Trimaran - Especially Searunner - Owners

[Boatguy30]

I had to remove some house paint on the SR 34 Serenity and it seemed to sand fine with 40 or 60. I did not need to do too big an area, but I recall thinking at the time "what's the BS with sanding latex" seemed to go fine.

[Jimske]

Latex will sand okay. 3M has that green paper made for latex and it works better. But . . . if using an electric you got to prevent heat build up to prevent clogs so you just move around the surface a lot to prevent that.

How to remove will depend a lot on how thick the latex coating(s) is. The shaver a good idea for large build up but for thin latyers unnecessary IMO. The Peel Away could turn out to be real ez.

It's really a misnomer to keep calling these paints "latex." Kiwi grip is a "latex." I see that they are using "latex" for bottom paints now.

J

[magentawave]

Regarding the subject of sanding material that clogs sand paper... To minimize clogging, sand at a slower speed with 40 to maybe 60 grit. You'll need something like the big Makita sander/polisher with variable speed control. This won't eliminate the clogging but it will make it a little more manageable. As the disc gets clogged, use a heavy wire brush to remove the clogged stuff. You won't remove all of it but the pad will last a lot longer this way. I would try the heat gun method first though.

[natew]

Hello all.... Had a couple of questions for some other Tri owners. Don't have searunner but rather a horstman 38 that we are cruising on.

Was wondering if anyone had any experience beaching/careening a tri to do some bottom work? We just hauled and did the bottom but unfortunately had a few incidents that have removed some of our new bottom paint, was hoping to dry out on a beach somewhere and patch up the bottom paint a little but I've never done it nor can I find much info on best ways to do it and anything to worry about?


Another question is bowsprits and attachments for spinnakers.. I don't have any kind of a bowsprit and currently attach my spinnaker by means of a soft shackle wrapped around my forward chain plate. Needless to say it doesn't work all that well. I'm considering either a selden bowsprit or getting something fabbed out of stainless that would look something like the image here: http://www.hainzl-design.net/Bugsprit/bs-fox.jpg .

Thanks for the input!

[Roy M]

natew, first off, you need to recognize that it may be illegal to beach your boat in many places, then it may be compounding the original misdemeanor by sanding and applying toxic bottom paint on the littoral zone (earth/ocean interface). It really gets bad when a boat owner does this in someone's front yard or beneath the noses of the restaurant patrons or harbor police office.

So, if those places are avoided, in an emergency, try to find a place with no waves, a mud or sand bottom, with sufficient tidal range to get the job completed within a couple hours, and have the weather cooperate.

When I built my boat, I coated the entire bottom of the hulls with epoxy/graphite to improve the abrasion resistance, should I need to pull up on a beach with small stones or sand. I've done a lot of that in the past, as during a crowded weekend (4th of July, for example) the anchorages are super crowded. But for multihulls, especially with centerboards or removeable daggerboards, you can nose up to the shore, drop your hook off the beach, and spend some time in quiet solitude, away from all those boats anchored further out.

As for attachments for spinnakers and asymmetrical drifters, you can simply use a loop of line around something solid. I attach mine to a four foot tether fastened to the base of my headstay chainplate. Or, for variety, place some tangs, eyes, or watever on the bows of the floats.

[natew]

Thanks Roy. Boat's in mexico and we are heading further south so we will likely do this on some deserted beach or island somewhere so not too worried about regulations etc.

As for the actual process of careening a tri, obviously it will lean to one side with one ama free and clear of the beach. Is that generally ok? Safe? Stable? Should should the airborne amma be supported? Someone else also mentioned that you could balance it using 2x4s tied off to cleats or some such leaving both amas free and the boat level sitting only on the main hull/skeg. Any thoughts?

The spinnaker attachment you suggested sounds basically what I have.. I don't like it much, doesn't seem incredibly stable and also leads to the tack line rubbing on my bow pulpit. I tried putting block on the bow pulpit to offset it so it doesn't rub but I've given up that idea after having three of them get split in half. I do have some eyes on the ammas I could put the tack on, never tried it but would think that would cause a lot of pull in one particular direction, no?

[Roy M]

natew, imagine for a moment that you are sailing along, flying a float above the waves. Now, how is that different from lying on a beach with one float above the sand? And as far as the rubbing of the tack tether, use some Dyneema if you are seriously worried about chafe.

[natew]

Thanks! Was thinking along the same lines on careening but wasn't totally sure and wanted to check with someone.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by natew

Thanks! Was thinking along the same lines on careening but wasn't totally sure and wanted to check with someone.

I've used a trailer under the hull of a Piver, both amas suspended. I feel sure stresses when sailing exceed that.

[slowbat]

Originally Posted by natew

As for the actual process of careening a tri, obviously it will lean to one side with one ama free and clear of the beach. Is that generally ok? Safe? Stable? Should should the airborne amma be supported? Someone else also mentioned that you could balance it using 2x4s tied off to cleats or some such leaving both amas free and the boat level sitting only on the main hull/skeg. Any thoughts?

I prefer to beach side-ways when doing work on the boat, placing a few trash can's - pumped full of water on the shore side ama for weight. this keeps the sea-side ama high off of the ground and exposes more or the sea-side main hull. I also walk or row my anchor out a 100' and set it. This helps to pull the boat off the beach when the tide rises. Good luck

[farotherside]

I got to thinking about new chainplates last night... and I'm really not looking forward to the cost of having a whole new set machined.

I thought maybe if I built a mold and laid up some new chainplates out of fiberglass or even carbon fiber it might take some of the sting out of it... then I started googling, and found that there's apparently lots of people doing it, though the benefit is mostly to all-fiberglass boats, not glass-over-plywood.

What are your thoughts on composite chainplates? I'd be basically matching the current (stainless) set more or less in size and dimensions...

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by drew23

I got to thinking about new chainplates last night... and I'm really not looking forward to the cost of having a whole new set machined.

I thought maybe if I built a mold and laid up some new chainplates out of fiberglass or even carbon fiber it might take some of the sting out of it... then I started googling, and found that there's apparently lots of people doing it, though the benefit is mostly to all-fiberglass boats, not glass-over-plywood.

What are your thoughts on composite chainplates? I'd be basically matching the current (stainless) set more or less in size and dimensions...

I hope you aren't serious?

[farotherside]

why not...?

[Cavalier MK2]

You don't need a machine shop to make new chainplates. Get 316 stainless flatbar of the correct dimensions. A few tools are all you need. Cut to length with a hacksaw if you are on a budget or metal blade in jigsaw/sawzall. Drill the holes with a handrill or drill press using a centerdrill first, smallish bit next, then to size. Use a grinder to round the ends. Polish with a belt sander and increasingly fine paper. Done.

A weld shop is cheaper than a machine shop to cut the pieces to length and may have a hole punch to do the holes. You still want to polish yourself to save money.

The advantage of carbon is spreading the loads over a large area of structure but your structure is already built to take bolt ons. The end fittings have to be done correctly or can pull through the laminate. Carbon also needs a layer of fiberglass to seperate it from any stainless to prevent corrosion. I'd stick to 316 on a cruising Searunner as it can be pulled and blued for testing and is going eliminate the guess work. Losing a mast is really exciting and should be avoided while sailing for fun.

[Cavalier MK2]

Natew- If you have to access the main hull bottom use 4 x 8 timbers 6-8 feet long and slide them under with the wide side up while you still have a couple feet of water. Most of the Tristars I've seen don't have a keel like a Searunner or Cross so you should make some marks so they go in under bulkheads or frames. Never work with your hands under anything, timbers can break, screaming on a deserted beach while trapped with a incoming tide can ruin any vacation.

I lose some top end speed by not sanding bottom paint (too toxic) but fine rollers and smooth backbrushing helps. Always use a tarp if you are touching up paint.