glassdave

iTrader: (1)

thats pretty good . . .energizer bunny . . .try not to look directly into the post . . . . .wonder what the record is for post longevity this thing is going to go on forever . .just like the ocean x's . . .so Adam how bout that 28 ya got . . whats it gonna take


[ 01-24-2002: Message edited by: glassdave ]

Boatlesss

The ZF are a better transmission. Much more of them out there running and a bigger dealer network.

SlickNick

so adam, is it worth for me and boot to tow out from jersey, with our 12' wide loads or what, those weigh stations dont like us spoiled brats playing while they have to work and like to give us a hard time...trying to see we need commerical tags and all that b.s......

suncat

Dave, that 28' blank is sold, but I have a 25' thats ready to go. I also have a used 28' on trade (the one with the diamond plate graphics, don't know whether you saw it or not)
Weismann makes great stuff, but ZF are more tried and proven with the diesel line, but we're not picky, we'll put in whatever you are willing to pay for.
We are looking at doing a dual yanmar installation, not exactly sure which yanmar yet, if we can get the right rpm out of the 440 series we'll use that and save a bunch of weight, otherwise, we
ll use the 500.
Slick, come on out, last years smoke was a blast, and this year will be even better. And as far as those weigh stations go, just tow at night, on sunday (JUST KIDDING!) Thats one of the reasons we went with a narrower beam on the new 38', and narrower is faster. We would like to have a bunch of Express owners at Smoke, and since were an original sponser I can make arrangements to have all of us docked (not rafted!) next to one another.
Later,
A

vonwolske

To Adam; Your dad has a long history of designing and making boats. We would appreciate an overview of his accomplishments and the names of companies that he started or those in which he was a major player.
Also, what are the salient features of his designs? What were his favorite models? A comprehensive chronology with explanations would be nice.
Thanks in advance.

suncat

Vonwolske, I will answer your question with the information that I know. If I have left anything out or omitted anyone’s name then I apologize in advance.
Back in the late 1970’s, my dad (Ross E. Focht, Sr.) ran a division of Active Homes. His boss at the time showed an interest in a vee-bottom that my dad and his brother (Larry Focht) had bought (The Super Banana – a 27’ magnum as I am told it was) so, under instructions from his boss, my dad went to Florida and purchased an old vee-bottom that they first raced – the original green Activator. As my dad raced he met different people, and since his background was in construction (albeit homes, not boats) he was able to lend his talents and learn a lot about designing vee-bottoms from different people (I am told that the main people he listened and learned from were the late Don Aronow, and the late James Beard) My dad was convinced that he could design a vee-bottom that ran better than the one they had so they went ahead and lofted a plug, then built the mold and finally built their own first vee-bottom race boat – again the Activator. My dad saw people’s interest in racing and decided to sell his new vee-bottoms to the public as pleasure boats. It was at this time that James Beard of Cougar of England brought over one of his first wooden cougar cats and my dad went for a ride in it and was convinced that the catamarans were better. Now one thing you have to understand is that at the time vee’s were built of ‘glass and cats’ were built of wood. There was no comparison, the vee’s were stronger and held together in rough water whereas the cats did not. This is where the stereotype that vee’s are better rough water boats than cats started. This was only due to the fact that no one had ever built a cat out of fiberglass. My dad realized that even though cats were faster, more stable and required less throttle to achieve the same speeds as the vee bottoms, they needed to be built of the same material to really outshine them. So, he along with guidance from the engineers at Dupont came up with a laminate schedule and built the first all composite, cored catamaran in the world. The first time they raced the boat a lot of people had their eyes on that cat to see what it would do. When they dropped the flag, all the waiting, planning and work came to its fruition as the Express cat (which later went on to set a kilo record, national title and world championship all in the same year – a feat which I do not believe anyone has since done!) as it was called left the fleet behind and performed remarkably. Over the years many things have changed in cat designs, Skater came along and after experimenting with smaller boats, they looked at my dad’s first designs (PLEASE NOTE THAT SKATER DID NOT COPY OUR DESIGNS, HE ONLY STUDIED THEM AS REFERENCE AS ALL DESIGNERS DO WHEN COMING UP WITH SOMETHING NEW) We like to call Skaters first designs the second generation of cat designs, with our all new 38’, 43’ and 49’ the third generation designs. My dad over the years has had many partners under varying names: Active Marine, Active Catamarans, Image Boat Mfg (which built over 30 cats for Baja Boats), Express Marine, Express Catamarans, Ocean Express, Ocean Express Catamarans and finally today Ocean Express Powerboats. We have almost thirty years of experience in designs and just as importantly laminate schedules. (The main reason many of you are skipping around out there on boats of ours that are over 20 years old) I thank everyone who takes the time to read this; I hope that I have provided an accurate description of the beginning of composite catamarans. And again, if I have left anyone out I should have mentioned, please email me with your story and I will be more than happy to edit this post. Thanks all,
Adam


[ 01-27-2002: Message edited by: Adam Focht ]

ViciousOne

Adam, Your dads Story on cat history is alot more intresting!!!!!!!!!!! Spark.

glassdave

iTrader: (1)

great info Adam ,thanks for takeing the time to share that with us.have you showed this thread to Ross yet, bet he would get a kick out of it.

phatkat

Thank you Adam. Very good reading.

Madcow

Nice info Adam.