Trimaran - Especially Searunner - Owners

[Mark Johnson]

Originally Posted by LeeV

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Regards,

I think it would be problematic to build and to use, due to pounding, getting on it, and on to the mothership from it.

Simple is best!

I suggest #1... either a forward facing, hinged bi-fold boarding ladder, like we use, (see past posts)... OR, #2, put all of your dive gear in an inflatable or RIB from the mothership, and dive/swim from the dinghy.
Then board the boat from the dinghy.
[emoji1365]
Mark J

[Roy M]

Here's a sketch I made a couple months ago:

[Roy M]

I have been playing with this idea for some time. It's easier on a forty-foot boat because of the ability to carry more weight. I built a similar structure for a monohull, with a side-mount unit. It should be easier to deploy on mine because of the support of the ladder portion on the starboard float projection, with the inboard support of the platform suspended from the extended wingdeck. Note that I built my sterncastle with the wingdeck projecting outboard from the hull, providing greater structural stiffness and strength than the original design. Mark is correct about rough weather deployment, so I'll have to see how it does in varying conditions. In the conditions that I dive in, it should be very nice to use.

[Mark Johnson]

Originally Posted by Roy M

Here's a sketch I made a couple months ago:

The problems Roy, imo... are first off, weight and complication. It would have to take a fierce pounding!

And to be easy to use, the bottom step needs to be 2' under water.

Also.... sideways to a 2' chop would put a fierce side load on it, while waves sweep you and your gear away.

And... sideways to a current, it sweeps your feet away when you try to board the lower step, especially with a fin (or two) on!

I spent hundreds if not thousands of hours free diving off of my boats, is all conditions, to make these observations.

Low windage, low wetted surface, forward facing, and two steps under water, works best.

[rossad]

i would have to agree with Mark. getting into my avon inflateable then using that as the step up before passing the dive gear from the tender is by far the easiest solution.

[Jimske]

Originally Posted by Roy M

Sorry, Cav, that wasn't kind of me.

Jimske, I plan on adding a folding swim ladder/dive platform on my portside aft wingdeck. I'll try and put together the design sketch. But it will have to wait a bit as I'm pretty busy right now. The arrangement will raise up, then rotate ninety degrees, forming a wall-like structure on the aft deck. I've been playing with this for a number of years, to make a structure that eases entry and exit from the water with heavy dive gear, and assists folks boarding from a dinghy. It will be lightweight and durable in construction, and quick to deploy, say for a man overboard situation.

Sounds like worth waiting for!

[Roy M]

Different strokes, folks. I prefer having the platform about six inches underwater when boarding. I can raise and lower it as much as I need because the platform and the stairs articulate. I have spent a lot of time in the water, from the days I was a research diver , to the more laid back cruiser mode. I'm pretty comfortable with choices on my own boat. You pick your own options.

[Buzzman]

An option used on some cats, especially Wharrams, is a longitudinal set of steps that are raised and lowered on a block system, but become part of the deck when raised and locked back into horizontal.
Perhaps on open wing decks a flight of steps could be hinged at the aft edge of the front beam, lowered from the 'latched' afte end and thus you'd swim up to it from aft.
would probably need a further haul line forrard to keep it down, especially if the structure itself was light weight.
A simple pegboard-style cover could make this then an extension of the deck when not in use. (Pegboard=any board with lots of holes drilled in it).
Alternately, if the tri has full length floats (i.e. not a Searunner...) then an extra aft beam on the transom could enable a short ladder to be deployed between the main rear float-support beam and the transom beam.
It's not such a crazy idea...

Alternatley, you could use Jim Brown's 'floating outboard idea, with a hinged flaoting pod carrying the outboard, with the forrard end of the pod huinged up underneath the wing or rear beam, but make the pod wide enough to carry a set of narrow steps, with a short folding ladder at the bottom.

Might be easier to use toio as the steps would tend to rise and fall with the surface, as would a surfacing diver, rather than plunging in and out of the water as they do when attached to the rear of the main hull.

[Mark Johnson]

For those inclined toward a ladder option, like mine. I will be diving on the bottom (to wipe and scrub her down), in about an hour...

I put on my gear, and jump in wearing everything.

When I get out, I swim to the ladder, and remove only the tank and regulator, with BC inflated.

There is a 3/8" line hanging over the wing in the middle, which I run through the BCs handle, and back up to Mariam. (If one was by themselves, a rolling hitch works fine). Now the tank trails behind you a bit, between the hulls.

Then I remove fins one at the time, and stand on the bottom rung of the ladder, and then throw them on deck. Followed by the weights and mask...

Now I can easily climb the ladder, and then, using the rope I have attached to the BC, lift it onto the deck, while straddling the ama /wing deck crotch. It is incredibly easy, even in a nasty chop!

I have mentioned the difficulty of trying to board a ladder or steps... side on to the wind, current and chop!
It can be a real challenge between the hulls of a tri, as opposed to a monohull, which blocks all three. In this scenario, none are lessened by the Lee of the boat, anchored and facing the wind.

Also... Roy can get away with what he is doing only because he has a lighter weight 40' er, and does not envision heavy payload world wide cruising.

The 40 has considerable payload, FAR more than all of the other Searunners.

For the rest of us... If you have a 100 lb ladder/steps, or whatever, that is 100 lbs of food/water or gear, that you have to leave behind, in order to keep the boat safe.

Every time I add 20 pounds, I remove 20 somewhere else if I can.

Maximum payload is about safety, (reduced pounding) not speed!

[Jimske]

Interesting ideas. Since I have an A-frame I'm thinking of a small folding plank that I can attach to the stainless steel arm and have a drop down and sink into the water. Then I can just pull it down and swim off into it and when finished with it simply raise it up so when folded maybe the plank is only going to be about 6 ft in length. I just need to make sure it's lightweight.

[Mark Johnson]

Originally Posted by Jimske

Interesting ideas. Since I have an A-frame I'm thinking of a small folding plank that I can attach to the stainless steel arm and have a drop down and sink into the water. Then I can just pull it down and swim off into it and when finished with it simply raise it up so when folded maybe the plank is only going to be about 6 ft in length. I just need to make sure it's lightweight.

This was today's dive to clean the bottom...

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[rossad]

I think you got the right idea there Mark. Well done well demonstrated and orchestrated.
Simplicity is the key and that is the simplest and most effective way.
I like to use the soft inflatable the avon. So easy to get in and out. then get on the trimaran. I don't use the ladder but to prefer stepping off the avon either sitting first on the stern outside arma lowest corner of the Searunner or simply step up and on.

[Mark Johnson]

Originally Posted by rossad

I think you got the right idea there Mark. Well done well demonstrated and orchestrated.

Simplicity is the key and that is the simplest and most effective way.

I like to use the soft inflatable the avon. So easy to get in and out. then get on the trimaran. I don't use the ladder but to prefer stepping off the avon either sitting first on the stern outside arma lowest corner of the Searunner or simply step up and on.

Thanks Ross!

I only use the ladder this way when diving right around the boat, which is usually to scrub the bottom. Since launching, 21 years ago, I have never hired it done. (Or anything else).

When going free diving for dinner, I pack up the dinghy and go anchor it out in a remote spot that looks right, then I dive out of it. Sometimes I swim along the bottom in 25', carrying the 2 lb dinghy anchor, which both holds me down between breaths, and keeps the dinghy 75' behind me.

I have had my dinner "stolen from me" many times, but as long as they leave me my hand, I don't complain!

When I return to Delphys after the hunt, I pull along side, and also step from the dinghy tube directly onto the ama, back at the aft end. I use the runner as a hand hold when stepping through the lifeline gate.

We recently had to buy a new RIB, as the last AB, gave up after 16 years of hard use.
This one is an AL (aluminum floor), 9'er. It is a tad small, but will fit better on the wing deck, and only weighs 80 lbs!

My current project, is a total dodger rebuild, paint inside the cockpit while it is off the boat, and next summer, a bottom job. We also need to re build the dinghy cradle to mate with the new dinghy, and eventually, re-paint our 14 year old LP paint... It never ends, and this is why even though we are REALLY tricked out, I ALWAYS opt for the simplest solution, if it really is a solution.

Love your Searunner, and your home waters. Hopefully, when we retire (both turning 63 in a month), we will get away from brown water, back into clear tropical water for a while...
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[Cavalier MK2]

Well it is an interesting idea Roy, I don't understand the 90 degree rotation part though. Do you mean fold up to make railing or rotate fore and aft? I'd think leaving it horizontal would be best as it will be protected by the wing in terms of windage and deck waves.

To make this possible how about a different complication? If the platform has its own lifting tackle you could infinetly adjust the angle. Flat for storage, steep for underwater, shallow to clear waves or.... use it as a lifting load platform. Load it up and use both sets of tackle to keep the stores level as you bring it up to the deck.

The old fashioned low aspect sloop rig of the Nicol has a great feature. With the boom being 16' long the end can swing over the side and be used as a cargo crane using the mainsheet and a halyard to the end for heavy lifting from the water to the cockpit, I even have a cargo net. One of those things you don't do often but it is nice to be able to do.

I'll have to do a swim ladder at some point, the single folding mast footstep on the transom works for me but not everybody.

[catsketcher]

One idea that maybe useful (and simple) for you transom hung rudder guys is to use the rudder as a step. On our cat I glued a single faired piece of thick glass onto the trailing edge of the rudder. I placed it just at the right height for a foot. I use it as a step to pull myself out of the boat and it works well and is always there. With careful fairing it doesn't hum.

cheers

Phil