I've decided to stray from the cats for something different.

I'm building a 20' two person tri foam / fiberglass with 17' beam and you sit "in-line" 6 inches above the water line.

Target weight <500 lbs. with 30' mast. Looking for 25 plus knots.

I'm going to document the project for those that want to follow along from plans to water.

I'm having the plans modified, flair in the main hull, to give about a 32-inch beam above the DWL.

Yeah I must be a nut job? Why fly just one hull when you can fly Two?

www.TheManShed.net

I would have thought that to make any 20'er perform, you would need to move the crew weight to windward

you are a nut job
in uk we have a small trimaran that one or two can sit in line in central hull , they are for disabled folk and their helper (if needed to sail) , they are pretty fast and give a great time to the sailors , but I bet given half a chance they would want to get out to the windward float and really power it up .
Ask my Fin Law he's 88 and sailing them.

If you insist on depowering your fine looking beast by sitting in the middle you best put a windscreen infront , the challenger trimarans I refer to are the wettest boats in the world to sail , with the spray from three bows meeting in the middle .which can kinda take the fun out a windy sail.

If you are building it in your "man shed " to do it justice , you should ditch the seats , at least tramp out to sponsons, and to be real "man " trapeze off them too , the design looks up to it .

full carbon construction too would be cool.

ps if you do build it with middle seats , do my fin law a favour and invite the ole fella out he would love it , even at 88 he still has the "balls" , but best not go into that , he's always wanted to put a big cat rig on his challenger .

good luck

SOmeone is claiming to use bamboo fiber instead of carbon for a "green" build. Wonder what the structural differences would be. Babmoo's got to be cheaper...

The city I work for just finished a project constructing a gazebo at a local park. It was a partnership with a local college of architecture. Students designed and constructed the gazebo. Bamboo was an intergral park of the structure due to its high strength and "green" attributes. BTW....the structure had to meet current Florida building codes and wind load requirements. That should say something about the properties of bamboo.

I recently saw a thing on tv on some channel where a company in California (where else?) was building a line of bicycles from bamboo and using hemp fibers with epoxy resin to join the tubes.

Calfee bikes.

Cool Stuff.




http://www.calfeedesign.com/bamboo.htm

so here's the thing...

is it similar in strength/weight as carbon composites?

Is it more cost effective?

Is it more readily available?

It certainly is renewable and carbon neutral...

I got about 100 net acres I could grow bamboo on if needed....

How? I thought carbon was the ultimate.

I am thinking about putting hiking wires on it for the option of hiking out. There is going to be a flair in the hull to reduce the spray.

Bamboo Hmmm all I remember that was really useful was for homemade bongs in the 60's - 70's it was great. Seasoned really well, water tasted like hell ripple was not much better.

The boat was actually designed for the Worrell 1000 when it was an all out race.

What was the name for the "Fin in Law" boat design I'd like to look at it.

I still have my cat on the beach so it will be another toy.

I'm looking for speed. How fast can I make it from West Palm to West End.

" ripple was not much better" Nor "Boone's Farm".

Ever make brandied fruit?
1 heavy glass jar
1 can fruit **** in heavy syrup
1 bottle maraschino cherries
1 packet Fleishcman's yeast

Mix ingredients in the jar and put on the back of your 'fridge so it will stay nice and warm. Should begin to bubble in a day or two. When the cherries are transparent and colorless, the fruit is about 80 proof. Pour over Bryar's ice cream. If you've been test driving your bong, there's nothing better.

Codblow
I googled challenger trimarans. I hope it is like the difference between an Alfa Cat and Inter 20.

If not maybe I can get some free money from Obama for Civic Services.

I'm not a spring chicken any more but I got a few years from 88.

Sail side up everbody at least most of the time.....

Pete sounds good! I've had green things in the fridge been afraid to eat - nothing bubbling yet - but I may give it a try.

Isn't it impossible to get anything to 80 proof through natural fermentation? The yeast kills itself off after 10ish percent I think.
AND... While we are digressing.... at what point does the amount of chemicals required (epoxy) to bond all that green stuff together pretty much negate the "green?"
Or did you all mean green by the amount of green those bikes cost? 2300$ is a lot of cash for fancy wood

I went to website for the bike and here is a quote from the text:
The bike is made from Bamboo that has been smoked and heat treated to prevent splitting. Lugs are made of hemp fiber

Just as I thought Recycle bongs - soaked in Ripple I suspect. I bet Arnold the governator had something to do with it.

Test drive the bong, then try the fruit. You tell me.

was just my scottish humour often misunderstood , but i think you got it .
good to hear you are considering hiking the boat , would be a shame not to, may even consider one myself when older n wrinkly to take on the lead mine and sportsboat racing locally , when i get too unfit for beach cats.

I think there is a real market for 20 foot tri's that could take on melges etc and only need two crew , keep up the good work.

ps if you use the alternative build materials above you could call the finished article "Big Bamboo" to keep da jamaicans amused

If you are looking for speed, put the seats out on racks off the ama's. There is/was a cross altantic f18 attempt that had racks with molded seats, looked comfy.

My question is, are you going to locate all the controls in the "****" so you can sail it from there (like a Rave) or are the seats for passengers? If you have the controls going to the ****, then hiking and driving or triming might be an problem.

I say lose the seats in the ****, make them benches that go fore and aft. Make the controls easily controlled from the amas.

If its a nice sunny day, I'd rather be relaxing on the tramp or the ama, and if its an all out speed run on a windy day, you are going to want to be on the ama's or hiked out.

Bill

I agree and the M23 looks promising
http://www.multi23usa.com

I agree - it gives you all the flexibility in the world for any weather and an array of passengers. Use for example, any of the Farrier/Corsair tris.