What Makes A Good Cruising Multihull

[MMNETSEA]

Not a Cat but a Trimaran, very rich friend had a Norman Cross 48 Tri decided that his engine and prop were not giving him the speed he wanted, so he installed a Hamilton Jet.

(His tri similar to another friend's "Querida" - here's picture

Wow, we took off from shelter cove in Hong Kong and he decided that we would go clockwise around Victoria island and stop for celebrations at the Royal Hong Yacht Club in Causeway

Bay - well we got as far as Green Island when the engine stopped - no diesel !! Up with the sails, good breeze, HOWEVER having removed the previous engine/transmission/prop-shaft/propeller AND RUDDER because the Hamilton jet in addition to providing forward thrust it also steers the boat.

VHF to the yacht club - 'please send 2 'jerry' cans diesel'. Needless to say when we finally sat down in bar - much ribbing.

Here's link to Hamilton Jet :- C L I C K

[multihullsailor6]

From current own experience I would like to add a hot air heating system, run on diesel, to the list.

My present port Gibraltar currently is WET, WINDY (F6-8) and COLD!

And also a sensible wine storage - in my case for tempered red and chilled rose.

[edsalldw]

on " # External dagger boards to improve windward ability "

here is one issue that makes for dagger boards. try pulling in to the baths at noon and all the spaces are gone unles you have a 23" draft like on my 47' cat. Then you can anchor reall close to shore or tuck into palces where other boats can't go in the bahamas. You won't find a keel cat with shalow draft. ( 30" for a 45 footer) also it seems to me you better interior space for the bilge storage or head clearance wihtout a keel.

[Silver Raven]

Originally Posted by edsalldw

on " External dagger boards to improve windward ability "

here is one issue that makes for dagger boards. try pulling in to the baths at noon and all the spaces are gone unles you have a 23" draft like on my 47' cat. Then you can anchor reall close to shore or tuck into palces where other boats can't go in the bahamas. You won't find a keel cat with shalow draft. ( 30" for a 45 footer) also it seems to me you better interior space for the bilge storage or head clearance wihtout a keel.

Gooday David. Informative comments. We could use more of them & form you as well. I've been a 'multihull-guy' for a tad-bit now & can never fully appreciate 'fixed-keels' on 'multihulls'. It's always seemed to my to be - self-defeating - in purpose & intent (intended use of), but then I'm only 70 (56 yrs into Multi's) so don't know much more than - some of the questions. Nice yacht you have there! Used to sail with & against Lokie & Beryl over quite a time some years back. Had several acquaintances that weathered that 'super-storm' & close designer/sailor friends in the 'land of the long white cloud'. Tennant (deceased), Barker, Orr & others. I'll get there yet !!!

Many cruising people (owners & crew) would be wise to read the whole saga of that event as much knowledge would be learned which would make for safer trips over a whole life-time !!!!!

How did you go finding a 'crew/friend' compatitable sailor type person? Wish I was closer, for sure but I've fallen in love with the 'warm' parts of SE Asia. Should be able to 'do' the - Darwin to Ambon & then the 'cruise-in-company' in 2012. Didn't get it all to happen for this year, darn! Ran out of time & some money. The whole Darwin to Ambon event is a tad-bit expensive in getting the yacht up to scratch to compete but the 'cruising in company' & living in that part of the world is very cost effective & not overly dangerous. I think anything under 20* C is far to cold for enjoyable sailing & the maximum enjoyment of this way of life. Great 'profile' & bio. Thanks for allowing us into your world. Wish you 'fine conditions' & supa company. Do write some more gems of knowledge, Please. Ciao, from 'down-under' 'jj-geri-hat-trick' james

[Spike_dawg]

Hate to disagree but dagger boards are an absolute not have for me. Too many break or hang up and they don't work nearly as well as short keels. Break one in the Pacific atolls and you will be waiting many weeks to have one shipped in. Hang one up and you will rue the day you got them. The surface area is way too small in comparison to short keels. I prefer short keels for a boat that is cruising...especially in remote locations for extended period of time or long passages. The very few times you may choose to anchor shallow doesn't over ride the detraction's. I can't see any advantage in anchoring in 12 inches of water over 30 inches of water. I always shoot for a minimum of 5 feet and most comfortable above 10 feet of water. The keel on a catamaran has effect on bilge storage, but opposite to what was stated. The keels are not like mono hull keels, bolted in place. They are fiberglass part of the hull. Usually they incorporate a small empty pocket inside, below the hull floor, so that any water flows into them and is pumped out, being the lowest part of the boat. Some boats use the keel as small tanks for waste water. Many just are glass over foam. It's also a protector for the props.

This is JMO.

[aking9999]

Lots of good ideas in these posts, enjoyed reading them. Will tell you what mine look like when i finally get it !

[aking9999]

To Silver Raven, Ahoy. I have just come from Darwin, and the thing that I like about the various Races / Cruises in company etc, was the reduced costs for various sailing permits especially into Indonesia. I shall be heading back home to Dinah Beach and the wednesday night entertainments, until I too am ready to head off north with the fleet !

Arohanui

[Guillaume]

I took delivery of my boat in December of 2011 and since then sat at the drawing board debating electric propulsion versus diesel propusion. The conclusion was 2 X 12Kw motors at 144 Volt with a 22Kw genset with a 12 lead acid forklift batery bank totalling 3Kw amp hours. This configuration had several advantages of which the elimination of gas is the most important advantage to my mind. The sound a smell of diesel is absent and the electric motors (Approx 48Hp each) repond almost instantaneous. Another advantage is the back charge when sailing. True i know that back charge realy work on sailing speed above 5 knots, but its free! For backup the genset kick in at at 60% batery levels meaning in about 5 years i would need to renew my bateries. I cary 600L diesel fuel which would last me for many months. I am of the opinion that this hybrid sytem is the ultemate.
With the electrical power at my disposal i do not have to adjust my lifestyle to much and i can have a oven and dishwasher, i am lazy so these options seemed attractive. Cost wise i have not completed the comparisson but i am of opinion its slight more as opposed to two Yanmars using diesel.

[Silver Raven]

Originally Posted by aking9999

To Silver Raven, Ahoy. I have just come from Darwin, and the thing that I like about the various Races / Cruises in company etc, was the reduced costs for various sailing permits especially into Indonesia. I shall be heading back home to Dinah Beach and the wednesday night entertainments, until I too am ready to head off north with the fleet !

Arohanui

Gooday '9999' - & to you - Arohanui from Far North Queensland. Sorry to take so long to reply - have had several lightening strikes & hae been without computers for some time now. Ooops. And like you - I'm trying to return to N.T. - asap & intend to use that as my home base in Australia for the next 15 years or so. Have a 'supa' mate who lives in Howard Springs. I'm trying to buy a 40' tri in SE Asia - which is very light & as quick as which I can cruise & do a bit of racing if I keep it light enough. I'd sure like to do the Darwin to Ambon this year but can't sell the property here in Far North Qld - as yet - - so it may have to be 2013 - DAMN - but life's like that - eh. Like you then I will stay up in SE Asia & keep cruising. Nice life-style & affordable for me. Look at trying to get a few - enjoyable crew to - have fun & enjoy the sun, sailing & a few races. Time will be the master of my destiny. Ciao, james U - originally a K1 ?