Trimaran - Especially Searunner - Owners

[rossad]

Pman: Nothings easy about sailing offshore. Not even in a bathtub. But its very rewarding for me.
I have heard a different story about Tri arma's. The floats can be loaded.
As more weight out there. I know its not what the designers say and they talk about momentum building and then returning over the pivot point a lighter float meaning more bouyancy but weight outside also makes the complete raft if that is the right word even and doesnt lift as much.
A friend of mine whom designs Tri's sailed exstensively around the globe and has been around since Piver days says put weigth in the floats.
I dont really know wish I did.... It would be interesting to hear Jim or John talk more of this.

[Jmolan]

Sorry I cheated on one shot, I am rowing OUT to the boat in that shot...:-)

Pman, here is why I think the Searunner is the ultimate singlehand boat. The first 40' I ever saw was called "Keet" the guy was in Seattle. He had just singlehanded from Costa Rica to San diego, then San Diego to Seattle, all non stop. This was his 3rd year of doing this. Oh yea and Alaska where he built it. They nicknamed that boat "the Greyhound Bus" The way the guy would just take off all the time.
Consider the design features that lend it so well to single handing. Center Cockpit with mast and center board in the cockpit. You control everything from the safety and security of the cockpit. If you have it rigged as a cutter, your first sail reduction is the fwd. sail, in relativly easy conditions. If you have a roller all the better (sorta), or a downhaul (like I do) you can yank it down pronto.
Followed by one reef in the mainsail...again all in the cockpit. Followed by another reef in the main. Followed by dowsing the main alltogether. You still have not had to go out on a heeling deck, cluttered with stuff and a safety line on and stand on top a too tall cabin, one that is heeling WAY over and jumping up and down with too much weight. At this point you can sail in some really bad stuff under staysail alone. I have made good ground to weather in a 37' and 34' using just the staysail, or even both the yankee and staysail.
The boat self steers like it is on rails. It self steers so well because it steers so well to begin with. Big deep board and skeg rudder way back there make for killer control. You can sleep in the cockpit on the bigger boats, and you have all sheets, halyards, self steering controls, centerboard control, in the big deep cockpit at least 10' from the water. Great feature for the ladies who are a bit shy and really great for the kids.
Well so much for my preaching. What boat are you looking at? maybe someone here knows the boat.

[rossad]

Jmolan
Nice work. I like that.
I tried it once in much more wind. Found myself drifting off and had to put the pick down quick. No motor at that time and no room to move.
Lucky I had a rope long enough to row and tie to the mooring.

I suppose what I am trying to say is when things go right it is so easy.
But when things go wrong it compounds and you can easily loose ya boat.

[Jmolan]

Oh I can relate!.....practice, practice, practice...I started out in a very wide open area picking up a life ring. I am very fortunate to have a bay that is offshore and empty, so when I miss I get blown away from shore to try again. Also it helps if I leave the dink on the bouy and I can pick that up a whole lot easier...but I swear, these Searunner will manuver really well under sail alone. I learned on a hobie cat, even learned how to back up if need be. Just keep the mainsail slack or you will just weather cock downwind alll day....backwards........:-)

[Roy M]

At three AM, most cruising boats are single handed. Some of my favorite moments are using the asymmetric spinnaker, on a reach at three in the afternoon, screaming along at 12-15 knots, alone. And this is a forty foot Searunner. Life is good. And, yes, I remember KE'ET. Very nice guy and very happy with his boat. He anchored adjacent to me several times over the years in the Coronado anchorage and shared his boat and stories. I wonder what has become of him since selling the boat.

[lolanreg@smartc]

Hi, Does anyone have any experience with the new carbon fibre masts that are getting more plentiful even if they are dear to buy. I know they're lighter, no corrosion, but are they a practical replacement for aluminium? I don't want it falling down around my ears, halfway to Fiji. Before I dive in for my next boat.Natureboy

[Roy M]

There is a wonderful cartoon by Jo Hudson in the Searunner Construction Manual, by Jim Brown. It shows a skipper, mast slung over his shoulder, speaking to some locals (un)dressed in native garb, under the palms with the Searunner in the distance. He speaks: "Hi there. You weld-um aluminum?"

[lolanreg@smartc]

Jmolan, beautilul pics, makes my heart sing, more of them. Natureboy.

[lolanreg@smartc]

Roy M, Thanks, can these carbon fibre masts be mended? Like if you're cruising?

[Roy M]

I don't believe they can be field mended, if at all. When fabricated, they are set on spindles and wrapped to distribute the loads, then heated in special ovens to control the rate of cure. Hence the joke about welding aluminum. At least, with wood, one as some field options using a plane, a saw, and some good glue. But nowhere the same loading strength.

[lolanreg@smartc]

Roy M, thanks for your reply, It appears the more hi-tec one goes the worse off a cruiser is. In the Sth Pacific when one has to rely on locals to supply or fix it's usually outside their orbit. with something like a mast you'd be up sxxxt creek without a paddle. Insurance costs are prohibitive for overseas travel here in Oz so one would have to be extremely cautious and be capable of doing a multitude of tasks if you contemplate going to these places. natureboy

[rossad]

Question to other Searunner owners
Hoving too?
I use just the main. Sheeted in tight
Helm over other side
Seems to work well.
Board up.

any other combinations? you have found......

[Luis Sa Figueir]

Roy, Rossad and Steve. Thank you for your replies.
Roy – Although I was more or less aware of how to repair the rotten areas, your approach was very helpful because they were specific to the present situation. Thus, I believe that it will be easier for me to do the repairs.
Steve – We have an expression that I believe is Universal that is : ONE PICTURE WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS. Thank you.

[Roy M]

Rossad, Usually, when I am sailing along, I have all sails up and the board down. If I catch a fish while trolling, or suddenly have the need to drop below to answer some irresistable urge, I simply tack, WITHOUT RELEASING ANY SHEETS. The boat spins over, the sails fill, and the boat scallops into the wind and falls off, all the time without really moving forward more than enough to keep headway. Heaving to is one of those tricks I teach folks early on when they are learning to sail on my boat. It's a gift to be able to stop forward motion, calm the boat, and take a break, all with such a simple act that any new crew member can select without harming anything. Simply releasing the headsail sheet and drawing the clew over makes resuming the sail almost effortless.

[pman]

hi guys thanks again for your help, i am now in the process of doing a contract on a searunner, if all works out i guess i'll be back with more..cheers.