1970 Archive
New cat for Sopwith.Tim Powell homologating Merlins!!!!
The attached pic of the cat appeared in Yachting & Boating Weekly as a new 32ft design by Leonardo da Costa (he of Crusader boats),at the same time he was drawing out an identical cat 34ft whilst in the employment of Don Shead.That was Alleycat or Miss Enfield III as it was known,and you thought Chaudron was a naughty boy!!!
The cat was a lemon as it was too heavy for a start,and it wasn`t until over 10yrs later that Cougar finally did their OP 1 alloy cats.Kudu II although a success in USA in 1974 did have alloy honeycomb frames and inner skin but the remaining skins were marine ply,presumably because welding thin alloy curved skins was still a tricky business.
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