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Sundance 4.3 Needs a New Home


okanui

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My Sundance 4.3, which I've owned since new, is on a registered trailer, has 2 sets of sails and a damaged section of the port deck.  It hasn't been in the water since 2002 and has been under tarpaulin cover. I'd like to find a new home for it and it won't cost you very much, I promise.  Let's say $250 (very negotiable).  It's in Brisbane.

1985 Multi Hull Marathon SA(3).jpg

Sails 452(1).jpg

Sails 452.jpg

Sails 532(1).jpg

Sails 532(2).jpg

Sails 532(5).jpg

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  • 6 months later...

Ha ha....you lurk everywhere!  Room is not the issue Matt.  Hiding it from Michelle is.  I think she is getting used to it now...didn't flinch when I acquired the H14 for the trailer, or the H16 mast to replace the beams on the Sundance and I even got away cleanly with the Alpha Omega wing mast, so I think I'll still be married.  I think.

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4 hours ago, steveo1 said:

BVSC has a restored Sundance 4.3 sailing nearly every race day

Steve

Hi Steve,  I must toddle out to BVSC one weekend and have a look at it.  I do know of a guy by the name of Edward/Ted with one in Brisbane.  I wonder if that is him?

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  • 2 weeks later...

Thank you for replying. I was just curious. Seemed awfully cheap.

 

Oddly I've had people throwing 14' stuff at me but no useful responses to my gumtree ad for a 12' mainsail. Obviously 14' cats are more common, but also probably more sought after ? Anyway...

 

Glad you resolved it.

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5 hours ago, guzzis3 said:

Thank you for replying. I was just curious. Seemed awfully cheap.

 

Oddly I've had people throwing 14' stuff at me but no useful responses to my gumtree ad for a 12' mainsail. Obviously 14' cats are more common, but also probably more sought after ? Anyway...

 

Glad you resolved it.

Guzzis3  The back story is that I bought another Sundance some time ago as a second boat to sail solo.  It looks quite good from a distance, but needs quite a bit of work to bring her back to good looks and reliable sailing condition.  There have been some dodgy repairs and replacements made by past owners.

I stumbled upon Okanui's ad quite by accident and initially thought that his Sundance might at least be good for spare parts for the other.  In fact, despite being unused for many years, it is a later model and probably in better condition that the one I have.  The deck damage is repairable, but if that proves too difficult, I have another pair of hulls to use for replacements.  One way or another, I definitely will be able to make a great little boat out of the two.

He has owned Damp Fantasy since new and despite owning other larger boats along the way, couldn't bring himself to part with her until now.  I think the process of getting her out and ready for me to view, has given him some pangs of remorse.  She is a very pretty boat and worth some TLC to get her on the water again.  If you click on my avatar, you'll find pictures of the other Sundance and the H18 I part own with a mate, which was another restoration.

I think I will owe Okanui a "nostalgia sail" when she is back in the water!

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Telf: Thank you for the comments. Often hard to part with something you've owned for a long time.

 

Matt15: By poor performance do you mean speed or ability to windward ? I had a caper cat for years and while it was terribly limited in so many ways it is probably my favorite boat of all time.

I've not previously paid much attention to the other brands of beach cat, my main interest is bigger boats, and I now find it all a bit bewildering.

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49 minutes ago, guzzis3 said:

Telf: Thank you for the comments. Often hard to part with something you've owned for a long time.

 

Matt15: By poor performance do you mean speed or ability to windward ? I had a caper cat for years and while it was terribly limited in so many ways it is probably my favorite boat of all time.

I've not previously paid much attention to the other brands of beach cat, my main interest is bigger boats, and I now find it all a bit bewildering.

guzzis3  Yes, there seems to be a glut of smaller cats on the second hand market at the moment and often, not in very good shape.  Caper 14s and Calypso14s and 16s are fairly numerous around these parts (where they were built) and are actively sailed by some dedicated owners.  Great boats.  While the Caper 14 was on the heavy side, that was more than made up for by the storage and cooler inclusions and they served their owners well in the beach camping roll they were designed for.  Because they were not built for racing, they were able to be made more robust, so have survived well.  Many years ago, a mate had one of the rare Caper 18s.  Although even heavier, it was surprisingly fast and a more stable platform.

The Sundance cats were built in SA and were very popular there.  The hull shape was ahead of its time and has resurfaced in more modern boats like the smaller Nacras and Euro Hobies.  Darrel Barrett designed and built the Sundance 4.3 and 5, then went on to build the very quick Alpha Omega 4.4s, which became the base for his F14 boats.  I believe he has built a couple of thousand boats, but few of them have made the journey north unfortunately.  I thought seriously about looking for an Alpha Omega, but I really wanted something without boards.  Anything but swing boards are a bit of a pain solo.

Good luck finding your 12' main.  If they are scarce and 14' sails are more available, have you thought of picking up a sail from a 14 and having it cut down to suit?  If you are stuck, I could part with the yellow and white sails in the photo.  Damp Fantasy comes with the standard pin-head and the later larger pin-head in the photos and I have a new square-top set I had made, so have plenty to choose from.

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Thank you for your comments.

 

I have 3 14' mains I can cut down, 2 maricat which are quite tired and a hobie. I had planned to break out my sewing machine and try to remember how to use it, cutting down one of the maricat sails. If I muck it up no loss...but I thought I'd post on gumtree just in case. The arafura cadets went to a big head sail recently so there is a small possibility those racing them might have pin head sails they want to ditch.

 

I'd love to see a caper 18, heard of them never seen one. I loved my 14, never flew a hull which for me was a good thing. I came home from mud island to woody point one afternoon on a beam reach at 8 knots in 4' swell. Quite hairy and I was sore for a week afterwards. That's as hard sailing as I ever want to do, but satisfying in a way.

 

Have you experience of the Kula cat ? I asked elsewhere how they compare to the caper cat...seem more lightly built. I'd love to see one.

 

I dealt with the gentleman at calypso at sandgate when I needed something, which wasn't often. I found him very easy to deal with, patient and reasonable in every respect. I thought it a pity when they closed. I also lamented the passing of express multihulls. I've always been a big fan of the little barrier and regret not buying one at the time.

 

I thought the sundancer hull looked a bit like a nacra. I hope you enjoy yours.

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Guzzis3,  Sounds like you have the sail situation well under control.  Russ and Luke at L R Sails at Deception Bay are looking after the Caper and Calypso folk these days and they are great guys to deal with.  They made a set of sails for the H18 and they are beautifully cut and excellent workmanship.

Matt15 sails Hobies these days, but he did have had a Kula I believe.  If he sees this, he might be able to give you some useful info.

Here are a couple shots of my mate's Caper 18 on Tinaroo Dam in NQ circa 1980.  The hull flying shot was one of a series of it, at the same heel angle all the way from the other side of the lake.  The most noticeable difference between it and the 14 is the extra storage hatches in the hulls.  The forward ones were the insulated coolers.  The sail number suggests that at least 16 were made.  I know of one in Melbourne, but would like to know where the others are.  He managed to hit power lines while carrying it up from the beach  He was holding the rear beam and took the full shock.  Luckily, he was with a mate and two nurses.  He knocked him off the boat with a huge lump of concrete and the nurses revived him.  The mast would have been damaged for sure, but I don't know if it was repaired or not.  I must ask him.

 

 58a97c6727937_Caper2.thumb.jpg.bffdf13f4 58a97c4f2876d_Caper1.thumb.jpg.4638d46f2

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Oh my goodness, it's just like a 14 only longer!

 

Yes I saw Matt15's posts on the kulacat. I'd like to see if anyone has sailed both. As you say the caper was built well and heavy, the kula looks to have been a lighter boat with less rocker and finer hulls.

 

Maybe I should put a wanted ad on gumtree see if I can flush out a CC18 :D

 

How would you feel about me using your photo ?

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18 minutes ago, guzzis3 said:

Oh my goodness, it's just like a 14 only longer!

 

Yes I saw Matt15's posts on the kulacat. I'd like to see if anyone has sailed both. As you say the caper was built well and heavy, the kula looks to have been a lighter boat with less rocker and finer hulls.

 

Maybe I should put a wanted ad on gumtree see if I can flush out a CC18 :D

 

How would you feel about me using your photo ?

 

Very close to fact I think regarding the hull shape.  It was like they took the dimensions of the 14' hulls and stretched them and threw a taller mast on them.  The result was a much smoother ride and less hobby-horsing.  Lots of room for camping gear.  Absolutely the best beach cat around for island hopping, except that in NQ with the big tides and often long shallow beaches, it was a major job to get it to and from the water.

There is a Kula 16 for sale on GT at the moment.  Ad says "custom", but Matt identified it as a Kula.

http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/caboolture-south/sail-boats/swap-or-sell-15ft-catamaran-registered-trailer-brilliant-cat/1139302955

Good luck with the CC18 quest.  They are a very rare beast!

 

As for the photos...go for it.  Sorry they are so old and faded.

 

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Thank you for the quick reply.

Kulacat: Everything cheap or interesting is always either caboolture or the GC :)  or WA....

I don't know how fussed I am on what looks like a small single access to the locker ?

Hobbyhorsing was a problem with the 14, not a big deal but annoying. The biggest thing I wanted to do to mine is put on a forward net. Those rare occasions when I needed to go forward at sea were an absolute pain. I couldn't hang on to the forestay until I got to the forward beam so it was just luck I didn't lose my balance while on the hull.

Anyway I might put an ad up and see what happens. I've had remarkably good luck with gumtree over the years...thank you for use of the photo. It helps a lot attracting attention on gumtree.

 

 

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