I’ve made announcements before and failed to complete them. But have decided to design and build a 22′ center trimaran hull for my existing Hobie 18′ for this year’s EC 2017. Hull and crossbeams to be built with all other parts used from the Hobie, hulls, rig, rudders and centerboards. This will be a simple sharpie design using the Corsair Pulse 600 and Angus sailing expedition designs as a successful platform to build from. The design is lighter, and more powerful than the Corsair and should equal or surpass the Corsair’s performance with sheets cracked. Hopefully upwind will be equal at least in blighter winds. Heavy weather performance will be evaluated due to the lower column Hobie hulls. Even with that limitation the design should still be quite a performer.
A sliding row seat will be mounted aft of the aft crossbeam to provide manual propulsion.
Build time 45 days with two weeks of sea trials… wish me luck!
Does anyone see a R2AK contender?
We began the build 1/4/2017
Photo link” http://konklife.zenfolio.com/p543089593
After 3 days of building hull has been flipped off the jig. Friday the crossbeam frames were cut and fitted to the hull. Saturday glue and attach the crossbeam frames and coat the inside of hull with first of 2 coats of WEST. Friday 1/6 we finalized the crossbeam design and will begin after the hull’s epoxy interior is complete and ready for the deck. We will not be using any fiberglass except in key structural areas and outside of the plywood butt blocks. I will be installing a centerboard trunk but not cutting the hull and deck slot. I’m hoping the Hobie dagger boards will work, designing and building the daggerboard slot is a pre-caustion if they do not perorm as hoped. The same applies for the rudders.
I’ve decided to paint the bottom with anti-fouling and keep the boat on the hook to sail more often prior to the event. The two years I’ve participated in th EC I did a test sail of 150 & 122 miles. I’m keeping open the possibility actually of sailing this monster to to Tampa for the start. What better test…. right?
Day 6
Fitted the false / raised floor of aft rowing cockpit and the center cabin. Cut and assembled the center hull dagerboard trunk. I’ve taken the Hobie 18 apart and ready to begin fabricating the alma crossbeam mounting plates.
Day 10
This morning we did a float test behind my home with (3) total 600 lb men inside. The hull drew 6″ at the deepest with the bow just kissing the water and the stern 1.5″ deep. That is our estimate of the final center hull & crossbeams @ 370lbs, Hobie less crossbeams @ 330lbs, myself @ 250 lbs and 100 lbs or less of gear and supplies all up @ 1050 lbs.
Today I fitted and installed the aft cockpit raised floor, fitted the cabin raised floor and built the (2) selfbailing boxes for Andersen bailers. Yesterday (molded fiberglass) (2) of the crossbeam end plates that attach the crossbeams to the almas and coated the inside of the hull inside and out with WEST. Today the crossbean C Fir 1X6X16′ arrived and will begin lofting and constructing the beams in the next two days.
While building the crossbeams I’ll be finishing the hull’s crossbeam frames, inside hull, deck before flipping the hull to fare and paint. 17 days to finish the project for launching with 30 days of sail trials before the EC 2017.
Day 11 1/14/17
Today we aligned one on the Hobie hulls along side the center hull. Set up the correct height and setup the other hull with 6 degree angle. (We’re designing the float height to just kiss the water while at rest).Cut, shaped and fitted the crossbeam boards and coated and covered one side of the material with one layer of glass. Tomorrow we will continue working on the crossbeams and crossbeam end plates (plates attach the crossbeams to the Hobie hulls.
Day 13 1/16/17
Assembled the forward crossbeam today, installed bow section crash bulkhead, midbow deck frame, final touches on aft raised floor.
Day 14 1/17/17
Working finally interfered w/ the build but got somethings done. Installed the bailer boxes, reengineered the aft crossbeam frame & several hull butt blocks that needed to be added to the upper sheer.
Day 16 1/19/17
Jesus!!!! Filleting takes foreverrrrrrrrr! But the inside of the hull is almost complete. Today I filleted, cut out the bailing boxes, installed the bow keel, coated crossbeam frames ready for glass now and began heavy glass of the crossbeam attachments.
Tomorrow the 6″ glass tape arrives to laminate the 2nd crossbeam.
Day 17 1/20/17
The glass arrived and laminated one side of the aft crossbeam. Filleted the bow section, micro-ballooned the 2 cockpit floors and topsides. Tomorrow glass the other sides of the crossbeam, sand & fairing the boat and continue heavy glassing of the alma attachment plates.
Hopefull schedule! Wednesday attach the crossbeams to the almas and align them to the center hull, set the crossbeam frames to the hull, attach & glue.
Thursday & Friday Prime & paint inside hull.
Friday Place the bow and cabin deck, design & assemble bow hatch & cabin hatch.
Saturday / Sunday Continue fairing and painting hull & deck.
Launch estimate Feb 1, 2017
Day 19 1/22/17
2nd crossbeam assembled today, fiberglassed all 4 crossbeam frames and finally finished the heavy glass work on the crossbeam molded fiberglass attachments.
Tomorrow trim & detail the molded fiberglass attachments and frames. Continue fairing the hull inside and out.
Tuesday attach and align the crossbeams and molded fiberglass attachments to the center hull frames. Place and secure the frames in front and behind of the crossbeams, glue / screw / fillet and glass the frames to the center hull.
Day 20 1/24/17
Attached the forward crossbeam to both almas. Aligned and attached. Tomorrow the same to aft crossbeam & attach & glass both forward and aft crossbeam frames to hull.
Note: Almas angled outboard
Day 21 1/24/17
Boy does this boat look huge! 22′ by 15.5. If the overall weight is close to the design weight of 700 lbs this boat should fly. We’re 37% lighter than the Corsair Pulse 600 and carry almost the small SA!
All frames attached to the center hull and crossbeams to the almas.
Items to be completed:
Final glass re-enforcement of crossbeam fiberglass molds to crossbeams & detail
Bow & cabin deck & hatches
Rowing seat arms / wings
Final fairing of hull & paint
Deck Hardware
Launch dated moved back one week to Febuary 4th
Day 22 1/25/17
I dis-assembled the crossbeams from the center hull and began the final fiberglass reinforcement & detail work.
Day 23 1/26/17
Detail work on the crossbeams, finished the bow deck, cabin deck & hatch framing for both sections.