Dmitri,

I would look into a Jordan series drogue.

I have been in 60 + knots on my 37 foot sailboat for 20 hours on this drogue
and in hurricane force winds for 39 hours last year.

This drogue saved our boat last year.

3 others boats went down one being a Swan and also Sir Peter Branson's 90
footer was severely damaged.. I saw winds of 80 knots gusting higher and
seas of 60 feet.

We were much further offshore than in the attached article and VIDEO of the
coast guard rescue of one boat where the skipper died. Therefore the winds
and seas were greater.



It was rather unnerving to hear Herb the weatherman tell us to prepare for
survival conditions.

That night we heard the Coast Guard asking all ships in the area to look out
for men in the water.

All in all I know is that the Jordan drogue saved us from damage or being
sunk.



We had waves totally submerge the boat many many times; one crewmember was
up to his armpits in the cockpit. But Amel and Jordan kept us safe.



The only problem is that the bridle of the drogue sits against the backstays
of the mizzen and we had to add chafe gear and check every hour for chafe.
It also prevented us from winching in one leg of the drogue to put us square
stern to the waves. I am working on the solution.



http://lifefloatingby.blogspot.com/2008/10/coast-guard-rescues-2-mt-pleasant
.html





Fair Winds

Eric

Amel Super Maramu #376 Kimberlite



















_____

From: amelyachtowners@...
[mailto:amelyachtowners@...] On Behalf Of dshkipin
Sent: Wednesday, January 13, 2010 3:40 AM
To: amelyachtowners@...
Subject: Re: [Amel] ISAF Category 1 modifications






Eric,

Thanks for the reply. I totally got the idea behind the keel-stepped mast
issue. My boat is deck-stepped so that makes sense now - Thank You! ATN sail
is the last resort but thats about all I can do short of some serious
rigging adjustments. I do see how its not perfect, though, but nothing ever
is. I think my NOR race deleted trysail requirement, but I will double
check. I still need to get a drogue - I need something easy to set and take
back - I could not find any easy solutions yet. I took the middle stanchion
off completely and rigged two wires over the entire opening with a clip at
the end. The bilge pump is mounted right next to the stair and discharges
into an added thruhull - it was that way when I got the boat. The autohelm
is a two unit system - upper unit is a windvane and a lower unit is a rudder
that attaches to stern. I got the Vetus hatches that have handles that
open/close from both sides. On goits you can drill in a pin that can be
pushed in from outside and pushed out from inside. Thanks again for all the
help,

Dmitry

--- In amelyachtowners@ <mailto:amelyachtowners%40yahoogroups.com>
yahoogroups.com, kimberlite <kimberlite@...> wrote:

Dmitry,

Do you have a deck stepped mast on a Super Maramu?

Or some other Amel with a keel stepped mast?

If your boat is deck stepped then you do not need the bolt. The purpose of
the bolt is to prevent the portion of the mast below decks from flying
around and breaking the boat or killing someone when the boat is

dismasted.

I have the ATN sail on Kimberlite. When it is time to use it, it is too
late. The other problem is if you use the extra spinnaker halyard to raise
the ATN sail it will chafe through quickly in a storm because the halyard
rubs on the Genoa. . I converted my ballooner halyard, using vectran to
provide a second jib halyard. However you have to be motivated to launch

the

ATN sail. I also store it in the port cockpit locker as the sail lockers

are

dangerous in a blow.

You mention the ATN as a storm trysail. It is a storm jib. You still need

a

storm trysail mounted on the main mast.



I had a very heavy 110 working jib made for offshore. It will sail in

55-60

knots .

I use it on all passages. You will not win any races with this sail in

light

wind.



I also swear by the Jordan series drogue. I have deployed it twice. Once

in

a severe storm 300 miles south of Bermuda on a 37 foot boat. Last year I

got

caught in hurricane force winds for 39 hours (Herb the weatherman told us

to

prepare for survival conditions). 70-96+ knots. There were 5 boats between
Bermuda and New York. 3 sank, I death, , Sir Richard Branson's 90 footer
got badly damaged and we suffered no damage. Many times we were up to our
armpits in seawater in the cockpit, but for your info it drains in less
than 30 seconds. We also had the cockpit totally enclosed stern facing the
wind and it did not blow out or tear.

We had to modify the tabs holding down the "doghouse) but otherwise no
problems.





How did you permanently fasten the center stanchion on the stern?



Where did you mount the below decks bilge pump?



I am sorry but I do not understand what you did with the autohelm and an
emergency ruder.



What did you do with the companionway so the hatch could be opened from

both

sides with the hatch locked?





Fair Winds

Eric

Amel Super Maramu #376 Kimberlite





_____

From: amelyachtowners@ <mailto:amelyachtowners%40yahoogroups.com>

yahoogroups.com

[mailto:amelyachtowners@ <mailto:amelyachtowners%40yahoogroups.com>

yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of dshkipin

Sent: Sunday, January 10, 2010 10:46 PM
To: amelyachtowners@ <mailto:amelyachtowners%40yahoogroups.com>

yahoogroups.com

Subject: Re: [Amel] ISAF Category 1 modifications





Eric, sounds like you mentioned some of the same issues I had on my Sharki
as far as Category 1 requirements. I would love to hear back if you

remember

any other items. How do you know your boat does not require Bermuda bolt?
When is it required? I solved the rest of the issues you mentioned with

the

following:

1. Trisail - I got ATN gail sail that has a sleeve and can be raised over
the furled genoa (easy)
2. Stern rope - changed with a wire rope kit (easy)
3. I added a Autohelm windwane that uses auxiliary rudder with a trim tab
(harder)
4. I replaced all hatches with newer lockdown Vetus model instead of Goiot
(hard but there is an easy way: drill a pin through Goiot that can be
released from inside or outside)
5. I added laughingly small water tank in the main water tank compartment
(easy as the requirement does not specify the size of tanks)

Thanks for the update and if you can think of anything else, please be

sure

to let me know,

Dmitry

"Victoria"

--- In amelyachtowners@ <mailto:amelyachtowners%40yahoogroups.com>
yahoogroups.com, kimberlite <kimberlite@> wrote:

What model and year Amel do You have?

My Amel Super Maramu #376 Kimberlite is deck stepped and does not

require

what is referred to as a Bermuda bolt.

Also on the Amel Super Maramu there are numerous reasons that the boat

does

not qualify for ORC1.

For example no trysail track and no quick way to add a storm jib. The

stern

rail is made of rope and not a continuous metal wire, the center post on

the

stern rail is not permanently fixed. including a way to rig an emergency
rudder. You need lock downs for all hatches, the water tank can not be

one

tank. I once made a list of orc1 reasons that the boat does not qualify.

I

forgot most of the things that I would have to do and ignored them.

I think I found over 30 scrutineering errors. However , having my last

boat

certified orc1, I would put the Amel against it any day.



Fair Winds

Eric

Amel Super Maramu #376 Kimberlite





_____

From: amelyachtowners@ <mailto:amelyachtowners%40yahoogroups.com>

yahoogroups.com

[mailto:amelyachtowners@ <mailto:amelyachtowners%40yahoogroups.com>

yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of dshkipin

Sent: Saturday, January 09, 2010 10:31 PM
To: amelyachtowners@ <mailto:amelyachtowners%40yahoogroups.com>

yahoogroups.com

Subject: [Amel] ISAF Category 1 modifications





Has anyone entered a ISAF Category 1 race with an Amel? There are some

rules

to which Amel may or may not be built. For example, there is an OSR 3.12
that states "The heel of a keel stepped mast shall be securely fastened

to

the mast step or adjoining structure" which could mean I need a bolt

through

the mast base. If anyone entered Category 1 race before, quick list of
things you added/modified would be priceless.

"Victoria"