Me and Project NOMAD - Part 1

I grew up in Lewin’s Cove on the Burin Peninsula.

My bedroom window was only a 100 ft from high tide mark, with nothing seperating me from the saltwater only a meadow containing a small hobby garden maintained by my grandfather and a small dog house that was home to Scotty, or Sailor or than son of a creature, that my mother often referred to him as.

Come from a long line of sea going men, father, grandfather and fathers before him all made a living by going to sea. None of us were encouraged to pursue a berth on the deep sea draggers that were sailing full tilt from many places in NL including Burin and Marystown. In fact, our exposure to the draggers was limited to visits with father who was Chief Engineer as he was coordinating repair work to be complted during the 48hr turn around with the shore based crew. We also did a couple of short non fishing delivery trips as the boat often landed in one port ie Harbour Breton and had to be moved to Burin.

Have played around in boats for most of my life. A 16ft dory, referred to as flat, likely because the stern was cut straight across to accommodate a low horsepower outboard was always moored off the beach. There is no nicer picture than a flat swinging gently into the wind on a fine summers evening.

While motorboats were commonplace in many of our bays, sailboats were few and far between. I was first introduced to sailing while living in California for a short stint in mid-nineties. My first boat was a Macgregor 26X, an very innovative water ballast design which allowed for decent sailing as well as motoring at speeds that could tow a water-skier.

While this design has its niche market, the boat was a little light for our waters and in 2002, I bought a Ontario built, Bayfield 32. This was a traditional cutter-rigged with lots of topside teak including the trademark teak taffrail on the stern and trailboards on the clipper bow.

Two foot-itis set in again in 2006 and I purchased a Cabot 36. A very well respected cruising sailboat. This boat was built in Cape Breton under an ACOA grant providing work for displaced workers from the closure of coal mines. The boat was brought to NL new in 1977 and has served several owners very well since then. The Cabot 36 sailboat is a Canadian classic keelboat that was built in the 1970s from plans and drawings by the famous design team of Ted Brewer and Bob Walstrom. Only 49 Cabots were produced by Cabotcraft Industries, which folded in the late ‘70s when orders and government funding diminished and the market for sailing vessels hit a slump in both Canada and the U.S.

Since getting the Cabot 36 named ORCA, I have participated (using term loosely) in some weeknight and weekend sailboat races at RNYC. However a heavy displacement cruising boat loaded down with a seasons worth of nibbles and bits and two 35lb anchors hanging off a stout bowsprit is not exactly going to bring home any medals on raceweek. I did get an honorable mention at this years Iceberg Vodka Raceweek held at RNYC for sailing white sail division of the races singlehanded.

However, being slightly competitive by nature I always asked myself what would it be like to sail in a boat more geared towards performance. I love cruising around the bays , overnighting and cooking up fish stews, but what about a boat that could point just a few more degrees to windward.
Like most boaters, I am constantly nosing around online looking at what’s available for sale etc. My favourite website is www.yachtworld.com. During a business trip to NYC this past summer I used it as an opportunity to look at a few potential boats that I had been eying online.

After my meetings at ITT headquarters, I rented a car and spent 4 days poking around marinas and boatyards from NYC, Mystic Connecticut, Newport Rhode Island to Boston MA. It was in Boston that I found NOMAD, out of the water, sitting in a cradle, bow pointed proudly forward, like a single women at Green Sleeves hoping to be noticed. While I knew the boat was for sale, as I had been talking to a marine broker before I left for my trip to New York, there was no For Sale sign on the boat. How serious was this guy, did he really want to sell this boat. It looked very well maintained, and could be launched and sailed on a moments notice.

NOMAD is a Sparkman & Stephens design, Lacoste 42, built in La Rochelle, France. This place happens to be the start point for the Vendee Globe Ocean Race, where solo sailors set off on round the world non stop solo voyages that pits man against nature and man against himself for three or four months. The french are excellent boat builders and know a lot about building boats for comfort and speed. Only 11 of these boats were built, financed by clothing billionaire, Bernard Lacoste.

After some more investigating I learned that NOMAD was brought to the US in late 1980’s and sold to Mr. Kent Damon, father of actor, Matt Damon. The boat has been berthed on Martha’s Vineyard and was currently in the Boston shipyard having some maintenance done. Mr. Damon was selling his boat due to an illness that prevented him from using it the last couple of years.

As I currently had a boat here in NL, I did not rush this process, wanted to take some time to evaluate this opportunity. After doing some research I engaged in some back and forth negotiations, marine surveys, etc. On September 23, 2010 NOMAD was officially mine, I mean ours. Deana never really had too much involvement in the process. She general leaves the boat things up to me. However she was particularly keen in this boat hoping to get something with the scent of Matt Damon still on it. She does like the name NOMAD, which is Damon spelled backwards, so we will stay true to maritime tradition and keep the name.

Between the time of my visit to the boat in July and my purchasing in late September I began giving thought to how I would get this boat home. After all, there is about 1000 miles of Atlantic Ocean between Boston and St. John’s. During one of my many conversations with the broker he mentioned a delivery skipper, David Sherman from Boston area that may be able to help me. I contacted Mr. Sherman and he discussed timelines and requirements with me, by the end of the conversation we agreed that a late September, October delivery could be possible but we would have to closely watch the weather systems coming up the Eastern seaboard.

Subsequent to the boat deal closing in late September, I made the decision to postpone delivery until early summer 2011. I made another trip to Boston in late October to spend a few days with my new girl and to meet with Mr. Sherman to discuss the trip. This is where things got interesting. During my conversation with Sherman he suggested late June early July before he could help me. We both agreed that May was too damp and cold to be delivering a boat to Newfoundland combined with some chance of ice being around and he was committed for June as he was registered for the Bermuda 1-2 race. This is a 650 nautical mile solo race from Newport, RI to Bermuda and a double handed race from Bermuda back to Newport. Sherman has won this event on his own boat twice in last ten years. Not too bad for a man nudging 60 years old.

I began thinking about the possibility of doing the Marblehead to Halifax Race. Marblehead is only 20 nautical miles from Tern Harbour Marina where the boat is stored inside for the winter at Custom Fiberglass Inc. having items repaired, replaced, checked and upgraded. It’s the chance of a lifetime, to be there already, with an experienced skipper and delivery crew hyped to help out. During my visit in October I also met with a local sailmaker, Ralph Dimattia who also keeps his boat at Tern Harbour. Mr. Dimattia is another man who really knows sailing. This man is on the other side of 60 and has been making sails in Boston area for over 40 years. His boat, a Nelson Merrick 40, is a racing machine and he has the trophies to prove it.

While I consider myself a cruiser, a guy who has been living in the world of dacron sails, I soon found myself using words like carbon fiber, kevlar, spectra and other exotic materials. Deana, who is (just about) trilingual, always considered me linguistically challenged but upon hearing me speak these words thought I was after learning a new language. I am just glad that she hasn’t figured out that exotic sail materials is a fancy way of saying expensive sails.

Project: NOMAD – BOURNE AGAIN!!

Am I ready to race from Marblehead to Halifax, 365 nautical miles of open ocean, taking three or four days to complete. I’ve never done anything like this before. Sure I managed to sail my boat from RNYC to St. John’s or Trinity, but most of my boating days consist of bobbing up and down somewhere between Kelly’s Island and Brigus. Would I get seasick? Would I enjoy the isolation, being out of sight of land for such a relatively long time? Is the boat prepared for such a race, am I prepared for such a race?

Many of these questions I won’t know the answer to until I actually do the race. Gravol, meclizine, scopolamine patches and ginger may help to prevent sea sickness, a detailed work list and contract with a good boat yard will sort out most shortcomings with the boat, but what about me?

Not one to participate in any regular exercise routines, however quite regular at being on the run with work and no stranger to eating out, the age of 44 has treated me like it has many others. I do not want to disclose my weight but let’s just say that my age and waistline happens to be the same number, this year. Convenient for buying pants but not so convenient for jumping around the foredeck of a 42 foot sailboat wrestling a 800 sq ft of sail fabric to the pitching deck in the dark of night somewhere between Marblehead and Cape Sable.

The time has come to go visit Good Life Fitness. Being skeptical from the beginning I approached this with extreme caution. The last time Deana and I signed up for a fitness program all we got was one month that consisted of three or four initial instructionless workouts and 11 months of zilch ola only the $85.00 per month charge to my Visa reminding me that perhaps we should have tried this for a week or so instead of ticking the 1 year subscription box.

During my first visit to Good Life Fitness, I was greeted by a lovely lady, 20 years my junior. She was extremely polite and courteous and led me to a table and explained the program to me. She was very glad when I took out my Visa card and let her copy down the number for the biweekly payments. Did I mention that I checked the 1 year subscription box? Slow learner I guess.

Before I left that day I made an appointment for the following week to meet with a personal trainer. Monday morning I went to meet this tall, well built young man, whose dress code was a pair of track pants, tight spandex shirt showing muscle where I have bulges of another kind and a pair of six million dollar ASICS running shoes. Well perhaps not that much but almost.

After a chat about the PT program he measured me from head to toe and recorded some of the largest numbers he has seen in some time, and if that wasn’t embarrassing enough took me to a semi private workout room and put me through enough paces to get some idea of my fitness level. After I failed to be able to complete 1 sit up, not a typo, and could only do a plank for less than 10 seconds he quickly realized that he had a project on his hands. We went back to his office and he explained that he would assign me to another trainer, Blair Doyle. He explained that Blair would be a good fit for me and he would arrange for our first session. I figured it was a nice way of him saying thanks guy but I don’t have enough time to watch you lose that gut. Later I found out that he was the training manager and only does initial assessments. The only thing remaining between being the shape I am now and being in the shape I need to be to handle a 42 foot racing sailboat is 150 sessions with a personal trainer. Again I took out my Visa and checked off the 1 year subscription box.

What have I done? Deana is going to freak was all I could think about going home. Between Torbay Road and Musgrave Street I rationalized the decision in my mind. The next couple of years are going to be about me, not about RRSP’s but RHSD (Really Help Save Dave).

Refit work progressing well on NOMAD!!

NOMAD is spending the winter inside at Custom Fiberglass Inc. undergoing some repairs, checks and upgrades to prepare for the Marblehead to Halifax Race and the voyage on to Newfoundland.

Many deck items such as genoa tracks and staysail tracks

have been removed to be rebedded, coach roof portlights to be replaced,

, padeyes for jacklines and harnesses, bottom stripping, fairing and new slick bottom paint. And a Webasto Heater to keep us nice and toasty on the foggy and damp trip.

NOMAD - Bourne Again!!: NOMAD - Bourne Again!!

NOMAD - Bourne Again!!: NOMAD - Bourne Again!!: "My wife and I are from Newfoundland, Canada and we recently purchased sailing vessel NOMAD from Matt Damon's, father Kent Damon. This 42 fo..."

NOMAD - Bourne Again!!

My wife and I are from Newfoundland, Canada and we recently purchased sailing vessel NOMAD from Matt Damon's, father Kent Damon. This 42 foot french built sailboat has been in the Damon family since late 1980's. She is currently being refitted as part of project NOMAD - Bourne Again to prepare her for the Marblehead to Halifax Race in July of 2011. Then we will cruise her to her new home in St. John's, Newfoundland.

NOMAD - Lacoste 42



The Damon family are very welcome to sail the boat off Canada's east coast should any of them find themselves in beautiful Newfoundland and Labrador.



David Mitchell

Heavy Weather - Safety at Sea

See this good reference to a Heavy Weather - Safety at Sea Seminar put off by West Marine.

Check it out some good common sense ideas.

Registration opens for Safety at Sea Seminar!!

The MHOR rules requires that:

At least 30% but not fewer than two members of a crew, including the skipper shall have undertaken training within the five years before the start of the race in both 6.02 topics for theoretical sessions, and 6.03 topics which include practical, hands-on sessions.

Safety at Sea Symposium
The 2011 Safety at Sea Symposium is scheduled for March 19, 2011 and will be held at MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts (Google Map). This symposium features a very experienced group of speakers to address a series of topics which are of vital interest to all serious sailors. In addition to the safety topics there will be breakout sessions for the Marblehead to Halifax Ocean Race and the Marion Bermuda Race.

The event will be sanctioned by US Sailing and moderated by John Rousmaniere. He is an acknowledged expert on safety at sea and has more than 40,000 miles of blue water behind him, including nine Newport Bermuda Races (with two second place finishes) and three Atlantic crossings. He wrote The Annapolis Book of Seamanship, Fastnet, Force 10, the well-known account of the fatal 1979 Fastnet race storm (in which John sailed), and the history of the A Berth to Bermuda - Newport Bermuda Race. He has moderated or spoken at more than 100 safety and seamanship seminars. He co-organized and wrote the final report of the most recent crew overboard rescue trials.

NOMAD's sailmaker, Ralph Dimattia wins class at New England Championships

August 30, 2010

PHRF New England Championships come to conclusion
The Salem News Mon Aug 30, 2010, 12:21 AM EDT


MARBLEHEAD — Upwards of 100 boats hailing from everywhere from Buzard's Bay to tthe Gulf of Maine made their way to the coast of Marblehead for the Performance Handicap Racing Fleet New England championships this weekend.

The three-day regatta included races in 11 classes across three lines and took place at Marblehead's Boston Corinthain and Eastern yacht clubs.

Winners in line one were the Denali woned by Mike Demelio in Class R1; the Kathabatic owned by Gordon Hall in Class R2; the Gambler owned by John Downey in Class R3 and the Goldeneye owned by Peter Engel in Class R4.

Meanwhile, in line two, the Allegro Semplicita owned by Fred DeNapoli prevailed in the J105 class. The Eclipse owned by Tyler Doyle won the Class Day while the Seven owned by Thomas Hall won Class R5. Class R6 was won by the Maniac, owned by Roger Kuebel.

In line three, the Shamrock owned by Ralph Dimattia won Class CR1; the Nonpareil owned by Tom Anderson won Class CR2 and the Celerity owned by John Doub won class CR3.

Skipper, David Sherman takes 2nd place in Newport to Bermuda 2010

Newport to Bermuda 2010
BYC was well-represented in the Newport to Bermuda
Race which began on Friday, June 18th. This report
from Ray Renaud tells the story:
I’ll Think About It crew: David Sherman, Captain BYC
member; Ray Renaud, Navigator BYC Member; Dwight
Allenson BYC Member; Peter Maloney BYC Member; Peter
Canzone BYC Member (first Bermuda Race); Mark
Tandourjian Owner and on BYC membership wait list (first
Bermuda Race). (Editor’s note: the boat is a Beneteau
523)
We raced in Cruising Class, placed second in class. For most of the crew, it was the first race with electric winches, hot showers and
air conditioning. With three separate bunk area (three heads as well), the boat performed to expectations. The freezer was stocked,
but Peter Maloney came through with catching Mahi Mahi for dinner on two of the days. Needless to say, this was the first trip any
of us had gained weight on.
Race conditions were equal to sailing to Newport on a Sunday afternoon. The only gear failure was chafing through a furling line.
We found the Gulf Stream was where it was suppose to be and had a fast trip to Bermuda. A well sailed Swan 56 came in first
and another Swan 56 was third; good company in any race.

Keepin' good company

Our Captain, David Sherman, won the Spirit of Bermuda Cup twice in last 10 years.


The Spirit of Bermuda Cup - Dedicated to Catherine Singsen - Best Combined Corrected Time Class III Bermuda 1-2

YEAR NAME BOAT NAME
2009 Kristen Wenzel Aggressive
2007 Dave Sherman Palangi
2005 Barrett Holby Wazimo
2003 Barrett Holby Waximo
2001 David Sherman Palangi
1999 Tristan Mouligne Frog Kiss
1997 Patrick Mouligne Frog Kiss
1995 Patrick Mouligne Frog Kiss
1993 Patrick Mouligne Frog Kiss

Former editor of Land & Sea to document the MHOR

Rick Barnes, retired producer from CBC, and former editor of the Land & Sea television series is excited about documenting the participation of three local sailboats and crew in the 2011 MHOR.

Rick will follow the voyages of the entries from the RNYC as they particpate in one of the premiere Atlantic Offshore Races in July of 2011.