The last commissioned boat the Gougeon Brothers built was Adrenalin. Started in 1984 and launched in 1987, she is a trimaran with articulating amas built to Formula 40 rules for Bill Piper of Ossineke, Michigan, and intended to race on the European circuit. She shocked the sailboat racing community by placing a very close second in her first regatta on the Grand Prix circuit in 1988. She raced for two seasons in Europe against the traditional big cats until, as Jan Gougeon put it, “They couldn’t stand being consistently beaten and changed the rule so the boat became illegal and only cats could race.” Adrenalin was purchased by New Zealander Grant Beck in 2007.
Built from wood and epoxy, Adrenalin has articulated amas (floats) which pivot from the front beam). Photo © John Bertenshaw, used with permission.
Adrenaline is now jointly owned by Rodney Keenan and Colin Palmer/Adhesive Technologies Limited, and they have recently re-assembled her in Auckland. Apart from the articulated wave-piercing floats, she also features a rotating wing mast and boomless main.
The aft end of the floats (amas) are supported by a wood/epoxy leaf spring. Downward travel is limited by a control line (the blue one). Photo © John Bertenshaw, used with permission.
Adrenalin is constructed of wood and West System epoxy, as shown by clear sections left in the wings decorating the transom of the centre hull (vaka). Photo © John Bertenshaw, used with permission.
The following short video shows Adrenalin out sailing on Auckland harbour. You can plainly see the windward float (ama) pivoting freely out of the water, as well as the leeward float pivoting relative to the centre hull. You can also see how fast she is in this light breeze.
Absolutely superb.
ReplyDeleteI'm close to completing an Amaran with pivotable floats. I searched for Adrenalin, but couldn't find her. I wrote to the Gougeon Brothers, but wasn't asnwered.
And now, all of a sudden she's there again. What a brilliant shapes. It was twenty years ahead of it's time; if not more. So, we are still the lucky early birds to see the dawn of this beauty.
Johannes N. Schilder, MD, PhD
www.thedutchdoctor.nl
www.sailingsinstruction.page.tl
They were more than 20 years ahead of their time because they built pivoting float tris earlier.
ReplyDeleteShe will be sailing again soon in Phuket Thailand
ReplyDeleteSHE IS SAILING AGAIN IN PHUKET
ReplyDeleteShe had her maiden regatta in The Bay Regatta Phuket a week ago. Preformed pretty well with the guys getting used to the handling. Unfortunately she was smacked during the night in Railey Beach by her support boat when it dragged in some solid gusts of wind. The damage brought about a seperating of a important crossbeam so she sailed conservatively from then on to reduce loads. Mark Horwood of Latitude 8 with the help of many freindsgot her out of the container and ready for the regatta. She makes a fine sight on the water and even looks fast at anchor. All the multihullers up here are looking forward to seeing her at Multihull Solutions Multihull Regatta in June and at Cape Panwa Phuket Raceweek. She and the crew can only get better.
ReplyDeleteCorrection to the above comment by Bob Mott ( me). Regattas are 11th-13th July Multihull Solutions Regatta run out of one location Ao Chalong Yacht Club and Cape Panwa Hotel Phuket Raceweek 16th July to 20th July run out of one location Cape Panwa Hotel
ReplyDeleteAdrenalin is for sale in Phuket. Test sail and then break down and put in her custom alloy insulated 40 foot container and ship her anywhere. Contact Mark Horwood
ReplyDeleteShe's heading ashore and getting a spring clean . New tramp mats and a spruce up. Lots of fun to sail on this bit of history. Bigger Code 0 for better VMGs and she still kicks arse!
ReplyDelete