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When not speeding around the track in 1963 Lotus in vintage car competitions, Peter Stoneberg gets his need for on this ProSail 40 Catamaran Shadow. Aquired via a listing he spotted on The B.A.M.A website, the former Dennis Conner trainer was located on a ranch east of Reno Nevada . Trailered down to Elkhorn composites the compsite structure was reworked and as well as new rudders built by 1992 Oly Tornado Class Silver Medalist Keith Notary. (Seen in above clip from James Bond flick Thomas Crowne Affair)
Shadow was originally designed by Gino Morrelli in 1986 to the Formula 40 rule, which then had a popular race circuit in Europe during the late 80's.
The hull molds were later used to build the ProSail Formula 40 for the Prosail Series, a professional sailing circuit in the U.S. that attracted
top-gun sailors like Tom Blackhaller, Randy Smyth, Ed Baird, Ken Read, Cam Lewis and Hobie Alter, Jr. plus spectators and television viewers from coast
to coast.
Peter had sailed on sister ship Tuki and had gotten hooked on the speed and ease to sail, and when Shadow was spotted in the B.A.M.A listing, Peter jumped at the opportunity. Previous boats included the Ron Holland designed 11Meter “CitiBank” and a Farr 40 also named Shadow, both exciting but not Prosail 40 fast.
The late Tom Blackaller owned another sistership “TomCat” which still owns the Farallones record set in 1992 blazed out on a strong southerly and reached to and back from the Islands with a double reef in consuming just over 3 hours. Can Shadow match that, even with the new Flat Top Main? “Conditions would have to be perfect and they had very good sailors in Zan Drejes and Jack Halterman sailing, so it would be tough, very tough.”
Peter indicates the boat can sail higher than the mono hulls and with it extra buoyant bows has little trouble off wind with any pitch poling. She’ll fly a hull in 10 knots of breeze and is capable of 35 knots! During the recent Farallones race, as they approached the South tower, they recieved a bit of gust and shift, momentarily burying both hull and casuing wha the crew called " A double rudder check", but she quickly recovered and sailed out of it.
As far as capsizing goes, according to Peter, you would really have to try to get her to go over, In the clip seen above the crew the crew needed to sheet everything in and cleat it off then overpower the rig to get her to go over…She can be easily double handed, but will accommodate a crew of 5. His regulars are Kyle Gunderson, Scott Easom, Gary Sadamori, Andy McCormick, Jody and Skip McCormick but unlike any other boats he has owned, he never has problems finding eager crew to sail on Shadow.
What Peter would love to see is more Formula 40’s on the Bay, they are according to him perfect for this venue. He knows of 2 seeking new homes in the Florida area and will gladly assist in making any connections..So whats stopping ya?
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