My New S&G Trimaran

[Chris Ostlind]

Duckworks Magazine for Boatbuilders has just published an article I have written about a new design I have developed in the expedition sailing canoe class.

The boat is called the XCR. This is an expedition quality, S&G marine plywood constructed, decked canoe designed specifically for homebuilders who want to sail and paddle to far away places.

I'd be pleased to hear from any BoatDesign Forum member who has a comment or question about the design.

http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/06/.../xcr/index.htm

Sorry Doug, it's not a foiler... yet.

Chris Ostlind

But will the main hull plane? Nice job!
PS-What does S&G mean?

[Chris Ostlind]

The planing thing won't happen either, I'm afraid. Just have to settle for a decently lively, displacement sailing canoe with amas.

S&G means the style of build is a marine plywood, Stitch and Glue, construction method. It allows for fairly quick assembly times for builders who are not interested in the more involved, strip building methods. Loss of efficiency in the water for a well designed hull is right around 1-2%.

Chris

Thanks Chris.Duh-shoulda got that! Just pulling your leg about planing.....

[Chris Ostlind]

"Just pulling your leg about planing....."

Yeah, it's now become a running gag of sorts and I enjoy it.

Chris

[sharpii2]

Just the sort of design concept I love to see. Real boats for real people.

But will the unstayed masts be able to stand up to the massive righting moment of this hull system?

Bob

[Chris Ostlind]

That's a good question, Bob. I can only answer the dilemma by offering the experience I have with several other sailing canoes and sea kayaks.

The two attached images show boats I have done in the past. Both were shot while we were in the middle of a circumnavigation of Catalina Island off the California coast.

I'm not an engineer, so I don't have that kind of answer for you with hard data. What I do have is the many years of acually using these rigs on boats of this type in everything from mild to wild conditions with no mast failures to date.

I'm of the opinion that the very small amounts of hull, thwart, aka and ama flex are partly responsible for the forgiving aspect of the overall design. The rest of the durability comes from the stick itself and the fact that I haven't mistreated the boat in tough scenarios.

Chris

[icetreader]

Hi Chris,

Looks like a boat that's fun to sail.
Have you considered a crab claw sail rig?

Yoav

[Chris Ostlind]

After getting wound-up in several client build projects, the XCR canoe/trimaran has finally had her first sailing session this past weekend. I dug waaaay back in the archives for this thread so that the whole thing might have some context from the previous imagery.

The project was originally a prototype of my own design and it sat in the shop while I built other people's boats. I got to it when I could and that wasn't often.

Then, out of the blue a client stepped-up and offered to purchase the boat and indicated that he wanted me to do the completion of the build. So, the project went immediately to the front of the line on the shop schedule and last Saturday, the XCR saw its first sail.

There is always this exciting and even a little bit dread-filled experience the first time you set a boat in the water. I'm happy to say that the dread aspects almost immediately flew away when the boat sat nicely on her lines and the rigs installed quickly.

Winds were on the light side at 5-6 knots, but the boat did sail away cleanly with good helm response. When the wind died, the boat was extremely easy to paddle like an ordinary canoe, and we stroked the boat back to the beach with little effort involved.

Later in the day, we got a breeze up around 10 knots for about an hour and got a twinkling of an idea as to how well she would be able to crank when tuned and flying.

This design can be used as a decked expedition canoe for paddling when all the sailing stuff is dropped away (amas, akas, rudder, leeboard, rigs) It can be used directly off the trailer with a reduced beam as a motor launch with a 2hp outboard. It can be rigged as shown with twin 56 sq. ft. sails on self-supporting masts for smooth, quick sailing adventures. Lot's of versatility in a straight-forward package giving the owner many choices as to how to use his boat on any given day.

This boat is a bit of an homage to the Kruger Cruiser expedition canoe. I did this design, with a few of my own touches, to allow homebuilders a chance to have their own version of the Kruger, ready to sail as a trimaran, for about half of what you'd spend on the Krugerized version.

All in all, it was a very satisfying experience with this new (dusty) design.

[frosh]

Hi Chris, Today I am not wearing my own hat as I write this little posting to the launch of your S & G Trimaran.
I am for a brief minute Doug L.
"What do you mean it don't plane. And even more pathetic, where are the monofoils, (actually 2 centre-line foils) but only an idiot would think that this should be termed a bifoiler.
This tri is going to get creamed by my new Aerosail 14,16,18. (I'm not quite sure which one I will build first, but it won't matter, your S & G will look like it has extreme backward rapidity.
Good luck, I'm sure you won't sell any, so no one will have to suffer the lack of performance.
PS If you decide to suddenly introduce lifting hydrofoils, don't bother with a wand system like on Fastacraft Moths. I have made them obselete already.
Don't get too upset by all this --- Only kidding", signed Doug. ( you know which one).

[waikikin]

Frosh, I thunk(past tense of think) from Chris's post he alreaddy sold one(past tense of sell?) or is there s- bagging & sicasm at work? Regards from Jeff

[frosh]

Hi Jeff, jee-z, I thunk he sold one. OK then, after Doug's boat review he wont sell any more!
Regards, Sam