Click
here for Photos of
Bimi
Bimi is a custom gaff-ketch sailboat that has been in the
family for almost 60 years. She was designed by Basil Knauth & Christian Norgaard, with extensive modifications
designed by Scott Rohrer. Originally built by Nunes Bros. and
launched December 17, 1955 in Sausalito, California, Bimi
was brought to the Pacific Northwest in 1984, where she was
substantially modified with new cabin top, inboard engine,
heater, and (flushing!) head. Recent additions have been
autopilot (nicknamed 'Basil' after Bimi's first
owner, Natalie's father and Mac's father-in-law), GPS and radar.
Her broad beam (14.5 feet), shallow draft (with centerboard
up, she draws only 2 feet), and traditional (for her) red and
yellow sails, make Bimi well-noticed and well-known in both the
Bay Area and the Pacific Northwest. She is 32 feet long on
deck and about 45 feet overall, with bowsprit and boomkin.
When in the Bay Area, Bimi did well racing in the annual
Master Mariners Regatta (taking overall honors in 1970 despite a
broken mizzen mast!). She is mostly used for cruising and
partying these days, and sometimes acts as the committee boat
for the Duck Dodge race on Lake Union.
Bimi has been exhibited at Seattle's Wooden Boat
Festival, the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival, and Victoria
BC's Classic Boat Festival.
Bimi's name comes from a monkey (actually an
orangutan) in a Kipling short story.
