By Cat Express to Durbs

It was something very different from what I had expected or had experienced before, a fast baptism on an “out-of-the-box” 40ft Island Spirit 401 catamaran built by Fortuna on delivery to Durban. I had often mentioned my interest to Larry D’Agiuar who is delivering yachts professionally and has many such on cats including several to the Americas. When he asked me if I would like to join him on this trip, I jumped at it.

The start was delayed for some time due to problems with the commissioning which made us anxious as favourable weather conditions seemed to be passing at regular intervals but, at last, on Friday 20th the last problem seemed to have been sorted out and we were able to complete the trials satisfactorily an by late afternoon we were off.

We were dear Larry who, if you don’t know him, is a great bear of a man, owner of Beatrice, full of nonsense with a stern core, Michel Guillot, a frog as you would expect and the survivor of many incident-filled deliveries over a decade, the charming retired businessman and owner, Randal Weightman, from Durban, and myself.

Living on the cat is tough and I mean TOUGH! None of the conveniences of Majimoto with its smart facilities. It was hard sleeping in my own cabin with its bed too big for the queen-sized fitted sheet I was advised to bring, the showering with hot and cold fresh water, the stove and oven not on gimbals, the fridge and deepfreeze, the extensive electronics, radar autopilot and the rest! It was hell, I tell you!

The sailing was quite extraordinary. Luckily we caught just the right period.

Leaving Table Bay in a slight Southeaster, we soon started the twin 30hp Volvos and motored through a fabulous sunset and past the Point in the still dark. I woke for my watch as we passed Hangklip where the SW picked up and from there to the last 80 miles we had it either from our stern or quarter in varying degrees of classic sailing and with the swell in our favour.

And we had a full moon to add to the magic. I was always sad to have to give up my watch when the conditions were so wonderful- it was cold, it was rough but it was exciting. It took a long time getting used to the strange characteristics of Tamuza- ( Zulu for Take it easy, I understand) with the way it rode the swells and ran on the big ones.

Don’t let anyone try to tell you that cats are slow- in the right conditions they are able to move. Our top speed was just under 20kn and it can do more.

We reached Durban soon after sunset on the Wednesday- 5 days and 3 hours after casting off from the Elliott Basin, 800 nm later.

The sail configuration is totally different from a mono, particularly downwind where the mainsail almost becomes redundant.

With its lack of backstay- it has swept-back shrouds to provide optimum accommodation- the genoa and gennaker configuration takes precedence. But you still have your moments. We hoisted the gennaker when the wind was 12kn from behind and when, it hit 25 and building, tried to get it down. By that time Larry and I were both hanging on to the sock lines, trying to drop the sail from the trapeze with the cat hitting nearly 20kn and the seawater giving us involuntary enemas in a 40kn wind- not comfortable. However, when the excitement was over, I was able to take a warm shower, change into dry clothes, rinse and hang up my wet gear, have a hot cup of tea and relax in the lounge with biscuits and listen to gentle soothing music- tough times indeed.

I think the most memorable part of the sail was, however, the final day-and-a-half up the feared Wild Coast where the charts warn you of 20m breaking swells in the channel. This is as a result of the juxtaposition of the SW wind and swell vying with the 5kn Agulhas Current in the opposite direction. To avoid it, you sail close to the coast hoping to be in the counter-current of up to 1.5kn. Because of our very favourable conditions and our experienced pro skippers it was much easier than I had feared and, indeed, was the highlight of the trip, at least for me. To sail at 6 to 9 kn in the bright full moonlight with a the lightless land 1 mile off was just magic. Michel teased me incessantly as his watch was before mine and when I took over from him just off the breakers in 10m of water, I could not resist straying another half mile away from the surf into 20m of water! Just my mono-training with our sensitive keel, I guess.

The most noticeable difference in sailing technique after the sail usage was, to me, the steering. I am so used to the sensitivity of Maji’s tiller that I found the relatively heavy and unresponsive wheel of the cat hard work. We were on Autopilot most of the time and only took the wheel when conditions required it- to have to steer it all the way by hand would, in my opinion, be pointless- when you have the goodies, use them!

I must comment on my co- sailors. The competence, professionalism and good cheer of both Larry and Michel was a tremendous pleasure, even if we had irreconcilable differences in choice of music! And the way Randal, a new sailor/owner with his new baby in the hands of others never gave me the feeling of possessiveness, made me respect him tremendously. When I met his delightful wife, Helen, in Durban, I could see he is a man of considerable choice as well as sense. They have a wonderful craft, well-designed and constructed to sail on. I wish both of them fair winds and good sailing in their future.

Thanks guys.