Curious about the tornado. See some around reasonably priced. Interested in the good and bad about these boats.
How much do they weigh? How do they handle heavy crew weight? Are they good in light winds? What does it take
to right them and any other real world info would be appreciated. I am aware of the wide beam and dealing with them over the road.
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Pete Knapp
Schodack landing,NY
Goodall Viper,AHPC Viper,Nacra I20
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pros and cons of a tornado
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Posted: Sep 08, 2012 - 07:20 AM
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Posted: Sep 08, 2012 - 01:35 PM
That's a real softball, Peter ! I have 5, why?, cause for the money, you can't find a better boat. The Tornado Sport with double trap, sq top main, self tacking jib, & spinnaker obsoleted all the old classics with two sails. Portsmouth # of Sport is 59 similar to F-18's, N-20. Portsmouth of classic is 63.9 still pretty fast. All up weight is 375, 45 #'s lighter than H-18. The centerboards sure makes it easy to come into the beach. My Sport (an Olympic contender) came with 16 sails, so I have some nice Glasers & Smyth's for the old classics. I like the woodies as they're dry, look good, and seem fairly stiff. Obviously light weight of crew helps and they're great single handers in light winds. I have put extrusions on several of mine for a front tramp for family sail--nice to have only two back of the main beam. Jury still out on righting. Capsized once in La Paz & flew to the top dagger I was so hyper. Bounced mast on water, until a passing fisherman came by & lifted mast up a little whereupon I righted it (135 #'s) & flew back on tramp never getting wet. Have a righting pole now, but haven't used it. Plan some practice sessions next weekend as my 17 yr old daughter will be skipper from now on. Played a dirty trick on my neighbor last year. Paul has a Corsair 24 & loves it. So I told him he could use one of my woodies if he stored trailer in his yard. Two sails on Tornado & one more on Corsair & Corsair is for sale! Pete -
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Posted: Sep 08, 2012 - 03:41 PM
Thanks for the response. I kinda guessed that would be your opinion. I have also been keeping tabs on
an Prindle 18-2 in really nice shape. It is missing the jib and he just dropped his price to 2K on galvanized
trailer. Not sure that this will be a big enough step up over the H18.
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Pete Knapp
Schodack landing,NY
Goodall Viper,AHPC Viper,Nacra I20
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Posted: Sep 08, 2012 - 04:58 PM
I would highly recommend it. Considerably lighter & faster and 6" wider. Easier to move around on the beach. Pete -
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Posted: Sep 08, 2012 - 08:30 PM
I have both of these boats available right now. Which one would you go with Pete?
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Pete Knapp
Schodack landing,NY
Goodall Viper,AHPC Viper,Nacra I20
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Posted: Sep 08, 2012 - 09:24 PM
If you can keep the Tornado on the beach, mast up, it's no contest. But launching from the tilt trailer is an extra step you don't need. The 18-2 would be easier to use if you have to travel, and it's an upgrade from H-18. The liveliness of the 375 # Tornado is compelling though. Make sure at least 6 or 7:1 Harkens and 8:1 downhaul and be sure traveler is good. Some older ones with plastic rollers need upgrades. Pete -
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Posted: Sep 08, 2012 - 10:16 PM
What pete says, the 18-2 is essentially a shorter narrower tornado. Both are awesome fast boats. The tornado is faster and the extra foot and a half of beam makes it even more so. Still one of the best designs ever made.
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Dave Bonin
1981 Nacra 5.2 "Lucile"
1986 Nacra 5.7 "Belle"
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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Posted: Sep 09, 2012 - 09:24 PM
I had a ride a few years ago on a Tornado. That boat flat out hauled balls. No two ways about it. If it were not for the tilt issue, I would already own one.
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82 Hobie 18 Alter Signature Model. (The Cisco Squid) Complete refit down to the rivets in 2012.
81 H-16
Rescue California
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Posted: Sep 10, 2012 - 05:12 AM
an 18 square on a beach with the mast up would be a boat to consider. unirig and fast.
marcs2
Edited by marcs2 on Sep 10, 2012 - 05:12 AM. -
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Posted: Sep 10, 2012 - 07:13 AM
I sailed on a 10' beam this weekend for the first time (on a mystere 6.0xl) in 20-25 and it was amazing. The extra 18" made a huge difference when we got a gust over 25. i helmed it a lot and it was no harder to helm than any 6.0.
on the fliip side, when the wind is light.. the extra beam does not help -
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Posted: Sep 10, 2012 - 04:40 PM
Posts like that just feed my addiction. Any tips on what to look for when buying a tornado and tips
on how to break one down to tow home on a standard cat trailer?
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Pete Knapp
Schodack landing,NY
Goodall Viper,AHPC Viper,Nacra I20
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Posted: Sep 11, 2012 - 11:16 PM
Start checking in on the Yahoo Tornado group regularly, and feel free to ask questions there as well, there are some very knowledgable guys there that are always helpful. Wood boats can be light and stiff if in good condition. Some were homebuilt. so try and get a feel for weight. The classic Ts have a jib and pinhead main, often dacron, and if old, probably stretched out and too much draft. Later model Sports added a second trapeze, squaretop main, spinnaker(best with a snuffer), and a more sophisticated mast and mainsail controls. Marstrom boats were/are high quality construction. Boat condition is the most important consideration for me, and is a big factor in the price. Make sure you can determine what might be missing, replacing equipment is expensive. Consider the condition of the sails, how many seasons you might get out of them before needing expensive new ones. This boat is most practical if you can safely leave it rigged mast up somewhere. Trailering and launching with a tilt trailer is a noticably bigger deal than with an 8' wide boat, and breaking down the boat for trailering will get old quickly. Because the T has lost its Olympic status, the value of late model boats have dropped significantly relative to the technology/performance offered, as serious racers move to more active classes. So if you have the cash for a newer boat it'd be a great value. With older boats, the value is more dependent on condition, and your ability to asess that. Good luck, it's an awesome machine!
Dave
Stealth F16
Bimare F18 HT
18 square
ARC 22
Flight Risk, custom 24' -
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Posted: Sep 12, 2012 - 12:47 PM
Many good points brought up so far ... I ownded an 87 Sailcraft for about 6 years ... prior to that I had the Prindle 19 MX ... the Tornado is in a totally different league ... AWESOME AWESOME BOAT .. fast, stable and forgiving. I sailded it solo many times from Los Angeles out to catalina island. The one thing I would like to add..... parts are readily available for the P-18 .... for the Tornado .. you will have to have patience and creativity.
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Posted: Sep 12, 2012 - 04:43 PM
The boat that I am ready to pull the trigger on is a 1976 fiberglass one. How do I know who made it?
The boat is stored indoors and has not been used much the last few years. I do have mast up storage but there are a few races that I would like to take it to. Any tips on what to look for would be appreciated.
Saturday I take the 4 hr trip to see it.
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Pete Knapp
Schodack landing,NY
Goodall Viper,AHPC Viper,Nacra I20
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Posted: Sep 12, 2012 - 05:22 PM
Go to TornadoCat@yahoogroups.com and ask for Geoff or Mike Dobbs, they know these boats inside and out, and workedor owned Sailcraft of Canada that made Tornados in this period. They'll have all the answers to your questions, and help you determine a good value when you see one.
With any fiberglass boat of this vintage, rap on the hulls all over to located possible soft spots or delaminations. Beware of boats that will suck lots of time and money. It's always cheaper to hold out for a boat in good condition and pay a little more. Unless you have great composite skills and a backyard full of spare cat parts.
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Posted: Sep 12, 2012 - 06:01 PM
Thanks Dave just joined the group.
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Pete Knapp
Schodack landing,NY
Goodall Viper,AHPC Viper,Nacra I20
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Posted: Sep 14, 2012 - 03:03 PM
I was doing some reading on the Tornado,(the gentleman who owns the sail loft/sailing supply store close to me won a gold medal in the Olympics sailing Tornado's) as I thought it might be the next step up.
I came across a piece that claimed they do 17-18 upwind & 33+ reaching.
I know they are fast, but can a 20 Cat really be that fast?
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Hobie 18 Magnum
Dart 15
Mystere 6.0XL Sold Was a handful solo
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Posted: Sep 15, 2012 - 08:55 AM
They are STILL one of the fastest cats ever made. I think the only 20' or smaller boast with a lower portsmouth rating are Marstrom 20 and the Nacra 20 Carbon. Mr. March knew what he was doing in 67!
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Dave Bonin
1981 Nacra 5.2 "Lucile"
1986 Nacra 5.7 "Belle"
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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Posted: Sep 15, 2012 - 08:59 AM
Fast Fun Furious Boat :) Major grins sailing a T
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85 Prindle 16
"If you aint the lead dog the view never changes"
North Carolina
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Posted: Sep 15, 2012 - 11:49 AM
Well a modern sport rig is not exactly a 1967 design is it?
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Greenville SC
Offering sails and other go fast parts for A-class catamarans
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