31ft Trimaran Restoration (Ep.18) | Damaged by Tornado | The Transformation of Little Wing - Part 1

[@margeedrews23]

My husband Karl built that beautiful trimaran in California in 1978! We've had so many special times with our kids on that boat sailing to Catalina. This is wonderful to see her being restored!!⛵

[@Camarasailing]

Oh wow that is incredible!!! Did he work for Bob Delong? He built Little Wing and we’ve tried to locate him but didn’t manage to. I bet those trips to Catalina were fast ones!

[@Sugarsail1]

And I bought it from Karl.....Little Wing lives on.

[@Sugarsail1]

@@Camarasailing Maybe you should just bronze that boat! LOL

[@Sugarsail1]

@@Camarasailing I think when I bought the boat from Karl the deed or some paperwork said Bob Delong was a co-builder. If I remember correctly Karl and Bob built TWO of these boats at the old Dana Point Airport but you'll have to talk to Karl or his wife to get the full story.

[@Camarasailing]

@@Sugarsail1 incredible - we actually heard and connected with three previous owners. The power of the internet…

[@sail-o9j]

Great work! Thanks for rescuing Little Wing

[@davidthatcher8362]

I used to own that boat, having bought her from Mark who sailed her across the Pacific. It saddened me to see the condition that Little Wing had deteriorated to. So nice to see her being brought back to life.

[@Camarasailing]

Oh wow that’s amazing!!! She needs a bit more TLC when we get back to NZ in a few weeks but hoping to have her splashed and ready to sail for the Christmas holidays! We can’t wait to take her sailing. I bet you have a few good stories to share 😉

[@Sugarsail1]

Hey David, it's Mark, nice to see these guys repairing her, I hadn't heard from any owner in over five years and I wondered what happened to her. I'm glad I didn't have to see her neglected and damaged. Elbow Grease is your friend.

[@lindaclifton2787]

Mark is my cousin. Small world, yeah. I was excited for him to experience sailing Little Wing so far.

[@johnnowhittle]

What an opportunity Cameron. Youve got yourself a fast little cruising capsule. In 1993, in m 20's I bought a little 31' Norman Cross designed trimaran called Trinity. I sailed multiple times surf expeditioning to Mozambique and Madagascar and have also recently been gifted the vessel back. She's far more dilapidated than yours but have recently slipped her and shes drying out over Christmas and New year whereafter the work begins. Youve got what it takes to live your dreams young man. Dream your life, live your dreams.

[@normanboyes4983]

Great project and you are a great team.

[@Camarasailing]

Thank you so much ☺️

[@rollinrock6696]

Fantastic! That’ll be heaps of fun…good to see one of the boats saved from Norsand’s no man’s land !

[@Camarasailing]

Thank you ☺️ Aiming to launch her before Christmas and take her for a sail 🤞

[@tentmaran]

Beautiful lines to that Trimaran. We following your progress . And hope to meet up somewhere.😀

[@PN_48]

Love a good trimaran resto vid! Greetings from Grenada, aboard our SJ tri👍

[@Camarasailing]

Thank you! Enjoy Grenada ☺️

[@amgpuma]

Love Newick's tris, I bet still fast at today's standards as he ever said People sail for fun and no one has yet convinced me that it's more fun to go slow than it is to go fast ;-)

[@Camarasailing]

We aim to launch her before Christmas and can’t wait to take her out for a proper sail. Will let you know how she goes but we expect to be flying along and yes, it’s definitely more fun to go fast 😉

[@roslynhita6149]

it is awesome to watch you guys restore this beautiful "Little Wing"..I love the name ..I hope you keep it..

[@Camarasailing]

Thank you! We hope our son keeps it too but it’s his decision. He’s about to turn 18 and trying to figure out his path forward in life.

[@billhanna8838]

What a buzz hell have , Now another say 20 foot , perfect . Used to sail on a 55 chris white try , Amazing speeds , With ease , Loved passing the ferries in the sounds .

[@Camarasailing]

That sounds like fun! I bet after that it’s hard to ever sail ‘slow’ again!

[@dannyoberthier3053]

nice boat

[@doradosurfcharters]

I remember seeing that boat in Malaysia lankawai around 2005 ?

[@Camarasailing]

Hmmm…as far as we know it was sailed from the States to NZ but not beyond that?! Perhaps a different Newick trimaran?

[@kassischmitt]

Wonderful project! Who designed/built the boat? What year?

[@Camarasailing]

She’s a Dick Newick designed trimaran. A 31ft Val 1 Mark 3. Built in San Diego by Bob Delong in the early 80’s.

[@gregoryh4601]

So nice to see a old style Cat being restored to Glory. Will you be trying to fine a Carbon Fiber Mast for her to go faster and keep her on a Diet? lol. Is she all plywood construction? Thanks for this Video 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@Camarasailing]

Thank you 😊 She’s actually cold moulded cedar with areas being in ply like the wing deck for example. No plan to change the mast, she’ll be going fast enough as she is 😉 But replacing the standing and running rigging where necessary. It’s our son’s boat and he is paying for everything so he’s focussing on getting her back together but no room in the budget for anything to flash or fancy…she will be kept as a lightweight 1.5t boat (crazy to think our keel alone weighs ten times that🙈)

[@gregoryh4601]

@@Camarasailing sir maybe your Son should try do use Dyneema rigging plus lighter ? Will he or you be doing a Fundraiser on PayPal? Your Son can work on the Sailboat ⛵ and College Education

[@Camarasailing]

@@gregoryh4601 when we get back to NZ the first goal will be to splash the boat and we will figure out what he will do about the rigging then.

[@gregoryh4601]

@@Camarasailing well peace be With You and it will be awesome to see and watch Dad turn Son into a awesome boat Builder in years to Come. Peace

[@nolinovio6748]

does your 17 y.o. son have a YT channel? Would love to follow his passages with the Trimaran

[@Camarasailing]

At this stage he doesn’t have a channel but if he decide to we will mention it so people can follow him on his journey!

[@andrewdee4214]

Met Little Wing in 2001 in Atutaki

[@Camarasailing]

Oh that’s awesome! Was that when she sailed across to NZ? Did you get to go sailing on LW?

[@andrewdee4214]

A young American lad was sailing her to NZ , we were both anchored in the lagoon in Aitutaki . I think he came over for a beer, I will see if we have any pics for you . I’m in NZ too Bay of Islands I also know Ex Creightons

[@Camarasailing]

@@andrewdee4214 what a small world - crazy isn’t it?! Say hi if you sail down the coast and stop in Whangarei 😉

[@andrewdee4214]

Yeah definitely. I’m trying to remember about Little Wing , I think the guy had had a rough voyage even a bit of damage he had to repair. I think he had literally sailed directly from somewhere in the USA to Aitutaki . He was exhausted. I don’t think we ever saw him again but I’m sure others in our fleet from that year did and would remember. Will check the log book and see if I wrote anything about him

[@Sugarsail1]

@@andrewdee4214 I'm not young anymore, I'm 53 LOL I remember you, if I'm correct, you were single handed on a monohull with a wind generator and a mighty squall came through and your wind generator sounded like a cow being slaughtered!