Trimaran - Especially Searunner - Owners

[Buzzman]

Originally Posted by Cavalier MK2

Wash and clean, DRY OUT, ping with hammers, press with screw driver, take core samples where necessary. Replace what is needed.. Often old leaves and residue will stain as well as water ingress.

I agree. My Farrier project fills to around 6" every time there is a major storm here, becasue the foredeck is open and only covered with a tarp, so rain falls on the cabin, runs down to the foredeck and inside. Also leaves blow in there, so I am invariably bailing out 20-30L of tea-coloured water the following day.

The fact that it holds water and doesn't leak should indicate the waterproofing is holding, but do not be complacent about it. Fresh water can be death to plywood.

[catsketcher]

Originally Posted by longjonsilver

Do we believe the black wood, or the nice pinging of the hammers?

jon

I am not sure. Like Cav I think a drill is the best way to check. I would really like to see the interior veneers of the ply in each area. Only after I had checked lots of black wood cores would I feel satisfied. I would be a little wary of the hammer, stringers and different thicknesses will give different results, but a dull thud is usually bad news.

Hey Buzz. Have you considered a tunnel tent? I have made a few boats under plastic tunnel tents covered in white plastic. It works really well. I would recommend them for a waterproof structure that needs to last for a couple of years.

cheers

Phil

[Buzzman]

Originally Posted by catsketcher

Hey Buzz. Have you considered a tunnel tent? I have made a few boats under plastic tunnel tents covered in white plastic. It works really well. I would recommend them for a waterproof structure that needs to last for a couple of years.

cheers

Phil

Phil, believe it or not, I have figured out a way to do a temp pole tunnel, but have yet to implement it. Keep forgetting to buy the conduit 'pole' when I'm at Bunnings lol
It's coming!

[catsketcher]

Just in case it is interesting for the OP too.

I made my tunnel tents from 6 metre long sections of gal pipe. I bent them in the fork of a tree and used a marked out semi circle in chalk on the ground to get them all the same.

Then I got straight sections of pipe and hammered these into the ground about 7 metres apart from each other. I then cut up some 1.5 inch gal pipe into 50cm long sections. So I have the two straight sections looking like poles stuck into the ground, sort of pointing a bit at each other but mostly into the sky. I repeat this every 2 metres.

Then I get the semi circle pipe and place it on top of the straight sections. They stay there because the 1.5 inch pipe acts a joiner, sleeving the join (put a self tapper 30cm down the straight pipe before you add the joiner. Repeat on other side and you will have a nice gal hoop. Repeat for 14 metres (in my case.

Run a strip of cheap timber along the top to tie it all together. Then order some plastic greenhouse plastic. I like the white stuff (don't get black). Then pull it acroos the hoops and attach it either side by rolling up 40x19 pine lengths about 5 times and then screwing a self tapper through the timber into the gal pipe.

Ends are secured by wrapping rags into a ball, wrapping plastic sheeting around and then tying off to a strong point. The plastic can take it.

I would recommend against using tarps or PVC. As I said a good tunnel tent takes little time and allows a nice boat to be built underneath.

It takes me about 1 day to make a 14 x 6m tunnel tent that is totally waterproof and lasts for about 2 years. Cost about $1000.

[Buzzman]

Originally Posted by catsketcher

Cost about $1000.

Yeah, this is my problem right now. Can't afford to build the deluxe poly tunnel, so am going with hoops of electrical conduit screwed to the akas in the folded position, then super heavy duty tarp over that, lashed to the chassis. 3x1 from pulpit to mast support on transom to tie themtogether and form a ridge. The tarp alone was $150, and the rest should be less than $100. Tarp should be good for 3-4 years, as the medium grade one I used previously lasted 3, and this one is heavier, but I'm going to put it inside out, as the silver coating seems to be more affected by UV than the balck fabric underneath. It's all an experiment.



It's for storage, not access while restoring. That's slated for a cuppla years off. Need to finish the laundry, bathroom and house renos first.

The 'boatshed' when built will be single-sided, as it's up against my shed, but will need a false floor as ground is sloped, so vertical stud wall on the outside of that and a single plane skillion roof from the shed roof out to the vertical wall. But the grenhouse plastic is the go then, as it provides light but keeps weather out.


It's all fun!

[longjonsilver]

Originally Posted by catsketcher

Gday Long John

I started with two 10 mm holes in the ply, either side of the tube section. Then I got my uni tow. Tow is the stuff they make glass fabric from. I got mine from a friend but you can buy a large roll cheaply at a surfboard shop. It is the stuff they feed into choppy guns. I fold the tow over a few times to get it down to a manageable length, about 1.5 metres or a bit longer. The I thread one end through a large plastic needle (from a craft shop).

cheers

Phil

Thanks Phil, i will have to read and reread to digest this, but you got my mind going...

Originally Posted by catsketcher

Just in case it is interesting for the OP too.

i doubt that the OP (Maren) is around anymore. He hasn't posted in years.


jon

[migizi]

Some pictures of the damage, The way i see it right now it may not be as bad as we thought previously. water can only come from a few places, the hole ontop or the hole in front. hopefully not through the front forestay chainplate... ouch!

[migizi]

a couple more

[Roy M]

WILDERNESS status report:

We are having extraordinary weather lately, warm, dry, clear and still. I'm using it to advantage, doing painting details, finishing small stuff on the check lists.

I've had good luck on selling my original rig, sails and hardware. I advertised it on Latitude 38, the premier sailing rag on the Pacific Coast. The new owner arrives in a couple weeks, giving me a breather to work out some things. The Edson steering system is almost completely overhauled with new bearings, chain and such. With the sale of the rig I can now focus on the main project, getting the boat to the yard, pulling the original stick, then getting back to the dock to install the new mast step, install the remaining parts, then back to the yard for stepping. Then, it's time to order sails and the dodger. This is heady stuff. I've never had a sophisticated rig, nor a dodger and Bimini, but I've dreamed of them, researched them, and seen them in action on boats similar to mine. It takes several months to get this stuff together, supply chain is a real issue, both for the cloth and for the technical skills of the fabricators. The dodger could take six months. But, I'll be busy working inside by then, renovating the galley, pulling the engine (it makes working on it SO MUCH easier - I've done it several times in the last forty years). Then, next Spring, it will be time for the haulout. Time to inspect the shaft and fittings, pull the rudder, install the upgraded centerboard, change over the underwater electronics, and get a good coat of paint on the hullsides and the bottom paint. Then, it will be time to sail it, train crew and learn how to use the toys. But now, back to getting the steering installed and the mast replaced.

[catsketcher]

That's a pretty exhaustive refit!

[Roy M]

I go to bed at night happy and tired. I wake to a long list of things to do, eager get at them. Each day is different and challenging and engaging. And every day I get closer to my goal of sailing over the horizon. It's so much more than a refit. It's a reason for being.

[Roy M]

WILDERNESS status report:

Big step today, we pulled our old mast off today. The entire rig, sails, Barient winches and other goodies are waiting in storage for their new owner. My next generation rig will be installed in about three weeks (waiting for some turnbuckles, finishing electric projects, etc.). Because I'm going to pull the engine out to clean it up, renew the soundproofing, and install a serpentine belt assembly, I had to tow the boat with a friend's Boston Whaler. It felt good to be steering the boat ]
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[longjonsilver]

[Roy M]

WILDERNESS status update:

RATS!!! (a Charlie Brown expression of extreme frustration).

I called the boatyard to set up the stepping of my new mast. They informed me that the yard was shutting down for major concrete repairs until mid-January. Supply chain issues also kicked in, with turnbuckles and rigging wire connectors not due in until (also) mid-January. My rigger is out of town for the next couple weeks. Other boat yards and riggers are backed up as well. Oh, well, time to act like an adult and show some flexibility. And, it's not like I've got nothing else on my plate to chew on. Time to make lemonade out of lemons.

[Roy M]

Nice things happen. I submitted an ad to sell my old mast, boom, sails, winches and other gear
in Latitude 38 a West Coast sailing rag. My rigger didn't have much confidence that it would sell. It was trucked off today by a guy living in Central California, several hundred miles away, for my asking price. Coincidentally, he once owned a Searunner 40, but needed a strong mast for his unfinished catamaran. Sometimes good things happen!