Racer to cruiser? Tripp40? 1990

[Tim francis]

I’m looking at a Tripp 40 to turn into a cruiser. I don’t know much about the trip 40 or racing sailboats. I just want to cruise locally in Hawaii with the hopeful possibility to get to Central America. I’m concerned trying to take a racer cruiser and fit it as a cruiser wouldn’t be normal. The 7 ft draft is a drawback but not for Hawaii. I’ve learned that a lot of Tripp’s boats have delam issues and may not be fit for crossings. This would be my second boat and still have a lot to learn. Any advice and info on this Tripp 40 would be greatly appreciated. I’ve only got info online and talked to the owner by phone. I think I may fly from Maui to Oahu tomorrow to look at it and one other boat, a 36 standfast. Palmer Johnson. Thanks

[Jim Cate]

Tim, I know nothing about the Tripp boat, but I owned and cruised a PJ Standfast 36 for 17 years, covering over 86000 miles in the S Pacific. With some thoughtful mods, she was a good seaboat, sailed much better than most similar sized cruising boats, and I loved her dearly. If you develop an interest in that boat and have questions, I'd be willing to try and help.

Jim

PS What's the name of the one in Hawaii?

[Training Wheels]

Who built it?

[svHyLyte]

The Tripp 40, a handsome boat, was built by Caroll Marine of Bristol RI, a semi-custom builder of high end racing yachts. The Company, which discontinued production after 19 years and sold its assets to a power-boat builder in 2003 due to economic conditions, built to a very high standard and a 1990 was reportedly a very good year for its boats. Performance wise, the boat is very able and a good sea boat and was quite competitive. It's accommodations are minimalist however such that it could be a bit tough to convert the boat to a live-aboard cruiser unless one is, likewise, something of a minimalist. If so, the only material limitation with the yacht is the 7 ft+ draft which would exclude it from some areas. Here is southwest Florida, I find a 6' draft somewhat problematic so wouldn't think of anything deeper. In SoCal, the 7' won't be much of a problem or much of anywhere along the Pacific coast.


FWIW...

[TheOffice]

Tankage will be an issue for cruising. Good luck with the search!

[Training Wheels]

I’ve always heard to be careful of boats built by Caroll marine.

[Cheechako]

Many (some?) racing boats are built with thin light layup over cored hull for speed. Often delaminating or not staying bonded to the core. Not to mention a lot of lever arm with a deep keel on a thin hull part it's attached to. Keep that in mind and have a careful hull survey. They are only built to be fast and last a few years as racing changes substantially and fast making old designs obsolete for racing.

[Tim francis]

Thanks guys. I found some info saying that this certain boat didn’t have the core delam issues that a lot of other carols had. I’d dig into that more and of course have a survey done. The owner has added more fuel tanks I believe in fuel bladder form. There’s an extra water tank. He has solar. I believe put in a three burner stove and oven. He has modified it already into what I would think a racer cruiser status. I happen to be very minimalistic. I have lived in my dodge van for two years on Maui to save all my income minus food and fuel. I saw some videos of some Tripp 40s where it’s very minimal. YouTube. I could bolt down a lazy boy and stick a flatscreen tv in the cabin and I’d be happy. I think the fridge freezer is more than adequate. I’m looking for low maintenance not bright work. I plan on picking fish up not chicks. Has a good Yanmar. Tiller steering. Possible mod on that later. The owner said it needs deck paint and a deep clean inside and out. Bottom done two years ago and can’t remember when the rigging was changed or inspected. He uses the boat often. He’s technically the owner by paper. He is selling it for his friend in Australia. No windlass. Comes with like six extra sails. My plan/ goal is to use it for a liveaboard and sail around Hawaii. I would really like to end up going south or east eventually. Maybe not circumnavigation but in the future at one point that is the master goal. I’m 39. The owner on Oahu, by paper, said he wouldn’t even hesitate taking her to Tahiti in the shape she’s in now....... he’s a captain and runs a yard. Maybe with some work and modifications she could be what I’m looking for. The blank canvass might be cool too. Water makers genset etc...lazyboy. California king size bed. Hammock. Washer dryer. Mini freezer. Custom settee with storage. I think a lot of possibilities.
My last boat and first boat was a 40 custom sloop.
Thanks for the help and any further help. Aloha!!

[Training Wheels]

We looked at a Tripp 40 once. I thought it could be a great fast cruiser, if no construction issues. Loved the open interior.

[Tim francis]

Yeah!!!
That’s what I’m talking about

[roland stockham]

The main issues with race boats built since about the 80's is they will generally have an unprotected spade rudder and minimal load carrying ability. I also note that she is fractional rigged. Not a rig that I would chose for cruising. The load carrying is the big issue though. When you start to look at ground takle, fuel, water and provisions for a month at sea you can find youself over the load limit. This not only kills the performance but can create stabillity issues. Check it from the design before going ahead. Obviously this is less of a problem if the boat is built for transocean racing. The other issue may be that deck gear such as winches could be a bit light, again to save weight, what a 25yr old winch monkey can haul may not be the same as an average cruiser. Also racers can be more interested in speed than breakages. If sothing breaks in a coastal race you may loose the race. Can be a lot more hassle when things break cruising. I reckn to take all deck gear up one size for offshore, ie if you boat is 35ft choose gear for a 40ft. Again though it adds weight that she may not like carrying.

[Tim francis]

https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/tripp-40

Very good and valid points.

[Jim Cate]

Hmm...

Deck gear and winches are IME bigger and better on race boats than on most cruising boats, not smaller and weaker. Racers drive their boats far harder than cruisers ever do, and (having been a racer in years before cruising) do not tolerate breakage any better than cruisers do. And they want the winches to be up to rapid trimming in heavy conditions, too. Look at the pitifully small winches that are standard on modern high production boats and compare them to similarly sized racers... you'll see!

Unprotected spade rudder? Sure, just like the vast majority of current cruising designs. The difference is that race boat designers know that their boats will be driven hard with big kites up and in strong winds, and design their rudders to be stronger and more powerful than most cruising designs.

Load carrying ability? Well, sure big loads will mean a performance hit, but unless a lot of above deck stuff (heavy hard dodgers, davits, arches with lots of solar, rows of jerry cans full of fuel, etc) is added, I doubt that any significant change to ultimate stability will be noted. Our previous boat, a Standfast 36 like the OP is also considering, was grossly overloaded... down 6 inches on her racing lines. It certainly slowed her down a bit, but she was still faster than similarly sized conventional cruising boats. Saw us through 86,000+ miles of cruising, one cyclone, numerous gales and squalls... had one mast in the water knockdown in storm force winds, from which she recovered immediately (far quicker than the crew did!).

All the above relate to ocean racing designs, and I'll admit that I know nothing about the design brief for the Tripp 40. The Standfast (which was an early IOR one-tonner) was definitely expected to race in open ocean conditions and was strong as hell.

So, there's a different outlook on the question.

Jim

PS I'll have to say that the Tripp's rig isn't the best for a short handed cruiser. It's a fairly skinny mast so the runners are important, and that's a serious question IMO.Our current boat is fractional, but with swept back spreaders, and that means that the mast will stand ok without the runner being set in all but severe wind states. You do get forestay sag without them, but not rig failure, and I fear that the Tripp might well have issues when gybing in big winds without crew to deal with the runners.

There is a long standing thread here on CF from a chap in Tassie, Weyalan screen name, who converted a Van de Stadt 40 racer into a cruiser, and that boat too had a fractional rig with runners and check stays. His solution was to have a cruising main built that only came up to the hounds, so he could leave the runners set all the time. It was like having the first reef in all the time, and it worked for him.

[roland stockham]

Jim, yes I agree that boats designed for open ocean racing can make great cruising boats, mine was desined under junior ofshure rule. The same however is not true for some coastal/riund the cans racers. Not sure where te OP's boat fits so I suggested some points to check. It may be fine. Some was also personal. My view is that any boat with an unsuported rudder should not be classed as a cruiser but I also say the same about any boat that cannot take the ground against a wall. Those are preferences and depend in part where you cruise and what sort of crew you have. The issue of stability is though a hidden factor many people seam unaware of. Some race boat (and some marketed as cruisers) put heavy reiance on form stabilty. Once heeled stiffness is created buy thewindward side lifting. If overloaded that hull section remains burried making the boat exessively tender. These boats can also tend to have poor rigting curves.
These are all points that should be considered when changing a boats useage. It is ultimatly the skippers resonsibility to deternin if avessel is suitable for any proposed voyage and all design ellements have both plusess and minusea but that is what makes working with them such fun.

[MartinR]

Also, motion comfort should be considered. Racers have an rather uncomfortable ride. Some persons can stand it, some don't.

Of the two boats above, the Standfast 36 would make a good, comfortable cruising boat. She is actually rather heavy, while the Tripp 40, although not extreme, would fall into the light and lively category.

Comfort ratio is an abysmal 19 for the Tripp 40, but an acceptable 30 for the Standfst 36.