New Enhancements


 

Two American Dynasties Join Forces to Produce High Quality Legacy


I would imagine many of our readers at one time or another have thought about the possibility of building a boat. I would further imagine that those who have, whether it be for a "rain gutter regatta" or an actual floating device that transports passengers from point a to point b, have fond memories of the first boat they ever built, even if the endeavor failed.

I can personally attest to this as mine was the summer of 1984. I was working between college semesters on Mackinac Island in northern Michigan. We endearingly referred to the island as "Macatraz" due to the fact that after the last Shepler's ferry left, there was no getting off the island. In an attempt to test that theory a boy (there's always a boy!) I worked with and I decided to try our hand at building a boat. To do this, we spent most of the summer collecting the Styrofoam containers that the flowers were shipped over in for all the island hotels.

Long story short, our intrepid spirits hit the seas only to have our magical sailing vessel disintegrate somewhere off the coast of Round Island and, as this was before cellular phones were handed out like candy canes at Christmas time, we found ourselves stranded overnight until it was discovered we never made it back for work. In any case, it's a terrific memory.

For others, like Gemini Catamarans President Laura Smith Hershfeld, boat building is filled with much less folly. It actually runs in her blood. As we walked out of the Catalina Factory offices on a crisp Largo Florida November day and onto the yard, she pauses to take a deep inhale and with a Cheshire Cat grin says, "I just love that smell!" The smell she is referring to is not freshly cut grass on a sunny and 75 day but that of fiberglass being rolled onto a Gemini Legacy 35. The smell that takes her back to her beginnings and fond memories of hand rolling fiberglass herself alongside her father Tony and brother Neil while mum Sue ran the family business in Mayo Maryland.

The new venture between Gemini Catamarans and Catalina Yachts is underway with three Gemini Legacy 35s in production. The first, hull 1200, will be on display at the Miami Boat Show through local Florida dealer The Catamaran Company.

This Gem will have some new touches over the previous two years of Gems built in Alachua Florida including new teak interiors, industry leader Selden mast and rigging and a newly designed owner's head with a stand-alone shower. Another Gem on the line, already purchased through dealer North Lakes Yachting in Ontario Canada, will have one of Gemini Catamarans newly offered upgrades - a larger holding tank option with a macerator designed for fresh water sailing.

It is a very exciting time for these two American boat building dynasties. The partnership highlights the common culture of both the companies and their boat owners along with a strong desire and mutual interest in building good quality sailboats at a reasonable price. Gerry Douglas, Catalina Yachts Chief Engineer and Vice President, says "I believe this is one of the reasons that we were chosen to build the Gemini, our sense of the market and our sense of what people want in a boat and the higher quality levels of the current market demands are exactly in track with each other."

Both companies are pleased to have named Catalina Yachts the current contract builder and look forward to a long successful relationship building high quality catamarans. For a video of the recent factory tour, please visit here. While there, please make an appointment to visit Gemini at an upcoming boat show.