Zeno's Arrow

[Gerald Gordon]

All I see is a nice looking mac on a trailer. The picture of the mast going over the bow seems like it was touched up...your honor. Why are there no close up views of the items listed below?


Zeno's Arrow
Specifications & modifications
Sails: Genoa (3DL), Jib (Doyle), Staysail (3DL), Main (Cruising Direct-Full Batten x 5, Reefing Points x 3).
Rig: Oversized Standing Rigging with turnbuckles and removiable inner-forestay. 34' Carbon-Fiber mast (salvaged from Henderson 30 stick), Carbon-Fiber spreaders (from Melges 24) 3" shorter than stock. Boom Aluminum & Carbon with rotating mandrel that allows option of reefing w/o leaving cockpit. Custom Stainless & cold mold Keel: 7'10" down, 24" up. Rudders: Carbon-Fiber w/ 3/8 Aluminum plate mounts (Carbon sleeves), Power: 2 x 6hp Nissan 4 stroke & 1 x 18 hp. Nissan 4 stroke. Inflatable/removable outriggers (18').

[Catigale]

Alas - we must all be good consumers of the information on the net...presence of pictures or even live dialogue doesnt mean much in this electronic age....

Hoaxing onto a newsgroup then outing yourself is a nasty form of trolling...hope that isnt going on here.....

[LCB]

Could it be? No!,,,,No!,,,,,, Tell me it's not........Loopy's revenge?????

[Timmy Z]

From the Zeno's Arrow web site. (via link from Moe)

Zeno's Arrow will be piloted by her Captain/Owner Michael C. Dunn. It was once said about Mike "...that he has more degrees than a thermometer, exists in perpetual puberty and spends more time practicing for Jeopardy while reaching closer to or farther away from Nirvana (depending on your point of view) than anyone else". We figure that about says all. Actually, Mike usually works as an Expedition and Adventure Travel Guide and/or on off days as an International Management Consultant (ho hum).

[Tahoe Jack]

Hey guys....lets not offend someone that has a wealth of experience to share with us. He is for real....I would wager that solely upon his detailed reaction to my initial post. And, I know a Sierra lenticular when I see one. Lets be a bit more courteous and friendly as we have the reputation for. A fellow Tahoe based Mac26x. Jack

[Gerald Gordon]

Tahoe Jack,
Would you please be so kind and refresh my memory as to the content of your post and could you also include what maddmike's detailed reactions were which have convinced you that a person having certain knowledge about a particular place, thing or events also has modified his X and sailed the seven seas (figure of speech only) with it.
I'm sure maddmike is for real, but my question is, what about the Zeno's Arrow?

[Richard O'Brien]

Now that I'm actually back on shore for awhile after nearly 10 years of living on Zeno's Arrow & traveling, I'm more than happy to answer questions about the boat Maddmike.

Maddmike, I always give people the benefit of the doubt until they ask for my checkbook. Once i was working for a power equipment co. and got approached by a work clothed, dusty, crooked, old, one-eyed man. He asked me to come from behind the counter and walk thru the yard with him with a notepad? He pointed out things like a couple of 600 cfm compressors, and 3 or 4 200 amp welders, add a 1/2 dozen rock drills, and have the wheels pulled off those compressors so we can pick them up with a helicopter? i asked him the name of his company, and he said ACME drilling co. I grimaced , visions of the Roadrunner! To keep from laughing I went back in to ask the boss what to do with this character? I was told to give him everything he wants as he was Howard Hughes chief tunneling engineer.

How did those cataraft pontoons work out , It sounds like you created a trimarran for only a couple of hundred lbs. Was the Mac fiberglass up to the task , or did you reinforce. Did this allow you more open water security, and what about downwind? This really sounds ingenious to me?

[Frank C]

All I see is a nice looking mac on a trailer. The picture of the mast going over the bow seems like it was touched up...your honor. Why are there no close up views of the items listed below?

Pardon an unsolicited contribution, but maybe the pix are few because he was more interested in using mods ... than showing them off ??? I've seen scattered postings here and elsewhere by maddmike, dating back to 1999. However, they've always been modest, polite and helpful ... never registered on my personal BS meter. Strange thing is, I've known of both him and that boat ... and in all those years he never claimed any connection. Just learned this week that Mike Dunn = maddmike. And from everything I've read, still no spikes on the personal BS meter.

I condone a healthy portion of skeptcism ... "Skeptic" has been my network ID for years. However, prior to a clear demonstration of Bravo Sierra, skepticism benefits from silence. When it becomes noisy, skepticism gathers a unique stench all its own. Just one opinion.

[Gerald Gordon]

Hello FrankC,
When and where did you learn that Captain Mike Dunn=maddmike? I have only read Mike Dunn's name as a result of a Google search. I am more interested in the Zeno's Arrow. Maddmike discribes his boat as has been mentioned above. I would just like to see those mods.

Additionally, I don't want to be led around by misrepresentations and as far as your comment about skeptics and silence, well I'll be silent on that subject.

[maddmike]

Sounds like my little boat is going to remain a myth in your eyes until such time as you can touch it, smell it, or sail on it (not the first person, not the first time-I take no offence). So here is the deal, as you apparently live in Hawaii (and thus are in luck) and I will be passing your way next summer I propose the following;

#1-I am going to need a place to keep Zeno's Arrow in Hawaii for an extended time before moving on, as once I arrive in the Islands, I am committed to jumping on a plane and heading back here to Sri Lanka for awhile. Origionally, I had planned to look up some old buddies on the Big Island who I worked with at Pahakuloa up on saddle road. However, I would be more than happy to head over your way if you can arrange a safe place for me to keep my boat until I get back. Think of the advantages, you can go over the entire boat and rage about any of my modifications you feel are not logical.
#2 As for pictures, I will start posting some, but please keep in mind, I didn't travel about with a CD camera (I'm from the old 35mm school), but I do have some shots I scanned & put on my laptop here with me in Sri Lanka. I also have friends in Carson City/Tahoe who are willing to go over and take some shots and e-mail them to me. I am not going to ask them to keep going over to the boat time after time for specific shots, for that you will have to wait until I return to the US in April.
#3 Oh ya, I expect at least one free (nice) dinner in Hawaii for the daysail (It will not get the coastguard excited as I'm a 100T guy). How about it?
Maddmike

[maddmike]

Richard,

The outriggers are still in the experimental stage, but here is the general idea.

For the last couple of years I have been playing around with kiteboard type wings on my boat and decided to try out the outriggers (Aire, Leopard Cataraft Tubes, 18' x 26" dia.-see the Leopard site for pixs) as a way of stablizing the boat while being pulled along by the wing. The concept is more that of an 'assisted' monohull than a 'Tri' as the tubes are close in and only increase the beam to 14'. They are mounted and removed using 'articulating arms' that attach & detach by 2 x heavy 4 Stroke Aux. mounting plates attached to each side of the boat (which can clearly be seen in the pix I posted at macgergorowners.com 'Mac 26 off-shore'-not quite sure how to post pix here yet, but I'll figure it out). I've requested a friend to swing by the boat this weekend and get some shots of the centerboard & Carbon outrigger mounts, which I will post ASAP. The outriggers pivot up & down and are dampened with offroad shocks, thus load transfer to the hull is reduced by having inflatable hyperlon tubes & shocks. When they are in use interior supports are put in place that attach the port & starboard units together with a Carbon Fiber section of mast salvaged from an unsuccessful Volvo 60 stick (yes, you do have to climb over it to go forward). So far I have not seen any undo stress related glass failure (knock on wood). I also use them in crowded anchorages where wakes from passing boats would otherwise make life unplesant and to prevent fishermen & others from rafting to my boat without fenders. I also want to try them out on river runs. On the Mackenzie (Sans Salt & Ramparts rapids) & other places, crossing a strong eddy line could be a less than plesant experience, hopefully the outriggers will help. However, after ball is said and done the best use I've found is for sun tanning & using thyem to swim on & off of.

[Tahoe Jack]

a....your move Gordo. Jack

[Tom Root]

Maddmike, glad to see you on this board....welcome and I look forward to your posts eagerly! I followed your site when it 1st went up, and glad you are still out and about, and your X has served you well!

I think many here, can live vicarously through your adventures, and I'd buy a book on life with the boat. We both share the adventurers spirit, you were more successful than I, in accomplishing what I still dream about!

Actually I know your were seeking support from Roger. His strict policy is to NOT support such endeavors in any way. Most manufacturers just won't! Liabilities, Failures, and hordes of others pleading for funding occurs, and a nightmare ensues. Generally more negativity than positive results in such a scheme. Not defending just Roger, but having direct experience in this topic gives me insight.

I will look for your posts in the future....and thanks for re-appearing, many of us thought you proved Christopher Columbus wrong, and fell off the edge of the earth!

But no, instead, you made it your playground....good for you!

[maddmike]

Ya I remember when we went through the support thing with Roger back in '96. For the record it was not me that went down to see him, but rather the guy who set up the origional website (he was no relation, but he did have the same last name as me). I was completely happy with the support (direct & indirect) I was getting from Oakley & Northsails. I really wanted to get away from the whole sponsor thing anyway, because of all the times we had to go 'hat in hand' to Northface, Patagonia, and others for the Everest, North Pole skydive, and South Pole Expeditions. Free stuff is great but it always comes with conditions that can often commit you to doing something you would otherwise pass on. Actually, if I was Roger I would not touch my stuff (at least not offically), lots of risk & little gain. I do have to admit that I'll likely 'disappear' again when I get out in the Pacific because, although I now have the Iridium phone & laptop connection, it is just to damn expensive to post on these kind of sites. By the way, nice to hear your still alive and still a MAC fan. Cheers, Maddmike