“Tribute” now the salted seadog
Author: Kees Bakker
Design: 38′ Mango
We’re halfway 2009 now and Tribute has been sold and sailed to West Australia. And as a tribute to Tribute, her builder and designer I would like to add the following to Bryan’s musings.
Like Bryan, I had my mind set on a Farrier. An F32 actually. But financially there isn’t much between these boats so I thought I’d have a look and a test sail and immediately fell in love with Tribute because of her sailing abilities and ergonomics. All of the sailing and reefing is done in the secure cockpit without bending, reaching or climbing. Bryan said he raced roughly level with F9A’s, and the interior of Tribute is of course palatial compared to a folding tri. So I bought it. Bryan sailed it round the Top End with four aboard, and I took over in Darwin then sailed through the Kimberleys and home to Carnarvon.
Tribute is now a properly salted seadog rather than an East Coast swanning weekender. With over 11000 miles on the clock, she has carried her crew across the open ocean from WA to Indonesia and back. While in Carnarvon, she also took the Racing Division trophy home for the 2008/9 season. Admittedly, this is not a very big division as it consists of only two boats really. But she is as fast as a stripped-out International 24 or Farrier F25 in moderate conditions, in rougher seas she pulls ahead. The many other boats are half as quick, and sit in the cruising class. While doing this we also won the trophy for taking the most crew racing through the season and were certainly not in lightship mode.
We have been in some rough seas- the horrible vertical waves of Shark Bay in 30+ knot winds are her homewaters. The area where the 5 knot currents of the Lombok Strait hit the Indian Ocean’s wind, waves and swell are no joke either. The Kimberley’s wind-against-tide also deserve mention here. But we were never worried about her seaworthiness. Bryan did a great job. She is exactly as advertised- a quick but comfortable minimalist cruiser which has proven to be very reliable in all her systems.
Everyone who has been aboard has commented positively on her clever ergonomics especially with respect to her sailing systems and use of interior space. I sail her solo for weeks without worries, months have been spent with three or four aboard and for sunset cruises twenty people find space to guzzle champers.
One year and 6000 miles without damage except some electrical connections. The unusual Oram features- single daggerboard and ballast tanks- actually work. We sail 30-35 degrees AWA upwind depending on seastate and we sailed back from Indo at these angles. There are not many boaters who would even consider a 750 mile upwind beat an option. On beam reach speed runs, flooding the windward ballast tank settles the boat and inspires confidence. In a downwind run along Eighty Mile Beach the boat would surf at 19 knots in the pitchblack darkness under a reefed jib only. Flooding the ballast tanks took the excesses away and we comfortably cruised the nights riding the waves in 30-40 knot winds. The kickup rudders are essential in Shark Bay’s shallows.
Inside- things are basic but not spartan. Two queen sized bunks which are relatively private thanks to curtains. A good single berth, and the cabin’s settee is often transformed into the bunk of choice during passages. A removable table, five or six can join for dinner. Two fridges, a 2-burner stove, electric heads, TV/DVD/CD, and 350 L of fresh water keep the comfort levels up.
Like all boaties, captain and crew often dream of and discuss the better boat when the conversation runs dry. And essentially all suggestions involve a bigger boat. A 50 foot Tribute. A 60 foot Tribute. A 45 ft, stripped down carbon fibre Tribute with rotating mast and carbon sails. But 38 ft Tribute is what she is and does what she does, in relative comfort and at reasonable speeds and nobody-so far- has thought of a way of improving either.
