Hobie 14 hulls as amas?

[Bigfork]

I spent days browsing different forums and decided I liked the "techy" know-how and information I found here. That said, I am a new member with a good question.
I have a cherry 1977 Hobie 16 and a an old Laser. I've spent lots of time on cabin cruisers as well. Now I have a different sort of dream. I am a master timber-framer (mortise and tendon) and have access to all the tools to build a boat. I can even do some welding. What I lack is the engineering knowhow beyond the homebuilding and triangle math, so I'm not sure this is even possible without some heavy nautical number crunching.

I know this is totally sacrilegious, but...could some old H-14 hulls be paired up with a Snipe 15, Sea Bee 15, or other hull shape to create a trimaran? May be with a H-16 rig on top?? Granted there would be tons of engineering hurdles (ie: incorporating the inverted tension truss (dolphin striker) to support the H-16 rig). I've even thought about a Hartley 16 (Clark Craft model) as the main hull but that might be getting carried away.
I really like the idea of the mini high-performance trimaran. The Hobie Adventure seems wonderful, but I wish it was just a little bigger...faster (hiking out of cockpit performance). This dream Tri could haul two, barely sleep 1, and scream right along!!
Is there something out there like this? I found some boats: Astus 14.1 and 16.1...$$$, Weta Tri...$$, and Windrider 17...$$$. Strangely none of which incorporate wave piercing bows found on modern cats. Also appears like the H-14 hulls would have more volume/buoyancy than those mentioned. I like the afore-mentioned boats, but want to build it myself (false dream of saving money) and encourage a little more custom "sleep-ability" if it's possible (although not required, I want to avoid the cockpit style so typical of sea kayak trimarans). In my fantasy, I use salvage H-14 as amas and build a stitch and glue performance main hull (planing and/or wave piercing bows?) I sail mainly on Flathead Lake in Western Montana. The seas can be erratic and rough; four-six foot irregular waves in a good blow are not uncommon. I know the Hartley has a wider beam and likely travels like a cork as opposed to the piercing wave bow I'm dreaming of, so perhaps a more narrow beamed main hull is better...sleep like a coffin(?).
Might be sort of an inappropriate post; I don't want to ruffle feathers, but does anybody have any ideas? Hobie 14 hulls and..............?
thanks, bones.

[Chris Ostlind]

The Solo16 Sport is a boat that very neatly fits your criteria... save for using the H14 hulls. It does use the rig from the H14 and a good deal of the sailing hardware. You can check it out here, if you'd like to see an ongoing blog about how one is being built in North Carolina:

http://www.lunadadesign.com/solo16-s...-underway.html


Or, you can go directly to the page that has the S16S article:

http://www.lunadadesign.com/fresh-ta...-solo16-s.html

[bill broome]

have a look at what richard woods is doing with his new 'strike' trimarans.

there is an 18' version on the water, mb a little bigger that you want, and a 16' boat that might be right. don't worry too much about engineering, in a small boat just copying similar gear does the job.

[ThomD]

The main hull on the strike looks like a grade 10 project. Of course if it is all "right" then I am sorry I mentioned it. But it doesn't look good to me.

Of course the Tremolino by Olin/Newick, was designed around H16 hulls, and was/is popular. That said it is a bad idea. It starts to drive the project in nasty directions while saving only about two weeks of work in the evenings.

I'm a "tendon" man myself, but I don't push through on projects like a pro chasing a paycheck. If you have that get er done thing also, then just knock out the whole boat. It won't cost much or take much longer, and the end result will be a real boat.

Here is some youtube of my Kurt Hughes. Cost about 3K to build minus the cost of rig, and trailer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnLmKXY-FCg

Something like this will blow your hair back:

http://www.multihulldesigns.com/desi...ail/16_tri.htm

[bruceb]

Bigfork, I am Not a designer- but I have seen a boat like your idea built, and yes, it worked quite well. I made some of the rigging bits. Around here, H14s can be had for little or nothing and the mono was an old fiberglass Fireball. Nice and light and it was suprisingly fast, and it went upwind better than the H14 ever did. The H14 hulls are not at all ideal, but very available and about the right size. I think it used a prindle 16 rig. Go for it, yes it will work, and ignore (or at least carefully consider advice from people that have not done it) Bruce

[Munter]

How about some slightly more modern hulls with more bouyancy (or at least more style :-)
Perhaps some outdated A class hulls would result in better performance for about the same expense?

[bruceb]

Any available hulls could work, maybe better, but old H14s are everywhere, very easy to attach and the rocker in them makes them forgiving of location errors when they are mounted. Keep it simple- that was the whole idea. Bigfork has an H16, I am sure he is aware of what happens when a bow goes under. Since the amas are not carrying much initial load, there is much more reserve than on the cat it came from. Bruce

[bruceb]

Anyway, "style" is in the eye of the builder Being on the water in an ugly boat beats sitting in front of a lovely design on my computer. B