I just finished modeling the new SD31 tri with composite beams for customer on east coast of US. Very simple cruising tri, all of CM ply/epoxy for rapid build. Beams are plywood with some carbon.
It is demountable.

I first saw this trimaran design a couple of weeks ago and had to mull over what I was seeing. My first reaction was it needs a couple of feet of main hull added aft so it trims right in light air.

As I thought about it more, I realized that it was refreshing that he has broken out of the symmetric and “functional” thinking constraints.  It is visually appealing.  It makes me think maybe I can show some of the weird designs that I have been thinking of. 

Back when I went from architecture to naval architecture, the land one was stuck and formulaic.  The multihulls were where real innovation was going on, then.  Now, except for proas, it seems like multis have become formulaic. 

This unit will be heavy and expensive, but he broke out in a great way.  He loosened everything up.  I like that.  I do hope that it doesn’t mean that I have to put Hyundai ridges on everything now.  http://www.glyacht.com/

I found a whole lot of videos of my very early 26′ trimaran design, Caiman, from UK. That tri is significant in at least one way. It was back in the late 80s that someone named Kelsall visited its build site. I was practially unheard of as a designer then. While there, he decided to read my CM construction manual. I was later told that, where in the book I declared that I thought Nick Bailey was the best designer in the world, it enraged him. And didn’t KSS appear shortly after that? I had been doing CM since ’82.

Then later seadog Chris Anderson held ocean racing seminars on Caiman for its new owner.  I recall something about an upper coming loose…

https://www.youtube.com/user/888Caiman

These are not Muffalo quality, but interesting. 

And if I may, thats a pretty good looking boat for a nearly 30 year old design.   The design has been updated, but there wasn’t a lot to improve.  Guess I could slap it with a reverse bow stick, but that is more asthetic than anything.

I just got these pictures of Al’s new KHSD 20′ Spitfire trimaran launching on Vancouver Island. It looks great.  Am pretty sure those are beach cat amas, but except for the detailing, they could also be developed ply.  The work looks really clean.

One of my 37 trimarans out cruising.

Roger gave me this boat for an afternoon. I had a wonderful time. I wish I had one. My 12′ tri design with a lot of Roger’s updates in it.  It has speeds like on a bicycle.

I had forgotten that I got this nice pic of one of my 23′ trimarans sailing nicely in the antipodes.

This is how you sleep in a wide berth with a tiny trimaran. Muffalo a 24′ tri tearing up the water in northern Italy.

First run at updating the 38′ power trimaran. This first run is an update for unit #1, but will evolve into a full-on new model. I will morph the mission statement a bit also. They get better.  The new wave piercing amas displace about 3000 lbs.  Beam overall went up also.

My builders are not clubby. They do not need the reassurance of yuppie approval from a club. They set out simply building and sailing. Usually I never hear from them unless there is a problem. Roland’s extended 32′ tri is an example. What a wonderful surprise to get these pictures of a cruising trimaran in full.  I do really notice the “Crowther towers” that keep the cross tubes high enough inside to get under easily.  Bigger ama would look more elegant, but would interfere with the fit on the trailer.

Roland relates

“We sail this Year 4 months in Croatien and we are very happy to sail this Trimaran. He make on 8-10Kn Wind 7-8 Kn Speed 10 – 14 Kn Wind 10- 11 Kn Speed .We have for 4 Months clothes and
another things on Board, 120 L Benzin , 120 L Water and ,and … He sails fantastic .

Regards

Roland Koenig”