My Trimaran and catamaran website

[TrimaranMan]

I have posted here before about my Kelsall trimaran in the Multihull Structure thoughts thread which is one of the best multihull history resources I have ever found. Now I have created a website for the boat. This is not commercial or selling anything just information that others may find interesting particularly the history and different evolution of designs. I have been collecting magazines and pictures and online material for the last 50 years so I wanted to try and put some of what I have in shareable resource. It is just an early version now with pages about my boat and the rebuild. Then I have done a biographical section on Derek Kelsall with pages on his different designs and separate sections on for example the Nick Keig boats and the Great Britain trimarans. I have started a separate section on multihull pioneers with some early designers/sailors. I did a lot on Wharram and the other designers I will expand.

The site is at: www.trilogy-sailing.co.uk

It is a work in progress and I will be editing and adding, correcting and generally working on it whenever I have time. Anyone who has stories to tell about the designers I have mentioned or others and data, pictures and drawings plus corrections of my mistake I would be happy to hear from via this thread or via my website. I hope others will enjoy reading what is up so far and as I develop the site further. I cannot stress more that this is a site intended for those who like multihulls and their history to enjoy rather as Old Multi does with his thread on this wonderful forum which is a treasure chest in my opinion!

 

[kdifzero]

I am bumping as you have a very well put together site with heaps of info that deserves its own thread. I honestly thought this was posted by OldMulti and did a double take at the username being different.

 

[TrimaranMan]

Thank you! I have collected as much as I can about Derek kelsallbut always looking for more. I have added some material on Wharram and others and will add to this when i can plus obviously post more about Trilogy III

 

[TrimaranMan]

I have updated my site with a lot of new pictures for anyone interested in old multihulls and history.

 

[Smj1]

Nice website. Bruce Wild of the old Simpson Wild design team is still living in Texas. Here’s a couple pictures of his 45’ catamaran that he designed and built. Appears to be a little Roger Simpson influence in the design?

 

[BGW]

Lots of interesting information and a useful site. Nice work.

I built and own a Wharram Tiki 38 and read your page on JW with some amusement. I was much younger when I started building and fell pretty hard for his sales pitch. But I came very close to quitting early on.

Trying to get answers to questions from him was like dealing with a porcupine. No matter which side you approached from, something prickly and unpleasant was headed your way. Now I see it was not just me

Having lived in the UK for a few years, it seemed to me his aggressive certainty and rudeness was a reaction to the whole issue of class, especially prevalent in sailing back in the 50's & 60's. But as you say, others managed without it, and did well.

With what I know now, from sailing and living on mine, and the plethora of information online, I wouldn't build another Wharram, but that doesn't detract from his single mindedness and many accomplishments.

And hell, I'm bombing along just south of Bermuda right now, heading north in a good westerly breeze under clear skies, albeit hobbyhorsing my way though the waves, so don't have much to complain about.

 

[HelmutSheina]

@BGW how do you find your Tiki 38 for seaworthiness? I was impressed with a 30 footer in storms, but the motions were violent at times.

 

[BGW]

It has been stellar as far as seaworthyness goes, and I am pretty confident in it. But motion? Whoa... Despite the deep V hulls, ompared to a mono, it feels like it's on the water rather than in it.

Mine is heavily loaded for cruising but still moves around. I keep knee pads in the cockpit and crawl on deck when its blowing. I added extra handholds in a few places and am planning to add more.

It hobbyhorses in short period waves, a couple of times so badly I could not make progress to windward. I know Boatsmith, out of Florida had experimented with quite large horizontal wings at the stern to limit hobbyhorsing on a foam/glass modified classic he built. Didn't hear if it worked or not.

Some of that is the design, with the narrow bow and stern, some is being a slab-sided, relitively light catamaran. Particularly going to weather, waves hit the leeward inner hull hard and can jerk the boat quite sharply. It's not unpleasant motion to me, but you have to be alert and careful.

I have still not been able to tack consistently if there are bigger waves or in very strong winds. I end up wearing ship or lowering a motor and powering around. Just seems to stall and even the backed genoa will not bring it round.