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Yet another Trimaran build


Hurts

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I have been encouraged to put up some details/pics of my project. I enjoy looking at everyone elses projects so I guess I should share too...

 

Project theory: I decided that wanted to build a trimaran optimized to the 8.5 rule and ideally folding. The F85SR would have been perfect but the design arrived a few weeks too late. I also had decided that with 3 kids under 6 and a business to run I would like as many "head starts" on the project as possible (otherwise it would take too long) so I started off, after much pondering, by buying the old Frantic Drift floats which are exactly 8.5 meters long - carbon foam - weigh approx 75Kg each (weighed with bathroom scales) - setup for float rudders and have centerboards in the floats too. I had also came accross a guy up north who had started building an F82R but had given up. He'd built the beams, had all the folding system bits, rudder etc and had cut out and vacuum bagged all the internal panels. I bought everything he'd done off him too. So I'm currently building a highly modified F82 main hull (That is actually 8.5 m long) which along with the beams will go between the two FD floats.

 

So she is a bit of a mongrel made of different bits and pieces but then again trimarans seem especially suited to this mix and match behaviour as exhibited by what's happening with Timberwolf and presumably Frantic drift herself. How well it will work out is anyone guess really.

 

Started actually building the hull in September last year and had first half glassed and out of the workshop by xmas - 2nd half took quite a bit less time as these things do.

 

My photos of building the halves were lost when I lost my Iphone in Fiji :-(, however if you look at the Timberwolf thread the build technique is pretty much the same but with see through glass rather then the expensive black stuff.

 

Sold my Mono last month so no more racing or maintenance on that anymore which should improve progress, hope to have it on the water by "summer" not saying which year...

 

Many thanks to Sam "samin" for encouragement and expertise also my usual crew and "Steven C" for a few days work on the big laminate jobs so far. My employee "volunteers" who help with the heavy lifts when joining the halves.

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Looks like good progress Dean! :D

 

Since assembling our Tri in Feb we've finished the main hull tramp attachments, transom, beam attachment/reinforcing, mast step, attached and glassed front of cabin, faired and painted inside the foward cabin and toilet, faired the cabintop/sides, and the bow cone/bobstay fitting, prod attachment and front chainplate.... time consuming stuff, and heavy :(

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OK another update on progress - main beam mount fitted (Huge Job), Bow, forstay and bobstay chainplates installed, retractable prod setup installed. Have started bogging and sanding - which isn't much fun, hence I'm pissing about on the computer instead of working on it.... Also assembling beams and folding mechanism ordering mast and trailer. Visiting Greg's build was strangely motivating also nice to know there are other crazy people apart from Sam and I who think building one of these is a good idea too...

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Some more progress - Mast step installed and deck faired, net attachment installed. Trailer purchased and customized for the boat, beams mostly finished. Some unsuspecting people came over for a end of soccer season morning tea and I took to opportunity to get everyone to help load boat onto trailer.

 

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The only person more excited than me at this move was my wife who can park her car in the garage again after 6 months.

 

Big day soon fitting beams to boat and then to one of the floats and testing the whole folding thing and if I can stay within max legal road width and within class width. I believe I can but it will be a close thing. Once beams glued to float then main hull will go to my brothers place for him to finish the fairing and paint it - I will continue with beams and floats and build rudder cases and dagger boards for floats etc. Really hoping to get sailing this summer, I'm enjoying the build but would like to get to the sailing bit...

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Some more progress - Mast step installed and deck faired, net attachment installed. Trailer purchased and customized for the boat, beams mostly finished. Some unsuspecting people came over for a end of soccer season morning tea and I took to opportunity to get everyone to help load boat onto trailer.

 

[attachment=1]201109-sml_rollout.jpg[/attachment]

 

[attachment=0]201109SMl_front_view.jpg[/attachment]

 

The only person more excited than me at this move was my wife who can park her car in the garage again after 6 months.

 

Big day soon fitting beams to boat and then to one of the floats and testing the whole folding thing and if I can stay within max legal road width and within class width. I believe I can but it will be a close thing. Once beams glued to float then main hull will go to my brothers place for him to finish the fairing and paint it - I will continue with beams and floats and build rudder cases and dagger boards for floats etc. Really hoping to get sailing this summer, I'm enjoying the build but would like to get to the sailing bit...

 

Lookin real good. Any idea how the FD floats compare with the Farrier floats displacement wise? Hope it all fits but you can still be a bit over-width without any hassle trailing.

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Lookin real good. Any idea how the FD floats compare with the Farrier floats displacement wise? Hope it all fits but you can still be a bit over-width without any hassle trailing.

 

Thanks. Compared with the F82 floats, the FD floats are 1 meter longer with a squared off stern for the rudders. There is not nearly as much rocker as the F82 ones have. The floats are slightly less tall (but within 30 mm) and approx 150mm wider and the volume is carried lower and for longer. I would guess the FD floats fully submerged would displace approx 1800Kg - I've never had any displacement figures for the F82 ones but I'm guessing the FD floats are maybe 400Kg greater in displacement than the F82 jobs.

 

The F85SR is said to have another 600lb (272KG) of displacement compared to the F82 Jobs so I believe I have gone slightly greater in displacement again. They are still tidlers compared to Sam's floats (one of which you can see sitting in the background of the bow-on photo).

 

According to my measurements I will be within the 2.5m road limit - to deal with the extra width of the floats the main hull sits 150mm higher on the trailer than the F82 design with the same extra clearance from the mud guards so the floats *should* fold in there ok - it will be a tense time getting it to all fit!! What do the nicky cruz ones displace?

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What do the nicky cruz ones displace?

 

Originally 3000 lb or 1360 kg submerged disp., however I've increased the freeboard of the floats (roughly to gunwale height of the main hull, to allow the tramps to hook straight to the floats instead of a tube or rail, also results in the front beam being straighter = less complex to build) which probably adds 10-15% so I'd guess around 1500 - 1550kg.

 

Really looking forward to seeling how your boat goes when it hits the water. If you can keep it light you could have a real goer on your hands.

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Starboard Beams and float all attached - Beam while folded 2.49m (once I trim the centreboard tower mounts a little) and width with both boards fully retracted (the widest point as they angle out 20deg, 10deg once float toe out accounted for) 6.35 m. I had done a lot of measurements and calcs but nice to have it confirmed in reality.... Now if the wind and rain would give me a break I can get the port side installed too :-(.

 

Thanks to the lifting crew who helped out in the wind and rain on Wednesday.

 

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