Wandering to New York from Kansas to find a Tornado?

Wandering to New York in an effort to bring a Tornado to Kansas might make a really bad squeal for the Wizard of Oz, yet here I am.

I know there is a boat following, and even a few cat sailors around here, hopefully you will enjoy the ride.

Over this weekend we had 56 hours gone, and we likely were driving for about 41 hours of it.   Lots and lots of windshield time with a great friend.  We spent many hours talking about what might have lead the original owner to purchase such a thing new in 1987, and the circumstances led to the boat now becoming part of my existence.  It really is quite something to say the least.

There is no doubt this thing is just a old plywood sailboat, but it is also something much, much more than that.  Steve McQueen once said  "racing is life, anything before or after is just waiting".   For many like me "sailing is life", but the question of whether it is life, or gives life, is a question I think has not been fully answered.

For those who don't know the Tornado is a 20ft long, 10 ft beam beachcat.   The "gold Standard" by which all others are measured.  You can buy faster lighter boats, but unless they foil, they ain't faster by much, and very few are more fun to sail.  It was the Olympic Catamaran design until replaced a few years back by a fragile carbon fiber foiling thing.

The boat has a few bumps, a scar or two from racing, and even some damage from a single careless act before it even was put on the water the first time.  I hadn't noticed these spots in the advertisement photos, and initially might have felt a little disappointed upon the discovery, but the more I think about it, the more I seem to have a certain fondness for this "damage". Even as little as this boat has been on the water, it still was able to provide something far to many people are missing from their lives.  This never seems to come without a few scars, and there is no fault in that.

I have some nostalgic ideas for a hand woven trampoline, and maybe building some blocks and bits to fit the wooden character of the boat, as well as some outlandish ideas about possibly upgrading the 2001 up 'modern rig' (self tacking jib, spinnaker and square top main sail), but without losing the character and vintage look.  (thinking maybe eventually even a wooden spin pole etc.)  With the general idea being to only add marginally to the boats ability without losing the very natural feeling and look.

This will be a little of a build thread and a little of an adventure thread.

Nice!  I've seen plenty of cats in my day, but I'm pretty sure they were all Hobies.  Never heard of the Tornado, but it's obviously a nice boat.  Congrats and enjoy!

That thing looks like it will scoot. 

Nice!

Diggin it! 

I'm not a wind-powered guy, but I can appreciate how that looks.  Nice.

In reply to Toyman01 (Moderately Supportive Dude) :

The class minimum weight for the boat is right at 342 lbs..   I suspect the way this one is built it should be really close to that, which still blows my mind given the materials and having sailed plenty of Hobie 16 (320 lbs) and Hobie 20 (420lbs)...

I have had GPS log 25mph a couple times on my H16.   I suspect I am going to best that by just a little.. 

Known of the Tornado for a long time, Have had one sail experience when the person who ran the hobbie cat  rental place on the Clearwater  causway decided that it was too windy to let me loose with his boats, so he instead offered an hour out on the Tornado with him driving. Money well spent.

Used to have a poster of one pulling a skier.

Wow. Wasn't aware of these, that's gorgeous. 

I've seen Tornadoes, but none that classy!  It's a 2 man racer used in the Olympics from 1976 - 2008 and very fast.

Please christen the boat "The Extreme."

That Cat looks really nice.

I moved up my "purchase a sailboat and go sailing" plan to the beginning of this summer with Covid. I've been dreaming of a Hobie 16 or something similar (Joyrider TV on Youtube got me all excited) but ended up going with an old 15' Albacore. For now I'm happy with my choice, it's an easy boat to rig and pretty simple to sail so far. We are right on Lake Huron in Point Clark but there isn't a spot in front of the cottage to leave a wide cat rigged near the beach. Someday I'll have one and be able to get some real speed but for now I'm having fun.

Congrats and keep the thread updated!

In reply to adam525i (Forum Supporter) :

I have a very nice 2012 Hobie 16 for sale if you are interested.  

The H16 is kind of a must have Cat if you are into sailing multihull.   It will teach you all about how to handle a beachcat.   The North American Hobie Class Association is full of great people, and as far as racing, the H16 is the way to go in the midwest just because of the amount and quality of competition.   I have found just a handful Tornado sailors nearby, so one design racing just ain't in the cards,(not to mention even with a tilting trailer a 10ft wide boat is a pain to take on the road) but on a H16 there are hundreds of boats around, and some really fast sailors on them.  Good close one design tracing is easy to find.   The trick is I am a fit 6'5" 220lbs and the H16 is sailed with a crew of 2 and a class minimum weight of 285lbs.  Being a boat that at least as far as racing goes is very weight sensitive means with any adult crew we are at least 60 lbs over minimum...  and while I can sneak in a race win or two from time to time, sailing against some of the very best with a disadvantage doesn't usually work out in my favor.   I still though just love racing and will continue to play with H16's...     A moving chess game in which the course is constantly changing is just to much to resist. 

Leaning around in something like an Albocore is different but really just as much fun if you do it right.   Especially when the wind is under 10mph..   Going "fast" on a cat that is flat in the water just isn't as nice of a place to be as a good leaner.   

and Oh yeah,..

I am a cat sailor...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwgT7RnYe4g

Congrats, my teenage self would have been up for a ride.  Enjoy!

I misread the thread title originally and thought this was a trek for an oldsmobile. Then I saw the second time it said tornado and assumed it was about storm chasing. 

Now I'm just confused.