Trimaran - Especially Searunner - Owners

[Roy M]

On my 40, the helm is offset to the starboard side, easing passage fore and aft and allowing me to sit on the starboard aft portion of the cockpit seat and steer by hand, with my feet up and tucked under a blanket. I switched from the Morse system to an Edson system, feeding to the standard Searunner short tiller arm. In my case, I switched also to an Amsteel 1/4 inch synthetic cable. There are two small turnbuckles at the tiller end to adjust and tighten the cable. My experience (with other people's boats) is that hydraulic always leaks and ends up being more of a pain in the stern than an advantage.

[captcham]

Thanks for the responses. I have the drawings for the "short tiller arm" I believe you are talking about and it looks simple enough to build. The tricky part seems to be running the cables and pulleys so if you guys have any pictures of your set ups that would be great. Roy I remember seeing your set up briefly before and it looked nice. Email me any pictures you can, captcham@me.com

[blewett_john]

Originally Posted by captcham

Thanks for the responses. I have the drawings for the "short tiller arm" I believe you are talking about and it looks simple enough to build. The tricky part seems to be running the cables and pulleys so if you guys have any pictures of your set ups that would be great.

re

Here is a link to pictures of what I did (no details of the cabling though). I made the tiller arm from drawings I bought from John Marples. I made cable drums from 6" aluminum pipe and ran amsteel cables the same as you would for an outboard motor. All works well while on the hard. I haven't tried it in the water yet.

https://buildingmytrimaran.shutterfly.com/pictures/1171

[Capt.Timbo]

Two years into adding new skin and contours to o <r m 40 and will be splashing in four weeks! Topcoat next week, then start putting back together, finally!

[captcham]

John, nice set up. What type of steering assemble are you using to drive the chain? I would like to use a bulkhead mount unit like your using since that is how my set up is already, thanks.

[blewett_john]

No chain, all amsteel, routed like you would for an old school outboard motor setup.

[Sea Otter Jim]

I have been thinking about replacing my old morse cable myself.I know you can still buy 30 ft cable for the rack style . I was thinking of replacing the rack helm assembly also at the same time.My system has worked for 40 years .

[slowbat]

Is anyone using a Auto-Helm wind vane? If so can you please send me photos of your mounting system and any other details you have?
~Thanks

[captcham]

Curious about what anchor windlass folks are using. Also wonder about sizing a unit for a tri as they are lighter and as always we are trying to keep the weight down. I have trid on my other boats to have almost all chain rode as it doesnt chafe etc. I was looking at a Lewmar V700 vertical windlass and wonder if 1/4" chain is a bit small for a Searunner 37? Ideas, comments, suggestions.

[slowbat]

I went small, keep it as light as possible. I sized it to pull up the anchor. If I need to get it unstuck, I will use the sheet winch.

[blewett_john]

Originally Posted by captcham

Curious about what anchor windlass folks are using. Also wonder about sizing a unit for a tri as they are lighter and as always we are trying to keep the weight down. I have trid on my other boats to have almost all chain rode as it doesnt chafe etc. I was looking at a Lewmar V700 vertical windlass and wonder if 1/4" chain is a bit small for a Searunner 37? Ideas, comments, suggestions.

When I bought my boat it had an old, huge manual windlass. It had to weigh 120 pounds. I threw it away. My windlass is the two arms I was born with.

[Roy M]

WILDERNESS status report: I've been occupied with money and other issues this last month, but some exciting news has developed. As many of you know, I have been overhauling my boat for the last few years, upgrading all the systems and renovating the physical structure, all of this in anticipation of sailing over the horizon in a big loop: San Diego to French Polynesia, to Hawaii to the Pacific Northwest and back to San Diego, then repeat.

The final stages of this overhaul have involved a major change in rigging, sails and deck gear, all of which need to be thoroughly integrated and able to function as a whole. It has been a challenge, but with the help of several knowledgeable folks, decisions have finally been reached.

The driving issue was the dodger, bimini and enclosure. I mean driving to the extent that this ensemble pushed all the other projects. But the actual issue was something quite simple, ultimately, which I wanted to share with fellow Searunner owners. Last week, Jason Iverson, of Iverson Designs (ww.iversonsdesign.com), came by to do the preliminary work on my dodger. I chose his product due to it would be lighter weight than a hard dodger of my own build, that it would be sufficiently strong to weather whatever I intended to survive, and I liked the appearance and how it would fit with my boat. My issues were with determining the size and extent of the structure, and the consequence of how the new deck hardware and sails would interact. I also need to build the coamings for the leading and trailing edges of the dodger and then I could paint and finally install the new winches, tracks, and other hardware. Fritz Richardson, a local rigger and vastly experienced multihuller (he previously owned a Searunner 37), came over after Jason's visit. Fritz was focussed on the sheeting angle for the staysail, which I had not previously installed, having sailed always as a cutter rigged genoa boat. The problem was that I couldn't fit the sheet in tight enough with the concept that Jason and I had developed. So I called John Marples, partner of Jim Brown and a great designer in his own right, to offer his views on the Searunner 40 staysail dilemma. John got the ball rolling by pointing out that the staysail sheeting angle could only be as tight as 12 degrees outboard of the midline axis. It's all a compromise, but this was the most efficient that they were able to achieve for a standard hull and cabintop. John suggests that the seat back at the forward end of the cockpit is the best place to install a perforated toerail or conventional sheet track and lead block to the staysail sheet winch, which locates forward of the bulkhead that defines the foot of the bunk in the forward cabin. It's all about having room to swing the winch handle without whacking the shrouds or the dodger. Once that decision was made, several other things fell automatically into place, specifically the beam of the dodger and the commitment to using the staysail concept.

The next suggestion made by John was challenging at first, then made brilliant sense. Fritz, the rigger, was aware of the issue of flying the traditional yankee and staysail combo, because it then required shifting to a genoa to sometimes gain the advantages of that sail. But, for a "geriatric rig", one preferred by those of us of advanced years, changing out big sails in a big blow, can be challenging. So John suggested a nice 110% lapper, with foam inserts to compensate for the large amount of headstay sag our design has. This sail would be flown from the headstay furler in winds up to 20-25 knots, furling a bit as required. At the top end, it would be completely furled and the heavier staysail would be unrolled, furling down as the wind increased higher. In stronger winds it could be sheeted straight back to the genoa winches for greater mechanical advantage. The asymmetrical headsail would be used for most downwind work, and the to-be-installed Code Zero, with a sprit, would allow closer hauled light wind sailing. Fritz, working from the rigger side of the solution, will radically modify the mast head to allow for a "crane" extension to open up a more generous gap at the masthead for this handy sail. Then, Jason Iverson will be called in to figure out what we can do for an enclosure just aft of the dodger.

This collaboration of skilled folks has been really a fun experience and has helped me make the most functional compromises possible. As this work goes on I will be sending updates and photos.

[blewett_john]

I am going to bring my Searunner 37 from Rhode Island to Florida in May/June this year. I will have crew from Newport, RI to Norfolk, VA. After Norfolk I will be alone in the ICW.

My question: will I fit under the Julia Tuttle Causeway Bridge, advertised height of 56'?

If I can't fit then I have to leave the ICW at Ft. Lauderdale and come back in at Miami. I was told that since the Coast Guard does training in Ft. Lauderdale that I will be stopped if I leave there. That would be a major pain.

[Training Wheels]

That depends, what's your mast height?

[Roy M]

Your mast shouldn't be higher than 50 feet (standard for a 40). Then you have to add the distance between the cockpit sole and the distance to the water in the centerboard trunk (about three feet). Add something for a vhf antenna or high wind sensor. Go through at low tide and you should be fine. If not, its probably time to haul the mast and do some overhaul work. Insurance should cover much of that.