GUNBOAT GO MARCHING ON

MOONWAVE IN PHUKET AND SE ASIA 

The gorgeous new GUNBOAT 60 MOONWAVE recently enjoyed a cruise from Singapore, through the Malacca Straits, to Phuket, Thailand. Meg Minetree and Peter Johnstone from GUNBOAT checked in on MOONWAVE and were honored with a visit from Bob & Margie Guthrie, the owners of GUNBOAT 60-04. MOONWAVE basked during a 3000-mile check-up and will continue her cruising with owners onboard in SE Asia. MOONWAVE is available for charter beginning in April. www.moonwave.com PUT A LID ON IT!! GUNBOAT's major composites team leader Aaron Croswait reports that GUNBOAT 55-01's all carbon deck infused like a dream. Aaron leads our team of highly skilled composite boat builders in our North Carolina yard. All members have been skillfully trained by composites legend Phil Steggall, who you might recall from his OSTAR professional sailing days. GUNBOAT expects the best from its craftsmen and this team delivers! www.gunboat.com 

TERESA THOMPSON JOINS GUNBOAT 

Joining GUNBOAT's finance and administrative team is Teresa Thompson. Teresa, a Manteo local and avid lover of Jazz Music, chose GUNBOAT over other offers in the über-competitive NC job market. She has over twenty years of outside industry experience in both the corporate and private sector, including having worked with Fortune 500 companies such as Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc., CIGNA, CHD Merdian Healthcare, Snap-on-Tools and Hospira Worldwide, Inc. Teresa beams, "I am excited and looking forward to utilizing my broad skills and knowledge in the areas of Administration, Accounting and Human Resources in assisting Gunboat with achieving their goals and directives." And we are lucky to have her! Before joining GUNBOAT, Teresa made her mark at the North Carolina State Ferry Maintenance facility. She brings brightness to the office and wealth of knowledge to our team. 

PHAEDO BLASTS AROUND THE RORC CARIBBEAN 600 

PHAEDO completed the 600-mile race in 50 ½ hours. She was 2nd Multihull and 5th to finish Overall. Finishing on the heels of the Irens 63' tri Paradox, the 100' cant keel maxi ICAP, the JV72' Bella Mente, and the RP 112' Nilaya, PHAEDO gave them a run for their money. Behind PHAEDO were various superyachts: a Swan 90, two RP 78's, a Tripp 75', two 90'+ maxis, and a host of other grand prix keelboats. Well done to owner-driver Lloyd Thornberg, Captain Paul Hand, multihull legend Brian Thompson, 'Robo' and the PHAEDO Team!! GUNBOAT is proud of what you have achieved!! caribbean600.rorc.org 

UPBEAT ABOARD PANTHERA 1400 MILES TO WINDWARD. 'LET'S DO THIS!' 

After a successful Miami Show for the GUNBOAT Team, GUNBOAT 66 PANTHERA left Miami headed for the St Maarten Heineken Regatta with an ominous, week-long forecast of SE winds. Captain Chris Bailet reports that the wind has been on the nose at over 20 knots since departure, "It might take us a day longer to get there than we planned...." 1400 miles to windward in any other sailboat is un-imaginable. Yet Chris's tone remained upbeat. On a GUNBOAT, such a passage can be summed up as, "Let's do this!" 

DUAL PURPOSE YACHTS! BACK INTO WORLD CRUISING MODE 

 Captain Paul Hand reports that PHAEDO is going back into world cruising mode for a transit of the Panama Canal and leisurely cruise up the West Coast of the Americas. PHAEDO will be in St Maarten with her sister-ships during the GUNBOAT CLASS at the Heineken Regatta where her cruising gear and stores will be loaded back aboard, post-Caribbean 600. SLIM REGROUPS AFTER CARIBBEAN 600 Our heart goes out to the GUNBOAT 66 SLIM. She took the lead on the first leg of the multihull class at the RORC Caribbean 600 race. Captain Travis McGarry nailed the start and left the higher profile PHAEDO and PARADOX teams with their heads spinning. In hopes of reducing weight even further than what Gunboat already delivers, SLIM's crew chose to have her outfitted with new, custom, lightweight rudders. Upon rounding Green Island at the Eastern end of Antigua, Team SLIM set their screecher for their blast across to Barbuda. But within minutes, both of their new, custom-ordered rudders exploded from the 20+ knot speeds. Alas, SLIM was forced to retire and limp back to port. SLIM's team is top notch and deserves the best. We know that this is not the last we've seen of this GUNBOAT 66 and expect a very different outcome in future races. 

GATHERING OF THE GUNBOAT CLAN 

The coming week in St Maarten is building to be a gathering of the GUNBOAT clan. Racing in the GUNBOAT CLASS at the Heineken Regatta will be GUNBOAT 62's TRIBE & ELVIS, and GUNBOAT 66's COCO DE MER, PANTHERA & TIGER LILY. Several other GUNBOATs will also be at St Maarten, participating in various roles. PHAEDO will prepare for her cruising trip through the Panama Canal, SLIM will regroup after her Caribbean 600 race, ZENYATTA will support another GUNBOAT, and we hope to catch up with LAGUZ while she is cruising these waters. GUNBOAT SIGHTINGS & 

YOUR GUNBOAT TALES See a GUNBOAT? 

Take a picture and send it to us with your name, address, and where you saw it. We'll send you a GUNBOAT hat! If you have a good GUNBOAT story with a photo, send it in, and we will send you a GUNBOAT belt. meg@gunboat.com