Tremolino tales

Looks like there will be some fairly calm days to take the boat out and shake it down. It's just been such a windy Winter/Spring here, when the winds really up I'd have no show of motoring out or getting back to the mooring. Looking into a bigger outboard as the 3.5hp just doesn't quite cut it under some conditions.

 

I'd love to do that but I think that the powers that be may not share our worthy vision

 

It's the thought that counts..... but if we really start counting I think we can make bail!

 

It's been a while since I've updated this thread and I thought it time. Well the boat to my mind is excellent it comes from the more lightweight and simple school of thought. The rig which is moderate does a pretty good job of pushing along the very easily driven hulls my only niggle is that downwind really suffers without a spinnaker which is an easy conversion. The new rudder works well and seems to have a lot less tendency to stall, tacking is quick and easy. The 4hp outboard I bought is ok but still quite underpowered against a fast flowing tide.

For those not familiar with my sailing grounds in Westernport it's very much a tidal expanse of water and being able to dry out the boat has been great. The upper part of the bay is dominated by French Island which is actually a pretty cool place to visit. In the early days it was heavily utilised to grow chicory which was used as a sort of coffee replacement and the chicory kilns mostly in ruin are still very common across the island. Later in it's history it also hosted a prison farm at the northern end which has since been shut down. Interestingly enough there is no need to register vehicles on the island but the heavily corrugated roads would act as a pretty effective speed governor. The small population of islanders send their children off to the "mainland" for schooling on the ferry service that runs several times daily. There are some good spots to dry out near the main pier and the water is normally clear enough to check for any debris on the sand. You can tour the island by bikes which you can hire or bring your own across on the boat. There are a couple of general stores on the island that sell the usual kind of milk bar stock. You can also bring a tent and camp out in the northern part of the island.

Navigation in the top part of the bay is usually pretty basic there are some markers but in general the sand banks and mud patches do move around a fair bit best approach seems to be to stick to the top of the tide for the less well marked parts, some people use google's satellite images to help make mud maps. It's worth keeping in mind that large areas of the northern part of the bay do dry out particularly on a low ebb. The southern part of the bay has Phillip Island in the centre strong currents dominate particularly on the Eastern/San Remo side there is a marina there that is reasonably multihull friendly and normally will accomodate visitors. If you have a larger multi the bridge doesn't have a great deal of clearance. On the Western side currents flow somewhat more gently and this where the main shipping channel lies it's probably the most consistently navigable area, there is a marina in Hastings which is quite multihull unfriendly. The Hastings Yacht club offers good multihull facilities and there is a public pier which has a pontoon which you can tie off to. The southern face of Westernport Bay is open to Bass Strait and can be very rough when a southerly sets in.

Also of interest is the mangroves which inhabit Westernport Bay apparently it is the most southerly location in the world where they grow. They are somewhat smaller than their northern cousins but grow prolifically in the more protected areas giving fantastic cover for fish which thrive in the conditions and which make the bay somewhat of a fishing Mecca.

My plan at the moment is to pull the boat out on its trailer at Allcraft marine, I hope to attend to some of the issues that I've found rather annoying on the boat. It desperately needs the main hull sheathing in glass the last owner wasn't in favour of it and it allows some water ingress that causes the paint to crack. It needs a new outboard bracket for a 6 hp outboard and the tramps need replacement. the paint needs attention and will probably fair and repaint all the hulls after the sheathing job is complete.

I actually had some dramas last weekend when the plan was to move the boat up to Allcraft marine. I slipped my mooring as usual in a fairly strong northerly and the outboard bracket sheared through it's rear mount, I can only guess there was some fatigue there. The boat went up on the mud nearly straight away but luckily there was a swing mooring nearby that I had just enough line to row across and haul the boat over too. A bit stymied by the strengthening northerly I called it quits for the day. Returning on Sunday with the wind having abated and using the tender with a few fenders around it and tied off to the trimaran and with a favourable tide managed to push the boat like a raft back up to a mooring outside Allcraft marine ready to be pulled out on the trailer when the opportunity presents this week.

 

Fun stuff Corley, tis the simple pleasures in life......

 

I trailered the boat back to my workshop for some TLC. It demounts pretty easily when the float mounts are greased, when demounting the boat alone it seems to take about 2 hours and it makes quite a narrow package on the trailer. Using a couple of small platforms with castors on them I eased the main hull off the trailer so it can be rolled around in the workshop. I've made some pleasant and not so pleasant discoveries as I've been stripping off the paint. The good thing is that someone in the past sheathed the hull up to deck level in glass/epoxy the bad news is it doesn't extend to the topsides. There is some rot mostly along plywood/stringer seams where water ingress has occurred and near the base of the companionway, to me it doesn't look new as some areas have been filled over with some sort of soft domestic type putty that is waterlogged and falls out when you hit it with the sander. Nothing too major in the rot department though and when the seams are hit with some double bias it should sort it out for good. One of the gunnel strips broke off when stood on so I've reglued it with thickened epoxy and will fillet the upper and lower edges for strength. The tramps are off at the sailmaker getting a few repairs.

 

Gday Corley, Stuart from Phillip Island here, I've been roaming the net for trimaran stories and was a little surprised to find some so close to home, especially a fellow Trem owner. Mine is an 81 I think which I bought around 2012 from tips driving a taxi fri/sat nights on the island which I have since given up,it was the perfect way to wind down and a reminder that most people when drunk are really generous and friendly, but what a ride,,ha. My adventures on Fandango have been often to do with French Island ,camping overnight and Warneet is on the agenda one day.
My ambition is to be good enough to sail out the front toward Wilsons Prom etc and I have been slowly modifying the Trem to be open sea capable to the point where I feel safe. which I have documented a little on the Tremsetters forum. I have bought some Hobie 18 hulls and will modify them a little and add extra beams to take the extra load... I've made do with a 2.3 hp short shaft outboard which is wonderful in mild weather but I agree a 6hp is probably safer or at least easier, the weight will be a little annoying] but mainly a long shaft I think is most important, and yes I have been stuck/pinned in strong wind and tide{I have 5metres 20kg of chain a 4kg anchor and 50metres at least of 12m anchor rope which annoyingly sits the bow down a tad, ..]] before. As you would know by now it is understanding the conditions and limiting use to what is manageable that is the real learning experience, they are hard to flip, I have the odd story. A Trem is so forgiving it will almost sail itself and contain the skippers blunders to slightly embarrassing minor inconveniences generally, over 15 knots with stronger gusts is beginning to push it[2 reefing sets in my extended H16 sail] and use the tide,or the force[ha],which around the bridge is fierce of course. Fandango is moored at Rhyll and has a frame made up to take a canopy for extra comfort in winter mainly but I haven't made the canopies yet, it is a little ugly but it does add safety rails which I use a lot. There is a heap of stuff that I could chat about ,..my favourite overnighter was opposite JamJerrup next to a derelict jetty on the point at French island , but I really had to creep in at 1/2 tide, quite a few rocks there, I anchored 30 metres from the shore, further up the sandy spit is less protected but safer and easier, that's as close as I've got to Warneet so far. I replaced my seats over Christmas using pvc weldable canvass and brass eyelets .It has stained a little from cormorant poo but it is hard to say whether they're permanent. I bought tramps from a QLD manufacturer but ended up using good ones from an old Stingray 18 that I bought years ago, which are smallish but if a wave dumped on them there would be less resistance, I still have the new tramps but they're slightly wide and I coudn't work out how to make them work,$65 each oh well, mb one day.. If you paint the stitching on your tramps/seats to stop UV damage it will last a lot better, it was the main weak point on my old ones. Your boat would be lighter and quicker I'd say, but Fandango still hums in delight when let loose in a fair wind. I may have some parts you could use [I have a slight problem buying derelict old cats], especially if you are trying to do things on the cheap, and perhaps some useful advise could be swapped , what a lovely craft these things are, I get this silly grin thing happening sailing her, cheers

 

Hi Stuart, great to hear from you. The boys at Allcraft mentioned they had seen another Tremolino in Westernport we should meet up somewhere when I'm back on the water. I've primarily sailed on Port Phillip Bay before so the strength and height of tides in Westernport has been an eye opener but it's a wonderful cruising ground for boats that can go shoal draft like the Trem. It's a very forgiving boat not too overpowered but just a sweet boat to sail. A different philosophy of boat design to pushing the limits. A run out to Wilsons Prom would certainly be doable in the right weather window sometimes I think the roughest conditions are round Middle Bank and outside seems way more benign.

The outboard thing is always a head scratcher. The other guys in the club think minimum of 8hp but I chafe at the extra weight penalty when a 6hp should be adequate for a very lightweight boat like this. I've upgraded to a 4hp Chinese 4 stroke outboard and it seems adequate most of the time but makes very slow progress if I have to motor against wind and tide combined so a 6hp is a compromise solution.

I've stripped the topsides on mine for epoxy/glass and repaint and plan to Cop r Bote the main hull, what are you using for antifoul? The floats I was planning just to give the occasional scrub by pulling them up on the pontoon at Warneet. I have a sand anchor at the moment which is semi effective and holds passably well and a rocna which seems to do a better job on a wider range of bottoms. The chain weight is a bummer and I've trimmed it down as much as I dare to 15kg. I seem to get away with that if I let out enough anchor rope but where you are I think I'd need extra chain. The foredeck is always a bit unsafe imo thinking of putting a hatch in mine for when it's rough although a jib on a furler or bow nets would solve a lot of the problem too.

 

Hi Corley, I'll be mainly sailing on offshore winds/ light northerlies and anchoring off good surf breaks or picturesque anchorage, but westernport is a really rewarding place to learn my ropes. My experience so far with outboards is that longshafts are the go for my Trem, steep chop creating cavitation and waves coming over the top of the outboard lead me to this conclusion, but a splash baffle could help and a whale tale helps a bit. Mooring a boat here means that it is open to the elements and possibly theft so investing in an expensive new outboard is a little off putting. there is a long shaft 6hp chrysler motor for sale in Warneet at the moment, but the missus is turning 60 and deserves a good birthday present...ha . An 80s long shaft 4hp twin with no gearbox[rotating] and a charging option would be my ideal I think,but it may be underpowered , if a 6 turns up and I'm cashed up , I'll get it.
I have altered fandango a bit, it sits 6 inches higher out of the water now.. it was a big job.. Green water coming over the bow off Turtle head on my way to Somers unsettled me a bit... but the weight of my anchor gear wouldn't have helped, now the boat is unsinkable in theory as I glassed in foam along the length of the hull, it is a little slower and heavier but the peace of mind is nice. I would have made it wider rather than deeper on reflection. It is testament to the original design of the trem that I didn't ruin all its seakindly sailing characteristics, that and dumb luck.
I bought my anti foul and primer $400 from memory 4litres I think[the primer was very thick 7litres..?] from Pompie's in Mordialloc but had to cross my heart that I would stick to their application strategy or they wouldn't sell it,it was Hempell brand, very good except I bought the more ablative type for speeds below 20knots, I should have bought the harder less ablative for speed boats I think,because the finish is rougher and creates more friction on the softer stuff I suspect. I bought copper dust from a smelting supplier in Adelaide and added it to the primer and my last 2 coats of epoxy. when the anti foul rubs off hardly anything grows on the primer. just reapplied more antifoul this year after 3 or 4 years on the mooring. Green/brown slime and the odd barnacle started to appear but would rub off with a coarse broom and a handfull of sand added each pass. I tried a plough type anchor at 7kgs but it was too heavy to lift, easily, the basic sand anchor works well enough it seems, ideally I'd make up a winch that attached to the under side of my lid for the anchor well with a good hinge and bracing bracket when in use on the deck,...maybe..ha. I allow a little flex in my beams by tensioning the water stays tight then backing them off a little for reasonable tension. One of the characteristics of a trem that isn't perfect is that some compromise is necessary with tensions, this is evident in the forestay and affects jib shape a little and pointing ability a little perhaps. the tremble and hum that conjure up the original poetry of its namesake arise at about half full speed,[it awakens and comes to life] or at least this is the understanding I have reached so far, ha,.. regards. ps Nuplex[name has changed recently] in Oakleigh sells competitively priced resins and cloth etc.

 

I sailed around to Cleeland bight last week with an outgoing tide and a SWesterly, dropped the pick off the beach a few metres out from where the seaweed begins ,it coped fine, a fierce easterly would be a different story. Sailed back today on an incoming and a southeasterly, both times I cut the corner to less than a km off Churhill island, I left the dagger board in the cabin this time with no reaching, skimming across muddy ground occasionally only a metre deep, an amazing view of the seagrass. I know this part well enough to pull such a stunt, I remembered this time to loosen off the boom vang when raising the sail and had a nice trim. once the anchor is stowed and I'm moving it takes about an hour and a half if there is enough water over the shallow ground otherwise it's more like 2 1/2 to 3 at a leisurely 6 knots The next few months often produce the best conditions with less speed boats also a bonus . I have quite a few things to do on the boat but for me it's more important to just use it, both trips were invigorating, memorable and replenished the stocks, we are pretty fortunate Corley to own a Trem I reckon,Cheers

 

I rubbed on lanolin grease as antifoul for a while when I first got the Trem, it was good for nearly 6 weeks and an incentive to come and check on her.

 

I've made some progress on this project all of the gunwale strip is now filleted and I've started glassing over the seams with double bias glass. I'm using 400gsm double bias as it's what I have lying about from another project. The plan is to cover the larger flat areas in 200gsm plain weave as a sheathing. New portholes have been cut and will be fitted without screws in a rebate in their present location. The existing outboard bracket has been removed and the holes for the pivot filled in a spring loaded commercial bracket will take it's place. Tramps are off at the sailmaker for repairs, hoping to lace them a bit better when I get them back as they suffered some chafe from how loose the lacings were when fitted by the previous owner.

 

Coming along nicely, I wouldn't bother with an anchor well and hatch if you 're considering one , they just don't like weight sitting in the bow much and it's another hole in the boat to try and seal well. Space is at a premium though ..ha , I think I might end up lashing the anchor to the diagonally opposite forward crossbeam to the outboard and hang the warp n chain[ about 20kgs] in a bucket from the rear crossbeam, on longer trips, ? hmm..mb not..ha . cheers

 

Well, I finally managed to clear my workshop out well enough to be able to get to my Trem again. I'm just going to do the glass sheathing in small bursts until I'm done. I'd love to do all the sheathing in one hit but having enough time to do that isn't going to happen it seems, plus it's cold enough that the resin doesn't want to flow properly and I have to preheat it and spend a lot of time with the heat gun gently coaxing it through the cloth. I'm not sure about you guys but I find a squeegee the only successful way to glass as whenever I use brushes I seem to end up with a resin rich mess. I ended up just sanding back the plywood on the coachroof that showed some checking and glassing over. It will be ok I think as it's only in the top veneer and it's now clean and dry, I am eager to have a boat to sail this Summer.

 

Good to hear, It's incentive for me for when I get back to working on mine in a months time. The polyester I'm using is pretty forgiving with temp ,just add a little more catalyst if you want.. Epoxy really likes sustained warmer temps, a bit trickier .. but will set her up for years .