Almost done with setting up the 22mm mainsheet car system. After learning that the Harken end blocks would be around $200 each after tax, I resolved to make my own. I laminated then trimmed some 5mm thick ones of scrap carbon fiber. The end blocks attached by soft solution. One result of a gifted car was that the pins were too bent to remove for attaching new turning blocks. Nobody stocks the 5/32″ pins needed. They said Harken would need 5 weeks and much money to replace. I am using stainless bolts from Stoneway Hardware. Ends not fastened to the track in this picture.
For decades Harken has been my go-to deck hardware company. I was recently gifted a Harken 22mm car and bought track for it, for my 12′ trimaran. As noted in earlier post, the cost for the track end blocks shocked me. Today I bought these beautiful Lewmar blocks for $14 each at Fisheries. I did lam up some ends for these blocks which I will paint and post next week.
I’ve pretty much been doing nothing but this upgrade to the world cruising 42 cat design to possibly go into production. And the 19′ cat for China. and everybody’s tech questions. I can’t show the design yet. Pic below is one of the original ones out sailing.
2018 was an odd year for my power trimarans. Two customers insisted on the amas being hidden if not all the time, at least in the harbor. They claimed trimarans are ugly but they wanted the benefits. I found a concurring opinion in Boat magazine, a glossy megayacht monthly. In an article on White Rabbit, a 275′ x 66′ “trimaran” they write about trimarans, “some people might not like the look of them.” As you can see in the Boat picture, it has pretty well hidden the amas. I would put it in the stuff done wrong folder, by gold plated design office who has never done a trimaran before.
My first one was a trawler in Estonia where it needed the stability and economy of a trimaran, but the amas must be as invisible as possible. It had so much volume that they had to be big enough. Job ended.
Another one in the last autumn wanted to power trimaran around the world. But the amas had to be hidden in harbor. I broke my rule about giving away too much free work because the project was interesting. 3D modeling was not in the scope of work and not paid for. I did it anyway. Closest I could come up with was sliding in at harbor. He wanted a very organic rounded look. Customer called up screaming that I was cheating him with work he didn’t authorize. I told him it was free. I never heard from him again. Picture is in mode.
Former Skipper Chris Bane notes “I’ve logged over 240,000 nm on that boat. One of the best boats I’ve driven.” Chris has driven just about everything there is.
New 65 foot Mosquito Fleet ferry proposal. Imagine a Holo Holo for cold weather, with classic lines. 135 passengers. 500 hp per side giving 27 knots.
Compare to the recent Kitsap Transit metal cats of 149 pax, needing nearly 5000 hp to go 37 knots. And costing $7.5 million each. They could have probably had 4 or 5 of these for that price, and avoided the soulless utilitarian look too. They could also be electric, but see how they have about a fifth of the carbon footprint already. #multihulls
This demountable 26′ trimaran is being built here in the PNW. CM cylinder molded developed plywood/epoxy. Toss the outboard and add a rowing rack aft to make it a R2AK competitor. I will publish interior next week. BOA 22.5′ or 6.86m.
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