Piver Lodestar 35

[CaptainK]

Hey Kai.

Did that man showed up to work on your tri while you're gone?

Nope. That is what you get when you hire dock rats and expect them to work unsupervised.
I will hopefully get some work done this weekend, but for now, time to sleep. Been up for 40 hours. I am not into dealing with employees today.

[CaptainK]

Kai Nui once whispered in the wind

That is what you get when you hire dock rats and expect them to work unsupervised.

Squeak Squeak Squeak.!!

FIghting with the waterline last weekend. Started throwing tools, so I decided to stop. Finally got good weather, but just no time to commit right now. Gotta get her in the water.

[CaptainK]

Painting the waterline, can be a pain in the you-know-what!!

Ya have to be very careful. And measure everything, when you get your proposed mark to line up to paint the waterline?

You weren't by any chance using that method, using a water hose filled with water method, were you?

A water level will not help, as the boat is not on level ground. I was using a lazer level, and had the inside of the second amma taped befor I realized how off level it was. Oh well... I have a scribed waterline on the main hull, so it is no problem, but the ammas are an issue. I tried measuring from the deck down, but that won't give me an accurate line either. I just needed to step back a minute. I will attack it later. I will go back to something a bit more mindless. I still have some glass work to do, and I have still not built the engine bed. No lack of stuff to do.

[Steve Rust]

Jim Brown mentions in The Searunner Construction Manual that it may be a good idea to have the waterline on the ama's about two inches higher than the main hull. I know what you are going thru, having to do one waterline is not to bad but to get three all nice and level and matching is a pain.

It would be great if that was the worst thing I had to deal with I understand the idea of the extra 2" on the ammas, as the boat will not always be sitting level. Like I said, I just needed a fresh view. I just need to do the fiberglass work first. After a few hours of epoxy fumes, I won't notice the occasional woops in the water line Finally decided on an interior layout. I may cut the counters, as that is one of those things that will give instant gratification.

Been awhile, so thought it was time for an update. Progress slow. Projects, still unfinished, but the good thing, I am going to Minneys with a big budget this weekend. Have sort of a deadline. Got a slip. Paying dry storage and slip fees, so I need to get rid of one. Unfortunately, I am traveling for work, and have had little or no time. I have to have her sea ready when I aunch because the slip is 200 miles away. So, on we go... New pics in a couple weeks. I should have something visible to take photos of. Allot of the stuff I have been working on has been small time consuming projects that do not show much progress.

An update. Pilot house/aft cabin is glassed, and fairing coat is on. Windows are fitted. Had an epiphany today, I do not have to move the rudder to clear the folding prop! Send it back and buy a feathering instead. Cost more money and less time. Opting for time right now. Interior is well underway, and the grinder is getting a work out, but I have become an artist with that thing, so it looks pretty good.
A few new shots in the gallery, and more to come this weekend.
By the way, if anyone wants free sanding lessons, I will be holding classes this weekend Oh, and on that boat naming thing, this boat has tried on quite a few names lately. None that I would repeat on this forum, but a couple days rest always brings me back to the original I do find that if I scream at the fiberglass enough, it seems to lay down more cooperatively. This is quite a change from my Harley days of if it don't fit get a bigger hammer. Planks were easy compared to building furniture.
Once complete, I will post a review of the vendors I used. 90% positive. Only a few glitches, but mostly due to poor communication at both ends.

[allnunstoport]

Kai: Sounds like you may be getting to the point where you're painting topsides. I just finished a 52' catamaran restoration and came across Top Secret Coatings in Marysville, WA. They supply the 2-part and 1-part poly to Boeing for their commercial jetliners. They are about 1/2 the price of Interlux/Sterling/Awlgrip with the same or better quality. They will also mix any color (you're not limited to the 10 shades of white/grey that interulux provides). Good folks.

[Roy M]

Kai, I have a 40' Searunner, the next generation up from the Pivers, designed by Jim Brown. My experience (as well as the suggestion from Jim in his construction manual) is to keep the floats empty until you are familiar with the performance. Then start adding weight to them to see what the effect on your boat will be. Don't add weight before then. Also, you might want to consider a Norm Cross type shallow keel to improve windward performance. I've added a number of these to older Pivers over the years. They improve the boat considerably. Norm isn't alive, but his designs for the keels are still available on the web. Contact Jeff Turner at CROSS Multihull Designs

[Mike Banks]

I own a Piver Loadstar 42 and I have auxiliary tankage for water in the amas--about a hundred and thirty litres in each and it could easily carry more. I also carry about eighty litres of diesel fuel in polypropene jerry cans in each.

I also have water tanks of the bladder type in the main hull as well as a stainless water tank which holds about one hundred and fifty litres. With all water tanks full and a full load of diesel she is capable of ten knots in about twenty knots of wind. She is a bit of a slug at this load--no better than a mono.

Empty her excess water and fuel out and she is much faster--the less load she carries the better she goes. Most important that she does not drag her behind. That realy slows her.

There are problems with this design, some of which have been addressed in my version. She has been given a beaching keel which helps windage and two small keels under the amas to help hold them up when beached. They do help her to point a little higher--but not much. She tacks through ninety degrees.

Pivers stop lots of wind at anchor as do many tris. They have large bouyant amas close to the main hull with bunkage over the wing decks. Other designs have smaller longer amas further out--and this makes for a faster boat.

The main problem with the Piver is her potential for burying the nose if she surfs down a steep wave. The hulls all need extra bouyancy for'ard, with more flare in the bows of both main hull and amas.

My boat will drag anchors easily--and she needs a CQR or equivalent of sixty pounds and about three hundred feet of short link chain. All of this weighs plenty--with the windlass to haul it aboard--but it is weight where the design can handle it least. This could be lowered by using a shorter length of chain and a synthetic heavy rope to give the required angle of draw on the anchor.

The smaller loadstar will have the same problems but on a smaller scale. My rig is a cutter but I use only heads'l and mains'l. I am very happy with her performance as a cruising vessel--but she does have some disadvantages as well as advantages. She is comfortable--deceptively so. There could be severe strain on the rig--and one might not be aware of it until something gives way. I take in the genoa and reef down as soon as the windspeed gets up a bit.

To add bouyancy to the bows I have been considering an inflatable apron fixed around the deck shelf of the bows of the main hull and perhaps the amas as well. This would do nothing unless the bows are sliding under--when it might help lift them. A drogue would also help..

Thanks all. I am set for paint, so gateful for the suggestion. Might help next paint job.
Jim brown was involved in the construction. My boat has a few non piver design mods that should lend to better performance, including longer ammas.
As for tankage, I have 2 18 ga aux fuel tanks in the ammas. All water is going in the bilge. Currently using flex tanks, but will build glass tanks later.
The aft section should be balanced based on what I know about the original plan. All batteries are midship, and I will decide on the chain once she is in the water.
She has a keel on the main hull, and I expect here to point well for what she is.

Well, pan B is in place (or C or D or whatever). Had to give up on the folding prop and go with a feathering due to clearance. Got the engine bolted in, cut the shaft to fit, and the bottom is almost water tight. Progress. Slow, agonizing, frustrating slow progress