Seeking info on Tri-Star or Piver trimaran 23 to 27 Feet

Discussion in 'Multihulls' started by LucD, Sep 25, 2009.

  1. DarthCluin
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    DarthCluin Senior Member

  2. themanshed
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    themanshed Senior Member

    I think I have plans for a Tri-Star 18 that I never built. Bought them over 20 years ago.
     
  3. LucD
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    LucD Junior Member

    Bill
    You don't have to worry, I would never build something I don't want in the first place. As I mention before I'm gathering information.
    First, I am not going to build a boat and make too many changes, it makes no sense. If someone does that it's because he didn't pick the right boat for himself in the first place.
    And second, Usually these boat don't look good because they don't continue with the boat design look, like adding a square helm cabin on a 40' Piver.
     
  4. LucD
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    LucD Junior Member

    DartCluin
    Thank you for the information but I already have the Buccaneer 24 plans from someone here. But I keep my option and ears open until the very last minute.
    Beside I'm learning about boat building, I sailed and repaired but never built one.
    I bought a few books about hull shape and different techniques on building wooden boat. Hull shape is not a simple matter and is much more complicated than I first tough. I don't want to talk about hull shape in this tread. I think this tread is not going anywhere anymore except off topic. I will start an other tread and continu my learning curve.
     
  5. LucD
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    LucD Junior Member

    Themanshed
    Thank you for the offer but I learned that Tristar no matter on how I like the look they're too heavy for their seize and for my need and speed.

    Thank you all :p :D
     
  6. themanshed
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    themanshed Senior Member

    I know what you mean. I fall somewhat in the same boat. I worked in my collage days for lay-up shops building from molds but never from paper plans up. I've looked at all the plans over the last 20 years. I really like Kurt Hughes CM method made a lot of sense. I was going to build a 38 foot cat even looked at some finished boats. Stock went to hell and not getting any younger so I decided to build a 20 foot racing tri instead I had the stock plan modified and started building the mold planning on foam / Egass then decided to switch to carbon fiber when I found carbon for $18/yard. I will be featured in the next few days on www.smalltrimarans.com check out my work. Good luck!
     
  7. LucD
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    LucD Junior Member

    Hello Mike !
    It look like a very a very fast boat. Are making it entirely out of carbon?
    Where did you get $18/yard carbon? There are quality, stretch etc to be considered for carbon.
    What kind of quality is it? From what you're saying, it's your first build and you're starting in carbon, do you have anyone with you that knows about carbon?
    From the photo, you seem to have a big team with you, unlike me.
    For me it's me, my self and I for most project (on occasion, the wife pitch in).
    This is why a modified Buccaneer 24 is very interesting.
     
  8. themanshed
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    themanshed Senior Member

    LucD,

    Thanks I hope to build it fast moving from catamarans to tris. Most of the boat is carbon / foam. The spar is carbon and the hulls will be carbon. The basic lay-up is 2 skins of 200-gram unidirectional 90degree carbon on each side of the 3/8th inch foam. High stress areas will have 4 – 6 layers of carbon as needed. Then there will be one outside skin of 4oz unidirectional E-Glass to protect the carbon. The bulkheads, very small on this boat, will be Triax E-Glass as the carbon I have will not add any benefit.

    I found a lady in California that re-buys Carbon; end of runs, leftover from large productions, or seconds. Unlike E-Glass Carbon has a shelf life so companies like to sell off overages so they do not sit on it. She has contacts in this market. My roll was straight from the mill it was a flaw for a special order. Now get this the edge was suppose to be 1 over 1 under on the weave it was 2 over 1 under, so what? There is nothing wrong with the roll it did not have the visual that the order wanted so it was a reject. A lot of carbon is purchased for visual effect, anyway I’m happy. My website www.themanshed.net has a link to the site. She has listings of what she has access to at the time you will find an assortment of cloth types. I waited about a month to find the cloth available that I was looking for the you have to be ready to purchase as it first come $$ first serve.

    I was apprehensive about carbon as everybody is until they use it. It’s just fiberglass cloth nothing mystical except the strength and cost. I did meet with Kevin Cook who built a 34’ tri from vacuum bagged carbon and another NA about carbon and vacuum bagging before beginning my project. Since I was starting out large with a 20-foot hull out of carbon and first vacuum bag project I had a few bucks and man-hours invested I wanted to make sure I had it right. It is not that bad just got to be ready and organized when it time to do it. That is why I had a crew with me. Usually I work solo on the boat with a hand from my wife or son if asked and tracked down. That is why I like the foam strip method. But when it come to lay-up time for the glass a few extra hands always makes it easier!

    Good Luck with your project.
     
  9. oldsailor7
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    oldsailor7 Senior Member

    I Have to pick you up on that one Catsketcher.

    I have built, owned and comprehensively sailed both the Piver Nugget and the Crowther Buccaneer 24.

    The Nugget for 4 years and the B24 for 2 years.

    The Nugget had only two real bunks, although at a pinch the cabin seat could be used. The B24 has three real bunks, and I understand Samnz sleeps four on weekends away.

    The Nugget was a nice little boat for lake sailing, but I wouldn't have trusted it in rough water sailing. The "Hardware Store" hinges were downright dangerous. I replaced mine with 1/4" fabricated steel plate, at great expense. The deep V outrigger hulls were a pain at anchor or when power boats were passing. I can recall at least three occasions where our meals ended up on the floor. The galley was non existant, but it was the first boat where I developed the "Lidded bucket under the head of the forward bunk" as a toilet. :D
    The B24 will sleep three in their own comfortable bunks, is very strong and is a superb sea boat in any conditions. It took me a year to build the Nugget.
    Six weeks to build the B24. Admittedly it was my fourth plywood boat and the experience was benificial.

    The Nugget was one of Pivers first designs, and is therefore a member of the "First Generation" of multihull design, considered to be from 1955 to 1966, When "Toria" broke the mold and rocketed Cat and Tri design ahead. Lock Crowther falls into the "Second Generation" with his record breaking "Bunyip' in 1966 and his subsequent line of racing and cruising Cats and Tris.
    Lock designed the Buccaneer 24 to be a simple, inexpensive, fast cruising Tri which scould accomodate 3 people in comfort and safety, and have at the same time the ability to gobble up the miles effortlessly.
    Of all Locks boats the B24 plans outsold ALL of Locks other designs and more importantly, more of them were actually completed.

    I have built and sailed seven multihulls of my own over the years, and I look back on the B.24 with great fondness. The best Tri I have ever owned however, was the Buccaneer 28. Unfortunately the plans for it today are made of "Unobtainum". (Although I understand Tom has a set)
     
  10. redreuben
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    redreuben redreuben

  11. blackdaisies
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    blackdaisies Senior Member

  12. oldsailor7
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    oldsailor7 Senior Member

    Sorry about that but the Tristar 25 is a real "1st Generation " Clunker.
    Heavy, underpowered and (IMO) Ugly. :rolleyes:
     
  13. pedcab
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    pedcab Junior Member

    I Do!

    Hi LucD

    I've also been trying to find any other Piver trimaran owners out there, although with nothing but little luck.

    I'm the proud owner of a Piver Nugget 24 built back in 1965 which I was recently given (three years ago). The previous owner, and builder, health was rapidly deteriorating and, having found himself in the eminence of having his boat abandoned, he gave it to me fully equipped with a set of North Sails, a Tohatsu 5hp outboard, autopilot, depth sounder, the works... I'm just another lucky guy...

    Following the recent discovery of your post I've decided to reply in behalf of these great little boats that, mostly due to poor construction, have gained a somewhat bad reputation.

    About your questions:

    Safety: I've never found myself in a situation with Fulô out of which I would have managed to get out easier in a single hulled boat about the same size. The Nugget is what we here in Portugal call an honest boat: Never broaches and never misses a tack, even in choppy water, provided theres enough wind to move it. The boom rides somewhat low, but that's just something I re-learnt to live with, after all I've came from Europe dinghy sailing and I belive there's no boat with a lower boom than an Europe :)

    Performance: As in all trimarans, specially older designs, don't expect it to point as high as a Snipe or as a Sharpie 12m. I'm quite happy to be able to tack my Nugget within 90º to 100º from the wind. The best angle on my Nugget is about 60º to the true wind. That way it can easily reach 12 knots in flat water if propelled by, say, 17 to 20 knots of wind. At those speeds it becomes a "wet" boat to sail with water flying all arround, but I guess that's part of the fun isn't it? Anyway, I often sail Fulô under 25+ knots of wind under full main and jib with little to report: It remais fully controlable in every situation.

    Design: Being a daysailor it has a tiny cabin that can sleep two adults (and a small child or a dog): One in the bow bunk and the other in the cabin floor. Nevertheless I still prefer to fly past latest generation Benetaus and Jeanneaus at 12 knots in a 40+ year old trimaran and spend the night cooking in a portable camping cooker in a cosy little cabin than to drag my but upriver in a chunky fiberglass bunker always looking at the sounder just to spend the evening in a leather sofa watching my plasma TV and drinking eleborated cocktails :)

    Here are some pics of Fulô performing:

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    Also, if you're interested in it, you can check out me and my father's blog (he owns a Gros Plant mini transat that he built himself) with lots of other pics.

    www.utrimaran.blogspot.com

    Or our photo album here

    Please don't hesitate to get in touch if you need any more advice or if you have any questions about sailing a Piver Nugget Trimaran.

    Regards from Portugal
     
  14. Steve W
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    Steve W Senior Member

    I am repairing a Searunner 25 for a customer right now,its an insurance job,the boat dragged its mooring and did a fair bit of damage to the port Ama,anyway its a 28 year old boat and i am amazed how nice it is,it was apparently built in Michigan by a father and son,im thinking the father was a boatbuilder and a good one at that judging by the build quality and details,the current owner just bought it this spring for $7800usd with a custom trailer,i would describe it as demountable rather than folding but it comes apart fairly easily,it is a very cool little Tri but it does not have much interior space.I know the OP wants to build but i have a friend who has one of these that i think he would sell,its not as nice as this one though but would im sure be a lot cheaper.
    A Cross would be a good choice as others have mentioned,Horstman has a neat little 24ft tri with a plumb stem and berths up on the wing both side but it also hinges,i dont know how that works,his boats have the most space you can get in a tri.
    Another thought is that i fairly recently saw the female mold for sale for a Skip Johnson designed 24ft tri called Seawings or something like that,that would allow you to build a fully molded glass boat,its an older boat from the 70s i think should be cheap molds but it is a very nice looking boat.
    Steve.
     

  15. Steve W
    Joined: Jul 2004
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    Steve W Senior Member

    Ok,i just found those molds,the guy only wants $750 for all the tooling including the trailer they are on.Google craigslist san diego and type in trimaran under boats.The guy also has a Searunner 31 for 2k. Just some options.
    Steve.
     
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