Cheyenne (catamaran)
{{Short description|Catamaran owned by Steve Fossett}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2015}}
{{Infobox Sailing yacht
| title = Cheyenne
| image =
| caption =
| othernames = PlayStation
| club =
| nat =
| type = Catamaran
| class =
| designer = G. Morelli, P. Melvin
| builder = Cookson
Auckland, New Zealand
| launched = 1998
| owner = Virgin Oceanic (2011–)
| skip = Steve Fossett
|crew = 12
| wins =
| sailno =
| fate =
| displacement ={{convert|27|t|abbr=on}}
| length = {{convert|37.90|m|abbr=on}} (LOA)
| beam = {{convert|18.20|m|abbr=on}}
| draft =
| height = {{convert|41|m|abbr=on}}
| sail = {{convert|1036|m2|abbr=on}} (upwind)
{{convert|644|m2|abbr=on}} (downwind)
| notes =
}}
Cheyenne, formerly known as PlayStation is a large catamaran created for the 2000 around the world race known as The Race. Like its competitors, Cheyenne was created for sheer speed, pushing the state of the art in materials, construction, and operation. PlayStation was skippered and owned by Steve Fossett. It is owned by and operated by Virgin Oceanic's co-founder Chris Welsh.
Career
Construction of the boat was by Mick Cookson of Cookson Boatworks in Auckland, New Zealand in 1998 to 1999. The boats construction was made from pre-preg carbon fiber laminates in various orientations, with a 38 mm aluminum honeycomb core.{{Cite web|title=PlayStation 125 - Records >> Morrelli & Melvin {{!}} Multihull Design * Engineering * Brokerage|url=http://www.morrellimelvin.com/PlayStation/specs.html|access-date=2021-06-01|website=www.morrellimelvin.com|archive-date=9 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210509171305/http://www.morrellimelvin.com/PlayStation/specs.html|url-status=dead}}
After breaking the 24-hour distance record (583 NM),{{Cite web|last=Zimmermann|first=Tim|date=8 April 2011|title=Cheyenne Rides Again|url=https://www.sailingworld.com/racing/cheyenne-rides-again/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160818195023/http://www.sailingworld.com/racing/cheyenne-rides-again|archive-date=18 August 2016|access-date=2021-06-01|website=Sailing World|language=en}} PlayStation suffered a fire while being prepared for shipping to the US. The cause of the fire was the over-charging of the NiMH batteries, and the damage from the fire required that 26' of the starboard hull be replaced. A portion of the hull was created at the builders which was grafted to the original bow and stern leaving virtually no evidence of the fire.{{Cite book|url=http://www.calyachtclub.com/files/Safety%20At%20Sea%20Core%20Topics%20Handbook15.pdf|title=SAFETY AT SEA CORE TOPICS HANDBOOK|publisher=US Sailing|year=2015|editor-last=Honey|editor-first=Sally Lindsay|location=United States|pages=139–140|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181016064705/http://www.calyachtclub.com/files/Safety%20At%20Sea%20Core%20Topics%20Handbook15.pdf|archive-date=16 October 2018}}
PlayStation was originally launched with hulls of {{convert|105|ft|m|0}} and was lengthened to {{convert|125|ft|m|0}} LOA in August 2000, to minimize pitching. At {{convert|105|ft|m|0}} PlayStation was overpowered and the possibility of a pitch pole in a yacht this size warranted the refit. Maximum beam remains at {{convert|60|ft|m|0}} and max draft with daggerboards down is {{convert|14.7|ft|m|1}}. The boat carries {{convert|7274|sqft|m2|0}} of sail upwind, and a total of {{convert|11631|sqft|m2|0}} downwind from her 147.5 foot carbon mast.
In The Race, PlayStation suffered mechanical failures from the start and withdrew from the competition on Day 16.{{Citation needed|date=June 2021}}
In 2001 Fossett and his crew crossed the Atlantic Ocean in 4 days and 17 hours establishing a new world record for crossing the Atlantic Ocean on a sail vessel.{{cite web|url=http://www.solarnavigator.net/steve_fossett.htm |title=STEVE FOSSETT CHEYENNE CATAMARAN AND THE JULES VERNE TROPHY AROUND THE WORLD IN 58 DAYS 9 HOURS |publisher=Solarnavigator.net |date=2005-03-01 |accessdate=2015-07-02}}
In 2006, Cheyenne's mast broke due to severe weather off the coast of Argentina. Cheyenne was converted to a power catamaran and underwent significant changes and became the mothership for Virgin Oceanic's deep sea exploration mission called 5 Dives.{{Cite web|last=Rohit|first=Parimal M.|date=December 4, 2014|title=Time is running out for Cheyenne – The Log|url=https://www.thelog.com/local/time-is-running-out-for-cheyenne/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-06-01|website=The Log|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804105623/https://www.thelog.com/local/time-is-running-out-for-cheyenne/ |archive-date=4 August 2020 }}
In 2009 Cheyenne was purchased by Chris Welsh from the estate of Steve Fossett. Plans are to launch a deep sea submarine to carry passengers to extreme ocean depths. The deep sea adventure will be supported by Cheyenne, and will use the HOT DeepFlight Challenger sub[http://www.virginoceanic.com/team/operations-team/] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927011151/http://www.virginoceanic.com/team/operations-team/|date=27 September 2011}} to plumb the depths of the world's oceans to full depth.[http://www.virginoceanic.com/vehicles/catamaran/] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111008161529/http://www.virginoceanic.com/vehicles/catamaran/|date=8 October 2011}}{{cite web|date=2011|title=/ SUB|url=http://www.virginoceanic.com/vehicles/submersible/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110807063844/http://www.virginoceanic.com/vehicles/submersible/|archive-date=7 August 2011|access-date=1 June 2021}} Both of these were owned by Steve Fossett, who had modified the racing catamaran to become the mothership to his oceanic dive record attempt. The submarine seats one person, and is currently the only crewed submersible capable of reaching the deepest part of the oceans. As at 2014 the deep sea expedition supporting bey Cheyenne was still in the process of being planned.
Records
- Transatlantic record of in a time of 4 days, 17 hours, 28 minutes, and 6 seconds in October 2001, with a total distance of {{convert|2925|nmi|km|0}} at an average speed of 25.78 knots.[http://www.sailspeedrecords.com/transatlantic-ambrose-light-tower-to-lizard-point-crewed.html] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111015154857/http://www.sailspeedrecords.com/transatlantic-ambrose-light-tower-to-lizard-point-crewed.html|date=15 October 2011}}
- The 24 hour distance run of {{convert|687.17|nmi|km|2}} at an average speed of 28.63 knots in 2001.{{cite web|url=http://www.sailspeedrecords.com/24-hour-distance.html |title=Amendment to WSSR Newsletter No 122 |publisher=Sailspeedrecords.com |date=2006-07-24 |accessdate=2015-07-02}}
- The round the world sailing record of 58 days 9 hours 32 minutes and 45 seconds in 2004. PlayStation was renamed Cheyenne in 2003, prior to setting this record.[http://www.sailspeedrecords.com/round-the-world-non-stop.html] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927171730/http://www.sailspeedrecords.com/round-the-world-non-stop.html|date=27 September 2011}}
The former records have all been broken.
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20160127074846/http://www.parc.com/event/452/adventure-of-a-lifetime.html Adventure of a Lifetime] - A talk by Chuck Hawley, who sailed on the PlayStation
- [http://www.stevefossett.com/ The Steve Fossett Challenge]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20141230125452/http://www.morrellimelvin.com/PlayStation/index.html Morelli & Melvin Design & Engineering]
- [http://www.latitude38.com/features/playstat.htm Steve Fosset's PlayStation] article from [http://www.latitude38.com/ Latitude 38] magazine
Category:Individual sailing vessels
Category:Individual catamarans