AUGUSTUS - GUNBOAT NEWS

PHAEDO'S 427 MILE DAY....
For years we have extolled the daily range of a GUNBOAT. As early as 2002, TRIBE was averaging 270 miles per day offshore, with many days in the 330-385 mile range. We noted that 400 mile days are possible. During the TRANSPAC Race last week, PHAEDO recorded a 427 mile day, and was tracking towards an even bigger day, when....

   
 
GRAVITY STORM
Our hearts go out to the well-prepared and always professional PHAEDO team. According to PHAEDO owner Lloyd Thornburg, who was on the helm at the time, the top of the rig broke off while under a full main and A4 code sail. So ended PHAEDO'S remarkable run at the TRANSPAC Race. PHAEDO was well ahead of the entire TP52 and West Coast sled fleet at the time. The only boats on the course showing better pace were a 100' super-maxi, a turbo-charged Volvo 70, and a lengthened ORMA 60' tri. We may never know the exact reason why PHAEDO's rig succumbed. The crew wisely cut it away to preserve PHAEDO's hulls. She is the only GUNBOAT that chose to utilize PBO rigging. While it can reduce windage and save weight, it's track record for reliability would not be regarded as the best today. The manner of the rig's loss, in our opinion, is consistent with the failure of a windward diamond shroud. All GUNBOAT's today are specified with aramid shrouds and carbon diamond stays, which reflect industry best practices at this time. We salute Lloyd and his PHAEDO team for pushing so hard in so many epic races. PHAEDO is our cover girl, and has helped reset expectations of what an all-carbon world cruising GUNBOAT can achieve. We know PHAEDO's awesome team will rise again, and will be even more impressive when she returns!

 

MED DEGREES

 

 We are getting great reports from ZENYATTA, TIGER LILY, LAGUZ, and PANTHERA as they explore the Mediterranean Sea this season. These stories make our hearts sing as we watch these beautiful GUNBOATs deliver on their promise of world cruising in luxury at speed. ZENYATTA plans to enter the ARC Rally from the Canaries to St Lucia. TIGER LILY is thumbing a ride on Dock-Wise to make the fall season in New England. PANTHERA will keep cruising wherever her young family's heart desires. And LAGUZ plans to winter in the Med. Delivering these dreams keeps us fired up every day!


BATTAILE STATIONS 

 

 Lauren Battaile has left her career in the wine industry on the West Coast to be stationed at GUNBOAT as the new marketing manager. Lauren studied marketing as an undergrad, and applied those talents to two brands before joining us. A noted foodie and wine expert, she and her family are lifelong sailors from North Carolina. Lauren will be focused on traditional and social media, events, pr, shows and sales support. She will work closely with Meg Minetree, our sales director, and Peter Johnstone. This edition is Lauren's first effort. Welcome aboard!



WEEKNIGHT GUNBOAT CLASS RACING  

 

Tuesday and Thursday night saw the first ever weeknight beer-can racing between GUNBOATs. TRIBE's owner organized the series with the help of Indian Harbor Yacht Club in Greenwich, CT. ELVIS and SLIM joined the host on the water. Winds were light, and racing was tight between the GUNBOATs racing on short courses, and in some cases through other yacht club races. The sight of three large cats towering over all other boats along the Connecticut shoreline led to several spectator boats following the fleet. Dave, the mate on ELVIS, employed his mass aloft on a halyard in a pseudo Spiderman wrecking ball technique to get ELVIS' battens to tack in the lighter winds. A big thank you to TRIBE's owner and Indian Harbor Yacht Club for a very special two nights. Thursday featured a barbecue for the GUNBOAT owners and crew at Indian Harbor's Sunfish bar and patio. These very special evenings show signs of growing. Upwards of seven GUNBOATs may be on the line in Long Island Sound in 2014! www.gunboat.com
 
FALCOR REFIT: THE SERVICE YARD IS LIVE

 

The new ramp at GUNBOAT's yard is proving to be a great addition. Owner Travis Rice sailed into town and left his beloved GUNBOAT 48 in our care for his snowboarding season. When he returns, he will find a spruced up eight year old GUNBOAT in new condition and ready for Travis' loop of the Pacific. CREAM is expected later this year, and up to three other GUNBOATs expect to get service at our NC yard in the coming months. More to come.

FLOW'S A GO!
 

The gorgeous new GUNBOAT 60 is completing sea trials, and will begin her delivery journey to the East Coast USA imminently. The best laid plans are to have her at the US Sailboat Show in Annapolis in October.

GUNBOAT 55-05 EMERGES, 55-06 STARTS & 60-05 INFUSES 

 The NC team led by Aaron Croswait pulled GUNBOAT 55-05 from the gorgeous female tooling this past week. The outer skins of 55-06 are already in the mold. Paul Hakes reports the successful infusion of GUNBOAT 60-05. GUNBOAT 60-04 had her decks installed. Production is on a roll!

GUNBOAT ENDLESS SUMMER NEWS

GUNBOAT G4 

 

GUNBOAT expects to announce the new 40' GUNBOAT G4 imminently. Aimed at coastal cruising, weekends, daysailing and racing, the GUNBOAT G4 breaks new ground and redefines what sailing can be. Included will be everything you need, and set aside, will be everything you don't need. Innovations abound. We are thrilled to be nearing announcement with all details soon!  Please contact Meg Minetree if you would like to be included in future notifications on this series: meg@gunboat.com.

 

GUNBOAT WEATHER SEMINAR

This past weekend, GUNBOAT hosted a Weather Seminar for GUNBOAT 55 Owners and families at the College of the Ablemare in Manteo, NC. Bill Biewenga, a four time Whitbread/Volvo Race veteran (and winner) led the two-day session. Bill is one of the foremost weather gurus in the offshore world with his own book, DVD, and North U courses. With 400,000 miles offshore, Bill has seen just about everything. Eighteen attendees were immersed in advanced offshore weather teaching. GUNBOAT held a Friday evening welcome dinner at La Dolce Vita, and the gang gathered at Peter Johnstone's home for a Wanchese tuna cookout on Saturday. "Keeping our owners safe, and giving them confidence is critical. We will be offering these advanced weather seminars every 6-8 months. Every owner will receive advanced boat handling training as we have always done during sea trials," stated Meg Minetree, Director of Sales.  www.gunboat.com
 

FLOW TESTING

 William Jelbert, the GUNBOAT 60 project manager, announced the 'soft launch' of FLOW into the test pool at the yard. "We like to test all systems while afloat in the yard's pool before launching. Results look excellent and we expect to launch FLOW this coming week." Once again, the GUNBOAT Team at Hudson Yachts has delivered a gorgeous result. We look forward to reporting on sea trials in the coming weeks.   www.gunboat.com
 

HAIL TO THE CHIEF

Bruce Hopkins joins GUNBOAT as Chief Financial Officer. "It was time to bring in someone of Bruce's caliber," remarked founder Peter Johnstone. For the past 15 years, Bruce has been an industry leading CFO at two renown Maine boat builders, Lyman Morse and Hodgkin Yachts. After 30 years in Maine, Bruce and his wife Kate have made the move to North Carolina. "We're excited to be here. GUNBOAT is thriving, and we're looking forward to being able to sail in warm weather for six months out of the year, rather than six weeks!"  www.gunboat.com


 

GUNBOAT MARINA AND SERVICE YARD

GUNBOAT expects to close a deal to purchase the marina and yard a few hundred yards South of the GUNBOAT facility in Wanchese, NC. Included in the purchase are two piers and development rights to a third pier. When completed, the GUNBOAT marina will have dockage for up to 14 Gunboats. The gravel yard enables up to six hauled GUNBOATs, and features the brand new 40' wide ramp for launching and hauling via hydraulic trailer. The GUNBOAT Marina will be the base for all service activities, commissioning and sea trials. www.gunboat.com
 

ART GUNBOAT

Meredith and Nils Erickson's painting of the GUNBOAT 62 ZENYATTA on the Horta harbor wall deserves special mention. Many GUNBOATS have celebrated their successful Trans-Atlantic passages with a stopover at Horta in the Azores with a beautiful painting on the wall. The creativity of the ZENYATTA painting stands above all. Few people realize that the GUNBOAT logo is based on an aerial photo of TRIBE's bows. The ZENYATTA painting perfectly captures the spirit of the logo. Well done Meredith and Nils!  www.gunboat.com

 

 

HIRED GUN!

There must something in the water at GUNBOAT these days, as it continues to attract top industry talent. Frank Edwards joins GUNBOAT as our Production Engineer. Operations Manager Dan Bottjen remarked, "This is a real coup for GUNBOAT. Frank is the best I have seen at production engineering. He comes across from Hattaras Yachts, where he was a key person for 20 years, most recently running their design and engineering teams." Frank will be a key asset in further refining the Gunboat production set-up and organization.

 

FALCOR: FIRST GUNBOAT CUSTOMER!

   RED BULL extreme snowboarder Travis Rice arrives this week on his GUNBOAT 48 FALCOR. Her GUNBOAT service stop will prepare her for an intended circuit of the Pacific in 2014 that will include film work for Travis' next movie production, MIGRATIONS, to follow up on his epic snowboard movie FLIGHT.

  
 

GUNBOAT HALL INSPECTION  

  

Henry Maxwell, along with assistance from owners Eric and Ben Hall, gave GUNBOAT the full tour of Hall Spars at their flagship Bristol, RI facility last week. With the first two GUNBOAT 55 spar packages nearly complete, the tour, of course, featured GUNBOAT work in every area. We are really happy to welcome Hall to our team, and to have such a world-class vendor so close to our NC production facility!