Nautical Lore – Modern | Oral narratives of modern seafaring watercraft with multihull pioneer Jim Brown

MEMORIAL AND MAINE

Jim discusses his most recent capers in both Michigan and Maine. First, he talks about the memorial service he attended on behalf of his old friend Meade Gougeon, immediately followed by his travel to the rugged, northeast coast of North America.

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT "THE KING OF GLUE"

This Caper is a small collection of remarks made to me about how Meade Gougeon, and the whole WEST System phenomenon, has influenced their lives. It reveals a lot about how "appropriate technology" can make a difference in unexpected ways.

MEADE GOUGEON HAS SAILED AWAY

This issue is a collection of my own personal recollections of a long friendship with Meade, founder of WEST System epoxy products. We are also posting a link on the show notes page for this podcast episode at OutRigMedia to the full manuscript of an article I wrote for WoodenBoat about Meade.

In another audio we will collect a number of comments made by others of Meade's friends. We have lost a pillar in the marine community, and a loss is a loss. However, Meade and his brothers have shown -- by example -- how boats, and life, are done well.

Jim's Woodenboat article about Meade (link): http://outrigmedia.com/outrig/multihulls-media/other-multihull-stuff/counterrevolutionary-craftsman-catching-up-with-meade-gougeon/

WINGS WITH FOILS

Here's yet more about the Hybrid Wing, its history, and that of other fully-rotating but unstayed, "free standing" rigs.

The problem with unstayed rigs in multihulls, and the problem with foiling, are both discussed. How to resolve these shortcomings is suggested, leaving some questions unanswered.

In the next session, I promise to offer my latest thinking on multihull capsize as it relates to wings and foils, and how that all relates to proas, and to pedal power. Do all these things relate? You bet they do, and it's all coming around on the guitar right now.

WING SAILING (PART TWO)

Here is the conclusion, for now, of my infatuation with the Hybrid Wing. There is a lot more to learn about this thing, but I have now had the opportunity to actually sail in a Wing-equipped catamaran, and I hope my description explains why I'll never get over this thing.

I feel certain it is headed for long term historical -- if not hysterical -- significance. Listen in to learn why I sing hymns to this revelation.

WING SAILING​ Now I've actually been there, folks. Under a 62' Hybrid Wing rig, on a 40' "beach cat" racing catamaran, with Randy Smyth and Tommy Gonzales with Scott Brown taking pictures. It's a transcendent experience for an old shellback to sail effortlessly at speeds in the high twenties, and without hydrofoils yet. I'll tell you about it in this (and the next) Capercast. Welcome aboard.

There are some BIG experiments happening with multihulls right now. In this amazing capercast, Jim talks about the convergence of multihull developments that are coming together in a very unique way within the creation of a new type of sailing-fishing boat conceived by entrepreneur Tim Mann. Tim and his wife own and operate Friendly Aquaponics in Hawaii. (See link below). But prior to that, he built and sailed his own cruising multihulls for a number of years and found a way to sustain his cruising lifestyle by fishing. This inspired Tim to develop some very unique ideas about practical, economical and sustainable fishing ... which he is about to personally try out in a special boatbuilding project. But it doesn't end there. Jim takes things even farther, by taking about a possible convergence between a modern proa, the self-rescuing multihull capsize technique (developed years ago by Jan Gougeon) and the new hybrid wing mast (under current development and testing by Randy Smythe and his partners at FAST FORWARD COMPOSITES in Bristol, RI)