plywood boats, can't give them away...

Discussion in 'Multihulls' started by guzzis3, Mar 25, 2014.

  1. arekisir
    Joined: Jul 2010
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    arekisir Junior Member

    What is the story with Macro catamarans from what I have found out they are earlier crowther designs? a 25 & 32 was built? how heavy are they? foam/polyester build? Alex
     
  2. guzzis3
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    guzzis3 Senior Member


    I emailed him and he was polite but I don't know if he'll drop much. The otehr 25 that's on boatpoint has been on the market for about 4 years. He put it on ebay a few times, never got over 14k bid. It has a non std and ugly bridgedeck.

    What I was thinking was a queen matress on the enclosed deck, head in starboard hull and galley in port. Seems to have very limited inventory and various things to repair. I was thinking probably 12 - 17 depending...

    Thing is there is a prout 34 on gumtree for 45. Hard to consider a 25' needing work when a 34' is 10k more...

    And then there is this:

    http://yachthub.com/list/yachts-for-sale/used/sail-catamarans/gbe-28-modified/137349

    I believe they were built in victoria in the 80's, designed by Lock Crowther. Various sizes and configurations, the 25 being smallest. All seemed to be offered in open deck bridgedeck daggerboard lar keels etc. They seem to be foam sandwich above and solid glass below which IMO is one of the better hull construction options. Some kind people here filled me in on them a few years back.
     
  3. ThomD
    Joined: Mar 2009
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    ThomD Senior Member

    Well indeed, and I hope also you.

    Yeah foam for sure. The ply ones are worth something too, but one never knows how much really. Even I didn't realize the quality, or minor lack thereof that was in my boat, until years had gone by. It has proven 95% good, for 30 years, or outdoor storage.

    Jim Brown has circulated an addendum to his manual, that deals with longevity of his tris, both in poly, and in epoxy. While these days, there wouldn't really be much savings in building a poly boat, given the cost of poly vs epoxy, old growth timber and bronze, but I like the idea of making a boat out of junk. Actually I only have 25 more years at my age of 55, and probably only about 15 of those messing in boats, therefore, I could build a lot worse than I did the last time around, and it would for sure last me out.
     
  4. redreuben
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    redreuben redreuben

  5. cookiesa
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    cookiesa Senior Member

    What is with the wings? Lol
     
  6. guzzis3
    Joined: Nov 2009
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    guzzis3 Senior Member

    Well I haven't been in hospital since last we talked :D

    We're about the same age so your quite right, any new build should outlast us.

    cookiesa What is with the wings? Lol

    Oh it's a tennant, your supposed to hike out on a trapeze :D

    Actually I think the narrow rounded cabins and the design of the bridgedeck mean going forward is problematic so side decks. Not my favourite solution..

    redreuben: Hilarious, yep the major selling point.

    http://www.boatpoint.com.au/boats-f...482657&Silo=Stock&Vertical=Boat&Ridx=3&eapi=2

    I wonder how much headroom is in those hulls. The tennant has about 5'. I'm wondering if a 5'x7'x4' box amidships to house a double bed would be feasible, head/shower to starboard galley to port. Goodness knows it'd be fast enough...
     
  7. oceannavigator2

    oceannavigator2 Previous Member

    I took a closer look than everyone else. The wings house steering gear. :)
     
  8. guzzis3
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    guzzis3 Senior Member

    Good work, well spotted.
     
  9. cookiesa
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    cookiesa Senior Member

    Why do they go so far forward though? At first I thought they were rubbing strips :)
     
  10. buzzman
    Joined: May 2011
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    buzzman Senior Member

    Free to a good home trimaran

    This is in response to the original poster who said "can't give them away"...

    Well, yes they can, and that free 24ft trimaran that was on the Gumtree site (ad since deleted) in Port Lincoln South Australia, is now in Kempsey NSW.

    The boat, originally thought by the family to have been designed by the builder was, in fact, a known design: Paolo Bisal's Tritium 720

    http://www.paolobisol.com/tritium720_en.htm

    The builder appears to have modified the design to make the beams permanent, so I'm going to have to 'undo' that bit.

    The builder, father of the advertiser, had sadly passed away after an attack of the dreaded 'Spanish Dancer' - third time unlucky for him, he'd beaten it off twice before.

    He had a blog, mostly political rants only Aussies would understand, but it appears he was a cheerful bloke with a creatively cynical view of politicians and their motivations.

    He was a civil engineer and an IT guru, and had produced his own CAD program to fiddle about with Paolo's designs.

    Sad that he has passed, but the family is happy the boat went to a good home.

    Cost me AU$1000 in fuel and food to get there and back, all 4300km. So after five days of driving and camping out (couldn't afford motels), my poor overworked little 1.8L Corolla and I are are safe back in Kempsey.

    Although I must admit the gearbox on the Yota is groaning a bit, especially after lugging 400kg of trimaran and 200kg of trailer up Moonbi Hill near Tamworth - man that is a LOOOOOOOOOONG, and steep hill!

    Of course, I have now realised that I can't get the boat into the yard - due to a steep driveway, sharp angle on the road (trailer just hits the ground) so am going to have to build a temporary ramp to get it into the yard, and then remodel the shed so I can get it in there. Under tarps in the meantime, on the street out front, padlocked and one wheel removed to discouraged the light-fingered louies of this town.

    Will start a build thread soon.
     
  11. Corley
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    Corley epoxy coated


  12. warwick
    Joined: Jan 2012
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    warwick Senior Member

    I'll be interested in your build as well Buzzman.
     
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