Review of Simpson 36 catamaran
October 20th 2006 18:59
Woman Woman is a Simpson 36 catamaran. Purchased in Brisbane she was due to come down to Lake Macquarie. Who got the job? You guessed it lucky Tom Nelson. I flew up and met the owners at Southport. They had managed to bring her down through the swamps from Brisbane on their own. Luckily the owner and his family and crew are not entire novices. They had some cat experience but mostly Hobbies and had just sold the most hotly contested sale of a 24’ yacht that I have ever known An aquaintence bought it and swears he will never sell, (a Triton 24 in very good condition)
We introduced ourselves settled all the gear, re-fuelled and without further ado headed for the Gold Coast Seaway. We were greeted by a twenty to twenty five knot nor-easter blowing onto a southern swell. Choppy and white capped this was my first serious delivery of a cat. She didn’t heal, tip, tilt or lean but boy did she buck. I have read about how cats are supposed to be stable at sea. And yes stability is a lot different from comfortable. As a master I have studied ships stability and it is nothing whatsoever to do with comfort, other than knowing you are on a stable or unstable ship! But I am not knocking here just making a statement.
I lay on my king sized bunk and as the ship lurched one way my body went with it then my rather large belly went the other. My arms and legs were like a marionette and my neck was sore from trying to keep my head from bobbing like those ridiculous toy dogs you see on the backs of cars. Rolling myself into the normally safe foetal position just meant that I rolled around the cabin like a squash ball. In the end I managed to jam myself against a wall with a bunch of pillows locked in behind me. Ahhh, bliss to sleep at sea.
This is a big volume boat with all king or queen sized cabins. Good sized head (there may have been two) A great galley but not great for cooking at sea though of course with my belly to look after we managed well enough. The saloon is also well in keeping with the size of the boat and the other cabins..
If I have a gripe it purely that the only person in the cockpit that has a complete view forward is the helmsman who is sitting on a raised pedestal seat. For me to look forward I had to climb on the cockpit coaming and peer around the top of the hull. This I had to do with each hull and as the skipper I felt a bit restricted. I note that this is quite usual in catamarans and I wonder if there is any other complaint with it or if there is an easy solution?
Twin Yanmar diesels one in each hull, purred in unison when they were operating and to manoevre the boat using the twin throttles and gears was a dream for this sized boat. A bagged main with lazy jacks and furling headsail completed the driving part of the boat. We were only ever pressed to be doing about fifteen knots during the trip and she felt like there was plenty more in reserve. Only needed slightly more wind in the right direction.
A promised southerly started to knock us around a bit and we pulled into Coffs Harbour to wait it out. An wait and wait and wait. Five days with waves crashing over the breakwater at Coffs and mooring berths like hen’s teeth. A few yachts anchored in the bay but as locals were riding surfboards in the harbour you can imagine it was very uncomfortable for them. With the first let up of the storm my crew were eager to be off. We were the second boat out of the port that morning with the first a big steel mono hull on her way to Port Moresby.
The chop had died off the waves and we now had smooth rolling swells and with a kick from the north west we were off and running. Still we only sailed with the big headsail unfurled as this gave us the most comfortable ride and we did not have to worry about putting in reefs to the main and headsail then changing blocks and cars around. Woman Woman scooted home and soon we were braving the Swansea bar. Never enter with a nor-easter over twenty knots and an outgoing tide. Well we did and she handled it very well.
Woman Woman is now part of the marine life around the lake. Her proud owner is out most weekends and has some great voyages planned.
Tom Nelson
Delivery skipper.
We introduced ourselves settled all the gear, re-fuelled and without further ado headed for the Gold Coast Seaway. We were greeted by a twenty to twenty five knot nor-easter blowing onto a southern swell. Choppy and white capped this was my first serious delivery of a cat. She didn’t heal, tip, tilt or lean but boy did she buck. I have read about how cats are supposed to be stable at sea. And yes stability is a lot different from comfortable. As a master I have studied ships stability and it is nothing whatsoever to do with comfort, other than knowing you are on a stable or unstable ship! But I am not knocking here just making a statement.
I lay on my king sized bunk and as the ship lurched one way my body went with it then my rather large belly went the other. My arms and legs were like a marionette and my neck was sore from trying to keep my head from bobbing like those ridiculous toy dogs you see on the backs of cars. Rolling myself into the normally safe foetal position just meant that I rolled around the cabin like a squash ball. In the end I managed to jam myself against a wall with a bunch of pillows locked in behind me. Ahhh, bliss to sleep at sea.
This is a big volume boat with all king or queen sized cabins. Good sized head (there may have been two) A great galley but not great for cooking at sea though of course with my belly to look after we managed well enough. The saloon is also well in keeping with the size of the boat and the other cabins..
If I have a gripe it purely that the only person in the cockpit that has a complete view forward is the helmsman who is sitting on a raised pedestal seat. For me to look forward I had to climb on the cockpit coaming and peer around the top of the hull. This I had to do with each hull and as the skipper I felt a bit restricted. I note that this is quite usual in catamarans and I wonder if there is any other complaint with it or if there is an easy solution?
Twin Yanmar diesels one in each hull, purred in unison when they were operating and to manoevre the boat using the twin throttles and gears was a dream for this sized boat. A bagged main with lazy jacks and furling headsail completed the driving part of the boat. We were only ever pressed to be doing about fifteen knots during the trip and she felt like there was plenty more in reserve. Only needed slightly more wind in the right direction.
A promised southerly started to knock us around a bit and we pulled into Coffs Harbour to wait it out. An wait and wait and wait. Five days with waves crashing over the breakwater at Coffs and mooring berths like hen’s teeth. A few yachts anchored in the bay but as locals were riding surfboards in the harbour you can imagine it was very uncomfortable for them. With the first let up of the storm my crew were eager to be off. We were the second boat out of the port that morning with the first a big steel mono hull on her way to Port Moresby.
The chop had died off the waves and we now had smooth rolling swells and with a kick from the north west we were off and running. Still we only sailed with the big headsail unfurled as this gave us the most comfortable ride and we did not have to worry about putting in reefs to the main and headsail then changing blocks and cars around. Woman Woman scooted home and soon we were braving the Swansea bar. Never enter with a nor-easter over twenty knots and an outgoing tide. Well we did and she handled it very well.
Woman Woman is now part of the marine life around the lake. Her proud owner is out most weekends and has some great voyages planned.
Tom Nelson
Delivery skipper.
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Comment by Adrienne
Comment by TomN
Boat Heaven
How I started in boating was to crew for other people. A lot cheaper and it was they that had their hand in the their pocket the whole time.
Cheers
Tom