Schooner FAME

[Carl Cramer]

On this week's My Wooden Boat of the Week, we present a video link of last weekend's McNish Classic.

Starring the 102 year-old schooner FAME.

What do you think?

http://boats.woodenboat.com

[Willin']

Nice video of a well run boat (not a single raised voice), but I have to marvel at DC's comment that she'd be overpowered in 9 knots of breeze. It can and often will pipe up to way more than that by the end of the race. They were lucky to have such good conditions for such a small boat.

[Thad]

Doesn't know how to reef, and look at that rig! Staysail, masthead. Not the way I think of FAME, but good!!! to see her sailing.

[John B]

Changed a lot in the last couple of years since her rebuild hasn't she.

[Paul Pless]

America's Greatest Sailor?

[Paul Pless]

I don't get the whole stay sail thing on such a small boat.

[John B]

Staysail schooners superceded the alternatives for a reason and many gaff schooners were converted to staysail schooners for the same.

[johnw]

I don't get the whole stay sail thing on such a small boat.

I'm guessing he cared more about windward performance than about an authentic rebuild.

[rbgarr]

Eleven people in the crew? Crowninshield designed that boat so he could singlehand her.

[johnw]

But then, he designed her as a gaff schooner.

[snow(Alan H)]

The below was posted on the CYA NZ forum

"While I was in San Diego last month some of the lads were talking about fame (The guys working on Therapy were responsible for restoring DC's Cotton Blossom). She has been put together pretty quickly, splined with fibreglass rope and sheathed. It's a controversial technique lots of the So Cal boats have had applied to them. Unfortunately Dennis pulled the new gaff rig out after a few races and has fitted a carbon j105 main. A long way from Crowninshieds original plans but at least she was saved from the scrap heap - she got very very close by all accounts"

[Brian Palmer]

America's Greatest Sailor?

I had the same question. I think he has to be put behind at least Ken Read, who has had a pretty impressive performance as skipper of Puma Ocean Racing in the last Volvo Ocean Race.

Brian

[rbgarr]

Ah well, time marches on: carbon fiber spars, roller furling, winches, solid vangs.She was so pretty as originally rigged. Not so much now: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fb...type=3&theater

A beautiful daysailer turned into something else, not unlike the way the Watch Hill Fifteens have been 'upgraded' from this

http://www.jamiebloomquist.com/ArtisanWatchHill/#

to this



A year or so back Fame's new owners had an online contest and the winner got a day sail aboard the boat. I won (the contest wasn't hard) but now I'm not all that eager to sail aboard her, not that I'd be going to San Diego anytime soon anyhow. And I LIKE staysail schooners! They have their place!

But, gift horse and all that....

[Bob Cleek]

Ah, isn't being part of the "One Percent" grand?

[John B]

I blurred past any 'greatest sailor ' reference and of course thats a silly thing to say and a bit short sighted in the context of time in my opinion, but if there were a list in no particular order of the greatest sailors, DC would be on it.

[Brian Palmer]

A list of DC's accomplishments from Wicki:

• 4-time winner, America's Cup Race, 1974, 1980, 1987 and 1988
• Inductee, America's Cup Hall of Fame
• Captain, two Whitbread Round-the-World races (see Volvo Ocean Race)
• 28 World Championships
• Three-time winner, U.S. Yachtsman of the Year: 1975, 1980, 1986^[3]
• Seven-time winner, San Diego Yachtsman of the Year
• Olympic Bronze Medal winner, 1976
• 4 Southern Ocean Racing Cups
• 2 Congressional Cups
• 1987 ABC Wide World of Sports Athlete of the Year
• U.S. Sailing Hall of Fame
• Maxi yacht racing, including Condor

I stand corrected. It is a pretty impressive resume.

Brian

[Paul Pless]

She was so pretty as originally rigged.

From my 'schooner porn' thread. . .

[Paul G.]

To me it looks like they added 1/2 a boat in front of the main mast, so much for aesthetics, but she must sail well.

[rbgarr]

Ouch. They chopped off the aft end of the coamings as well.

A few years ago he ("DC") rescued another boat, a plastic fantastic, 25 feet or so, which as a handicap class racer rated favorably due to its age and design. It had been destined for an ignominious end and he used it to prove that older boats weren't necessarily uncompetitive. He stripped it down to its essentials, rigged her just strongly enough, long-boarded and wet-sanded the hull, rudder and keel thoroughly and set new sails. He won handily, but how much was him and his crew and how much was the handicap is debated.

[John B]

We had a whole thread here after the boat was re launched with the gaff rig in it, can anyone find that or remember it. It'd be interesting to look at the rig again. 2 years ago?

[Jay Greer]

To me it looks like they added 1/2 a boat in front of the main mast, so much for aesthetics, but she must sail well.

No "Fisherman" needed on that day. That is one close winded schooner boat!
Jay

[rbgarr]

Nice set of sails here on this one:



(from Matt Murphy's book about Willard Jackson's photography)

[Zane Lewis]

Does that fore staysail look a little full in the foot?
Would love to see some more pics,
Zane

[Carl Cramer]

I LOVE that photo, Paul.

[Paul Pless]

Here's what she looked like when she was relaunched in 2010.

[Paul Pless]

I find these two photo's interesting for comparison. (can you say 'twist')

[Gerarddm]

That new rig makes her look like she has a rhino horn.

[Paul Pless]

Maybe Kathy Bray will make a revised illustration.

[tprice]

I enjoy the experiment that Dennis has done. Old rigs had huge sail plans didn't they! What did put me off was the goofy crew attitudes with their temporary rigged hiking straps, etc. If you wanted to be "athletic" in an old classic like that, at least lie along the rain, "clinging vine" style like Star sailors of old!

[John B]

Here's what she looked like when she was relaunched in 2010.

too much roach eh.

[Jay Greer]

Well, that new rig does leave room to tinker. "Fishermen", "Gollywobblers and Gollikers" are always fun if you are in need of extra laundry.
Jay

[John B]

Arcturus goes like a cut cat under her staysail schooner rig,goes very well to windward and Bruce is never shy about getting some more rag on her.

We used to have some great battles.

[Clive P]

Perhaps one of us stick in the muds should build another Flame, origional rig and sail her single handed! Meanwhile i stick by my signature. And my Dragon. Clive P

[Clive P]

On my 70th birthday, a thought! What would the Dragon look like and sail like, rigged as a (Gaff) schooner? Clive P

[SchoonerRat]

I'm a big fan of the stays'l schooner rig. The upwind performance increase is tremendous; with only a (possible) minor hit in downwind performance. Lots of old schooners have gotten 2nd lives with modern rigs. Many of these boats would have ended up as scrap, if a museum quality restoration was required to save them.

Dennis did right by Fame! I remember, early in his sailing career, he stated that he didn't really like sailing. He was fiercely competitive as a youth, and sailing was a chance for a fat out of shape kid to compete on a level with the worlds best.

Mr. Conner's moving from a stripped out catamaran to a 100 year old schooner tells me that he may be actually trying to start enjoying sailing in his "Old Age"; the new rig lets him satisfy his "need for speed".

No matter what your opinion of DC is, another 100 year old piece of maritime history is out sailing --- and winning races!

[SchoonerRat]

To me it looks like they added 1/2 a boat in front of the main mast, so much for aesthetics, but she must sail well.

Yeah - a stays'l schooner just doesn't look quite right without a "fish" flyin', and the high aspect jib and stays'l make the boat look even more off (non-traditional). Fortunately, you can't tell from onboard, and the place to really enjoy a boat from is behind the helm, not behind the lens.

She still makes a pretty picture!

Just don't let the guy swap the masts or put a solid wing sail on her!!!

[Hwyl]

Great to see he uses tell tales. The main does appear to be oversheeted though.

[John B]

Yip, he's sailing cracked sheets there.. maybe he's in the middle of a trim cycle after bearing away.

[SchoonerRat]

The main does appear to be oversheeted though.

Are you gonna be the one to tell him that he doesn't know how to trim a sail?

[rbgarr]

Are you gonna be the one to tell him that he doesn't know how to trim a sail?

He 'has people' who trim for him.

[SchoonerRat]

He 'has people' who trim for him.

Are you gonna be the one to tell his "people" that they don't know how to trim a sail?

[johnw]

Great to see he uses tell tales. The main does appear to be oversheeted though.

With multi-sail rigs, as you move aft, the sails have to be sheeted tighter. That might be what you're seeing.

[kbowen]

Maybe Kathy Bray will make a revised illustration.

I'll take the illustration over the current state of the boat. I am very sorry she left the lakes, and sick over the modifications.

[Hwyl]

With multi-sail rigs, as you move aft, the sails have to be sheeted tighter. That might be what you're seeing.

I 'd think the ensign was getting the same apparent wind as the mainsail

[donald branscom]

I fixed that photo for you in Photoshop.
Took out that disturbing pointed post by the jib.

[Jay Greer]

Well done. Here are a couple of recient pictures that may be of interest.
Jay

[donald branscom]

Well done. Here are a couple of recient pictures that may be of interest.
Jay SHORTENED

A very beautiful well thought out boat next to a floating fiberglass cocktail lounge.

But those neatly laid out lines on the aft deck is a bad idea.
When lines are stored like that you lift them up and the bottom
will be covered with green slime. It rots the lines.

Just leave your lines loosely coiled. That way air can circulate.

[rbgarr]

The Harken traveller looks SO out of place. I believe there's a more traditional way to pull the boom to the centerline and above on a double ended/triangulated mainsheet, but admittedly, it's not as quick as the Harken gear.

[Paul Pless]

The Harken traveller looks SO out of place.

Seems I've seen a similar traveler in bronze. . .

[Jay Greer]

I will say that "Fame" does not spend enough time with that mainsheet coiled to gather any moss.
That traveler, while practical, does look out of place.
Jay