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A Look Back (and Forward) with Designer Tony Smith
GEMINI 11
I was in my mid thirties when we started Performance Cruising and the Gemini project in Annapolis. Prior to that I had my own boat building company in England building several hundred Telstar trimarans and an assortment of custom boats to 70 ft. At the time Sue and I had a young family and I was more interested in ocean racing having competed in three 3,000 mile two handed round Britain races. I have stayed with just one size of 34 ft. Because of the continuous improvements and attention to detail Gemini has out sold all other catamarans to become the worlds most successful catamaran. To date we have built close to 1,100 Gemini. This success comes from the functional quality of the product. The Gemini 105's teardrop hull shapes are still revolutionary, having good load carrying, fine entry, minimum drag , and with the motion of a much larger catamaran. Although the overall beam is quite narrow the centers of bouyancy are far apart and quite high. The centers of gravity and centers of effort are low, which when coupled with good load carrying hulls that cannot be pushed down into the water, makes for a fast safe comfortable boat. The deck and pilot house has a low profile that reduces windage and gives a good looking boat. Gemini has the lowest draft of any sail boat with lifting centerboards , rudders and drive leg. The asymmetric centerboards are like turbo chargers to windward.
Considerable thought has also gone into the production techniques with a revolutionary interior mold for strength and lightness. The production procedures have evolved to ensure sustainable quality. The accommodations have evolved to make Gemini comfortable for any purpose, from crossing the Atlantic to cruising down the Intercoastal. The functional and attractive cockpit enclosure doubles the accommodation.
After thirty years it is time to step back from continuous development and see how successful we have been. We planned to do what lots of our customers have done and even more would like to do and travel down the East coast of America from Maryland to Florida, the Bahamas and back during the winter of 2010.
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Charleston, South Carolina
Latest Update - Thanks for All the Questions and Comments
To generally respond to queries about the equipment we chose and how its working out from a non-technical point of view I'll go through a couple of things:
1. The combination of the new enclosure with the heater (the bus heater), that works while we're traveling on the Westerbeke, when we're stopped at anchor the Espar heater works, when we're plugged in at a marina the reverse cycle air conditioning works. These various heaters, along with the enclosure made us especially comfortable during the first half of this trip.
2. The full enclosure is essential for traveling in any climate. During the first half of the trip it protects you from the elements allowing travel in shirt sleeves in close to freezing temperatures. As we have got warmer, though not too warm yet, we've opened the various 'doors' and 'windows', and don't have any heat running, we're comfortably solar heated right now. In anticipation of much warmer temps the enclosure will be closed up again to run the AC.
The enclosure also gives an amount of privacy around the cockpit in a marina. As Gemini is so light and open, and not dark and enclosed like a monohull there are times when you'd prefer the marina not to see what you're having for dinner. This also makes use of the pleated blinds of course.
Tony is making copious notes of voltages, power use etc.on the electronic items we have, including the KVH satellite TV, more on that stuff later. Add a comment
30 Knots on the Nose on the Waccamaw River
A fun ride into Georgetown, on the Waccamaw River, 30kts wind on nose, plus 1 1/2 kts tide against wind, quite a ride!
I have no idea how monohulls make this trip!! Pretty much each part of this voyage the water depths can go from 15 ft. to 3 ft. with no warning. A lot of anchorages are extremely shallow, and there is a reason there are so many Tow Boat US advertisements along the waterway. The cut through called the Rock Pile is a channel with the warning not to deviate and come into contact with submerged rocks on either side, 18" draft helps there too! We also wouldn't want to make this trip without a GPS, even allows me to stay on course and in the channel.
Passed my favorite name on the whole ICW the Wacca Wache Marina, it just rolls off the tongue.
The trip on the Waccamaw River into Georgetown was a challenge for any boat, extremely short choppy seas caused by a southerly at 30 - 35 knts. and a tide against wind. Gemini handled the conditions well, took our speed down to about 4 knts, but we got into the harbor in one piece, and were very pleased to do so, there were some casualties limping into the harbor this afternoon.
Never been here before, Georgetown is a lovely town, lots of history, difficult to choose a restaurant, too much choice, but Italian won out tonight, and it was good!
Heading for beautiful Charleston tomorrow. Hope it stops raining.
Barefoot Landing Outlet Center
Left Harbourgate Marina about 7.45am. Starting to rain just a little. Safely negotiated 3 mile narrow channel calledRock Pile. Ending with Barefoot Landing Outlet Center where you can dock and shop! 10 years ago when we went thru here it rained also.
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