Hedley Nicol Trimaran Plans

If it started as a Cavalier the front beam is made of 3 plywood beams with top and bottom wood beam timbers. In the ama they should attach to an ama frame for the central section and timbers for the other 2 on the inside side of the ama, If there has been working on the ama connection it will show up here. Additionally look to see how well the beams are tied into the outboard side of the ama. It is pretty straight forward to beef these areas up but important to know where your starting at.

The aft beam would be 2 plywood beams, again with the top and bottom timbers. One attaches into a ama frame and the other is connected to a inboard timber. This is stock, anything more is probably a good thing. Using epoxy/glass to reinforce these areas and spread the load into the ama skin can help, how thick the ama hull skins and frames are is also a factor.

I put inboard and outboard beam frames in on the beam attachments where there was just the timber on mine as well as strengthened the beam ama frame stations. The beams were then gusseted in the ama/beam junction.

 

At 22' wide it might be a stretched and modded Nicol Buccaneer 40' , some initial plans were sent out but Hedley disappeared with the rest before they were completed. The Haig's in Canada were sent Cavalier plans to work from. It and Hedley's other boats were designed for wing decks so checking what it has for beams is important.

 

This is great information, thank you. I'll check it out and let you know what I find.

 

Did Lex ever do any cold molded or ply trimaran designs? My understanding was most of his boats were composite. Devils3, Ben Bolt and Cliffhanger had an aluminium frame and beams and foam sandwich skin, Mooloolaba Fire Truck was aluminium. The later trimarans like Escapade were foam/glass. I imagine he could have had input on modifications to existing Hedley Nicol designs though.

 

I think it is a modified Hedley boat, probably the Bucc. I've seen one advertised in Oz as a Tempest but that wasn't a name he used, it too looked like a Buccaneer - all those builders had to wing it( or not), only the hull plans were finished.. The satellite picture looks like a Hedley boat from above.

Without any of the keels or a board in leeway will be a problem.

 

That is no Hedley boat - if it is a Nicol it is a Lex Nicol design. Lex did quite a few one off boats and I only know a few of them but not this one. (Escapade and Devils Three were his). Lex built quite a few of his boats himself and liked glass so lots of his designs were glass. Friends of ours have a could moulded Lex Nicol cat so Lex did sell plans for cold moulding.

cheers

Phil

 

I need a stern view and some interior shots to be sure but I think they are Nicol hulls. The angles of the photos make it harder to tell. Certainly just the hulls were used. A one off like this should be billed as a based on or modified design. It might be a good boat to work on depending on the materials and engineering. It also might not....

 

Will see it this weekend and hope to get some pics back for you guys to check out. In the meantime, thanks for all the advice, keep it coming!

 

Don't get excited, have a friend scream "are you crazy?" repeatedly and get a surveyor who knows wood multihulls to look it over if you don't. Budget what it will take to haul and put in the centerboard or a keel and check the rig very carefully. Does it have an inboard and where is it and the rudder located. This can help identify the design. And take a flashlight to poke into the corners and crawl in the amas, remember you will probably have to work in there so see if you can cope. Pictures inside them would help. If we still can't agree when the pictures come in we can send them to Lex to see what he says..

 

Glad to see someone already posted this boat to this thread. If I were not in FL I would be seriously considering buying it. My 35' cruising monohull sank and I salvaged all the deck gear, rigging, and sail control hardware from her before she was crushed for the lead in the keel Everything I'd need to outfit a good platform like this. Also, centerboards are easy!

This Trimaran is more my style, as I grew up sailing cats and still have a G-Cat 5.7M. If it's still available in the summer, I might have to move!

 

I saw your Nicol 42 post Seafarer24, the only other idea for the 42 ft size range I've pondered is if Bruce Roberts/Goodson developed some of the Nicol designs after he came to North America from OZ. Many Nicols have been stretched a few feet at the stern though so the Cavalier/Buccaneer angle is most probable. I'll try to contact a few people for any other ideas. The Hedley Nicol designs offered for sail in his lifetime were - Clipper 25', Islander 29' , Wanderer 35', Vagabond MK2 36', Cavalier 36', Buccaneer 40', and Voyager 45'.

Future MOB when you look at the boat measure the inside of the main hull at sheer/gunnel height by the front beam and again at the companionway for the folks back home.

 

As the photos show the small beam at the front is the location of the front edge of the stock wing deck, the other beams are in about the right areas for the main and stern beams though the stern beams look like the wider spaced layout of the Buccaneer.

 

I agree with Cav that the hulls look very much like H Nicols shapes, not much else tho. Interesting concept

DAVE

 

Greetings
Mmm... where to start. Well I contacted John Murray builder of Unbound (2nd to circumnavigate on Unbound possibly the 1st) Nice chap and emailed me back the same day, Here's his web site for anyone interested http://www.gacooarlocks.com/
He mentioned Geoff Montigue originally owner of Monty's marina, where we are currently. He still lives next door, so I went round to say hello. Amazingly it the same person I worked for over 14yrs ago in his upholstery shop which he had after Monty's. It was a brilliant catch up and so nice to see him, (small world) He's a nice fellow and I enjoyed working for him years ago. He told lots of great stories from the good old days. He originally worked with Hedley Nicol in the beginning. I was quite awe struck, not only by his great tales and the fact of working with him years ago, but also how this tale is falling together, and sitting talking to one of the legends of this maritime history!. I would like to ask if anyone has heard or knows the where about of his old Nicol originally named Kunda Wonga, its presently called Tobermory. Any information would be greatly appreciated. He kindly gave me lift home and was such a pleasure to see his eyes light up reminiscing as he admired Unbound. He told me Unbound is a wanderer mk 1 c: He also mentioned that he's putting together a side race for fun in the Brisbane to Gladstone in honouring and remembrance to Hedley Nicol and these great boats. Anyone interested please contact me. I am going ahead with my plans for a book and documentary of these legendary men and their boats. All are welcome to participate in elevating this amazing tale and proud part of Australian Maritime history. Moreover I do need your help and would be very appreciative any involvement and info you may wish to share. So excited abut this a chance for me to pay respect and honour this great history!!!
peace love and respect
comet

 

Hedley (first name) Nicol's first multihull is I think still going in OZ. I think it is named something like Wangdoolie which is very hard to say backwards. No surprise on your Wanderer, maybe Phil can mail me a beer. (Ha!)