who know Bill O'Brien?

[MarioPuppo]

I am the owner of a Oceanic 30 catamarans builded on 1969 and designed by Mr O'Brien
pls anybody know him? anybody give me a contact to him?

thanks a lot

Mario

 

[dombuckley]

I am sorry to say that Bill passed away in July this year, at the age of 89.
He "designed" his first catamaran at the age of 7, when he strapped 2 pig troughs together!
As well as the Oceanic, he also designed the Bobcat, Jumpahead and Shamrock ranges, helped to start up the Southampton Boat Show in 1969, was a founding member of Weston sailing club, and a true gentleman.

 

[MarioPuppo]

this the answer that I wouldn't evere read!!
I have been looking for him everywhere after his silence as from 7-7-2003, time when I received his letter.
I refurbished an Oceanic 30' registered in Yarmouth at 4.7.69 (reg. n° 198) The first name was Emira II
Now the boat's name is Resolution, in honour of Capt Bligh and James Cook

Since many years, I am trying to put together all info regarding the Oceanic around the world, and my deepest dream is to try to get an owners club

I hope to receive answers, I know that Mr Trevor Richards owns one, but I have not his email address.

If you wannna surf about my cata check http://www.maurofornasari.com/velistaweb/schede/resolution.html

Hopeing to hear from you soon

ciao

 

[ppepper]

Oceanic

Hi Mario,

I am the owner of Oceanic number 66, registered as Kibitka. It is a MkIII built in 1980. She is currently in the South of France but I have not sailed her for the last 8 years as I am in Australia.

I am hoping to get back to Europe in 2010 and will have to spend some time preparing the boat to sail again.

I met Bill O'Brien in 1980 when we bought the boat and he took me around the boatyard in Southampton to show me how they constructed the Oceanic.

Have you heard from any other owners?

regards,
Paul

 

[InBitz]

Oceanic Catamarans

Hi all,

I am new to the forum, saw your threads on the Oceanic catamaran. I have owned Oceanic 61 (1978) for nearly 10 years after buying her as an abandoned project (ply topsides removed and replaced with GRP). Was basically a shell but is now all back together and is used virtually every weekend during the summer. Boat has been heavily modernised with altered interior, new electrics, new electronics, new plumbing, new linings / cushions and has a pair of 28hp (old!) Kubota engines. There is very little I haven't taken apart and rebuilt on board!

Fantastic boat that will put up with anything, its great to know there are other owners out there!

Boat is kept ashore in the winter at Multihull Centre in Plymouth UK and usually has 'Work in progress'. There is also a 27' Amazon (smaller Oceanic)and a couple of Bobcats here at MC, so Bill is well represented in Plymouth.

If you decide to form an owners club I would be interested.

Regards
Adrian

 

[djeeke]

Oceanic 30 information

Hi !

Since you're talking about an owners club, I guess this is a good place to look for info...

I have been looking for a catamaran for quite some time. As I am on restricted budget I am looking at Cats in the size of 30 to 35 ft.

There are a few Oceanic Catamarans in my budget, I don't know this catamaran ,never even been on one...
I have never sailed a Ketch rig, what can you tell me about this ?

I just got in contact with an Oceanic Owner but his boat does not have the mizzen mast, it has been removed by one of the previous owners, I guess this will impact windward performance as the sail balance must be affected.

If someone is willing to discuss the Oceanic, I will be happy to read about it as to decide wether this would be a good boat for us... I already got some impression, not the fastest boat around but a very solid and safe cruising boat...

 

[djeeke]

Oceanic 30 information

Hi Mario, Paul, Adrian, (and other readers who know the Oceanic Catamaran...)

I tried sending you a PM but the system does not allow me to, so I hope you are subscribed to this thread so we can get in contact....

I saw that you own an Oceanic Catamaran...

I am looking at buying a Cat and the Oceanic falls within my budget, so now I'm looking for honest feedback from owners...
For some reason, not sure why, I prefer the Oceanic over the Catalac... We also like the Aristocat but at this moment there is no reasonable one for sale...

The layout, pretty important to us as we want to go cruising... We expect the Oceanic to have a nice interior layout, some other boats we've seen are bad with their interior, too narrow berths, crawling spaces, tiny galleys, etc... (do you know the berth sizes? Would you happen to have a layout plan? etc...)

Under power I expect no issue, it will do fine, two engines so easy maneuvering as well...
How does she sail? I have never sailed a ketch before so I am curious on the use of the Mizzen, I guess it helps improving windward sailing... (what about leeway without keels or boards?)
The sail areas are not huge so I expect the sails are easy to handle, no need to reef in the lower windspeeds. (As from when do you reef ?)
She is certainly not a racer... (but that's not what I'm looking for)
About light winds, I guess she could certainly use a light wind sail. Do you use a Spinaker, Genaker or would you prefer a screacher on a furler? What wind do you need to get her sailing ?

Why did you decide to buy an Oceanic ?

Thank you for any information you would like to share on your boat !

Kind regards,
Djeeke

 

[MarioPuppo]

Hi all

we are three for the Oceanic Club!!!!
I think first put together foto, plane, article about oceanic 30
I begin to attach old layout and sail plane

Adrian, would you send us something of your refurbish?

it would be a webmaster to create a website!!

Mario

 

[Ros]

Oceanic

Hi,
Am new to forum. Just to let you know we have Oceanic catamaran No. 56 built 1976 (Ravan), moored in Porthmadog for last 8 years - hope to take her to the Med soon.
Would be interested in joining an owners club.

Regards
Rose

 

[bigwow]

Why don't you all start up an Oceanic thread on this site, it's a multihull one.

http://www.multihulls4us.com/forums/index.php

 

[Stevans]

Reply to All Oceanic owners

After a quick search I came up with the above info on Oceanic Owners. Fascinating as I have been re furbishing Zymbabwe Nymph (1970 Oceanic )for the past couple of years and she is due to be re launched in APRIL 2010. In my quest to get info on the re build I spoke with Bill O Brien before christmas, sadly as you have heard he is no longer with us. He was most helpful and enthusiastic (at 80+) and spent and hour on the phone as I picked his brains. My Oceanic was built in 1970 and due to her age has had to be thoroughly gone over with Osmosis treatment and re paint with all the wiring and inside headlinngs re newed + rigging ...... Would welcome any one doing the same to swop experience. One thing I asked Bill was about the fins fitted inside the hulls to help windward performance - he said Dont bother! so mine have not been replaced. Look forward to hearing from other owners in due course.
Reghards
Stevans BRISTOL UK

 

[Stevans]

Rose
I am in the throes of re building a 1970 Oceanic Zybabwe Nymph, in Bristol soon to be relaunched at the end of this month. Would be interested in the lay out of your boat and any modifications you have made. Like you I hope to be going over to France with her in the future.
Regards
STEVANS

 

[MarioPuppo]

Oceanic 30

After a quick search I came up with the above info on Oceanic Owners. Fascinating as I have been re furbishing Zymbabwe Nymph (1970 Oceanic )for the past couple of years and she is due to be re launched in APRIL 2010. In my quest to get info on the re build I spoke with Bill O Brien before christmas, sadly as you have heard he is no longer with us. He was most helpful and enthusiastic (at 80+) and spent and hour on the phone as I picked his brains. My Oceanic was built in 1970 and due to her age has had to be thoroughly gone over with Osmosis treatment and re paint with all the wiring and inside headlinngs re newed + rigging ...... Would welcome any one doing the same to swop experience. One thing I asked Bill was about the fins fitted inside the hulls to help windward performance - he said Dont bother! so mine have not been replaced. Look forward to hearing from other owners in due course.
Reghards
Stevans BRISTOL UK

Ciao

please look at this newborn forum
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Oceanic30/

"A great way for owners and enthousiasts of the Oceanic 30 Catamaran to share their passion and knowledge on this particular boat and sailing in general..."


Mario

 

[Ros]

Rose
I am in the throes of re building a 1970 Oceanic Zybabwe Nymph, in Bristol soon to be relaunched at the end of this month. Would be interested in the lay out of your boat and any modifications you have made. Like you I hope to be going over to France with her in the future.
Regards
STEVANS

Hi,
Have never used a forum before (thanks to Mario + Didier for their help + welcome).
The original owners of our boat fitted her out beautifully, also laid teak laminate on decks. Have owned the boat 8 years and knew we had some minor rot to back of boat where water had got beneath teak laminate. Unfortunately on investigation we have had to replace all the decks - could have done with some advice ourselves many months ago.
Again unfortunately we were the victims of theft. Three years ago two young lads stole our boat from the harbour (they were going to Norway to ferry illigal immigrants!) damaged her hitting some posts then sunk her on a sandbank (the exaust manifolds burnt through as they hadn't turned the seacocks on to cool the engines). This must have exacerbated the onset of the rotting decks. We havn't been able to afford to replace fridge/waterpumps/shower/gas waterheater/mains electric etc etc and lost an incredible amount of personal items, paperwork, spares etc.
At the time we were only third party insured (had been fully comp but couldn't afford survey required to carry on) we didn't think thieves would be interested in taking our boat! To top it all our new engines were only 13 months old, we had them taken out immediately and reconditioned. We caught the thieves stranded on the island next to where they sunk. Police let youngest go!! 18/19 year old went to court but we got no compensation.
So, our boat is very basic now.
Hard to answer your question unless you have a specific query - we have adapted certain things to suit us.
Assuming we get off the island (where we have been carrying out our repairs since last August) on the high tide at the end of this month and when we have finished doing the boat up to make it safe we will be heading south hopefully mid/end May. Would love to meet up with you and compare notes if possible.
Would welcome any recommendations regarding boat insurance for when we set sail.
Rose

 

[fatcat9]

hi;finally some people wanting to talk about their OCEANIC 30's ;ALL i've ever seen about them is the boats that are for sale.
I have # 19 OCEANIC named THE SWAN OF MOYLE bought in VICTORIA B.C. 06 ;huge project -rotten balsa core everywhere ;some waterlogged balsa also froze cracking inside glass layup letting rain water inside closed-up front bridgedeck area; consealed cross- braces ;steering flats;
engine bays etc.pics coming of bridge deck which is stripped of ALL decking .I must really like this old girl that came here on a freighter around 1974 for its owner Dr Joe Cunningham cheers.

 

[poolman]

oceanic cat

I have owned an oceanic 30 for 22 years, built in 1965, mahogany planking hulls, powered by two volvo md2 engines. does anybody know of any others of the same age still going?

 

[poolman]

oceanic 1965

hi this is poolman i have owned & sailed an oceanic for 22years Lady P was the only one as far as i know built with hulls of mahogany planking, she still has the original volvo MD 2 engines made in 1965 and although i seem to be able to start them with the dynastarts ok fellow travellers seem to find this difficult, can anyone offer a solution or suggest suitable replacement engines thanks in anticipation poolman

 

[MarioPuppo]

hi this is poolman i have owned & sailed an oceanic for 22years Lady P was the only one as far as i know built with hulls of mahogany planking, she still has the original volvo MD 2 engines made in 1965 and although i seem to be able to start them with the dynastarts ok fellow travellers seem to find this difficult, can anyone offer a solution or suggest suitable replacement engines thanks in anticipation poolman

Hy Poolman,
Iknow a same aged Oceanic in Monflcone (Italy). she sails under Austrian Flag.
I had replaced both engine on my Oceanic with two Kubota 18kw (the same of Beta or Nanni) very well performing

Mario