Simpson Liahona Trimaran (42.5 - 26.6 ft cruising)

Discussion in 'Multihulls' started by Skip JayR, Oct 31, 2015.

  1. Skip JayR
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    Skip JayR Tri Enthusiast

    Accidentally I fell over this name... never heard before of a Simpson Liahona Trimaran :) I became curious just have seen one picture of the interior. Very beautiful flow in the saloon.

    The designer was the Australian Robert Simpson... and the model is the Liahona, a cruising Tri. Following pictures show the Tri “Amakama” (ama-aka-ama) which was built 1987 by Frans Aeyelts in Nova Scotia, Canada
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    (Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/sunsail-nz/2567415424 )

    length: 12.97 meter / 42.55 ft
    beam: 8.1 m / 26.6 ft
    cutter rig with 846 sq.ft total sails area / 78.6 sq m
    total displacement: 4536 Kg

    [​IMG]

    It seems to have a short central keel fin... as a cruiser it has a range of 200 nm / day. Not the fastest 3-hull boat.
    [​IMG]

    Beautiful classical lines...
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    A "fat Tri"... :) with big astern double cabin.
    [​IMG]

    Very small centred cockpit... good for single / short handed crew
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    In this forum there is one thread about a smaller 26ft Tri..
    http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/multihulls/1977-26-simpson-wild-trimaran-20879.html

    Who was this Robert Simpson ? Any details about this designer ?
     
  2. Corley
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    Corley epoxy coated

    Roger Simpson was a prolific designer with a large catalogue of plans mostly cats his plans are still I believe sold through Boatcraft Pacific. A Simpson Liahona would be one of the nicest cruising trimarans you could own.
     
  3. redreuben
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    redreuben redreuben

  4. pogo
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    pogo ingenious dilletante

  5. Skip JayR
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    Skip JayR Tri Enthusiast

    Vancover archive...

    Tks... so R. Simpson offered his plans for sales, right ? - Can we say, that most Simpson boats are self built ? Or have some warfts/professionally boat builters been specialized for these designs ?

    I found on Facebook "Vancover Yacht Design"
    https://www.facebook.com/Vancouver-Yacht-Design-58725571408/

    There it is said:
    But the website is down... http://www.vanyacht.com/

    Any idea how many have been built in total ?

    As I see on boatcraft only Cat plans, what about the Trimaran plans ? How many different types of Tris in length and type were designed by Simpson ?

    Questions of questions... :)

    yep... the boat was sold 2013. The (new) owner can feel very happy. The old one must have been very addicted to Tris as we see in this photo before the sales...
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    Hope its one who can keep her in good shape. Such kind of boats I see as a kind of "document/momentum" of multihull history.
     
    Last edited: Nov 1, 2015
  6. Richard Woods
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    Richard Woods Woods Designs

    Roger and Andrew Simpson were brothers who designed/built a number of trimarans in Swanage, UK in the early 1970's. Prone to capsizing when lying a hull. They split up, Roger went to Australia and developed a range of cruising designs, cats and tris. Some were professionally built as one offs. He became interested in planes and retired from multihulls

    Andrew moved to the US (Texas) in the early 1970's, married an American woman and built a few production trimarans the 33ft Shifter(?). One is next to me in the marina as I write this.

    Then he moved back to the UK, became a surveyor and later an author and journalist, he was on the editorial board of PBO for years, still writes a column for it. Has a monohull he keeps(kept) in the Med

    Bob Harris is from BC, pretty elderly now, and designed multihulls in the late 50's- early 70's. Better known for his monohulls he also did a few large luxury cats and early beach cats, which weren't fast enough compared to the UK competition

    Richard Woods of Woods Designs

    www.sailingcatamarans.com
     
  7. catsketcher
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    catsketcher Senior Member

    I only sailed on a Liahona 43 once and it was not amazing. It was a heavy boat that was interesting in its way. The fat main hull does a very abrupt turn in waterline shape, from the cockpit aft, to go to the fine stern. I do know of one 43 that was stretched to 48ft. It may have been to do something about the water flow here. There was a lot of turbulence in the area on the one I sailed.
     
  8. jamez
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    jamez Senior Member

    In Rogers design catalog there are descriptions of the Liahona 40 and 43. The main difference is that the the 40 has the shitter and shower in the stern cabin whereas the 43 had a bunk there. To me they look similar to some of John Marples work - an improvement on the piver generation but still more about accommodation than outright performance. That said Roger lived on his for 3 years so that might explain the configuration.

    Its a shame he bailed from multihull design. But his boatbuilding book is well worth a read as its based around multis.
     
  9. Corley
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    Corley epoxy coated

    Roger's book "Just the fitting out to go" I found quite useful too. It gives practical suggestions about internal joinery and fitout of multihull/boat interiors.
     
  10. jamez
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    jamez Senior Member

    Ha, was tempted but there is not much interior in my boat.....to fit out.
     
  11. Corley
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    Corley epoxy coated

    I'm in the same situation and building an F40 on which the interior is at best interpretation marginal. A neatly executed interior though no matter how basic is such a pleasing addition to a boat that it's worth the effort.
     
  12. Smj1
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    Smj1 Junior Member

  13. Skip JayR
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    Skip JayR Tri Enthusiast

    I have supposed something kind of you experienced, Catsketcher.

    May I ask: What was the maximum speed you experienced on the Liahona 43 ? Was it still something around 10-12 knots ? - Do exist any pictures of the strechted 48 footer ?

    I think, it is a boat of it's times. I see the Liahona 43 as a historical document... tks we still can see some floating around. And as seen with the pictures, its one of its times in excellent condition.

    The fixed "fin keel" under the central hull I'd like to compare with "stubby wings" the penguins have. Not big enough to fly, but good enough to give propulsion under water.

    Indeed, this concept has the benefit for a "roomy interior" as there is no waste of space for a vertical daggerboard tunnel.

    Tks...

    hm... Improvement of Piver ? The upper shown boat was built in 1987. The Pivers mainly had been built in the 60th/early 70th, right ? I suppose multihull designers have learnt in the time frame of 10-20 years something newly to improve, isnt ?

    The central hull and keel section of the Liahona remembers me more the design of a Norman Cross 48 ft. which was designed in the 80th. - Here one which is for sales in Toronto...
    http://ca.boats.com/sailing-boats/2006-norm-cross-48-custom-trimaran-4158153/#.VjZ3Pdc32Ow
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  14. Skip JayR
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    Skip JayR Tri Enthusiast

    How is it going with your project ??? Will you design your interior with Carbon to give it the feeling of a racer ? Like that of a Corsair37...
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  15. Corley
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    Corley epoxy coated

    It's a very small space we are talking about here so it will be all painted with glossy white paint for easy cleaning. Carbon makes for a very dark interior which is not something I'm keen on there might be some clear finished carbon on the nav console, nav seat and galley bench.
     
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