A trimaran daysailer for aging boomers

[MultiThom]

F18 Cirrus 901! Use these fascinating hulls as your amas, mast, sails, boards, hardware. Then build yourself some nice carbon akas and a main hull and you'd have yourself one very interesting and fast machine. A very updated Tremolino. Maybe even buy the main hull kit from the Sardine Run? Those Cirrus hulls proved themselves to be quite deadly downwind in heavy air.

A tremolino was one of the first Frankenboats. Lots of others have come into existence since then. None seem to have the elan to find many folks willing to put them together. Don't know how much advantage there is in Carbon vs tube aluminum in a really short boat since you aren't going to go much faster saving the few ounces difference and deflection of anodized aluminum tube isn't much with a 15 foot wide hull assuming a decent wall thickness. Granted, my boat is only 15 foot wide and my beams are carbon. Difference might just show up in pointing since my boat is very stiff and can point very well.

 

[munt]

I think carbon akas mostly to avoid waterstays but also the ability to create a decent shape that doesn't drag through the peepee.

 

[skirret]

Astus 16.5 Love this boat!! Will upload more videos to youtube soon but last month brought it out to town(waikiki) for some lite N East winds and for the fall/winter considering saving time and gas and moving the boat from its home Kaneohe bay to town. After taking this thing out in the ocean the bay feels kinda boring. I got some questions for the boomers and skippers

#1 Im thinking of reinforcing the ama's at the beam bolt attaching area inside the ama and at the forward section of the ama that same area forward a couple feet with strips of glass to reinforce the forward section of ama. I dont think the french designed this thing to fly out the back of waves like a jet ski and smash through 5ft plus wind waves!!! All the work would happen from the port holes so I need tips and tools (custom/store bought) since the glass job seems like microscopic surgery through those port holes.. also best type of glass used and since I prolly cant sand all surfaces how to get a good stick on top of the existing glass inside.

#2 floating dock. Really dont want to bottom paint the boat since will eventually get beach cat storage on a beach cart but for now been looking at these 10ft amazon inflatable floating docks but wonder how long will last and how to drag this boat up on top and stability, those modular docks here are like 8 grand (haha bastards) and maybe could get some plastic drums and build a dock frame?.. any luck out there with similar solutions or should I bust out the bottom paint? yeah boys!!! Mahalo

 

[munt]

Yes!

 

[munt]

Jet ski floating dock.

 

[skirret]

Jet ski floating dock.

best solution but cheapest one on island is $7800.00 hahaha

 

[Tom Kirkman]

I don't like some of the things that Astus did with that design. Regardless, wait until you get that thing in 15 to 20 knot winds. It's a BAD machine. It's a cut down Diam 24 with a useless cuddy and straight akas. But it's still a BAD machine...

 

[skirret]

Yeah Tom was a big part of choosing the Astus 16.5
I think I found the Searail and multi 23 but lack of production and not bing to impressed with windrider or hobie fishing tri as well as weta being a little too small and pule 600 too big and heavy, this boat is kinda a miracle for what it does easily.. I wish the astus was either produced more or available cheaper.. or even more expensive but well worked out. I coulda saved allot of cash getting another hobie getaway like the 3 dozen others out here or wait for a used F18 that only scares the wife or a foiling fantom to copy John John and almost kill kayaking tourists!!! but this little tri is one of the sexiest petit boats in Hawaii
.

 

[skirret]

Im always asking people out here to partner on a diam

 

[Tom Kirkman]

When the Rocket 480 comes to market, and it is coming, you will have the best of all worlds in a 15 to 16 foot high-performance, modern trimaran. I don't see it making the power the Astus makes, but it will be beyond the Weta but easier and quicker to rig than the Astus.

 

[munt]

When?

 

[MultiThom]

Look at the title of the thread....a Rocket (assuming one ever leaves the drawing board) will not be a daysailor for aging boomers.

 

[skirret]

Well Im still in the very early stages but the whole purpose of this boat for me was to get some modern desgn experience and when I get back to china(where I have worked in production the last 10 years) Im gonna build a 17ish ft and 36ish ft tri to use/test and start production eventually. I worked in the past with several composites factories and boat yards like the one that made the antrim 40 tri and have met Mr Hudson of Hudson Yachts(gun boat & HH) got to learn allot in their yard and maiden a few boats there in Xiamen. I have access to 2 large factory spaces one near a very large fresh water lake and have already sourced XXL CNC machines to make plugs so will let you guys know. Im thinking of a few designers but please send over contacts for anyone making modern plaining hulls..

 

[Tom Kirkman]

The Rocket has already left the drawing board. I funded the molds.

 

[munt]

What's the price gonna be ready to sail?

 

[Tom Kirkman]

Don't know yet. There is a lot to bringing a boat to the market. We have a target price in mind that we feel will be competitive and attractive to buyers. But the first boat has to be built, rigged and tested. It's always the small things that you need to take into account before you start spouting a price. The last thing you want to do is advertise a price and then when boats are ready for sale you have to announced that "due to" whatever, the price will now be considerably higher.

 

[MultiThom]

Don't know yet. There is a lot to bringing a boat to the market. We have a target price in mind that we feel will be competitive and attractive to buyers. But the first boat has to be built, rigged and tested. It's always the small things that you need to take into account before you start spouting a price. The last thing you want to do is advertise a price and then when boats are ready for sale you have to announced that "due to" whatever, the price will now be considerably higher.

That's a good plan. Farrier thought he could sell F22s as a boat in a box for under 20K 20 years ago. Never happened and his rep suffered. But, still think this thread belongs somewhere else and you should buy an ad when you get closer to actual manufacture.

 

[skirret]

At least for rougher water (which I know most of you dont sail in) I advise against reverse bows because they dig more and dont release as quick when riding waves, another reason went with the astus over the pulse 600

 

[MultiThom]

At least for rougher water (which I know most of you dont sail in) I advise against reverse bows because they dig more and dont release as quick when riding waves, another reason went with the astus over the pulse 600

That's contrary to my experience first with an F242 (regular bow) and now with a SeaRail (reverse bow). The reverse bow is superior in both rough water and flat water. Of course, lots of other things different between the boats notably half the weight and shorter with the SeaRail as well as the huge amount of rocker in the main hull of the F242 which kept it from getting out of its own way in medium breeze.

 

[Tom Kirkman]

The Astus 16.5 has reverse bows. Powered up they will ride under the waterline but do not plow deeper. It's really about bow displacement, not the angle of the bow.