Boatsmith's Tiki 30 Launched at the Mystic Wooden Boat Show

Below: David Halladay aboard his Pro-Built Tiki 30 at the Mystic Wooden Boat Show this past weekend. Click on the image for a larger view:

(photo from the Wooden Boat Forum)

My friend David Halladay has completed his first Wharram catamaran project, the Tiki 30 that I've mentioned here before and that I have written about in his Pro-Built Tiki 30 blog. I've also taken part in some of the construction of this boat on two separate trips to his shop in Jupiter, Florida, building the mast on my last trip in April. I was not able to help in the final two weeks, as I could not get away to go back to Florida, but with a final push of working 12 and 14 hour days, 7 days per week, David and his crew just managed to put all the final pieces together in time to attend the Mystic Wooden Boat Show.

One reason they worked so hard at it is that James Wharram himself, along with co-designer Hanneke Boone, was present at this year's show. James was an honored guest and speaker as one of several multihull pioneers featured this year. David called me Friday night to tell me that James and Hanneke had been aboard the Tiki 30 for a long visit. Our new acquaintance, designer Reuel Parker, also showed up on Friday, and needing a place to crash, spent the night on David's Tiki 30. He was gone the next morning, so I wonder what he thought of the accommodations. Maybe David will fill me in later when I hear from him again. I'm sure he's on the road today, making the long trip back to south Florida with the Tiki 30 in tow. I regret that I missed the opportunity to make it to the show and meet James Wharram, but hopefully there will be other chances. I spent the time over the weekend working on my own Tiki 26, and progress has been good in the long days of early summer.