Small Trimarans

The KH 23 trimaran, which is featured in “Small Trimarans: An Introduction,” is billed as a high-performance small tri. Kurt Hughes is the designer and he offers building plans for this sporty looking craft at his website.

I’ve seen the KH 23 trimaran compared to the Tremolino at times — mostly by owners who are in the process of selling their sailboat. And while such comparisons make for some lighthearted fun, the bottom line is that it’s billed to be a fast boat in the right hands … and in the right conditions. Read the rest of this entry »

The previous post featured sailor Bill Petersen sharing about the restoration of a once-damaged Tramp Trimaran. He put it back on the water and thoroughly enjoyed it — until recently that is. Bill reluctantly sold this beloved small trimaran in order to go cruising full-time for the next few years.

He made it clear that he would NOT have sold his Tramp except for the fact he was going to be away for the foreseeable future. So the bottom line is that Bill gets to go blue-water cruising and somebody else gets a great “trailerable tri” daysailer. Can you think of a better “win-win” situation? :-) Read the rest of this entry »

The trailerable daysailing Tramp Trimaran first made its appearance back in the 1980’s. It was a very slick boat designed by Ian Farrier. It’s roomy, open cockpit appealed to many small multihull enthusiasts. Read the rest of this entry »

Dick Newick’s venerable Tremolino Trimaran is still a much sought-after design. Not only is it a truly classic model, in terms of its place in the history of trailerable trimarans, but few “modern” boats its size can match its performance.

This post comes to us from Shelley Coulson, who writes on behalf of herself and her husband Jerry. Jerry and Shelley have been a true boating/sailing couple for years. And the wonderful times they’ve enjoyed out on the water with family and friends aboard their Tremolino is a big part of what makes small tris so much fun! Read the rest of this entry »

Photos and first-hand reports from Horstman 24 trimaran owners (online) are few and far between. How many have been built over the years? I don’t know. But this beauty (painted in sunshine yellow) comes to us from the U.K.

The Horstman 24 certainly isn’t trailerable … but how can we ignore a tri that was designed and built to be just 24 feet in length?

I can’t! :-) Read the rest of this entry »

Sailor Lance McIntosh is building this excellent-looking trimaran / skiff. He refers to it as the “Dragonfly 14 Trimaran.” He designed this sailboat himself. And as you can see, it’s apparent that he has paid a good amount of attention to detail and appearance. Read the rest of this entry »

Decades after its zenith, the Supernova trimaran is still around. Of course, we wish there were more of them. But the many challenges of developing and selling a beach tri production model, like the Supernova, are formidable.

It amazes me that a boat designer like Ib Pors Nielsen was able to do it for awhile. But I know small tri fan Graham Wheeler is glad he did. Not long ago, Graham purchased a Supernova … in excellent condition. He shares the following (along with a very short video clip and a few photos of his sailboat) with us here. Read the rest of this entry »

The Adventure Trimaran YouTube videos, featuring designer Mark Zollitsch flying across the water in his super-fast sailing canoe, have been viewed thousands of times. If the notion, “sailing canoe on steroids” enters your mind, then you’re not the only one.

Mark and his “Adventure Trimaran” are featured in “More Small Trimarans.” And while that boat is obviously quite an achievement … take a look below at what Mark has been up to in recent months! Read the rest of this entry »

I received a question recently from a fellow asking, “What might be the lowest cost trimaran one can build that also offers relatively decent performance?” After thinking about it for a minute, my guess would be a “kayak trimaran.”

I’m sure there are several ways to approach this subject. So if you’re reading this and have another idea then I’d love hearing it. (The idea of getting the biggest bang for one’s buck is a top priority for many would-be sailors today). Read the rest of this entry »

I first heard about the Philippine Paraw trimarans, possibly better known as Paraw double outrigger sailing canoes, from Gary Deirking. He said some of these simple designs hit 18 to 20 knots in the right hands and under the right conditions.

That’s pretty wild, especially in a watercraft constructed out of simple, inexpensive of materials. Read the rest of this entry »

Lock Crowther’s Buccaneer 24 trimaran is a vintage design that still holds its own among contemporary small tri models. This is especially true when it comes to performance.

I first mentioned the Buccaneer 24 trimaran a while back. But this post comes to us from contributor Patrick McGrath, who knew Lock Crowther, served as a Canadian representative for his designs, and personally built 2 Buccaneer 24 models, which included one for himself. Read the rest of this entry »

Tom Raidna, from BuildBoats.com let me know about this craft a few days ago. It’s a classic, open daysailing small trimaran design from decades ago.

Its plans have been made available once again for home boatbuilders from the Duckworks site. And at first glance, this tri appears to offer some attractive features. Read the rest of this entry »

Now here is an interesting little trimaran … especially for those of means with a few $$$ of disposable income. The link to this 1-person mini-daysailer was discovered by reader Dominic Valentino, who kindly forwarded it to me. Read the rest of this entry »

Darren Newton (a.k.a. “Daz”) is the managing director of Multimarine Composites Limited, a multihull engineering and production company in the U.K. One of his earlier designs was a sailboat known as the Dazcat 800 micro racing trimaran, or Dazcat 8RT. Read the rest of this entry »

Can you believe there are still some Piver Nugget trimarans sailing around? Considering this sailboat was promoted in the 1960s, I think it’s pretty cool this classic model still attracts a small number of devotees who are dedicated to preserving and enjoying the few remaining sailboats out there. Read the rest of this entry »

I had an opportunity to interview John Marples yesterday about his new Seaclipper 24 trimaran design. If you’ve heard my previous interview with him then you know he is a wealth of information … especially when it comes to offering home boatbuilders great tips and food-for-thought. Read the rest of this entry »

I discovered the Crusoe Craft Trimaran a couple months back. This little gem from South Africa is attracting a lot of attention. And there is little doubt in my mind that one reason for this is due to a great promotional effort. Read the rest of this entry »

Did famous small boat designer Phil Bolger design a camp-cruising trimaran? Check out these interesting trimaran renderings. Read the rest of this entry »

After considering the “daysailer” version of the Seaclipper 24 Trimaran, I wanted to point out a feature that I especially like. I’ve often thought about it after Paul Dawson (designer of the Predator Trimaran) emphasized the notion to me during my interview with him for “More Small Trimarans.” Read the rest of this entry »

Multihull designer John Marples has just announced that plans for his new Seaclipper 24 Trimaran are now available. These plans are for the “micro-cruiser” version of the boat. Read the rest of this entry »

Imagine “mini roller coaster” type sailing on a Piver 25 trimaran in San Francisco Bay … just like Arthur Piver did decades ago! Well, here is a fellow who has been doing it for a few years now. Read the rest of this entry »

What’s it like being steeped in the knowledge of older designs such as the Searunner 25 trimaran, Piver 25 trimaran, or even the larger cruising Searunner 31 trimaran? See for yourself ;-) Read the rest of this entry »

Jim Brown has just released the first video footage of the Seaclipper 20 trimaran. It features Jim providing a full description of the boat, along with some good footage of how this new sailboat moves in light airs. Enjoy! Read the rest of this entry »

This post is a follow up to the first one about the Wavelength 780 trimaran. It comes from Robert Forster’s “Wavelength 780 Newsletter – September 2009.” It recalls a Wavelength 780 trimaran cruise that Robert enjoyed last year with a couple of friends.

It’s re-printed here (with Robert’s permission, of course) because I thought you may also enjoy this sailing trip, along with the great pics that go with it :-) Read the rest of this entry »

Richard Woods sent me these short video clips of his Strike 18 trimaran a few days ago. They feature his design sailing in mostly light airs. But one does show off the sailboat’s performance in a blow … during a little race against a much larger multihull. Read the rest of this entry »

Boatbuilder Scott Watts and his apprentices at Seaworthy Solutions have constructed the first Seaclipper 20 trimaran for one of his clients in Florida. A couple days ago, he emailed the following photos of the first trial sailing run of this new Jim Brown/John Marples creation. Read the rest of this entry »

The Wavelength 780 trimaran is a new beauty from Down Under. Sailor and designer Bob Forster writes about this new trailerable, cruising trimaran here, along with his innovative use of plywood for its construction.

Bob is an excellent and engaging writer, so you’re in for a real treat. I first heard about Bob and his new tri from reader Barry Child (thanks Barry :-) and I hope many in the small trimaran community inquire about this sleek trimaran design. Read the rest of this entry »

The Sea Pearl is a beloved model among a certain group of small boat enthusiasts. Any time I’ve ever heard a Sea Pearl owner talk about their boat (whether in writing or on audio) they always speak in glowing terms. But what’s cool is that Sea Pearl’s manufacturer makes 2 Sea Pearl trimaran versions also. Read the rest of this entry »

In light of the updated, re-release of Jim Brown’s classic book, “The Case for the Cruising Trimaran,” I thought tri fans might enjoy an interview featuring Jim talking about this publication. I requested one, and Jim kindly sat down with me for a few minutes on the phone as we talked about some of its contents. Read the rest of this entry »

If you’ve never read (or even heard about) Jim Brown’s classic book from the 70s entitled, “The Case for the Cruising Trimaran” then you’re in for a real treat. This book went out of print when its original publisher decided to focus more on “how-to” nautical books. That being said, there is plenty of practical how-to stuff in here, including fascinating stories that trimaran lovers will enjoy … including small tri enthusiasts. Read the rest of this entry »

Multihull designer Richard Woods is at it again. Although known primarily for his catamaran designs, Richard designed a new small trimaran model called the Strike 18 and started offering plans for it just last year. Now he is in the process of designing 2 other small tris that will bear the “Strike” moniker. Read the rest of this entry »

Jim Brown’s newest trimaran concept, the Seaclipper 20, was on display just a few days ago at the yearly Cedar Keys event in Florida. Boatbuilder Scott Watts is constructing the first Seaclipper 20 trimaran at his shop in St. Augustine and brought his model, which is close to being finished. Read the rest of this entry »

I discovered Chesapeake Sailing Tours a few weeks ago while surfing the net. This business is unique because they actually offer a small trimaran charter for daysailing. I’ve wanted to find out more about their sailing excursions ever since … especially considering this cabin cruising trimaran is just a stone’s throw from my slice of the coast. Read the rest of this entry »

Avid sailor and small trimaran enthusiast Allen Parducci shares his experiences with the Windrider 16, Windrider 17 and new Hobie Adventure Island Trimarans below. Allen possesses years of daysailing and camp cruising experience in a variety of small trimarans, so anyone considering one of these models may be interested in what he says about these sailboats. Read the rest of this entry »

In this piece, sailor and DYI enthusiast Simon Whitehouse shares fabulous details about his restoration of a Derek Kelsall Typhoon trimaran. He completely rebuilt (and partially redesigned) this 1980’s Typhoon tri, and has also created a blog featuring more details of this project here.

Simon writes: “Modifications include a new deck and coachroof to my design, completely new rudder arrangement, modified rig proportions including a taller foretriangle, extensions to the sterns of all three hulls, increased overall beam, and a carbon daggerboard in the main hull.” Read the rest of this entry »

John Marples gave me permission a couple of weeks ago to announce that he is currently working on a brand new model in the “easy-to-build” Seaclipper line of trimarans. He and Jim Brown are calling it the “Seaclipper 24 Trimaran” because it’s obviously going to be in the 24-foot range.

One thing that will separate the 24 from the just-released Seaclipper 20 model is a “cuddy cabin.” This was something Jim Brown wanted to include on a boat this size … if it wasn’t too big. Read the rest of this entry »

Sailor and boatbuilder Gary Baigent, from Auckland, New Zealand, send me the following info about his one-of-a-kind small trimaran, which he named “Flash Harry.” He shares in these great photos of his trimaran with us too. Read the rest of this entry »

Many months ago I came across what appears to be an older design called the “Lively 28 trimaran,” from Hartley Boats. After several email inquires I wasn’t able to learn anything more about their model (no reply).

But Kevin Grobler, a sailor from South Africa, reminded me about this boat a few weeks ago. Read the rest of this entry »

I recently contacted Thayer Ridgway, from www.TriakSports.com, and asked him if he could tell us some more about the TRIAK Trimaran Kayak. He did, and also shared these great pics.

Unlike many kayaks type vessels that have had a sail added as an afterthought, the TRIAK is different. Read the rest of this entry »

Sailor Rex Gilfillan, who hails from New Zealand, shares about his one-of-a-kind Kevlar trimaran sailing canoe in this post. As you’ll see, he has created a boat uniquely suited for the type of coastal adventures he engages in.

What impressed me about this particular craft is its light weight. Combining the toughness of Kevlar with light weight is quite impressive. (I’d love to see a video of how he made this boat, step-by-step :-) Read the rest of this entry »

The building plans for Jim Brown’s new “Seaclipper 20 trimaran” are now for sale at www.Searunner.com. Upon release, Designer John Marples sent me the following … “Joe, The plans are officially available for the Seaclipper 20, including full-size patterns for all bulkheads. There is a total of 9 sheets – including the patterns – so they are very well detailed. Plans also include the Liquid Joinery and Standard Details booklets, and papers on Rigging and Metal Parts. I mailed the first bunch (4 sets) today. Cheers, John” Read the rest of this entry »

Would Robinson Crusoe want to sail a Crusoe Craft Trimaran? What a silly question … Of course he would! Not on the open ocean, of course. But I’m sure he would have loved having this boat for coastal cruising, fishing, diving and exploring all around that island he was marooned on.

What’s that? You’ve never heard of the 18-foot “Crusoe Craft trimaran?” Read the rest of this entry »

A lot of guys first heard about Jim Brown’s new Seaclipper 20 trimaran by listening to the audio featuring Jim talking about this new model here. If you haven’t heard it yet then be sure to check it out.

As a result, there is a lot of interest right now in building this new super-rugged trimaran. Scott Watts, who is in the business of building and fixing boats, is currently building a prototype for Jim right now. To my knowledge, this needs to be completed before the final plans will be released. Read the rest of this entry »

I saw the Telstar 28 Trimaran at the Annapolis Boat Show this past October and also got to speak with Tony Smith, who designed the boat. While perusing YouTube this past week, I stumbled across these short videos featuring this production model. Read the rest of this entry »

Lots of readers enjoy the post about Dick Newick’s Outrigger 26 trimaran (a.k.a. Somersault 26). In response to a request from another member of the small trimaran community, sailor Fred G. scanned an original Outrigger 26 brochure so I could post it here. Read the rest of this entry »

Small Trimaran enthusiast Jim Gallant let me know about a new small trimaran that he designed (and is currently building). This isn’t the kind of thing anyone who doesn’t have a lot of sailing experience or building skills should undertake. But Jim is a true “do-it-yourselfer” sailor who possesses the background to undertake such a project.

And we get to benefit … thanks to his willingness to share it with us :-) Read the rest of this entry »

Jim Brown has just released 2 videos about “the Multihull Pioneers” of the 20th century. There is a good mix of both trimarans and catamarans in these 2 videos, which you can view right here. (These videos are short versions of much larger ones).

This stuff is priceless! And it’s pure fun regardless of whether one prefers trimarans or catamarans (or even proas). Every multihull enthusiast should take these videos and promote them far and wide on the web. Small trimaran fans will especially enjoy the section on Arthur Piver, and his circa 1950s-60s trimarans, such as the Piver Nugget. Read the rest of this entry »

In my opinion, the Cross 18 trimaran is one of the most attractive daysailing small trimarans you’ll find on the Internet. With its sleek hulls, folding crossbeams and roomy cockpit, it certainly offers an appealing package to guys who are thinking about building a boat with its features.

Jeff Turner is the owner of CrossMultihulls.com. As the custodian for multihull designer Norman Cross’ plans, this website is the go-to place for information and building plans for each one of the well known Cross designs, including the Cross 18 trimaran. Read the rest of this entry »

Windrider trimarans are designed especially with camp-cruising in mind. A lot of guys think about using a small trimaran sailboat model such as the Windrider to enjoy both inland and coastal adventures.

So what does such an adventure entail? Read the rest of this entry »

This past October (in 2009), I attended the Annapolis Boat Show in Maryland. A few small trimarans were represented: The Telestar trimaran, the Weta Trimaran and the Corsair trimaran.

In addition, there was a large (and quite nice looking) Dragonfly trimaran yacht. Naturally, I wanted to make a few videos of these sailboats because I’d just purchased my first video camera … ever … and it was my new toy! It’s one of those “pocket video” things. Read the rest of this entry »