Summer 2003

from the PSC Flicka Manual that I ordered from Robin, back when he was still at the factory. CODE

Comment: On Kenyon mast the backstay is 29' 6.5" Note: All Standing rigging is 1x19 Stainless Steel

Comment: For single handed package add 10' to halyards and #1 Reef Add Jib Dowser 55' of 1/4" +QNHPF(TRUFSNTS\F^)TILJW By Eric Jungemann s/v “Hotspur” # 386 When I purchased Hotspur, it did not have a dodger. I had a number of more critical projects but eventually the dodger moved up sufficiently on my list to warrant some action. During this period, I collected every Flicka dodger picture I could and mentally worked through which designs (and trade-offs) I found appealing. Since I had owned several sailboats with dodgers, I had some firm notions of what would be required for my Flicka dodger. Many skippers have put full width dodgers on their Flickas. This article is about an alternative . . . a companionway only dodger. Since I sail offshore in Northern California, the dodger had to be strong enough for that environment. This implied stainless tubing and strong fasteners. The dodger needed to be easy to remove and store for trailering. I wanted the ability to fold the dodger forward, although it was OK to do this with the boom off-center. This implied clearances for the boom vang and some method of easily detaching the dodger snaps to fold the material. This decision impacted how the dodger was tensioned firmly in the “up” position. The design had to minimize holes, snaps, and modifications to the boat itself. The dodger would take into account that a sea hood would be installed for attachment forward. Although I have seen some dodgers installed without a sea hood, the advantage of keeping the companionway hatch area dry are compromised without a sea hood. Additionally, the forward attachment of the dodger becomes more complicated. In boats with wheels for steering, the best rule is to have visibility over the dodger while standing. In a tiller-steered boat, equivalent visibility while seated needed to be incorporated into the design. Issues regarding my full boat cover needed to be taken into account. • The dodger should not affect sail-

The picture below shows the dodger from the front. There are no side windows (they would be pretty small and would impact folding the dodger forward). There is a small, green acrylic cover for the front of the dodger and a boot to cover the dodger material when folded forward. The boom clears nicely. ©Eric Jungemann 2003

This picture shows the companionway view. We did not add stainless steel bars to the dodger as it is not used as a handhold when moving forward. Notice that the only hardware is on the teak runners and the front of the sea hood. Fasteners are eyelet fasteners for strength and easy removal. © Eric Jungemann 2003 &GTFWIX[-4985:7 • •

The dodger bow details are shown here. The dodger is very stable and held back by the bungee system shown here. To move the dodger forward, the bungee is detached and the eyelets are unfastened and it is folded forward (with the boom off center). You can visualize that when you are at the tiller on the windward side, your view forward is not obstructed. © Eric Jungemann

Port view of the dodger. © Eric Jungemann 2003

ing, i.e. winch operation or moving around on the boat. The overall design had to be simple and unlikely to be damaged if someone fell in the cockpit. From a safety standpoint, it had to have a design that was unlikely to block the hatch if the boat was rolled or overwhelmed by a large wave, i.e. it would be swept away or could be moved aside easily even if damaged.

These choices are obviously a blend of the subjective and the practical. Others might (and have) made a slightly different requirements list for their Flicka dodgers. This dodger was designed and executed by Margaret Fago of Hogin Sails in Alameda, CA. Margaret had many ideas on how to mesh a practical design with my dodger laundry list. It was indeed a companionway dodger as opposed to a full width dodger. In order to get easy access below, we raised the front of the boom 3” and the rear of the boom 6”. This required a slight recut of the mainsail. The tradeoff was a slight loss of sail area (almost negligible) in return for a proper height for companionway access. Height under the dodger for sitting was not a factor since this dodger was not full width. Perching under the dodger in the companionway and standing on the companionway steps is very comfortable and dry with this set up. There are nearly as many dodger designs as there are individual Flickas. These choices are obviously a blend of the subjective and the practical. Others might (and have) made a slightly different requirements list for their Flicka dodgers. Adding a dodger is a worthwhile investment, particularly for offshore sailing. The improvements in keeping the boat dry and well ventilated, plus the ability to hide out of the weather while remaining close to the tiller and winches, are big pluses. +QNHPF3TX+NWXY)F^ By Bruce P. Bingham s/y SABRINA In March of 1978, while living on my schooner, At Last, in Oyster Bay, NY, I received a letter from Bill Luther. Bill was a very close friend and once draftsman for me when I had a design office in Santa Barbara, Ca. He was now the in-house engineer/draftsman for Pacific Seacraft and had been singularly responsible for the acquisition of the Flicka molds from Nor’Star (the builders of the first semi-production fiberglass Flickas) and conduit for the production-rights deal between Pacific Seacraft and myself. The letter was an invitation for me to tour the PS facilities, witness the construction of several new Flickas, discuss production design details, and to attend the April launching of Flicka No.1 in Newport Beach. My acceptance was sent off in the afternoon’s mail.

Bill, PS’s engineer and draftsman, and Trish Luther proudly await the launching of Flicka No. 1. © Bruce P. Bingham 1978, 2003. and tending to the “Do” list prior to launching. PS had sent out hundreds of invitations for the event. Some went to the local and national boating press, and others found their way to prospective buyers. A reception with plenty of food and drink would be set up the next morning for the hopefully large crowd. Saturday would be a big day for Pacific Seacraft and the Flicka, and my first opportunity to see a finished boat.

Flicka poised on the blocks while Fred Bingham, the designer’s father, looks on. © Bruce P. Bingham 1978, 2003. My reception at the Costa Mesa plant was very cordial, and I was impressed by the organization and rhythm in the production buildings. There seemed to be genuine dedication and comradery among the workers. Everything I saw was geared for quality. At that time, Pacific Seacraft was offering the PS 25, Mariah 32, and (I think) the Crealock 34. I’m not sure. At the same time, the country was slipping into a recession of historic proportions and the sense of risk was apparent. During my visit, there were two Flickas being assembled and another in the mold. All had been sold and there were already orders for another half dozen. Pacific Seacraft was distributing a pre-production brochure sporting one of my early Flicka drawings on the cover for a lack of photos. Flicka No. 1 had already been trucked down to the Newport Shipyard where several workers were busy wrapping up various small details

Part of the anxious crowd at Flicka No.1 launching. © Bruce P. Bingham 1978, 2003. Bill picked me up very early at my hotel. After a quick breakfast, we went by the plant to gather some tools and parts, then headed for the boat yard. As we pulled up, there she was proud as could be … and looking much larger than the 20footer she was. Precisely at 12:00, Bill took up the microphone, welcomed everyone, said a few brief words about the company and the Flicka, then gave Trish the go-ahead to “do the deed.” She shouted, “I Christen you Flicka,” or some such words, smacked the bobstay plate with a bottle of bubbly, and the boat began to move slowly down the ways to the cheers of the 70 or 80 who had come to share the event.

No sooner was the Flicka secured to the dock, the crowd began to board and board and board. © Bruce P. Bingham 1978, 2003.

Flicka No. 1 in her element for the first time. Oh, how sweet it is. © Bruce P. Bingham 1978, 2003.

This was a moment of high anxiety for Bill and myself. Every design and builder always fret over how the boat will float when first touching the water: high or low on her lines, trimmed by the bow, listing? It seemed like an eternity before began to show signs of floating off the blocks. And to our joy and relief, she leveled out about 2-1/2 inches above her designed waterline … right were we wanted her for an unloaded boat. Everyone applauded and Bill and I exhaled! (Continued on page 24)

Flicka No. 1 was a very plain boat. She was entirely campaign-colored gel coat with no boot stripe, reddish-brown bottom paint, and that’s all. Her scrolls and cove stripe had not been painted, and she had no registration numbers or homeport. She did, however, have the Flicka logo on her quarters, and a vertical brown banner with the word “FLICKA” in white had been hoisted from the heads’l halyard. It was ten in the morning, and people were already gathering to check out this tiny little yacht. Until launch time, Bill was scurrying around from worker to worker making sure that the do list was being done just the way he wanted. Bill’s wife, Trish, was setting up the food and drink tables. In the center of it all was a large cake emblazoned with a Flicka sail plan. Launch time, noon, was fast approaching and a crowd was growing. Flicka No. 1 waited proudly as people browsed the brochures and tried to get closer to the new boat. Tied to the dock directly aft of the marine railway were a PS 25 and a Mariah, each having their own vertical banners and rigs filled with flags.

At one time, I counted 11 people on deck, but she stood up to the weight with remarkable stability. © Bruce P. Bingham 1978, 2003. (Continued from page 23)

Once released from the puppets and braces of the cradle, she was led to her dock and tied securely. Immediately, people began to scramble aboard. Two, six, eight, ten, eleven … they just seemed to more than the boat was designed to hold. I was very concerned about the Flicka’s stability and watched the vessel roll slowly as people got on and off, worked their way around the deck, and disappeared and reemerged from the companionway. I told Bill that I was really concerned that the boat might list dangerously, or worse, roll on her side to dump her topside human load into the harbor. In response, Bill tried to encourage some to step ashore, but none would. At one point, I decided to step aboard myself to get a feeling for the Flicka’s stability with all those people on deck. To my utter surprise, the boat seemed rock solid and barely responded to my additional weight. After, there was no attempt to restrict the numbers. My brother had arrived with his own Mariah, Outward Bound, and offered to be the chase boat for Flicka’s first sail. So far, I had spent my time taken photos, figuring that I would have plenty of chance to see and sail the boat in the following days. After the crown had thinned, and the food Flicka No. 1 heads into the open water of the Pacific for the first time. © Bruce Bingham 1978, 2003

Flicka No. 1 works her way along the Newport Beach shoreline in light air with six aboard. Her performance with a heavy load surprised all. © Bruce Bingham 1978, 2003 consumed, Flicka’s sails were set and the dock lines dropped. I jumped aboard my brother’s boat, camera in hand, as it backed into the harbor. The Flicka was pushed into the fairway to catch a breeze because she had no engine … just an empty outboard bracket. Aboard the Flicka were Bill and Trish Luther, Bill’s brother Johnnie, and three guys from the plant. That’s about a 1,000-pounds of live load! The day was bright and mild with a light breeze drifting in from the ocean. As soon as Flicka’s sails filled, Bill headed down harbor on a beam reach. Flicka picked up speed and showed us her first bow wave. It wasn’t much. The high rises along the shores kept the wind at bay and confused.

Bill Luther, Pacific Seacraft’s engineer and draftsman and long-time friend of designer Bruce Bingham, was responsible for “working the deal” that brought the Flicka molds from Nor’Star in Santa Barbara to PS. He also converted Bruce’s design for production, making many improvements that led to Flicka’s success. © Bruce Bingham 1978, 2003 presented itself, the Flicka and the Outward Bound hardened up on the starboard tack and gained a little more speed. Outward Bound fell farther astern. As we headed into the gentle Pacific swell, the Flicka pitched happily and leaned to the wind. She tasted the ocean and liked it. Once in open water, the Flicka and Outward Bound eased sheets a bit and headed to the southwest to get away from the shore. I yelled to Bill to slow down so we could catch up. I wanted to stay close to take pictures and also to study the Flicka’s motion. Generally, I was very pleased. After putting on a few miles of picture taking, Bill eased the Flicka up to the Outward Bound’s bumkin, and I transferred to the Flicka’s bowsprit. It would be my first experience aboard a Flicka underway. I was really amazed at the feeling of “bigness” when I went below. The Flicka felt like a large boat in almost every respect … especially her motion. I just couldn’t get over it. Bill let me sail her for a while, and I couldn’t get over how easily driven she was, even with the load of six adults aboard (I would have been passenger number seven if no one transferred back to Outward Bound). And I was even more surprised at how effortlessly the Flicka could sail away from the Mariah. Johnnie took the helm, and Bill and I sat on the foredeck feeling very proud like new fathers. Remember, the

Flicka No. 1 finally gets a decent breeze and shows what she can do with a heavy load aboard. © Bruce Bingham 1978, 2003 Outward Bound also picked up speed but had a bit of trouble staying with the Flicka. We were all amazed at how easily the Flicka slipped along. This would be only the beginning of our amazement! The Flicka and Outward Bound glided along the shore and through the anchorages of Newport Beach Harbor. Henry Morhschladt, PS’s founder and president, had ordered the word FLICKA sewn onto the boat’s heads’l. Other boats joined us and some skippers asked what a Flicka was, and we were anxious to tell them. I thought it was a little tacky looking, but Henry was a consummate promoter, and it helped the Flicka gain visibility. As we neared the moth of the harbor and cleared the buildings to windward, the breeze steadied, and Flicka picked up speed. Outward Bound fell astern. When the lay of the entrance

Flicka No. 1 scoots along over gentle swells in light air with a full load (well not really a full load). © Bruce Bingham 1978, 2003 Flicka design was born in the late sixties, and finally it was a reality in fiberglass almost ten years later. We hadn’t been sure this day would ever arrive. But it had, and it was great. Shortly before sunset, we entered the harbor, nosed up to the dock, and put the little Flicka to bed for the night. It would be my only experience with Flicka No. 1, and it had been an extreme pleasure. In the fall, Bill and Trish would sail together aboard a Flicka again. It would be aboard my own Flicka No. 25, Sabrina, down the Chesapeake to the Potomac and Washington DC, after her showing at the Annapolis Boat Show. Who would have thought you could cruise with four aboard a twenty footer!