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Sailing is more than a competitive sport. It is enjoyed by millions in the west who sail for relaxation and, for the truly hooked; it quickly becomes a way of life. Sailing was necessary to the sea farers who explored the seas that cover 2/3rd of the earth’s surface and who helped to develop nations through world trade and conquest. Sailing for me is a hobby I have found after the age of 60, which gives me a sense of freedom, relaxation, serenity, a joy of travel and adrenaline surging excitement which can all be summed up in one word: “Happiness”.

 

In 2007 I decided to construct an Indian made catamaran, because she would sail in shallow water of South Gujarat and may be beached or grounded without any problem; something a mono-hull would not able to do. For six months I read reviews of many designers all over the world before narrowing down my choice to an English designer Mr. Richard Woods. Golden Cat is a sailing catamaran built in Hitesh a, boat yard at Billimora, Gujarat. She was locally made from wood and ply after considering the more expensive option of an imported fiber glass mono hull. She was commissioned on 25th December 2010 with the breaking of a coconut.

 

In January and February 2011, extensive trials were conducted around her port Vasi-Borsi, Surat to sort out teething problems and test out her strength and weaknesses. As our confidence in her increased, we decided to sail a little further away from home. In March and April she sailed from Vansi-Borsi (Surat) to Umargam – a 100 nautical mile (nm) round trip, Diu – a 250 nm round trip, and lastly to Mumbai – a 270 nm round trip. During her second year in 2012 her longest sail was to Goa – a 750 nm round trip.

 

In May 2012, Golden Cat was beached during high water inside Purna river estuary near a small fishing village Vasi-Borsi Machchliwada, Surat on a narrow strip of land between the Arabian Sea and Purna river back water. She was then tied to trees, where she would remain during the south west monsoon which extends from June to September before embarking for our dream voyage to Lakshadweep. This small creek is well protected from open sea as well as monsoon floods of the river.

 

A boat is always there – you never stop worrying about her whether you are aboard or ashore – she is always a presence in the mind and you are conscious of her at all times. She may be laid up in safe place for the monsoon, but wherever you may be – at home or in your virtuous bed, traveling, partying with your friends with flying champagne corks -a part of your consciousness is always reserved. When the wind moans round the eaves of the house and in print you read about monsoon waves damaging coastal houses it has a special significance and you check with the boat keeper Vivek and his grand father Bhagvanbhai Tandel who live nearby.

 

A boat is something more than an ingenious arrangement of wood and copper and iron – it has a soul, a personality, and eccentricities of behavior that are endearing. It becomes part of a person, coloring his whole life with a romance that is unknown to those who do not understand a way of life connected with boats. The older is a boat the stronger its power. It gains in stature with each new experience – people look at boats with wonder and say names of places where she has been to. Golden Cat has become a very real part of our lives – Bipin and I love her with deep respect. Over the last two years affection has ripened into a bond of mutual sympathy and understanding. We came to understand what she would do and what she would not, what pleased her and what caused her discontent. Now we had asked her to take us to Lakshadweep without fail by giving us whatever she had.

 

Hitesh Wadia, the boat builder, started repair and refitting work which took about two weeks. We had one week left to install all accessories, which were taken home before monsoon for safe storage. Electronic gadgets such as GPS, radar, AIS (automatic information system), VHF radio, a new anemometer, a new log meter, depth sounder, autopilot, magnetic compass were installed along with a Yamaha out board motor. A main sail with boom and a head sail-genoa were rigged. All ropes and lines for controlling sail known as running riggings were threaded through the bull eyes, clutches, stoppers and pulleys. Three batteries with a charger, Honda generator, and four solar panels were placed in their designated place and the electric circuit designed as per advice from my cousin Dr. Sunil Sheth (Phd in Physics) was tested. The vessel was well prepared for this long voyage with assistance from chauffer-turned-sailor Madhukar Sonavane, electrical engineer Girish Mirani and his two wiremen Mahesh Chauhan and Mahesh Mistry, fitters Sunder Patil and Bapu Mali and the boat builder Hitesh Wadia’s two workmen namely Bhagu Patel and Natu Lakdawala.

 

The sail plan was just like any other cruiser. The Genoa was attached to the forestay which had roller reefing – a mechanism for reducing the sail’s area by pulling in a line that winds the polyester canvas around a foil, like wrapping a piece of paper around a pencil. The main sail is shortened by hauling on a series of lines that pulled the sail down the mast in three stages, known as reefs; therefore these lines are called reefing lines. There is a compelling simplicity about making headway under sail: no motor, no lubrication or fuel, no noise – just the wind in the sails and the boat in harmony with nature. She also had a Yamaha out board motor as an auxiliary engine to facilitate maneuvering in a port and narrow channels or to keep moving in calm condition and an inflatable dinghy for the crew to go on shore.

 

Inside the galley was a gas stove and dinning table for 5 people, a small top open table refrigerator of 50 liters capacity, which ran on 12 v batteries. There were utensils and cutlery that any kitchen should have. There was a wash basin with a tap having a micro-switch which would turn on an electric pump connected to a 125 liter water tank stored underneath.

 

The head (toilet) had a WC, a shower and a wash basin. The WC would use salt water from the sea and dispose off waste directly into the ocean with a manual pump up when pushed up and down like a bicycle pump. It had a tap and shower attached to a 75 liters water tank.

 

-Rajen P. Shah

Surat, India