Key Message: The cruising life isn’t all sundowners at anchor. Sometimes, work calls, and the boat becomes both a home and a delivery vessel, leading to unique opportunities and real-world sailing challenges.
Author: Anna & Shayne
Introduction: A Professional Mission
For us, sailing and work are often intertwined. When Shayne’s professional rigging work was required for the launch of a new Gunboat 68 in La Grande Motte, France, we didn’t just fly there—we turned it into a delivery mission for Paikea. This trip captures the essence of our life: a mix of family cruising, professional projects, and the occasional mid-voyage hiccup.
1. The Preparation: Work Before the Sail
Every passage requires preparation, but this one had added layers.
- The Job: Shayne was tasked with stepping the mast on the new Gunboat 68, SeaTilt, with Rigging Projects.
- The Sail: Anna worked to finish modifications on the mainsail, a crucial task to be completed before we could depart.
- The Route: With a tight schedule, careful weather routing using PredictWind was essential to ensure a safe and timely upwind passage.
2. The Passage: Nighttime Challenges
The sail began beautifully, but as is often the case, the ocean had other plans after dark.
- The Problem: A sudden vibration and loss of speed indicated something was wrong. In the dark and cold, it was too risky to investigate immediately.
- The Investigation: At first light, the GoPro revealed the culprit: a plastic bag wrapped tightly around the propeller.
- The Solution: A chilly but necessary job for the crew, highlighting that even simple issues require a ready-to-help team effort.
3. The Payoff: Witnessing High-Tech Launch
After the journey, we arrived at the heart of the mission: the Gunboat factory in La Grande Motte.
- The Spectacle: We witnessed the impressive launch of the brand new Gunboat 68, a showcase of modern catamaran design and construction.
- The Work: The video gives a glimpse into the professional process of stepping a large performance catamaran mast, the very reason for our trip.
Conclusion: Blending Passions
This trip was a perfect microcosm of the Youngbarnacles ethos. It involved preparing our own boat, handling a real-world sailing problem as a family, and applying professional-level skills to a world-class project. It’s a reminder that the sailing life is a rich tapestry of hard work, beautiful moments, and incredible opportunities.
Interested in Learning More About High-Performance Sailing?
This trip to the Gunboat facility was a glimpse into the world of cutting-edge multihull design. If you’re fascinated by what makes these boats tick, we’ve compiled a collection of our best resources on the subject.
Dive deeper into the technical side of sailing on our Free Resources page, where you’ll find more content on high-performance multihull sailing.
- Apparent Wind vs. True Wind: The Biggest Misconception in Sailing
Authors: Shayne and Anna Introduction You’re sailing downwind on a beautiful performance catamaran. You glance at the instruments. One display says you’re going upwind at 150 degrees. Another says you’re going downwind. Which one is right? The answer is both. And that confusion is the biggest misconception in sailing. In this guide—filmed onboard the Gunboat… Read more: Apparent Wind vs. True Wind: The Biggest Misconception in Sailing - The Art and Science of the Self-Tacking Jib: Why It’s More Complicated Than You ThinkAuthor: Shayne and Anna Introduction If you’ve ever spent a long day on the water tacking up a tight channel, you know the appeal of a self-tacking jib. The promise is simple: ease, simplicity, and the ability to short-hand the boat without a grinders’ pit crew on the rail. But as with anything in sailing,… Read more: The Art and Science of the Self-Tacking Jib: Why It’s More Complicated Than You Think
- A Privileged View: Showcasing the Iconic Gunboat 66 “Outnumbered”Author: Shayne & Anna As liveaboard sailors and marine professionals, we’re constantly surrounded by beautiful boats. But every so often, we encounter a vessel that is truly special—an icon that stops you in your tracks. The Gunboat 6602, “Outnumbered,” is one of those boats. We’ve been entrusted with a unique task: caring for this legendary performance… Read more: A Privileged View: Showcasing the Iconic Gunboat 66 “Outnumbered”
- Atlantic Emergency: Managing a Rudder Failure on a Gunboat 68TOPIC:This post details a serious offshore emergency aboard a Gunboat 68, where a collision with an unknown object destroyed a rudder. It covers the immediate response, damage control, and the challenging sail to the Azores, showcasing professional-grade seamanship and problem-solving. Author: Shayne The second leg of our Gunboat 68 transatlantic delivery from Antigua to France presented… Read more: Atlantic Emergency: Managing a Rudder Failure on a Gunboat 68
- The Art of Light-Air Passagemaking: Sailing a Gunboat 68 Across the AtlanticTOPIC:This post analyzes a transatlantic delivery on a Gunboat 68, focusing on the techniques and technologies that enable high average speeds in light conditions. It covers the relationship between speed and comfort, advanced sail aerodynamics, and practical rules for optimizing mast rotation. Author: Shayne What defines a true performance cruiser? It’s not just top speed in… Read more: The Art of Light-Air Passagemaking: Sailing a Gunboat 68 Across the Atlantic
- Catamaran Doors Jammed? Why It’s a Sign of Structural FlexKey Message: Jammed doors on a catamaran are more than an inconvenience; they are a primary indicator of a hull flexing beyond its design intent. Using a real-world demonstration from a high-performance multihull, we break down why this common issue should not be accepted as normal, even on older boats. This article provides a professional perspective… Read more: Catamaran Doors Jammed? Why It’s a Sign of Structural Flex
- Want to sail FAST? It’s not always smooth sailing!Key Message: The pursuit of speed on a performance catamaran demands a direct trade-off with comfort, governed by inescapable physics. Driving a hull through waves at 12 knots transforms the motion below decks into a persistent, high-frequency “jiggle” that can make rest and routine tasks challenging, even on a well-built, luxury vessel. This isn’t a design… Read more: Want to sail FAST? It’s not always smooth sailing!
- Sailing Upwind in a Performance Catamaran: Mastering Apparent WindKey Message: Sailing a performance catamaran upwind efficiently requires managing the interplay between boat speed and sail trim. As acceleration pulls the apparent wind forward, the mechanical limit of your jib car track often becomes the deciding factor between pointing high and maintaining power. This real-world demonstration from a Gunboat 68 delivery shows how understanding… Read more: Sailing Upwind in a Performance Catamaran: Mastering Apparent Wind
