Easy Sarah Catamaran

Discussion in 'Wooden Boat Building and Restoration' started by MCP, Aug 19, 2018.

  1. MCP
    Joined: Aug 2018
    Posts: 15
    Likes: 3, Points: 3
    Location: South Africa

    MCP Junior Member

    Hi,

    This is my first post on this forum.

    I'm considering building a Sarah 12m (40ft) catamaran by Peter Snell. I was initially going to build a 40ft aluminum monohull but my current lifestyle will not allow that.

    Anyways. I have a couple questions regarding the Sarah and hope you guys will be able to answer me.

    Firstly, on some forum somewhere there is an active group or discussion on DIY Peter Snell catamaran builders. Something like diy-yachts.com... I can't remember. Maybe someone can point me in the right direction. <found>

    I'm quite comfortable with monohull parameters and their capabilities but I've just recently changed my mind to multihull. So I'm a bit in the dark when it comes to multihull design.

    I will use the boat mostly for coastal cruising but will have to do the occasional blue water crossing, Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans.

    How well is the Sarah designed? What I'm trying to ask is, how safe, in terms of structure is the Sarah?
    Will she withstand rough seas (should I encounter rough seas) on a blue water crossing? I know there are many parameters determining the safety and integrity of a boat (including the person operating the boat), but I need to know if the boat itself will be able to "handle" it.

    There is not much on their site and also no study plans available so I can't get any idea of the structural design between the hulls and the bridge.
     
  2. JamesG123
    Joined: Mar 2015
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    Location: Columbus, GA

    JamesG123 Senior Member

    Out of curiosity, what about your lifestyle will allow a 40' cat but not a 40' monohull boat?
     
  3. MCP
    Joined: Aug 2018
    Posts: 15
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    Location: South Africa

    MCP Junior Member

    I do not want to deviate from the topic. My wife recently passed away and we have a little 4 year old. So I need to keep him at home and need to look after him all the time. I can't work away from home with him. So I need to build on site (at my house) and I do not have the space to build a 40ft mono as it requires all the space at once. With the 40ft multihull I can build in stages and by the time the hulls are completed I can move site and put the whole thing together. By that time the little one should be old enough to take with off site (away from home) without me having to attend to him all the time. I do have space length wise but not for the beam. The 40ft mono has a 4meter (13ft) beam whereas the hulls for the multi is less than half that. That is it in short. It is a bit complicated...

    By the way, I found the site I was looking for: diy-yachts.com
     
  4. JamesG123
    Joined: Mar 2015
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    Location: Columbus, GA

    JamesG123 Senior Member

    Sorry for your loss. That makes sense. Best of luck.
     
  5. rwatson
    Joined: Aug 2007
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    Location: Tasmania,Australia

    rwatson Senior Member

    Your situation with a young child really does call for careful logistical planning

    Just out of curiosity, I wonder if you would benefit from considering an alternate multihull ? The building methods are far simpler and less onerous than a two hulled plywood boat.
    CRUISER 60 – PERU – Harryproa http://harryproa.com/?p=488

    "They are very safe and easy to sail. The crew sits in the sheltered cockpit on the windward hull, able to see most of the horizon, including the danger zone which is usually blanketed by deck sweeping genoas. They never have to venture outside the beams onto pitching, wet foredecks.
    The full ends, no rocker, centralised weight and location of the crew makes for a much more comfortable ride. The skipper, crew and passengers are all able to sit together, with very little effort and no movement required for gybes or tacks.
    Sails on an unstayed rig can be hoisted lowered and reefed on any point of sail in any wind strength. This is safer, and much easier than having to luff head to wind.
    Shunting is not only easy, it is low stress and can be reversed at any stage. There is no chance of getting in irons, no flogging sheets or traveller cars to catch unwary fingers, no picking the right time or surfing uncontrollably down a wave.
    In a person (or hat) overboard situation, the boat can be stopped in seconds and sailed back to them, then stopped again to get them onboard."


    C60-019.jpg

    CRUISER-60.jpg
     
  6. Richard Woods
    Joined: Jun 2006
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    Location: Back full time in the UK

    Richard Woods Woods Designs

    Do you really need a multihull as large as 40ft? Especially if you are building/sailing it singlehanded and have a young child to look after in the boatyard and then on board. You will find a 32-35ft cat plenty big enough and probably less than half the build time. There are a number of "cuddy" catamarans around that make it easy to build in sections. My 34ft Romany would be ideal for you for example.

    Check out Rosie Swale to see what can be done with a small catamaran and two young children

    Good luck with whatever project you choose

    Richard Woods of Woods Designs
    www.sailingcatamarans.com
     
  7. MCP
    Joined: Aug 2018
    Posts: 15
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    Location: South Africa

    MCP Junior Member

    Hi,

    Thanks, they look like very nice boats but too many things that can break. I need a simple long range cruiser.
     
  8. MCP
    Joined: Aug 2018
    Posts: 15
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    Location: South Africa

    MCP Junior Member

    Hi Richard,

    I had a look at your designs as well. Very nice designs.
    The whole thing is like rwatson said: "logistical planning"
    I still need to earn an income. So lets say it will take me at least 5 years to build. By that time he will be 9. But I'm guessing more like 7 years, that will make him 11. A capable deckhand.

    But I have other plans too. So I need the 40ft and also have the space to build a 40ft multihull.

    But the question is back to the Sarah?

    Thanks
     
    Last edited: Aug 20, 2018
  9. rwatson
    Joined: Aug 2007
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    Location: Tasmania,Australia

    rwatson Senior Member

    I'm not sure where you got the "too many things to break" idea

    No shrouds, chainplates
    Single sheets
    No travellers, jib sheets

    Anything else I missed ?
     
  10. JamesG123
    Joined: Mar 2015
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    Location: Columbus, GA

    JamesG123 Senior Member

    The Harryproa boats are clever, but I think the OP has settled on the Sarah design and is asking specifically about it.
     
  11. Richard Woods
    Joined: Jun 2006
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    Location: Back full time in the UK

    Richard Woods Woods Designs

    If I was wanting an unbiased yet intelligent opinion of the Sarah design I'd ask Catsketcher, I'm sure he'll post here soon

    RW
     
  12. sailhand
    Joined: Jan 2017
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    Location: australia

    sailhand Senior Member

    Hi mcp don't let the name "easy" fool you, nothing could be further from the truth. I have known several of these builds and the experience has been , shall we say less than rewarding. The resale on these vessels in australia is far lower than the cost of materials. Have a look at yachthub for an a idea of resale value. Bear in mind that sale prices in australia are usually around 75% of asking price. Personally I think they have a reasonably good layout however I am not a fan of the hull shape, a bit too much rocker for my taste, each to their own. The latest schionning or oram design is a much better bet in my totally flawed and ill informed opinion. I will add that I am a friend and fan of oram design and have lived on one for 14 years. We normally beat everyone to the next anchorage and the build is the simplest I have ever seen by a huge margin. In a kit form I was involved in two hulls with bridgedeck and all the bulkheads in around three weeks. You walk on the keel panel so minimal fitout/weight/expense and the hull shape is quite good. Go with boards and kick up rudders I think it is really hard to beat that combination, many others would disagree, each to their own. If you check out 44c's posts on the cruisers forum you will see a great way to mount outboards. My boat is diesel shaft drives on a very shallow angle with boards and kick up rudders. My boat sits on the beach a lot and I have never had any problems. Where I sit mini keel boats have a lot of problems with damage to their keels and rudders. A large flat keel panel with little rocker makes for a great pad to sit on. I would do outboards if I did it again, simpler and cheaper. With your situation, given build space and schedule, assembling your own kit over a few years may be the best option. You save lots of money and the components can be easily stored. Boards/cases and rudders take some time and are also easy to store. Resin infusing foam panels is the way to go, much easier and really simple to do. The process is much cleaner and less toxic than hand laminating ply. End result is a foam boat with a much much higher resale value in australia at least. The infusion process requires minimal investment and the environment you are working in is much cleaner and dust and fume free almost. This is very important if small children are in the vicinity. As adults we accept protective clothing and understand the risks, kids not so much. Many epoxy projects of large magnitude result in the builders becoming allergic to the epoxy. By far and away most builders don't have any problems but if you do its all over. For a slightly higher initial cost, the two most important aspects of any build are the design and the materials. Bad design and cheap materials usually end up in misery and financial loss. The extra money invested initially will be returned twofold all else being equal. A foam boat in a good design is worth a lot of money when completed and the price difference on a boat that size would be under 10k difference in materials cost but the return would be huge. Good ply is not cheap and epoxy is a lot dearer in australia than vinylester , South Africa, I have no idea but it is worth some time to investigate. Foam also allows for a build without stringers frames etc. Your internal surfaces are smooth and easier to fair and paint and a far nicer finish than stringers and frames in my view. That's my two cents worth of absolute dribble make of it what you can, I am sure there will be many contrary views and goodluck deciphering it all. Maybe a good thread to start would be "if you were going to build a catamaran what would you build in what materials/configuration etc. Experienced catamaran sailors need only reply. You could ask the local blacksmith, or someone that has never been on a boat or built one but I'm not sure their advice would be very well informed. Good luck with whatever you do. Any boat is better than none
    Cheers
     
  13. MCP
    Joined: Aug 2018
    Posts: 15
    Likes: 3, Points: 3
    Location: South Africa

    MCP Junior Member

    Thanks for the replies so far. I did not get the answers I was looking for. But still appreciate your feedback.

    I'm still open for options. Schionning and Grainger will always be my first choice but not at that price. Not that it is too expensive, it is just a little bit out of my price bracket.

    I do have a short list of requirements from which I determine whether the boat is suitable or not.

    I still like Sarah very much. Might be hard chine which might seem little dated but I like all her parameters and looks too. Bridge deck clearance could have been a little more though.

    Something I've been playing with in my head is to do Sarah's hull in expoxy infused panels instead of ply... I still keep all the other structural parts, stringers and all. This will give me peace of mind for the long term. What do you think of that?

    I'm also looking at Mike Waller's 1100, 1160 and 1200 (More specifically the 1160 and 1200). What I do not like about his designs is firstly the high turret (or maybe it should be a bit more aft), it looks a bit out of proportion, and secondly the draft. Also think they are a bit heavy for the built weight without much additional loading capacity in terms of weight (that is if I read the values correct). But overall it is not a bad boat for what I want.
     
    Last edited: Aug 23, 2018
  14. JamesG123
    Joined: Mar 2015
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    Location: Columbus, GA

    JamesG123 Senior Member

    Costs and fabrication time will go way up.
     

  15. MCP
    Joined: Aug 2018
    Posts: 15
    Likes: 3, Points: 3
    Location: South Africa

    MCP Junior Member

    Will cost go way or marginally up? Do you have figures? I still need to investigate.
    Time is not a real concern. But once again, will time go way or marginally up? Do you have figures?
     
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