Beneteau 27.7 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nxVrwHr3Zs
BROWN SUGAR 7,600 Pounds of Pure Power
First time I laid eyes on Brown Sugar I knew that I had to have her. We have been together since 1992. Here is an article written about Sugar you might enjoy reading.
First time I laid eyes on Brown Sugar I knew that I had to have her. We have been together since 1992. Here is an article written about Sugar you might enjoy reading.
BROWN SUGAR, the Doug Peterson 38' sloop built by Charles Didham of San Diego, finished first on Corrected time in the 24-boat
Class D division of the Transpac race June 30-July 16-2,250 nautical miles from Long Beach, California, to Hawaii.
This year's race became the slowest in Transpac history when most of the 76 entries drifted for almost a week in the light air of a Pacific high. BROWN SUGAR, skippered by owner Ulf Werner with a five member crew, held her own although she was designed for heavy downwind surfing. However, when the wind picked up, she clipped off an incredible 500 miles in two days to lead her class. " excerpt from Lat 38 article"
Brown Sugar 7,600 Pounds of Pure Power
When ocean racer Ulf Werner saw LOIS LANE, the Tom Wylie design sloop that has dominated theClass I racing scene in San FranciscoBay, he was impressed by the unorthodox concept of a boat designed purely to sail fast. Images began to click in his mind of a radical racing machine under sail, winning trophy after trophy.Not a man to remain a stranger long with a new idea, Werner had Doug Peterson design him such a boat.Then, design in hand, he approached Charles Didham of Charles DidhamYachts, Inc., San Diego, to build this new boat out of wood. And so began BROWN SUGAR. This was just the kind of challenge that ignites Didham's constructive enthusiasm. To hear Charles talk, one would think his career had been misdirected-perhaps he should have gone into the aerospace industry. But when he speaks of rocket ships, he's referring to the high performance wood racing yachts he builds. His latest production, BROWN SUGAR, raised a few competitive eyebrows in San Francisco when the sleek 38' sloop won six out of nine races shortly after she was launched last spring. Excitement was at a high level throughout the construction of............BROWN SUGAR. With Ulf Werner's fearless attitude, the yacht was uncomplicated by secondary considerations such as comfort, cruisability or longevity and therefore was totally uncompromised by weight, design, or handicap hunting. She was a yacht that was bound to win races on her own sturdy merits simply by sailing very fast. The Peterson design departed from the standard lOR formulas and Charles couldn't have been happier. He feels they essentially encourage slower boats with too many bumps and humps incorporated to achieve a low handicap rating, and thus restrict speed. Charles looked forward to building a big boat with all the bumps and humps removed, and he is satisfied with the finished product. Prior to her launching, Charles stated confidently: "BROWN SUGAR could attain 20 knots in the right conditions. She is so light she'll break loose and plane like a powerboat in San Francisco Bay." Didham took a radical approach to the construction of BROWN SUGAR. He was ruthless with weight, shaving it to the minimum limits wherever possible. Preferring the WEST System (tm) cold molded hull, he describes BROWN SUGAR as "probably the most extreme example of cold molding in the U.S. to date. It compares to the New Zealander's concept which is little more than that of a big dinghy." To achieve a light construction which would withstand the hard racing of San Francisco Bay and the Transpac, builder and designer turned to methods developed by the aircraft industry, more than to the traditional boat building methods. Charles explains: "We used an
internal framework running fore and aft and transversely which we call the Bird Cage. This framework is so strong that the only purpose of the skin was to keep the water out. It was made of 400 separate pieces of milled spruce, mahogany and oak all glued together. The choice of the wood and the scantlings depended on weight, strength and hardness. Special care was taken to ensure the ends were kept light to reduce the moment of inertia, while remaining strong enough to do the job." The hull is cold molded with four 1/8" layers-the first of Bruynzeel plywood runs athwartships, the other three of red mer anti run diagonally. The result is an extremely light but strong hull. When it was turned over it weighed only 1,800 lbs including bulkheads and transom. "To win a race, the yacht must cross the finish line," says Charles. "Therefore, I feel the three critical parts of the boat the hull, rudder and mast-must also be its strongest points." The deck, cabin house and cockpit were minimum weight with doublers and backup plates installed at any load bearing point. Beam sizes and distances varied according to what load they were designed to carry. The total weight of the yacht, rigging and all, is an incredible 7 ,600 Ibs. Above decks BROWN SUGAR's arrangement is spare and functional. "Really she is a platform for the sails," says Charles. "Everything on BROWN SUGAR was designed for a specific purpose. In total, it is an intricate racing system, and any weaknesses would have to be uncovered and
rectified during the extensive tuning period." To minimize weight elsewhere, the most extreme sacrifices were made in the interior. A low maintenance profile was essential. Innovations in this area included such details as plexiglass plate and cup holders and a hanging locker made from sailcloth. Charles prefers the natural beauty of wood wherever possible and finished BROWN SUGAR with bright topsides,
teak cockpit sale, and varnished wood throughout the interior. The only exception is the bulkheads which are painted pastel yellow to brighten the interior. Didham calls himself a purist when t comes to the exterior beauty of his boats. "It's a prestigious consideration from the owner's point of view, and on my end, I'm interested in doing a total job. The work on this yacht and all my yachts must come dose to perfection. I keep my boats simple, dean and as natural as possible. If the work on a boat is to be hidden or painted over, it tends to get sloppy, losing its perfection. "It was Didham's competitive spirit that introduced him to his career. A successful boat builder at the age of 27,
his experience goes back 11 years when, at 16, he built his first dinghy. From the beginning, speed was the main consideration behind the construction. "That dinghy was 50 unstable, it wouldn't stay upright without sails," he remembers. "It was such a rocket ship." Didham's formal education in the field is minimal, consisting of two Previous Page: BROWN SUGAR under sail in San Francisco Bay.