Simpson Slipstream 15 Feedback

[aldreds]

Hi Everyone,
My wife and I are about to purchase a cruising catamaran and have a couple of designs in mind.
One of the designs is a Simpson Slipstream 15 centreboard model and I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with these boats.
The one we are looking at has been on the market for a long time at an attractive price and I wonder if there is a reason for this. I've had a good look at the boat and can find no obvious problems with it, but have not sailed on her yet.

I'd appreciate your informed advice please,

Scot.

[Seaslug Caravan]

Roger Simpson designed good strong boats.

A few of his designs were production built.

Most were amateur built.

Quality can vary greatly.

If we are talking "Big Galah" , it looks way overweight.
The slipstreams design displacement is 8400kg.
I have built a few of Simpson designs and they are easy to build to design weight.

Check it out carefully.

[aldreds]

Many thanks Seaslug Caravan,

Yes I was a bit concerned about the weight of "Big Galah" and yes this is the one we were looking at.
Our other option is one of the Easy Sarah's 12. There are a few about and they look a bit easier to handle and maintain.

Thanks again, I really appreciate the advice,

Scot.

[BigBeakie]

Structurally, pay attention to how it was built and what materials.

There were some issues with how the bridgedeck to hull join is done, & gave some problems with some models.

His drum bulkhead is good if executed well.

Highly recommend structural survey by someone who knows cats and the construction technique eg strip plank cedar.

[aldreds]

Thanks BigBeakie,

A heavy cat is a slow cat. I've emailed the broker regarding the discrepancy and if we want to proceed, then I'll be taking your advice.

Best,

Scot.

[catsketcher]

I have never sailed a Slipstream but I like this ones cabin. Some Slipstreams had a very slopey looking front window. About 20 degrees maximum above horizontal. Very 90s and very silly in retrospect - huge solar gain and you want to reduce this in the tropics. So this version has a much better cabin in that regard. As for weight, I don't have any photos of a well built Slipstream. There was one that raced in Cairns for a while and did reasonably well so they can be a good boat.

If you are thinking of the Easy 12 I guess you haven't totally made the size concrete. I am a fan of smaller cats for folk without large pockets. The Easy 12 is still a large cat in my book. If you want to learn about this get a quote for some, say, sidestays for both the Easy and the Slipstream. My guess is that the Slipstreams will be double. The large size is great for stowage and weight carrying but you pay for size whenever you get your wallet out. Everything connected with loads, rigging, sails, rope, anchor gear etc, on the Slipstream will be much more money. She will be more expensive to run but smoother offshore.

If you have a family of eight then the Slipstream would be good. If there are two of you, or a family of four, the Easy would be roomy enough for many. Our 38ft cat was roomy enough for our family for 3 years.

Weight on a cat is not great but happens anyway. I quickly Googled 2 other Slipstreams and they look pretty similar in terms of transom immersion. So it looks as though this one is pretty similar to its sisterships.

As for materials, I like ply and strip plank. I know some people don't like ply but when well done, ply and strip plank make a fab boat. Stiffer and lighter than most foam boats. Just check that the fittings are bonded well with epoxy inserts and that no end grain is exposed. Ply lasts forever IF you don't let water get to it and saturate it with epoxy.

cheers

Phil

[Seaslug Caravan]

Originally Posted by catsketcher

. Some Slipstreams had a very slopey looking front window. About 20 degrees maximum above horizontal. Very 90s and very silly in retrospect - huge solar gain and you want to reduce this in the tropics.

Phil

Phil, Solar gain is only silly if you can't use it.

Having spent a lot of time in both the tropics and on the South Coast of Aus and Tas, May I say that my views on " Solar gain " have changed over the years.

One simply can't have ENOUGH " solar gain" at times.

We control our Solar gain with some light panels of polystyrene covered with foil, cut to shape to fit our internal window frames/cut-outs.

Even in the tropics vertical side windows shaded with a brow still allow unwanted solar gain early morning or late in the day, making life for the off-watch uncomfortable, so we keep our window insulators in a handy spot ready to wack in the required windows .

At night in the southern climes we wack them in all the windows before firing up the heaters.

Its lovely to feel the sun flood into the boat when the insulators are removed after a chilly night.

[aldreds]

Thanks Phil, great advice.

Scot.

[catsketcher]

Gday Seaslug

I have only ever headed left from NSW so my advice is tempered to the tropics. I like the idea of the polystyrene cutouts. Do they look okay from inside? Any tips?

We are heading right in summer this year - visiting Tassie over the summer so we may have need for some solar gain too. That being said I really think the Slipstream and other boats like the Spirited 380 have overly sloped front windows - also to do with visibility and walking.

The Slipstream I saw most had huge windows that would have been very hard to see out of if you tried to see where you were going from inside. When I built Kankama I was careful to make her so that I can be inside and see all around. So I like more vertical windows or salt spray and refractive effects make it harder to see. I have great vis from the table in the cabin - even when inside I am still "on watch". This is harder with slopey front windows, but not impossible. The guys on Sail Surf Roam do okay. But if it gets hot and you have to put in the polystyrene for heat then you lose vis forward.

Then there is the slipperiness of the windows. I like large flat areas to be good for walking on, so either deck paint or more vertical sides for me.

cheers

Phil

[Seaslug Caravan]

Originally Posted by catsketcher

Gday Seaslug

Do they look okay from inside? Any tips?


Phil

Good question. The "warehouse industrial chic" is trendy to some.

Cut Foil/foam board (from Bunnings) to press fit size for internal window shapes , wrap edges with silver gaffer tape and pop in.

Light and cheap.

Hatches require the insert to be made in two pieces.

I now understand why glass conservatories are so popular in the higher latitudes .

[UNCIVILIZED]

What about the window covers made from light colored translucent material, or even various types of mesh? I know that quite a few cats have them in sunny climates. And I'd think that done right, certain types of mesh would still allow you to see through the ports/windows, without allowing overly too much heat in. Non? I know that more than a few boats use such material for their bimini & boom tent (awning) sides.

[mfw]

Crewed on a slipstream from phuket to indo. About 40 days. Need to know how to sail a cat. Rig is a powerful setup. It was a good performance boat. Weight was around 7 to 8 ton. Didn't hobby horse to badly. It was a foam core epoxy. No extras like aircon or genset.