Thomas Crown catamarans

Where's Randy? Does he not visit this board? Can't he or one of the other guys (there were many counting both boats) who ware on the cats tell us?

I dont know much about bigger cats and was amazed at these racks (on the cat) but have found others in use...

It was Tommy Gonzalez.

Awhile back I had dinner with Art Stevens, who gave me some inside to this movie. Art owned one of the 40's at the time, that was chartered to the movie. Art's son towed the boat to Ct from California and assisted with the sailing crews. According to Art, Pierce went out to the boats on the water took one look, and said back to the beach. All of his scenes were blue screened.

Not going to mess up the face

. Randy could confirm, but I was told he was not within 100 miles of the boats. No way he was on the rack.

Yes it was Rick Bliss. As I recall, they did several weeks of filming and everyone were disappointed with the short scene in the end. The boat was on hydraulics in blue screen for the first flip and then on th water the plan was that only the stunt men were trained enough to flip it. According to my recollection, the stunt men got too scared to push it over and the cat sailors stepped on and did the dirty work. Also from recollection, that was the first time one of these

prosail

boats ever flipped.

I also had the privlege to flip a cat with the sister copy of this Roy Siemen's rack. It was on a Worrell-1000, heavily modified Nacra 6.0: 4ft taller mast, 4.5ft wider boat, rhino extensions on the bows to try to keep them floating, and the 13ft Siemen's rack on each side. This boat was usually first for DNF. I think it was HoggsBreath 1999-- the guy on the rack has a wild ride. The rack adjusts up-down and forward back. This means it also twists easy. It is only stable when you are at the very end when your weight is precisely under the ladder spreader-- even then it never feels ok. BTW, you cannot drive from the rack-- the skipper might sit on the first few feet like a couch-style Hobie, but usually does old-school Tornado style) Plus, when boat flattens to two hulls quickly, you are 13ft out on the end and take a massive teabag with little to hang onto or any easy way to keep you head up.

On day 2 of this race, we got off to a good start. Jack was excited and powering up the main. I was very nearly to my stable position, but not quite. I would estimate speed of 15Knots to windward when the bow buried. With so much weight and mast, you must release the jib to save it. Unfortunately, the oxen blocks (normal ratchets could not be controlled from 24ft away) required that I pull back strongly and this was only possible when I was in the only stable position and feet on a cross member of the rack. So, I watched as the bow stuffs and we cartwheel. I am 24ft from the water at the end of this high speed cartwheel and was catapulted far ahead of the boat. Rick White on RC unfortunately never got a picture. When we righted the boat, we found sand on the bows (we were in 8+ft of water), cracked beams, and the racks were a twisted mess of aluminum.

What a ride. It is really a shame that such crazy boats are out of fashion. They were a blast.

Matt Mayfield

I did

The Down the Bay Race

for a number of years ... there were two of those beasts I believe both sponsered out of Virginia Beach ... Rudie's & Alexanders ... impressive ... but always breaking, Rick Bliss was skipper on one of the boats ... I can not remember which ... I haven't seen Rick since the 02'Statue Race w/ his Yellow N6.0NA (follow the Yellow 6.0) That would make sense that it was him on the rack. Rick taught me somethings I still follow to this day !!! And one of those bar/resturants made a

blue

drink that I called the Tidy Bowl drink .... I don't remember much after just one ....

Another reason to keep that movie on my

favorites list

HarryMurphey
TheMightyHobie18/P19MX

RUDEE'S RUCKUS

1/2 oz. vodka
1/2 oz rum
1/2 oz gin
1/2 oz blue Curaçao
1 oz. sour mix
1 oz pineapple juice
Top with 1/2 oz 151 Rum

Serve over ice.

Top with 1/2oz. 151, and light a match! <img src=

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So it was at Rudie's ....

And to think I drank that !!!

Next time I'm in Va Beach I'll have to go and drink another ... To LEE QUEENSBERRY and his

Red Shorts

. I seem to remember him in the "posse' that night also ... but it is fuzzy ...

Sail Flat, Sail Fast
HarryMurphey
TheMightyHobie18/P19MX

Harry

And it just occured to me ... John McLaughlin drank TWO ........... I think .... awfully fuzzy, awfully fuzzy ....

Harry