Conversion of trapeze dinghy [FD] to trimaran?

Discussion in 'Multihulls' started by Tom Mckinney, May 11, 2019.

  1. Tom Mckinney
    Joined: Oct 2016
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    Location: San Diego

    Tom Mckinney Junior Member

    Came across an almost free FD. Was curious if anyone has ever converted one to a tri.

    Fairly long [20 ft.] and narrow compared to other racing dinghys [or maybe it just looks that way].

    I have seen an old macgregor get converted and owner liked its performance. But have not seen others and was looking to see if someone here might know of one.
     
  2. Doug Lord
    Joined: May 2009
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    Location: Cocoa, Florida

    Doug Lord Flight Ready

    The main problem would be the additional weight. The FD is a class act as is-not sure a tri mod would add to its performance but it might not matter. For maintaining or exceeding FD performance you might have a chance if the new hulls, crossarms and crew didn't exceed the original crew weight. That would mean a singlehander. Unless the new RM allowed substantially more power.
    ---------
    The Banshee Ambulance was a tri conversion of a Cherub dinghy:
    More info: Banshee [UK-Cherub Class] http://www.uk-cherub.org/doku.php/designs/banshee

    Banshee ambulance 12 ' tri 23' mast-based on Cherub dinghy.jpg
     
  3. Doug Lord
    Joined: May 2009
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    Location: Cocoa, Florida

    Doug Lord Flight Ready

    A light weight performance conversion would be similar to Bethwaites HSP with very small ama's:

    HSP 002 planing tri.JPG
     
  4. Blueknarr
    Joined: Aug 2017
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    Location: Colorado

    Blueknarr Senior Member

    Is it an original international FD or the insipid American "collegic" FD?
     

  5. Steve Clark
    Joined: Jul 2004
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    Location: Narragansett Bay RI

    Steve Clark Charged Particle

    Please don’t.
    A Flying Dutchman is a pretty big stable dinghy.
    If you want to tame it a bit, replace the enormous Genoa with a more reasonable jib.
    SHC
     
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