A Take-Away From My Interview with the UK.’s Magnum Trimarans Guy
Steve Walker, of Ahoy-Boats.com in the U.K. generously gave me some of his time last year to discuss the Magnum Small Trimarans. These sailboats are made by VirusBoats in France.
These small trimarans serve as “day boats” for hundreds of sailors who either sail solo or play host to a small crew. And after my talk with Steve I’m even more intrigued by their functionality (in addition to their sleek look).
In this snip, I’d like to share a little bit about the big misconception Steve said a number of prospective buyers have about the Magnums. (My interview with Steve is a featured chapter in Small Trimarans: An Introduction).
Steve told me that because Magnum trimarans are multi-hulled, many sailors assume they handle like catamarans. And this happens to be a false assumption that needs to be quickly set aside.
It seems that catamarans have a generally well-deserved reputation for being difficult to tack. Their long slender double-hulls, combined with the fact they’re often riding on just one of them, makes it hard for the boats to turn easily.
The Magnum tris, however, are completely different.
When they arrived on the scene about 7 years ago they offered sailors a small trimaran sailboat that handles much more like a typical small boat when it comes to turning. The stern of the vaka (main) hull is basically flat. And this design, combined with use of the centerboard, allows Magnums to swivel around very easily … almost as if they were single-hulled dinghies.
Sailors who return after taking them out on the water for the first time often seem amazed by how easy the Magnums are to turn and maneuver. Steve said their design was somewhat unique when it first came out. Some other trimaran designers have copied it in recent years.
All in all, the flat profile of the back portion of the principle hull and centerboard make for an extremely nimble boat. Considering the fact they’re both stable and extremely fast, ease of handling is a pleasant bonus.
The Magnum trimaran videos in the next blog post (which include the Magnum 18, 21 & 21S boats) should illustrate this feature. And be sure to check out the Magnum trimarans at www.Ahoy-Boats.com … plus take a look at Steve’s Blog there. His blog entries offer some unique reading about sailing.
