Where do I start? Build a Trimaran from an Australian Surf Boat and Hobiecat

Discussion in 'Multihulls' started by Chris71, Mar 11, 2021.

  1. Chris71
    Joined: Feb 2020
    Posts: 13
    Likes: 0, Points: 1
    Location: Australia

    Chris71 Junior Member

    Hi. It’s a novelty aspect and trying to built something on the cheap. Cheers
     
  2. trip the light fandango
    Joined: Apr 2018
    Posts: 505
    Likes: 104, Points: 43
    Location: Rhyll Phillip Island Victoria Australia

    trip the light fandango Senior Member

    The bigger and lighter your floats the more likely the tri will slide sideways down a nasty wave, so look for as big a floats as you can find.
    The beams don't have to be as long and are easier to make. Good luck.
     

  3. buzzman
    Joined: May 2011
    Posts: 517
    Likes: 20, Points: 18, Legacy Rep: 99
    Location: Australia

    buzzman Senior Member

    Someone has already done this. I saw it for sale on Gumtree cuppla years ago, I think in Byron Bay. Can't recall the beam construction but the floats looked a bit small, like they were Hobie or Caper or similar. But vaka was an old surfboat.

    If the surf boat is 26' long, then probably 20' beach cat floats would be better, but good luck funding a set of those cheap.

    I am currently in the thinking/design phase of converting a 15' Lazy E dinghy and 16' Mosquito cat to a trimaran for dinghy cruising/camping.
    Am looking to speed up the building process as don't have energy/stamina to do scratch built Scarab or similar. (Health issues).

    Got the idea from a one-off I saw on Gumtree last year that was a lapstrake rowboat/sailboat of about 16' length with hme built 'stabilizer' floats. IOW they were pretty short and low voloume, so would have submerged in a steady wind, never mind the puffs.

    And, yes, I know the flat-bottomed planing hull dinghy form is NOT the ideal for a vaka hull, but my rationale is this:
    The planing dinghy hull form is desinged to be sailed flat, so it utilises trapeze-hung human ballast to keep the mast upright and the bottom flat/horizontal with surface.
    For my pjurpose, the additional beam and the Mozzie float will achieve the same purpose, so I can sail the boat solo, which at present is impossible.
    Possible in light airs, but can't re-right solo, not enough weight/mass, even with my 100+ kilos. Also, sinal issue s mean I can't even hike out, so the whole counter-balance thing is an issue.
    So am hopeful will end up with something still light enough to sail 'ok' in lighter airs, but well-balanced and beamy enough to resist capsize in higher winds, and with enough capacity to enable easy sleep aboard for dinghy cruising/camping.

    That's the plan, anyway.... lol
     
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