Aquarius Sail Owners

Well I went and did it. Took a perfectly good cat and chop shopped it into a somewhat perfectly good trimaran. Here's a pic of the results and a video link of the boat in action. I took this step to create a more comfortable camper boat and to get my wife back out on the water. I have to confess sitting in a cockpit is delightful. The boat will obviously never reach catamaran speeds, she is no slouch either. I have loaded her full and did the first camper test last weekend, she even carries a porta potty in the bow locker. First float was 71717 (a memorable date for me and symmetrical) You can see her in action on my you tube channel nutfarmerandy. Here's a link that will get you therehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHqB7YaZGCo

In the linked video the boat is completely loaded for camping, gas stove, extra gas bottles, tent, sleeping bag, porta potty, loaded cooler, dry bags for gear, clothing, spare parts, etc, etc. The boat still clocked a 15.2 mph broad reach, I'll take that.

I am not the first builder to use Supercat hulls as amas and certainly won't be the last, their design is comparable to what is being used on trimarans today. FWIW the center hull and folding mechanism is a former Farrier Tramp Trimaran that I purchased at a "yard" sale some years ago.

Well, that cost me at least a half hour of my life! It was a great idea and nicely executed.

But

Once on YouTube, I watched videos on how to burn stumps for a while and then ended up watching videos on how to make rings from gold coins.

Next time, please post stills...

T Peterson wrote: ↑September 15th, 2017, 10:31 am Well, that cost me at least a half hour of my life! It was a great idea and nicely executed.

But

Once on YouTube, I watched videos on how to burn stumps for a while and then ended up watching videos on how to make rings from gold coins.

Next time, please post stills...

lmao now that's funny...... here's a dolphin video first 10 secs has the best view, watch then immediately log off u-tube! that's an order. the dolphins were leaping in our wake, surfing down the stern wave, they chased the boat for 4-5 minutes before we got the camera out, it was the icing on the cake of a magnificent day!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYSiOBAoM1A

I did as you suggested, but it took supreme will power.

Nice catch of the dolphins!

havliii,
I appreciate what you have done but let me give you some 1976 SC technology along the same lines as your tri.
Take an old SC20 and recondition it with front tramp and new main tramp. The 20 will have much more topside area that your tri. Get Tom to make
you some dry storage bags with compartments (sized to accommodate standard size camping equipment) that go across the boat at the main beam. Two of these will hold all stuff you need to support two people for several days. Put a pop up tent with 7 ft head room in one compartment. When you get to your destination, put the pop up tent on the front tramp or better still set it up on the beach. Go for a swim. Have a romantic camp fire. Roast marshmallows. Have fun. The tent netting keeps the bugs away and floor keeps the tent clean inside.
This old 20 mod has more room than your tri and is faster. On the race weekends ,you have the fastest boat in town. Just take the camping gear off.
Havliii, this is just another way to skin the cat.

Thanks Bill! It's always a treat to hear from you.

I won't make my case or list any reasons for loving my tri, this IS a catamaran forum after all. There are many drummers in this world beating out many different rhythms. I'm dancing to a different beat these days, that's all.

havliii, that's why they make chocolate and vanilla ice cream.

changing topics and hijacking my own thread.......

What's the latest from your workshop, Bill? Are you working on sail designs? What about a soft wing sail, 2 sided, that could hoist in a more normal fashion and not need a crane? Any thoughts that this idea will ever come to fruition? I know there are various iterations out there.

I need to move my CE forward without adding more mast rake, still too much weather helm on the tri. Is the easiest solution just to add a bigger jib?Thoughts?

havliii
Steve Edmonds and I made a hoistable wing with sailcloth and ribs back in 1974. The wing plan form was same as H14. We sailed the H14 with wing vs a standard H14 many times. The wing was slightly faster in a straight line. Where the wing was outstanding was tacking. The wing would generate lift at much smaller angles of attack than a one sided soft sail. So, starting into the tack the soft sail begins. The wing is still pushing forward. Turning through the tack the wing begins pushing forward while the soft sail is still luffing and has not filed yet on the new tack. Tacking to windward the wing was worth 30 to 50 yrds per tack. The negative for the soft sail wing was that in a turnover, water got inside the wing envelop and the the boat could not be tighted. Therefore unsafe for the general public.
Look at the GC32 catamaran. It is a foil boat with soft sails. The boat really goes very fast. It makes you wonder what the wing really buys you. It is a small benefit. The foils are the big kicker.

havliii,
Back to your CE Question.
Ans: Shorten the foot of your main sail and add s square top.

Thanks Bill for the advice on the CE.

So now I know why you couldn't come try out the ARC 21. Next spring you have to get up to Annapolis and go for a run.

Bill Roberts wrote: ↑November 1st, 2017, 6:16 pm havliii,
Back to your CE Question.
Ans: Shorten the foot of your main sail and add s square top.

Bill, many thanks for all the advice and the education over the years. Of course your advice was spot on, greatly appreciated.

I did as you suggested. Bought a square top with a shorter foot, bought a bigger jib and moved the rudders aft to the main hull. All is well now she can be balanced on any point of sail by various combinations of dagger and rudder. A little too balanced upwind, she'll sail about 5 minutes in a straight line before rounding up.

I put twin rudders on the main hull for a number of reasons. More wetted area, more flexibility on amount of rudder, lighter loads in each rudder when using both, I always have a spare on board providing I don't break both at once, can trailer the boat now without demounting the rudders. I stuck with the standard SC20 rudder since I sail in a lot of skinny water in the Chesapeake Bay. A deeper rudder would just get grounded more often.

Here's a link to the twin rudder video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3WxiEM ... e=youtu.be it's 54 secs.

Congrats on the great showing at MKL.