James Wharram

Juergen Peter‘s article in Mehrrumpfbote No. 126

The article by Juergen Peter „Gibt es den idealen Reisekat?“ in the January 08 edition of Mehrrumpfbote is both ‚sexist‘ and inaccurate in that it ignores the pioneering catamaran voyages made by the German woman Ruth Merseburger (later Ruth Wharram) and her influence on the James Wharram designs of which 10,000 designs have been sold. She made a large contribution to modern cruising catamaran sailing and voyaging, longer than any of the people mentioned in the article. She has been an equal partner of ‚James Wharram Designs‘ for over 50 years. She has been a member of the ‚Multihull Verein‘ for many years and will be known by other members.

Facts: In 1954 Ruth Merseburger/Wharram helped Wharram to build the 7m long catamaran TANGAROA, which they sailed from England to Germany together with another German girl, Jutta Schultze-Rhonhof. This early pioneering catamaran design then successfully sailed across the Bay of Biscay and across the Atlantic to Trinidad, West Indies in 1955 - 56. These 2 German women played a leading role in the development of multihull sailing by giving Wharram the encouragement to continue multihull development. In 1957, Ruth Merseburger, with some financial help from her sister, Hildegard Merseburger in Germany, was an equal partner in the building of the 12m RONGO in Trinidad. This pioneering design, the RONGO, sailed 1500 miles from Trinidad to New York and from there across the North Atlantic in 1959, being the firstmultihull to do so. From this voyage and the lessons learnt ‚Wharram Leserbriefe Designs‘ were developed and thousands of them sold. Hundreds have made long ocean voyages. The basic principles are still being refined to produce new designs i.e. Charter catamarans from 9-20m.

Ruth Wharram was, at the time before electronics, a brilliant navigator.

As such, she sailed not only with Wharram (5 Atlantic crossings on 12m Rongo and 15m Tehini), but sailed and raced to the Azores with George Payne (11m Raka design), crossed the Atlantic with Thomas Firth Jones (8.6m Tanenui) and across the Tasman Sea with Kevin Halpin (10.7m Tangaroa Mk I) - all in the early years of multihulls (1960-70s). In the 1990s, while in her 70s, she sailed half way round the World on the 19m Pahi design ‚Spirit of Gaia‘.

You can also read my book ‚Zwei Girls, zwei Katamarane‘ translated from the English into German by Klaus Hympendahl and published in the Palstek Verlag.

To ignore these voyages by Ruth Wharram, on catamaran designs whose concepts she helped to develop, shows Juergen Peters‘ article factually incorrect.

Ruth Merseburger/Wharram represents the bravery and determination of Germany‘s post war women. Now, at the age of 86, she still works in her office (she has just produced a Collection of her articles). She should be honoured and respected by the modern German Multihull world.

James Wharram
James Wharram Designs
Greenbank Road, Devoran, Truro, Cornwall,
TR3 6PJ, UK.
Tel: +44 1872 864792 Fax: +44 1872 864791.
Personal email: james@wharram.com
Office email: wharram@wharram.com
Website: www.wharram.com