Fall 1998 Vol. 4, No. 2 KAWABUNGA’s South Sea Adventure By Dennis Pratt One beautifully sunlit July morning as I pulled away from a dock in Pentwater, Michigan, another cruiser called over to compliment my Flicka and his parting words were, “She can go anywhere, that!” I replied, “Yes, but not today.” Charles Dewell said, “Yes today” and took his factory refurbished 1981 Flicka Kawabunga on a ten thousand mile adventure of a lifetime. His experiences and insights are chronicled in his new book, Kawabunga’s South Seas Adventure published by South Seas Publishing of Marina Del Rey, CA Charles left from San Diego in May of 1995, and his wife Margaret joined him later in Tahiti. One of the reasons his gives for taking the voyage is that he “was in a rat race, and the rats were winning.” Seems like a good reason to me to take a KAWABUNGA! anchored in Cooks Bay, Moorea. 20 foot boat on a 10,000 mile jaunt across the Pacific. The voyage took him to the “Paradise” the word is a distant drum that After a long stay in Tahiti, he and Marquesas, Tahiti, Christmas Island, is capable of playing different tunes for Margaret set sail for Moorea which they Palmyra, Hawaii and back to California. each of us to march to. It reminds me of a thoroughly enjoyed and then on to other Charles records many of the details of television show called “Adventures in islands in the Polynesian group, to provisioning and actually sailing a small Paradise,” and ever since watching that Christmas Island, Palmyra and then boat so great a distance. show I have had an intense fascination Hawaii. From Hawaii Margaret returned with the island of Tahiti despite what I to the US mainland, and Charles sailed his He gives a nightmare account of his have read that suggested that it didn't Flicka from there to San Diego. The only failures and successes at having his little qualify as “paradise.” Some of the realities drawback it seems to sailing a Flicka for diesel repaired in Tahiti after the air intake that Charles describes including violent long periods of time is the inevitable had become a convenient doorway for protests against French government motion of the boat which courtesy of the seawater entering his fuel supply and of nuclear testing, the necessity of loading his quiddity of physics is much more violent course his engine. Shortly after the long shotgun, the prompt theft of his on boats the size of a Flicka than on boats awaited arrival of his spare parts in Tahiti, replacement parts, his observation that “the of greater waterline lengths. No question they were promptly stolen. Charles began liquor stores were looted; the book stores about it. I once sailed a 24 foot Dana from the long process of having to have were not” have incredibly done little to the Canaries to the Bahamas, and there replacement parts for the replacements dampen my enthusiasm for a visit to was quite a bit of motion. I have always shipped to paradise. Tahiti. assumed that one sails a small boat half (Continued on page 2) Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Flicka Friends - Fall 1998 About Flicka KAWABUNGA continued Friends (Continued from page 1) years in the 1990's instead of going on that way around the world to settle some darn cruise.” Flicka Friends is a subscription philosophical, physical or metaphysical newsletter written specifically for the questions. We may. Charles' book as with Kawabunga’s South Seas Adventure is a people who own, crew aboard, or are many others I have read dealing with the very readable and enjoyable book for interested in the Flicka, a Bruce P. same themes doesn’t answer those anyone, but no doubt it will be especially Bingham design. questions. Perhaps it is because the be dear to the hearts of small boat sailors questions are unique to the people who in general and Flicka sailors in particular. Based on the Newport boats of Block ask them. Island Sound, this little ship has been built You can order your copy from: from various materials since the 1960’s Or for many of us like departed singer until the present day. Harry Chapin says in one of his ballads, South Seas Publishing Company “...and all your dreams of far off places 14025 Panay Way Hulls have been completed by home you find in your children’s faces, one by Marina del Rey, California 90292 builders using plans supplied by Bruce one.” Charles does say “...I cannot Bingham. More than 400 plans were sold. imagine looking up from my deathbed (800) 440-8001 According to Bruce Bingham, many and saying, Gee, I sure wish I would have 310-305-4123 (Tel) Flickas can be found in New Zealand, worked in insurance during those two 310-305-3757 (Fax) Australia and Sweden. Commercial builders of the Flicka include Nor’Star, Westerly Marine and Pacific From the Guest Editor Seacraft Corporation. By Tom Davison Another idea would be to publish an entire Pacific Seacraft (Fullerton, California) has issue based on Gaff-Rigged Flickas. My built nearly 450 hulls. The Flicka is a When the photos arrived from Jill Geary files contain several photos of gaffers, but current production model. for the “Flicka Fever Hits Catalina no articles. Anyone want to step forward Island” article, it was clear that there are with something for this project? Flicka Friends is published quarterly. many different Flickas out there. The Articles, photographs and letters are blue hull of KAWABUNGA!, the white Home-built Flickas are out there as well, welcome and encouraged. hulls of VARUA and ESPERANZA, the but I have yet to see an article. This would black hull of NOD — all were Flickas, also make another great issue. Bruce Please note the date next to your name, it and each was unique. Some other Flickas Bingham says there could be more than indicates when your subscription needs to that come to mind include the green & 400 running around out there. Hopefully, be renewed. The cost of a subscription is white hulled BECKY ANN, the green we can locate several home-built Flicka $10.00 US and can be mailed directly to hulls of JULIE ANNE & TIKAROA, owners that would consider writing an the editor. the yellow hull of GYPSY ROVER and article. SOMEWHERE IIb’s brown hull This issue of Flicka Friends gets us closer © Copyright 1998 Each Flicka is different with a particular to the previous quarterly publication story to tell. I’d like to include a new one schedule. The following issue will be Dennis Pratt page “column” in Flicka Friends: Flicka published several months from now. Flicka Friends Profile. It would allow showcasing a 3775 Gregory Drive particular Flicka, her local sailing area or As always, we could use another article or Northbrook, IL 60062-7103 cruising ground, recent passages and the two. If you can, write something about a (847) 299-5744 owner's) as well. The article about trip from the past cruising season and CORSAIR or s/v AFRICAN MOON forward it to Dennis in Illinois or me in should serve as a template for future Montana. [email protected] Flicka Profile articles. If you are interested, please forward a 3 1/2 inch by I hope that everyone’s new year is a good 5 inch photo with a caption, along with one. 250 to 300 words. Enjoy the Holidays! Page 2 Vol. 4, No. 2 The Travels of CORSAIR We putted across Florida and then down the Intracoastal to Miami where we added a G.P.S., watermaker, and solar panels. In December, we sailed across the Gulf Stream to Gun Cay, the Berrys, Nassau, the Exumas, and Long, Conception and Rum Cays. The Bahamas were the first landfall for Columbus so being there in 1992 for the quincentennial ceremonies was fabulous. Snorkeling on the coral reefs was awesome. By the end of July it was so hot and humid, we decided to return to LaBelle and put CORSAIR back on the trailer. We were in Daytona Beach when Hurricane Andrew devastated the Bahamas and Miami. Good timing for us but sad for the friends we’d made. We slowly camped our way across the CORSAIR (Flicka # 199) ready mid-USA visiting friends along the way. for another freeway passage Back to Port Sonoma and work until May 1996 when we once again loaded CORSAIR on the trailer. it got chilly, John got a ride to L.A. and By Jan Allen & John Wolstenholme This time we headed north to Port returned with a truck and trailer. We Townsend, Washington. We cruised the We bought CORSAIR (Pacific Seacraft pulled CORSAIR out of Bahia de Los San Juans, Canadian Gulf Islands, British Flicka # 199) in September 1986 and Angeles and were back in the Bay area in Columbia’s Sunshine Coast, Princess Inlet spent a year improving and outfitting her. a few days. to Chatterbox Falls (a must see gorgeous In October of 1987, we sailed under the place!), Desolation Sound, Vancouver and Golden Gate and headed south, stopping We never really intended to live on a 20 back to Port Townsend. at most all harbors all the way to Cabo foot boat for 12 years, but that year in San Lucas. We made a three day passage Mexico was so much fun that we couldn’t By October it was time to head south and to Puerto Vallarta and harbor hopped wait to do it again. Living aboard while we decided to spend the winter in southern south along the Mexican Rivera as far as we worked was the fastest way to get California where our families are, after a Melaque.