Where can I find, Full Pelt, 40' Trimaran

[Swift]

Who is the current owner?

[Gary Baigent]

Good question. Check out the rig. They cartwheeled it. Could be at Lake Geneva or Garda.

[Swift]

Thanks Garry,
I'm looking for a 40' tri to race in Auckland prefer cat 1 if possible,
Johnny be good is my only other option at the moment.

[Pouakai]

How about this:

http://www.multihulldesigns.com/desi.../f40shtri.html

[Corley]

I notice from Kurt Hughes specs that his Formula 40 (gecko) is a square trimaran was that the norm in Formula 40 as it became in ORMA60? Some of the formula 40's have strange sail plans is that due to sail area constraints? Is there a copy of the original class rules somewhere for download?

[Gary Baigent]

F40 catamarans averaged 12.8 x 7.50m with the widest being Jet Services at 7.8m but all the trimarans were 12.8 x 12.8m; Promocean was 12 wide, so you can pretty well say they were all square. Sail area was 83.5m2 and the fastest ones had large mains around 75m2, small jibs. Offwind sails varied from 98 to 117m2. Boat weight was 1800kgs although most, but not all, were 100kgs more than that figure.
Interesting that back in the late 1980's that square tri platforms were the norm.

[Gary Baigent]

ps: you realize that the Gougeon's F40 Adrenalin languishes here in Auckland - that design was originally oversquare but was later reduced to 12.8m.

[Swift]

I had a look at Adrenalin, while she was in the container in Auckland, not what I was looking for, a really interesting boat in its design. but not
a tri capable of flying the centre hull and fitting foils to.
What I like about the formula 40's was that they where demountable and fitted into a 40' container although they seemed to have changed the rule on that one later on.
The difference in cost to ship a 40 tri. In 2 containers $10,000, mounted as deck cargo $80,000.
Maybe a new class? but not a lake racer, a tight box rule, Cat 1, and demountable to fit 2 containers.
Cat 1 can give you a strong design and a boat that has less tenancy to nose dive.

[Gary Baigent]

Actually Adrenalin just needs her amas locked and then you could put foils in them ... and then you could fly the main hull ... but that would mean butchering a classic, famous yacht. Also Adrenalin can lean on her leeward float and hoist her main hull out in a breeze.
There is a foil F40 tri in France that used to be Ker Marine, I think, now named Fidou - that boat would suit you .... but the new owner loves it so you can't get it ... just a bit of useless information for you. I think you'll have a hard time finding the right boat; may have to build from scratch.

[Gary Baigent]

correction: Fildou - not Fidou - a Mark Lombard design that crossed the Atlantic in the infamous storm wrecked 2002 Route du Rhum.

[Swift]

I have sent emails to Kurt and Emmanuel and are waiting for replies,
Fildou has an impressive history, I have been searching for a boat with full length arma's and retractable foils so as to be competitive in light airs club racing, most of the Multis I compete against will fly their hull in 8-10Knts of breeze. Please correct me if I'm wrong but my understanding is pure foilers need 10+ knots to plane, but once up can multiply boat speed x 2 to the speed of the wind. I need to achieve high average speeds 25+ to achieve a high placing in the big races.
Is there a compromise?
I like the new hydroptere.ch 35', if I could make that Cat 1 it would suit me fine.

[grossbart]

Biscuits Cantreau by VPLP is actively for sale on the Swiss lakes. She is demountable and containerizable. Some say she is a better boat than FP. Similar design and vintage, now with 80'carbon wing. Contact me directly if you are serious. I own BC 2.

ted@grossbart.com

[Swift]

Thanks Ted, Biscuits Cantreau is now in New Zealand, we will start a full racing program with her. if you hear of any others for sale please let us know, we have some keen buyers.

[Corley]

Just out of interest why did the formula 40 racing program die out? Was it a lack of sponsors? Or did the boats become too expensive to race competitively? I've seen some VHS video of the boats when they were racing it looked fast and exciting hope it makes a comeback at some stage.

[Swift]

From my research and I could be wrong, the later trimarans could carry more sail and left the cats behind, being built of carbon they were twice the price of the cats, and lighter, the existing cat owners decided the cost was too much.
A lot of the boats were built strong to do the F40 circuit and some are capable of Cat 1,
so they suit New Zealand conditions.
It would be good to do a new one design F40 capable of cat 1.