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Lungta is a very well-found 78
foot sailboat, built in 1970 by Herman & Gail Husen in
Everett, Washington, USA (and originally named Harambee). She was
designed by the marine architect Jay Benford, who also oversaw
the construction of the ferrocement hull. The final cementing
took 24 people working for 36 hours straight - or maybe it was 36
people working for 24 hours. Either way it was a massive
undertaking and the finished vessel weighs about 124,000 lbs.
Lungta was built well and the ferrocement makes the boat
incredibly strong. She (we don't actually think of it as having a
gender, but defer to convention) is rigged as a staysail ketch
that carries 5 sails. When all five sails are full she is
spectacular.
Equipment
Power - The engine is a 170 horse power Rolls
Royce, built in 1964 for use in locomotives. Despite its age it
has low hours and has been highly reliable - though it is noisy,
hot and expensive to run, so we use it sparingly. We carry 2000
liters of diesel fuel, giving a range of roughly 1200 miles. We
carry two dinghies, a 10 foot inflatable and a 9 foot hard
dinghy, along with two outboard motors, a 15 hp and a 9.9 hp. We
have an 8.5KW Phaser diesel generator, two wind generators and
2500 watts of solar panels to keep the 24 volt, 480 amp-hour
battery bank charged. We use a 4000 watt Magnum inverter/charger
for AC power. The solar panels provide enough power that we
rarely need to start the generator.
Living -
Lungta is well equipped, as only a 78 foot sailboat can be. She
has a fully stocked galley much like any middle-class American
kitchen, though lacking a dishwasher. There is a comfortably
sized refrigerator and a large freezer, a microwave, a convection
oven, blenders, mixers, a waffle iron, an ice cream maker, a
cotton candy machine and a well stocked pantry. We carry 500
gallons of fresh water and have a watermaker to keep the tanks
full. There are two heads, one with a really comfortable shower.
Although we have a washing machine/dryer, we generally try to
conserve power by using the lifelines as the dryer, at least
while we are in the tropics.
Navigation/Communication
- We have multiple GPS sources, Garmin 24 mile radar, a Robertson
AP20 autopilot, a Raymarine depth sounder, a Standard Horizon VHF
radio, an AIS transceiver and an Iridium Go satellite link. We
use a variety of computing devices and software for navigating
and obtaining weather information. Our primary navigation program
is OpenCPN, running on a mini-computer with a large monitor.
Ground Tackle - We carry three anchors. The
primary anchor is a 215 lb Forfjord, which is rated for a 90 foot
vessel. I consider this anchor to be the best in the world, but
in truth almost everyone considers their anchor to be the best.
We also carry two Fortress anchors, an FX-85 to back up the
Forfjord in the event of major storms and a smaller one for an
easily handled stern anchor. We carry 300 feet of high-test ½
inch chain rode and another 300 feet of 1 ¼ inch nylon
rode for a total of 600 feet. We use a large electric windlass to
deploy and retrieve the ground tackle, haul crew up the mast and
move heavy items such as the dinghies on and off the deck.
Safety Equipment - We carry two Personal Locator
Beacons, an Iridium Go and an 8 person life raft. We also carry a
24 foot sea anchor and a drogue. To date, we haven't had to use
any of the above items for emergencies. We have an assortment of
life vests, including 4 that automatically inflate, but in
practice we rarely use them either. The life lines are 1/4”
Spectra line, 49 inches high - under normal conditions you'd have
to work really hard to fall overboard.
Recreation
- We have 6 scuba tanks on board, a dive compressor, and an odd
assortment of personal dive equipment. If you are of an average
size, we can probably get you diving, but it would be great if
you bring your own gear when you come, particularly the BCD. We
also carry a snuba compressor, which is usually used for cleaning
and inspecting the hull, not typically something you'd call
recreational. We have two guitars, a flute, a recorder, a
keyboard, and a large music collection. We have two media servers
and multiple video screens for watching movies.
Life on
Lungta is usually very comfortable, often quite decadent.
The
Name
Lungta is a Tibetan word which
translates literally to 'wind horse'. Although the literal
meaning is appropriate, the name was chosen for its spiritual
meaning in Tibetan Buddhism. The 'wind' refers to the
fundamental energy or goodness associated with existence, and the
'horse' aspect refers to the ability to harness this energy in
our daily lives. It is also the Tibetan word used for prayer
flags which, like our sails, also flap incessantly in the wind.
Specifications
* Length Over All:
78'
* Length on Deck: 60'
* Draft: 9 '8"'
* Beam:
18' 6"
* Height off water: 68'
* Displacement: 124,000
lbs
* Water Capacity: 800 gallons
* Diesel Capacity: 600
gallons
* Engine: 1964 Rolls-Royce C6NFL, 170 HP
* Rig:
Staysail Ketch with Wishbone Boom
* Designer: J. Benford
*
Builder: Herman Husen
* Construction: ferrocement
*
Launched: December 1970 as "Harambee"
* Constructed:
Everett, Washington
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