Tahiti Ketch

[Jim Lambton]

Looking for plans to J.Hanna's Tahiti Ketch, 30' LOD, trad constr., orig published 1920-30's, first as Neptune then as Tahiti in Modern Mechanix, also Tahiti II, 32'LOD, and any other info, anecdotes etc. Thanks Jim

[Art Read]

As for "anecdotes", all I can offer is second hand hearsay. Usually from folks who've sailed long passages on them. They gained quite a following years ago with cruising types who considered very heavy, full keeled boats the "only" type for safe, long range cruising. I don't think anyone would deny they are seaworthy, but attitudes have changed a lot regarding good cruising "qualities" since then. Most references I hear in regards to these boats now concern their sailing abilities. They are reputed to be rather sluggish. Not very fast in anything less than very fresh breeze and won't sail upwind too well. Now remember, I've never sailed one myself, but I'd sure want to at least go for a sail on one before starting to cut wood to build one! (If I've offended any Tahiti owners/lovers out there, feel free to jump in and contradict me... They certainly have a lot of character and I hate to say bad things about ANY boat!)

[AndyFarquhar]

The Tahiti Ketch has been one of my favorites also. They seem incredibly seaworthy. Also, comfort and safety are more important to me than speed.

If I remember correctly, in his 100 Rigs, Phil Bolger says that the Tahiti was one of the more idiot proof boats. I think that he recommended changing the mizzen to a sprit-boom from the gaff as designed.

I think that the plans appeared in Modern Mechanics in the 30s. The Philadelphia Free Library has Modern Mechanics on microfilm, and I've always meant to spend an afternoon looking for the right issue.

Unfortunately, they also have Rudder magazine and I spend so much time staring into old issues of Rudder that I forget to pull Modern Mechanics. I think that the blue-grey glare of the microfilm viewer affects my memory - actually, it's my form of meditation - I've just about reached Nirvana.

Regards

Andy Farquhar

[htom]

www.google.com (http://www.google.com) , use "hanna tahiti ketch" as the search string. A couple of people have pages with tales of them, and there are some pages with pointers to indexes of plans, etc.

[Bayboat]

I guess my reaction to the Tahiti ketch is about like Art Read's--I really don't like to bad-mouth any legitimate design, and the Tahiti is certainly legitimate. I've sailed on a couple of them, and seen and heard of a lot of others. They have a reputation as good live-aboards for their size; a family of five with three teenagers lived on one for several years at Berkeley Yacht Harbor. But I must say they are among the most sluggish sailers I have ever experienced. Not just slow, but close to moribund in any breeze less than about 20 knots. An old friend of mine sailed his Tahiti from Oahu to Portland, Oregon back in the 1940's. That voyage took 55 days! That must be close to the slow record for any boat near that size. He took some amateur movies, and the dominant theme was incessant bobbing up and down. I thought my slowest voyage from the Islands to the Coast was REALLY dogging it (43' cutter, 25 days from Kauai to San Francisco in 1947). My best time out of five voyages was 18 days (48' racing yawl, Kauai to Santa Barbara, helped along by three storms and almost following the rhumb line). But 55 days of bouncing up and down...!!
Well, maybe you don't plan offshore voyaging, just want comfort and adequate living space for the size. You'll get those from a Tahiti all right. As for safety, in a tight spot I would rather be aboard something that has a good deal better maneuverability.
I recognize that my remarks won't sit well with Tahiti lovers, and I admit my bias, which results from years of meter-boat and measurement-class racing. I guess it's really not fair to compare a Tahiti with my old 22 square meter.

[noquiklos]

I'm with Bayboat on this one. I have, on several occasions, sailed rings around a friend's Tahiti ketch in our Eldredge-McInnis 32' cruising sloop, which was designed at about the same time, in winds from 5-20 knots. She's a real slug, and not as roomy as mine, nor as comfortable in a seaway.
Too heavy, not enough sail area, and a real tubby hull shape add up to one of the worst performing boats of her size I've ever sailed.
Salty looking, though.
Roy

[peter s]

Interesting if not complimentary comments....much as I have heard,but how do people think the Tahitis compare to Billy Aitkin's 32' double enders....Thistle ,Eric and the other similar designs ?

[noquiklos]

I've sailed an Eric Jr. Nice boat, with more shape, firmer bilge and finer lines than Tahiti. Much better, though I'm not a big fan of double enders.
Roy

[ishmael]

All anecdotes, since I've never sailed any of these designs. I've heard that all those negative comments about the Tahiti are true, from people who've sailed on or around (literally) them.

RE the Atkins designs. Seems to me, one of them, perhaps the Thistle is a very direct ancestor of the Westsail 32. Might be worh looking for a Westsail owner's group. As Roy says, s'posed to be a bunch better, though still no racing machine.

What are you planning/dreaming about doing with the boat?

Via Con Dios, Jack

[Charlie J]

That's the boat we heard referred to as the "Wetsnail 32" when I was living aboard. Pretty though.

[AndyFarquhar]

The Tahiti is notoriously slow. I have seen them with topsails and forestaysails. Doesn't seem in keeping with the lifestyle. I think it would be easier to just turn on the engine and motorsail. Or even better, stop hurrying.