cheap, quick, easy, and trailerable multi builds

Hi, everyone. I've been following this forum daily for the last 10 years, soaking up all the knowledge, experience, and ideas I could. It didn't take long to realize that the lack of cheap, quick, easy, and trailerable builds has kept most of us from getting into multi's of our own. About 8 years back I had, what was for me, a solid epiphany of how such a build could be accomplished; a stupid simple and easily comprehended, but potentially profound, means to that end. Never being the type overconfident in my own grasp of practical reality, I passed the idea by a handful of professional boat designers with decades of experience. Their positive responses were a bit overwhelming and encouraging. Fast forward: the past 8 years of physical ailments and complications have made it impossible to pursue a prototype project that utilizes and enhances this building method, but recent health improvements give me renewed hope to pursue this with a vengeance. Shortly, I'll be contacting one of those designers to take the next step. I would like your help in deciding what design(s) and features to tackle first. I live in the PNW of US and will give greater weight to opinions of you who live here, possibly making guinea pigs out of you on the first builds . For the first build a guiding principle: Must meet the needs of and be affordable for a young family for weekend boat camping i.e. not racing. So, any thoughts, questions, preferences?

 

So, it is a novel method of construction, that you have come up with ? Can you elaborate, and is it patented, or even patentable ?

 

It must have style, cheap and practical is not enough because at the end of the day that just makes it disposable. It must be desirable to maintain some resale value, a certain range of trailable trimarans are boxy clunky and downright ugly, hardly inspiring !
Just my 2c.
Just out of curiosity, what is your issue with the B24 or the Scarabs ?

 

Hey, Mr.E, thanks for stopping by. I have no idea if its novel. I do know that the concept came from my own thoughts and observations. I've looked hi and low for anything like it. I hope its not patentable; one of my biggest concerns is keeping it open to be used by everyone, so the process of getting it publicized and produced is important. The uniqueness is in the method of building for home builders, not in the end product. E, it took me all afternoon to compose that my very first post on any forum so no, I don't care to elaborate; if you have specific short answer questions I might be able to oblige. I'm really not posting to expose a neat idea, argue, or philosophize about its value. What I would like to hear from you and others is what type, size and features would pique your interest in a recreational multi for a first prototype, so I have something to zone in on when I talk with my designer.

 

No mate, I was just curious about what this new-fangled method was, but I'm a little confused by your statement that you want it free and open to everyone, then decline to elaborate on what the idea is. But never mind, carry on regardless.

 

features? small enough to be able to tow or roof top with a mid size car, and store in a small space (one space parking spot), fast and easy to launch and land (15-20 min ideal, 30 min max), comfortable to carry family and camping gear in inland and near coastal waters (puget sound for example). low maintenance, easy to operate (simple, minimal rigging). And as noted above, attractive.

 

Hi Petros,
Seatrekker will need a bag of tricks to develop that...... I'm really keen to see what he's come up with.

Jeff.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amGbBFsiuzc

 

If the build method is light enough to consider car topping, but not targeted as a racer, I am thinking of something similar to a skin on frame Tri with a simple light carbon pole rig.

More likely the "The uniqueness is in the method of building for home builders" statement leads me to think too heavy for car topping. For a trailer only design intended for a Home builder, look at the Richard Woods line of boats. His seem to perform very well.

It would be great to see you get a boat out on the water that duplicates the function of one of his boats with a "better build" method as a proof of concept.

Actually, if it is all about the build, I strongly recommend that you do not take any chances on your first boat with trying to do much of the overall boat design on your own. It is just too easy to mess up with the stuff like rig size & location, board size & location etc.

If you do try to achieve a "duplicate function" to an existing platform (Richard's or someone else's), you will also have a yardstick of comparison available. For example if your method is faster, and cheaper but heavier, at least you will be able to actually do the comparison with numbers.

 

*Like*

 

"cheap, quick, easy, and trailerable"

So far has never happened. Sounds reasonable enough, just like the stock you can, you know, buy low, and sell high, but with the risk of a gov bond.. For instance if you look at what Rob Denny was interested in doing with his proas, it was cheap, easy, somewhat trailerable, and no seasickness for his wife. Next thing that happens is folks wanted to know when the 50 foot version would be available. Asking people what they want goes like this "hey I love the idea of a cheap, fast... boat can I build it in my closet, could it be all carbon fiber, and win a trasat, but I need a place for my 3 dogs, and my Pilates machine, and I can only spend 200 dollars ". And that is just the first genius to show up.

For the most part people don't want the boat you are describing, though I do, but I have already built two. You can build a boat anywhere, but projects that get finished, particularly in the colder regions need some sheltered space. Hey that is only 1million on average where I live, and people that deeply into their homes, either can't afford the boat you are designing, because they are underwater on the mortage, or they want a 50 footer.

The other fallacy out there is that people would build more multis if someone would just come up with way of doing it faster. There are several ways where you can spit out a decent hull in a few days, in the size of boat you are talking about (I guess). KISS, tortured, CM, fast strip, S&G can all meet 2 days at 20 feet. I once lofted and built an S&G canoe in an afternoon. Gene Jensen used to build race winning marathon canoe prototypes in a day or two, in strip glass. That was before the last 20 years revolutionized the speed strip can be built.

So if it were me, I would just build the boat you want to sail and not worry about all the potential distractions out there. What you want to do is pretty cool without trying to please everyone. And any new building method that is what you say it is will get plenty of eyeballs.

 

ThomD;

Good answer !