will day sail around Biloxi and hopefully sail overnight to the barrier islands that lie approximately 10 miles to the south across the Mississippi Sound.

Hitia 17 and Tiki 21

This photo shows the size difference between my Tiki 21 Element, and my Hitia 17 Segundo Vez. The perspective with Segundo Vez farther away makes it look even smaller, but there is a significant difference in four feet of length. The Tiki range from the Hitia 17 to the Tiki 30 increases in four-foot increments. Each size, however, is almost twice the volume of the next size smaller, hence a Tiki 21 cost about twice as much and requires about twice the time to build as the Hitia 17. This ratio is roughly the same going from a Tiki 21 to a Tiki 26, and from a Tiki 26 to a Tiki 30. In boats volume definately increases at a ratio exponential to overall length.

Each of these four sizes of the Tiki range has its own advantages and disadvantages, making each more suitable for some purposes than others. The Hitia 17 is for sure easier to deal with, with each hull weighing in at only about 90lbs. It can be easily trailered and set up quickly for sailing. What it lacks is any accomodation in the hulls when the weather turns nasty. The Tiki 21 is barely better, but does at least offer much more storage and a dry bunk in each hull, if not room to actually sit up inside with the hatches closed. The Tiki 21 is sort of an in-between size in my view, a little too big and difficult to set-up for easy trailering, at least the kind of trailering where you keep the boat at home and drive to the ramp for a few hours of day sailing. I'll be keeping mine in the water, which means paying for a dock space, which will make sailing much more convenient, but the boat is still too small for living aboard or comfortably hanging around on in a marina setting. It is a boat that will truly be in it's element out there sailing, and should be great for camp cruising and gunkholing around barrier islands and estuaries, while offering the ability to go offshore safely.

Moving up to the Tiki 26 and Tiki 30, one gets into a class of catamarans that are easily capable of long distance bluewater sailing, and both have been well-proven in this regard. The Tiki 26 offers sitting headroom in each hull, as well as two bunks in each and room for a basic galley, a portable toilet and storage for everything needed for one or two people to make an ocean crossing. At just 1500 pounds of boat weight, it still can be trailered, but will be more of a job than the Tiki 21 to assemble/disassemble. The Tiki 30, with it's deeper hulls and more volume inside offers room for a double bunk in each hull, more of a dedicated galley, toilet area, and even more storage. It's a lot more to build in many ways than the Tiki 26, based on my careful study of the plans for each, simply because of the increased size of the scantlings for stringers and other solid parts, the addition of mini-keels in the V-hulls and the complexity of the cockpit, mast, and other details. But it undoubtedly offers more comfort than any of the other small Tikis and the longer waterline length would make for more comfort and speed offshore in rough conditions.

The bottom line is that all boats are compromises, and you must give up one quality to gain another. Having built and sailed the Hitia 17, I'm looking forward to experiencing the capabilities of the Tiki 21. I'll also have one each of the Tiki 26 and Tiki 30, in a perfect world. But seriously, I am going to build another, not only in a quest to get the boat most appropriately sized for my needs, but to control the process from beginning to end so that every part of the boat will be of the best materials and best workmanship I can put into it. More will follow on this, but first there will be more details about the refit of Element, and soon, the sailing and cruising that will follow her launching.

Nissan 5HP 4-Stroke Auxillary

Today my new Nissan 4-stroke outboard arrived and to my relief I found that it fit perfectly into the motor mount built into the Tiki 21 bridgedeck by the original builder. This mount is lower than deck level, so the 20" shaft gets the prop well below the waterline and as you can see in the photographs, it does not protrude high above the deck level.

The Nissan/Tohatsu line of outboards come in a 4, 5 and 6 horsepower size, all three of which are the same weight: 55lb.s. I chose the 5 because this size comes with an external fuel tank and line. As I found out long ago on my Hitia 17 with it's 3.3 hp Evinrude, there is nothing more inconvenient than trying to fill a small internal fuel tank when it runs dry in choppy conditions and you end up spilling gasoline all over the engine and the decks. I also wanted forward, neutral and reverse gears, which this engine has, and the quiet, reliability, and fuel economy of a four-stroke.

I found the best price for this engine at www.onlineoutboards.com. I ordered it on Monday and it arrived today, shipped for free via FedEx.

About to be Sailing

The new Jeckells mainsail looks great!

It won't be long now. After all this time I've finally located a place to keep Element in the water on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. It is a great location in the Biloxi area, not at a marina, but secure at a residential dock with easy access to the open waters of the sound and beyond.

Now I'm just finishing up little details like getting the trailer ready to move the boat and putting on a final coat of bottom paint. I'll also order a new outboard and some other gear this week. I'm planning to have a christening on dry land here where I've done the refit this Sunday, then move the boat to the coast to launch as soon as possible after that, depending on my work load and the availability of a couple of friends to help. We'll probably launch off the beach in Biloxi, using the 2-wheeled carts I built to roll the hulls into position across the sand for assembly at the water's edge.

Tiki 21 Interior

I've been asked by readers interested in the Tiki 21 to post some interior shots. There's not much to photograph inside a Tiki 21, but here are a couple of shots I took a few weeks ago after making the canvas storage pockets shown inside the hatches. I'll take some more soon with gear inside, such as sleeping bags, etc. There's lots of storage space under the bunk level in the hulls, as well as extra space forward and aft of the berth area. Each cabin has an open area of 12 linear feet at bunk level between watertight bulkheads.

Port Hull at hatch entrance, showing canvas storage pockets for items like binoculars and handheld VHF radio that need to be accessible yet safe from going overboard.




Looking forward into the port hull berth. The bunk is just wide enough for a standard 22" Thermarest self-inflating air mattress of the type used by backpackers. Loose hatch boards shown in the photo cover storage areas forward and aft. The bunks feel adequate even though narrow, because of the flaring hull sides that slope away from the sleeping position.

The New Age of Sail

If you're a Wharram enthusiast or boatbuilder and you don't already read my other blog: Island Time Online, you'll definately want to check out this latest post: The New Age of Sail

Upcoming Wharram Rendezvous in Florida

I'm passing on the following email I received announcing the upcoming Wharram rendezvous in Hobe Sound, Florida, December 2006. Anyone needing information about this can inquire at this email address: floridawharramrendezvous@hotmail.com

I've deleted the home and cell telephone numbers included in this message since this post is on a public website, but you can get this information by emailing the above address. As of now, I am planning to be there. Whether I take a boat or not depends on whether I find a slip here for Element, or if she is still sitting on the trailer.

Greetings, Wharram Enthusiast!

You are being sent this email because you have expressed interest in
Wharram boats. This email is addressed to our email site, with all other names
going out under “bcc”. This is to ensure that the list remains
confidential. The document is both embedded in the email and provided
as an attachment…whatever works best for you. Same stuff.

You may have called about a Wharram for sale, you may be a member of
the Polynesian Catamaran Association (PCA-Sea People), you may be a Wharram
owner, prior owner or expect to be a future owner, you may be involved
in boats or boating products or services…or, we may have just screwed up
and put your name on the list for no apparent reason.

So, if you like Wharrams and would like to enjoy a weekend with Wharram
owners and enthusiasts, now is your chance!

The 2006 Florida Wharram Rendezvous is scheduled for the first weekend
in December (December 1, 2, 3) in Hobe Sound Florida. Hobe sound is near
Stuart on the Atlantic coast of Florida. We use a wonderful protected
anchorage at Peck Lake on the ICW that is only a few football fields
away from a sandy Atlantic beach.

We expect to have 5 or more Wharrams there. A Tiki 46, a few
Tangaroas, Tiki 26s and possibly others.

The rendezvous is always a fun event…nothing formally planned. Just
good people, nice chats, looking over boats, plans and pictures. Telling
good stories, horror stories and just tall tales. We usually start early
and go late…as long as the conversation is interesting.

Bring your pictures if you can’t bring your boat. If you can’t bring a
boat or pictures, then just bring yourself! We have even been known to
welcome “half boats” (monohulls).

And, there are rumors that we have tipped a few to toast the end of
hurricane season (horrors, no, never, not sailors…and definitely not
Wharram sailors!!!).

Simply stated, we have a lot of fun.

USEFUL INFORMATION:
Information about lodging: Heritage Inn (772-546-3600), Holiday Inn
(772-287-6200), Howard Johnson (772-287-3171), Ramada Inn
(772-287-6900),
Southwind Motel (772-287-0773), Ronny’s RV Ranch (772-287-2730).

Information about airports: Best bets are Palm Beach International or
St. Lucie (Ft. Pierce) International. Of course you can always get there
from Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, Orlando or Jacksonville but the drive is longer.

Information about restaurants: The area has the standard chain
restaurants and some good fish houses as well. However, they all require driving,
some a considerable distance. None are within walking distance. Unless you
have access to a car it is best to plan on bringing your food to the boats
(see below).

Information about other things to do: Since we can’t imagine why you
would want to do anything but enjoy the boats, good people and the nice
weather and water we haven’t included anything in this section. Actually, a
quick internet search will give you a lot of information about what is
available within an easy day’s drive (the zip code for this area is 33455).

Information about food and such (such=drinks!): We ask each person to
bring enough food and drink for themselves for the time they will be here.
Our approach is Dutch-treat, pot-luck.

THE WEATHER:
Yes, it’s Florida and its generally warm during the day. Highs in the
low 80’s is typical….BUT, it also can get into the 40’s-50’s in the
evenings and 20 knots of breeze is not uncommon. That can be a chilly combination.
Bring a pair of long pants and a sweater or hooded parker. Rain gear
is a good thing to have as well. The good news is that it’s the end of
hurricane season…we make no promises but, historically, there haven’t been many
‘canes after the end of November.

GETTING TO US:
Sailing in? We will be anchored in Peck Lake. Daymark 19 south of the
St. Lucie Inlet on the ICW. Latititude N27.06.924, Longitude W80.08.672.
We meet east of the daymark, good depth and good holding. Call Gene Perry
for local knowledge and more information if you need it. Coming by car? We run a dinghy shuttle to the boats from the launch ramp of Jimmie Graham Park. The park is in the town of Hobe Sound. To get to the Park from US Route 1 take Osprey Street East (by the Cumberland Farms Store). Go past the railroad tracks to the end, turn right onto Gomez
Road, ¼ mile to 8557 Gomez. That is the Park. Turn left into the park. Go to
the end of the road. There will be a Wharram sign in the launch ramp
area. The park has lighted boat ramps and docks and parking for trailers and
autos. Overnight parking is allowed. It is free and safe. Free and
clean restrooms too!

Please, call us in advance to come and get you. It takes about 15
minutes to get to the dock from the boats. There are usually a few dinghies available, so the wait will not be long.

WILL WE SAIL?
Maybe, maybe not. Depends on the weather, how many boats are there,
how many people show up, and many other factors. Generally, we have not
taken groups out to sail…but there is always a chance.

MORE INFORMATION:
If you need more information you may call Gene Perry (Tiki 26)
Dan Kunz (Tangaroa 36) Ann and Neville Clements’ (Tiki 46) You can also send a note to this email address. We will monitor e-mails every few days. E-mails will not be monitored from
approximately 7 days just before the event…so please use the phones at that point.

PLEASE PASS THIS INFORMATION ON TO ANYONE ELSE WHOM YOU THINK WOULD BE INTERESTED IN ATTENDING THIS EVENT. THEN FORWARD THEIR EMAIL ADDRESS ON TO US FOR THE MASTER LIST. THE EMAIL LIST WILL ONLY BE USED FOR WHARRAM EVENTS AND INFORMATION…WE WILL NOT GIVE AWAY OR SELL THE LIST. THANKS.

Our special thanks to SOUTHWINDS Magazine for their continued support
of boating and boaters in our beautiful southern waters. A notice of this
event will appear in both the November and December editions of
SOUTHWINDS. Pick up a copy…essential monthly reading for everyone in the South or
those who may eventually want to be in the South.

Hope to see you in December. Fair winds!

Element is Ready to Relaunch

Element assembled, rigged and ready to launch....

Those of you following this blog have probably assumed I've not been working on Element, but in fact I've been steadily plugging away at finishing details, including reinstalling all the hardware after the paint job, replacing and setting up the running rigging, and making some custom canvas items like interior storage pockets and a rear trampoline. The only thing the boat lacks at this point is the outboard engine, which I will be buying shortly before launching. I'm also overhauling the trailer and getting it ready for the trip to the coast, which is at least 2 hours away depending on where I decide to launch.

I would have already been sailing by now if not for the difficulty of finding a place to dock the boat on the Mississippi Gulf coast. Most of the marinas there were destroyed or badly damaged by Katrina, and those that were not are full. I'm on the waiting list at a couple of potential marinas, but so far I have not found a place to dock the boat that is convenient to getting out in the open Gulf. Although the Tiki 21 is a trailerable catamaran, it's not a trailer-sailor in the sense that you can feasibly drive 2 hours, spend about that long assembling it, go sailing for a few hours, then repeat the process in reverse. For me, keeping the boat in the water is the only way to go. I plan to have it set up and fully equipped for multi-day beachcruising adventures, so that when I drive down to the coast to board it, all I'll have to do is load on the food and water for whatever trip I've planned and cast off the lines.

I'm of course getting anxious to sail this boat, so if I don't find an ideal dock space soon, I'll explore the option of a marina in nearby Louisiana or Alabama, where there are more slips available.