| |
Admin asked what I'm
up to.
Brief history, we (wife and two daughters) have just returned to NZ
after 6 years cruising Mexico, Central and South America, Carribbean and
US.
One of the last things i did before returning was deliver a Catana 441
from the factory in France to San Fransisco. Prior to that all my multi
experience was racing locally with an occasional overnighter. On that
trip I was introduced to the awesome possibilities of multihull
cruising, the speed was nice but the standard of living sooooo much
higher, add in shallow draught, level sailing and visibility, cabin at
deck level.... I'm sold.
So returning to NZ I need another boat I know that we won't be needing
an ocean-going sailboat and all that entails for local cruising, but I'm
seriously hampered by a lack of funds. Six years off has taken a toll on
the family budget and I am acutely aware that if I spend money on a toy
for me I am taking it off the family.
I looked at a number of possibles, was very impressed by Ray Kendrick's
designs, but even these went past my near zero budget. I thought to put
the project off for 12 months.
Then found a website for Dick Newick's Tremolino, a piece of sheer
brilliance, take a trashed Hobie 16 ,utilize as much as possible and
stick another hull in the middle (hulls are relatively cheap).
Another road block, the price he wanted for the plans in US dollars plus
shipping converted to NZ$ was approaching what I wanted to spend on the
3rd hull. |
While investigating
this aspect I was looking around at old hobies when I tripped over an
old A-class cat going cheap. HMMM I thought, why not?
End result I bought two tortured ply hulls (60lbs each) two rotating
wing masts, two sails, four beams, two travellers, a trailer and a box
of hardware for $1200.
The plan: 1) restore the hulls, one is primed the other bare wood.
2)Assemble an A-class cat, I've made contact with some of the A-class
guys and they have been great 3) Sail the A-class cat, target is to race
in a regatta labour weekend in Rotorua, don't expect to be anything like
competitive but it's a good excuse to visit the only other Dominican in
NZ (wife is from there) and gives me a date to strive for. 4) continue
to sail A-class while building 3rd 23ft hull to my design (decided to go
it alone here, if all else fails I'll have a hell of a bonfire at guy
fawkes) 5) disassemble and reassemble my new ultra fast daysailing camp
cruising tri for Xmas break.
Major decisions I'm facing- a name and what colour to paint it, the
girls are very worried about that. Best name suggestion so far, name the
hulls individually-cate, duplicate and triplicate
I've attached a photo or two though there isn't a lot to see yet as I
have just spent a week sanding and fairing, so I added a couple of pics
from the net showing where i hope to end up.
Hope somebody finds this of interest.
David
Sept 04 update: 'Stage
one of the cat to tri project complete'~
4 photos added |
|
Posted - 22
July - Sept 2004
Topic -
David's A-Class cat to trimaran project
