Kaarma Cat
 

The original Cougar cat that Betty Cook
won the worlds in the 70's is extremily close to being lost forever. It is slated to be chainsawed very soon. I am able to buy the boat and to help move it but have no were to store and work on it. It is located in Newburyport ma. It is in very rough shape and the extent of damage is unknown. I feel this would be a tremendous loss if a last change effort was not taken to restore it. I figure if it truly deemed total loss then bring out the chainsaw but would need time to do so. If any one has any idea's Pm or call me. Thanks Jo
1-781-270-7632

Re: Kaarma Cat
 

a museum probably. . . there is one at an arkansas museum at some speedway.... but the boat probably shouldn't go back to the water.

Ernie

Re: Kaarma Cat
 

In the yachting vintage there are shipyards that restore wodden boat in bad conditions more then this.

Re: Kaarma Cat
 

I may have a place for you in the New Bedford area...would that do for you, or is it too far away?

Re: Kaarma Cat
 

someone please save that baby!, hey fred/too old, you wont ever have to dip this one, restore it a put in front of your store :drink:

Re: Kaarma Cat
 

From the picture posted I would say that this boat is past saving, a great shame, I was part of the crew at Cougar in England that originaly built the boat in winter of 1978 and would love to see the boat live again. Unlike a classic yacht the investmet needed to rebuild this would be far more than the boat would be worth when finished and i would expext not much of the original boat would be left once the rotten stuff has been replaced. Last time I worked on the boat when Howard Quam still owned it it was starting to look a bit shabby and that was almost 20 years ago!

Anyone know what happened to the first Cougar Class 1 Yellowdrama 111 - Benihana - Satisfaction

Re: Kaarma Cat
 

Many thanks Cougar46.
I think that you can tell to us interesting stories about Cougar!
However I think,and i hope that if the old Kaama cannot be restore to float on waters can be restore to be show in some museum like Surfury.

Re: Kaarma Cat
 

Hey Joe I thought it was Gordon Stockwood's old boat and talked to him earlier this year for someone else on the board that was asking about it. Its in tough shape being barely covered in that lot for far too many years, a real shame.

Anyone got an update on what´s happened to this piece of history?

Pretty sure its still sitting in Newburyport. I'll be there over the week end and will check.

I am currently negotiating with the owner. I have the facility to do the job. If things progress well the boat will be in my shop late spring. I am definately open to options such as a combined effort to save this boat. I should know soon.

Thomas,we make all the bests than good resolution!

Well I went buy to check up on the boat and its gone. I had a sad feeling. I wished I was able to keep it . I'm hoping someone save it and it's not lost forever.

The owner has contacted HORBA and let us know that he has it and is in the process of restoring it now.

I am sure that when he gets to the point he wants to go public, he will be posting some photos of that great old boat.

We have some nice shots of it back in the day on the site,
www.historicraceboats.com

That's wonderful news.:cool-smiley-011:

what a hole in my stomach when the wife and I drove by the now empty lot just last week-end. Glad to hear its being restored, after peeking around it last spring I assumed it was cut up.

Top Banana that's great news! Please pass along my best wishes and if it still in the area and he needs any labor help I would be more then happy . Jo

The "KAAMA" is in one of my shops in Hampton Falls, NH. I honestly have to say that the pics do it no justice, after a good powerwash I could not believe this boat, it is in remarkable shape for sitting so long. The sponsons from the "J" forward are exceptional!, headed aft it is still in excellent shape until the engine hatch area then we have some problems. It is only plywood and not the biggest restoration I have tackled. I have to finish the "Great Adventure" first, then tackle the "KAAMA". It is far from over for this boat and this boat will be back!!!






















'j

I you get into problems during the restoration you might want to contact some wooden sailboat restorers ,especially those that do mR-Rule restorations, links at http://www.6mrnorthamerica.com/
Them mR-rule boats used plywood and cold lamination already in the 40´s..carbon fiber was the norm in the late 50´s on some parts like rudders etc.

Thank you for saving that piece of history!:circle:

Thank you so much Thomas!:cool:

My pleasure Marco! This boat really deserves this. It is going to be a 3+ year project and I am looking forward to it.

a classic. great news to hear she will return to the sea.

Re: Kaama.
 

I worked for Betty Cook, when Howard Quam bought that boat.

When we re-did the bottom of the FlapJack cat for Howard we made some "U" shaped brackets that would bolt to the stringers/motor mounts and press on the bottom running surface to help distribute the load. He didn't put them on, needless to say he didn't make 2 laps. I guess the boat has sat ever since.

fastdonzi I am not following the U shaped brackets and there
intention (I'm not that bright) When you redid the bottom did you lift the hull or flip it over? How do you flip a boat that size over anyway?

The "U" shaped brackets went down the stringer from the motor mount bolts, across the the smaller stringers then up the other big stringer the motor bolts too. It had the same angle built in it to match the running surface angle. it was to add strength to the running surface, hence when the water pushed up on the bottom of the boat, these brackets where on the inside pushing back, it was just to add strength where the boat had been repaired. The boat was done right side up sitting on 55 gal drums, it's actually the first boat I have ever seen fall off the drums because one drum crushed down, then we learned we had to fill the drums with water and cap them off. Nobody got hurt, 2 minutes earlier a carpenter would have bit the dust. I actually saw it falling, pretty freaky.

fastdonzi Thanks! I think it would be better to flip it. I'm glad no one was hurt, would not want that kind of history on the boat. I wonder if Howard jr has the Brackets and why they wern't used? Jo

When we fixed the aluminum boats we flipped them, and the smaller wooden cats we would flip. since this boat only needed a small repair (the whole last step) they did it from the bottom. when Howard picked up the boat after the repair they probably stuck the brackets in the truck and didn't think about them until the motors where in, then didn't want to pull the motors to install them.

Fastdonzi shoot me a email I'll send you a picture [email protected]

Email sent, did you get it?