[Roys Luciano]

Dear Jed,

Sorry for posting the 2 pictures, I found them on the web, I found the pictures verry nice, with the underwaterlights. I always like the picturs of yachts taken at night where you can see the styling with the lights.

Ciao Roys Luciano

[GrahamF]

Hi all

Here are some photos i took of MF anchored just outside of Porto Fino during the summer.

[GrahamF]

Here are some more pictures

[YachtNews]

Nice pics....how comes the long tailing streamer on the mizzen mast?

[Castlerock]

In the book of flag edicate, the streamer is know as a Homecoming Pennant. The lenght of the pennant signifies the lenght of the voyage, must have been a really long voyage for Mr. P to get to this point in his life where he feels that he is now home.

[Kevin]

Maybe it signifies the "voyage" of getting her built...?

[YachtNews]

Well she hasn't sailed excessively long since her delivery...so the length of the 'home coming' penant signifies? Nautical Miles?...Kilometers?.....so if this is so though, then other sailing yachts such as Athena fly these home coming pentants too??

[jediwhite]

Just for your information
We have sailed over 6500 Nm since July 1st (over 70% sailing)
Our top speeds have been 19.6 Kts motoring during sea trials and 20.8 Kts sailing. we regularly cruise at over 16 Kts and once completed the trip from Corsica to Italy at over 17 Kts for 5 hrs plus
We have completed over 5000 individual sail sets and furls with only three minor problems and have only had to remove 1 sail during the whole season.
We fly the pennant as a mark of pride for our yacht and all who were involved in her conception and construction. I believe that it is supposed to signify distance travelled but it was designed to look appropriate to the size of the 'Falcon' and so ended up that length.
Cheers jed

[YachtNews]

Thanks for your information Mr. White...she sailed quite alot more than i thought...

[Castlerock]

What happened to this thread? Where is Jed White with updates and pictures? The Yacht's website has not been updated in some time as well.

[jediwhite]

For all those interested
We are in Italy (La Spezia) for quick yard period before heading to Antigua next week
Web site has been down due to technical difficulties and lack of time.

Sorry but site will be updated asap
Cheers Jed

[brian eiland]

Originally Posted by Castlerock

What happened to this thread? Where is Jed White with updates and pictures? The Yacht's website has not been updated in some time as well.

On another forum we have had several contributions by Tom Perkins. I'm surprised he has not contributed here in addition.

Here is a recent one:

"I have read with interest the opinions and questions posted about my Maltese Falcon "Clipper Yacht" over recent weeks. I'll attempt to answer these as best I can now that some time has elapsed.

We call her a clipper because she attempts to achieve the multiple advantages of those fast square riggers from the past. If you look at photographs of the last of the big sailing windjammers, you will see that the fore and aft sails are really just vistigial---all the power is coming from the square sails themselves. The Dijkstra design simply carries this trend to its logical end, and eliminates all these redunant sails. The DynsRig concept leads to a yacht with the ability to point so high, that jibs, etc. are just in the way.

The superstructure is just sufficiently high to permit a view ahead, over the bow, from the wheel house. Any lower, and the view would be blocked by the bow, and thus I believe, be unsafe.

The signal mast forward is required for the radars, which cannot be mounted on the rotating masts. The height is required to raise the radar beam above the superstructure sufficiently to protect crew from the radiation. Also, this mast, in my opinion, fills in a space where one might otherwise expect to see jibs, and so it is there partly for aesthetic reasons.

The sails are set automatically by a single person from a central console. Of course, there is routine maintenance required by an agile crew of sailors aloft, but rarely do they have to be in the rig during sailing. The upper sails are set or furled as required to control heeling. In a twenty knot true wind with everything set, and hard on the wind, the heeling angle is about 22 degrees. This isn't much for a small boat, but it feels too much for most guests, so we furl the sails necessary to keep heeling to around 15 degrees, and there is only a modest drop in speed.

To date the we have set and furled all the sails over one thousand times. We have had only two or three problems requiring a man to go aloft to sort. We have experienced no damage to sails or rig. This is a staggering number. With all due respect to Mirabella V, I expect that during her entire lifetime, which I trust will be very long, her sails will not be set this many times. The DynaRig is very practical for a big boat, for the ease of use factor, if for no other reason.

The Falcon may be a motor sailor, but not by my definition, since she sails faster than she motors---if that doesn't qualify her as a sailboat, then what does?

I have raced classics for much of my life. I believe the Falcon is a new classic, and to my eye, she is very beautiful." Tom Perkins

...more here..Maltese Falcon ... hit or miss?

[Castlerock]

Thanks Jed, absent with good reason.

[Mirabella V]

I would add that having witnessed DynaRig in action it is indeed an amazingly simple-to-operate yet powerful rig design and implementation. I think that MF has proved the point about this style of rig, and there will others who will use this in the future. Clearly, with all new things, it takes a while for people to get used to the look of it, and for some this may be a stumbling block that they cannot overcome. But if you wish to set sail quickly DynaRig is unbeatable in this size of yacht. And Tom is of course right, Mirabella will never achieve that number of sail set and stow cycles.

Discovery Channel took some great video of us sailing at over 18.5 knts, and they will air their show in December, after which we will be able to air our version of it also. I think you guys will like it.

Joe

[YachtNews]

There is an update on the website in the form of a log change. The Falcon has left La Speiza and is on her way towards Antigua. The crewmember vividly describes how hard the wind is blowing and they made 24knots with just 3 sails out!!!!!! That is amazing..i almost do not believe that..but i will take the crew's word on that...this is a good time for Jed to post ...................http://www.symaltesefalcon.com/images/crew_diary.htm