The boat was custom designed by Mark Ellis to my specifications, and built by Jim Betts Enterprises (hull, deck, structure) and Bruckmann Yachts (interior, systems, finish). The project started in 2003 and the first sail was in Sept of 2008, though the first real cruised was in July of 2009. The design of the unusual cat yawl rig is from my own ideas in collaboration with Ellis, Ted Van Dusen (the spar maker), and Robbie Doyle (the sailmaker). All the odd details (dodger, dinghy garage, deck hardware, telescoping sprit pole, etc.) are my own fault. Stated home port is San Francisco, California; however she was finished at Bruckmann near Toronto and last season we cruised up the lakes to the North Channel of Lake Huron and back, this year the plan is to go out the St. Lawerence to the Atlantic and down to Maine. It may take several years to get back to California.

The only major change to the design after the first sail was shortening the mizzen boom. As originally drawn ti overhung the transom so far as to be inaccessible without a service barge. Also it proved to be plenty big enough to do its job (steering, primarily, though it will add measurably to speed even upwind), so over the 2008-2009 Winter I shortened the mizzen boom by three feet - the exact measurement was determined by me leaning out over the pushpit as far as I could and sticking a piece of tape on the boom - "cut here". Doyle recut the sail to match, no small trick on a string sail! Everything else has worked more or less as was planned, probably the biggest surprise is how powerful the rig is: it is fully powered up in 12 knots true close hauled, we can maintain about 2 knots in 3 knots true. I am right now figuring out how to permanently rig the 3rd reef - I had not thought this would be routinely necessary, but in around 22 - 25 knots close hauled I really need it to slow the boat down as it will be going 7+ knots into the associated seaway which I have found to be lacking in comfort.

Dimensions:

LOA: 45'
LWL: 41'
Beam: 13.5'
Draft: 6.5'
Displacement: 29,000 lbs
Rig: cat yawl with rotating mainmast and hydraulic pusher vang, all unstayed carbon fiber
Sail area upwind: Main 960, Mizzen 220, 1180 total
Sail area downwind: 2400 including asymmetric and mizzen staysail
Sails: Doyle Vectran Stratis laminate square head
Hull and deck: vacuum bagged epoxy, E-glass, Corecell with carbon reinforcements
Interior: Cherry veneer over vacuum bagged cored composite panels
Engine: Volvo D2 75 horsepower saildrive

At the seawall in Hamilton, ON:

The mainsail is quite powerful:

This gives an idea how far the rig may be rotated - allows reefing the main nearly dead down wind:

One of many mockups made during construction to work out the details of the rotating rig: