Wharram Builders and Friends

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i can not get around to ask this question here. why do you chose to get a Wharram? sail one or build one...???

Do you agree with the Wharram philospy or do you give a shit about this and only want to have a "cheap" boat...

maybe, you found here in this wharram community (websace)a playground to spread out your dreams and ideas...

WHAT IS IT, WHAT WE WANT....from James wharram and his designs?

after posting this to-many-wharrams-rest-in-a-boatyard discussion.

i would like to know why we are here and discussing....

cheers Hans

http://www.wharramsailing.com/index.htm

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Nev... You sly dog... ;)

Surely, what impressed me most was the number of boats built. The experience of many shared the security as the main factor. The example of successful stories. A lot of sucefull passages around the world. The concept of build cheap and sailling soon. And the graceful lines of Wharram catamarans convinced me.

I first came across Jim Wharram when he wrote a letter published in Yachting Monthly about his designs with a picture of Rongo and a Hina with spritsail rig. Being into trad sail and in particular Spritsail rig it caught my eye. It was written in response to the well publicised  capsize of a cat in the solent and every word he wrote made such good sense. I got his brochure and followed his activities and his boats ever since because he has a unique traditional approach to multihulls which he has shown are more traditional than any other craft. 

I guess his philosophy and life style has both attracted many people to his work as well as alienating the establishment in the 60's and 70's which in itself made it attractive to some of us! 

Now Wharram stands for unique catamarans that can be very safe and seaworthy and represent a different approach. It annoys me that so many are badly built, or hideously modified and of course that can mean bad boats are produced. Equally self expression means that one man can produce a Wharram that is entirely different to another. Look at Wakataiea, Apatiki, Grand Pha and Peace 4. All very different but equally effective seaworthy creations from their proud builders who have modified the design to suit their needs and experience and taste to great effect.

Tradition, simplicity and basic trad boat practicality at odds with the standard racing inspired expensive lookalike yachts and a work boat basic efficiency mated with seaworthiness is the appeal to me.

Actually Peace is almost exact to the plans because we were the first Tiki 46 plan buyers so Wharram did the plans the way we wanted them.  I think we built a split swim platform so ours only is on the starboard side.  There are a very few smaller changes we made.  You would look hard to find them.  My galley work top is wider than in the plans by a couple inches.  When we made small changes it slowed the work so we did not make many.  We wanted to go sailing.  This week Nev added up our miles on this boat - just over 50,000.  Then 25,000 on the old monohull.  Lots of sailing but we still want more and more and more.  I will admit that building is interesting but today we sailed down the Chesapeake in brilliant sunshine and that was much better. 

All the best,  Ann and Nev

I gotta say, boys, it's not about the boobs.

And the boob thing? Maybe not the body part I see when I look at the logo. 

Do tell!!

Marge and I just displayed our Hitia 17 at the Southport Wooden Boat Show.  We were surprised by two things- the number of people who could identify it as a James Wharram design and who wanted to know if we'd seen Peace and knew Ann and Neville.

I guess Wharram has solved all the problems of cruising boats. Ease of build, maintenance and safe reasonably quick passages. In essence its a product of evolution. One day all yotties will sail a Wharram.

Of course I am not biased.

Dave

I've also always loved James' philosophy of 'why have one, when you can have two', and his application of this ideology to more than just hull design. ;)

A pioneer. An inspiration. A legend.

Yeah, I'll try running that by my Missus, see how far I get!
 
Josh said:

I've also always loved James' philosophy of 'why have one, when you can have two',
 


I did run it past my wife.  Her reply was "You're not James Wharram"...   Fair enough.


Geminidawn said:

Yeah, I'll try running that by my Missus, see how far I get!
 
Josh said:

I've also always loved James' philosophy of 'why have one, when you can have two',
 
I ran it past my wife also; she ankle tapped me, flat on my face:)

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