Histoire des Multis: Sommaire - Liste Alphabétique - Architectes

 

 

E2, Spirit of America, US 27076
à jour au: 2024
1974 plan Crowther. Trimaran construit en Australie en polyester sur ame mousse d'airex, pont en contre plaqué, dérive centrale, flotteur asymétriques et submersibles.

 

1974 Aprés la construction fut amené de Sydney à Honolulu en 31 jours.
May "Australian Sea Spray":




Received from Charles Dominas "Me"

1975 Round State Race, 240': 1er/?? en 13h, moyenne 18,5nds. Michael KANE

Spirit of America, 76
1976 "Voiles et Voiliers" mars: un des favoris de la Transat, trés solide et confortable, doit l'amener au départ via le Cap Horn. L: 17m, poids: 5,5t, mât de 21m, GV: 83m2

July "Yachting World",

5 juin, OSTAR: DNF/125ttc Hull Damage (62' sur les listes), Michael KANE

Photo revue "Bateaux"

Photo archives revue "Bateaux",

Photos H. de Constantin archives revue "Bateaux",



Received from Charles Dominas

1977 Course des Bermudes: 1er/6
"Régates" Octobre:


1978 Avril "Neptune Nautisme", le bateau va s'attaquer au record de l'Atlantique le mois prochain… et le skipper cherche un sponsor pour TGB et R. du Rhum.
Pierre Lenormand et Alain Gabbay se sont disputé ce bateau.
Neptune,
Qualification pour la Route du Rhum réussie. Alain GABBAY
Une voie d'eau se déclare alors que le trimaran est convoyé en équipage entre les USA et la France, et retourne aux USA.
5 Novembre, Route du Rhum: DNS

Spirit of America,
1979 "A bord du trimaran Spirit of America skippé par Mike Birch. Tentative de record atlantique. Avril 1979" - © Christian Février

Olympia,
Lorient, avant le départ de la Transat en double, photo reçue en 2014 de Jean François:

26 mai, Transat en Double, Lorient-Les Bermudes-Lorient: DNF/40ttc, éq: Jocelyne Bernard, Daniel PERRIN
Photos Jean Luc Garnier, archives revue "Bateaux",


Juillet, le bateau accompagne la Course du Figaro
Spirit of America,
Problémes entre le propriétaire et l'acheteur français, Puis, le bateau est laissé à l'abandon dans un bassin à Cherbourg…
"Bateaux" novembre:

New owner, Mr. Underwood

1982 Lying at Cowes:
et
Received from Charles Dominas

Spirit of America was rebuilt by Robert Underwood of Robert Underwood Multihulls in the UK (Benflleet Creek, Essex)

From Sailing Anarchy forum 2014 "I can add a bit to the history of 'Spirit of America' from the time of the pictures and clipping where she was abandoned in Cherbuorg, France.
During a stop over in Cherbourg Robert Underwood, MD at Prout Catamarans, came across the abandoned Tri, in a worst state then the pictures in the above post. at this time she had been modified increasing the length to 62 feet by extending the stern. The aft cockpit was replaced by an aft cabin utilizing the extra length.
He sort of fell in love with the idea of bringing the boat back to life so having found the ownership purchased her and set about duri rigging to allow her to be sailed to the UK. The story goes she was abandoned having been rescued by the French life boat service, having been caught in a severe storm. She then sat for a number of years in the commercial dock were based on the condition inside , she was used as a doss house by vagrants in the area. Although there were still sails onboard (and a lot of wine buried in the bilges,found later) no running rigging was left.
A small band of friends led by Robert, returned to the UK after an eventful delivery trip, (you can only imagine the issue encountered with a boat left in the state she was in) ending at Dauntless boatyard at the end off Benflleet Creek, off the Thames Estuary in Essex. Prout Catamarans was based very close and allowed Robert to utilize the facilities and skills within the company to bring her back to sailing condition.
The main structural condition was till sound but much of the beam fairings had been seriously damaged. The interior had to be ripped out steam cleaned and replaced. An inboard sail-drive unit was also fitted. The exterior was finally painted blue. The refurbished original mast was re-rigged and re-stepped after relaunch and the original Stars and stripes mainsail was later replaced with new modern (back then) sail material allowing just 2 people to move it rather than 5. When all the work was complete she was re christened 'Spirit' in honer of her heritage.
Spirit was sailed locally for a couple of years before being chartered by a couple of Frenchman whom i believe intended sailing to Canada to take place in an Atlantic race. She was then sold but I don't have any information on what happen next.
You could try emailing Robert whom can be contacted at 'Robert Underwood Multihulls' in the UK. Google will supply an address.
I had a lot of photos of the re build but haven't seen them in many years. I will see what I can dig out and post some if I find any.
I hope this fills in a bit of a gap, but the Question still remains, Where is she know?"
"The boatyard these pictures were taken at is the Dauntless Yacht Centre in the UK that I tracked down after seeing their name on the crane, in image #1."

Spirit Of Benfleet,
EPI, 20
1983 1er mai, Trophée des Multicoques, La Trinité: 26e/?? ttc.
Photo Christian Février, site Trophée des Multicoques 2018

Juin "Course Au Large", présentation de la course, remis à neuf et allégé, gréément en fibre de kevlar (EPI) Henri CHEMINEAU et Bernard DELOBEL
21 mai, Transat en Double, Lorient-Les Bermudes-Lorient: DNF/53ttc, problémes de gréément, Henri CHEMINEAU et Bernard DELOBEL
21 mai, revient à Lorient, pour réparer son gréément, puis repart
2 juin, abandon définitif aux Açores, carénage de bras de liaison arraché.

1984 Mai "Bateaux", A Vendre ex "Spirit of America", réaménagé en 83, moteur neuf, idéal course charter ou grande croisiére, 45 000 Livres (64U)

19?? Spirit was subsequently sold to a Canadian, and sailed to Canada

2014 Lying in Galveston, Texas

2024 March, from Sailing Anarchy Forum "Not to revive an old thread, but this boat has been tied up in Galveston, Texas since at least 2015."



23 March, Comment from Mike Kane, the original owner "Looks like Spirit of America has been found, thank you all for this search! We live in California, and would like to see her and find her owner in Texas. That is definitely her, when you've owned her and sailed her for over 3 years it's something you never forget...the fastest sailboat at time in the world. What a great day, she is 51 years old."

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2014 March, Received from Charles Dominas,