Trimaran - Especially Searunner - Owners

[Captryan23]

1st place Pirates Cove Wooden Boat Festival

[longjonsilver]

Originally Posted by Captryan23

It is with a heavy heart that I’m selling my beloved 37 Searunner “Honeywind.”

Is she built with epoxy or polyester?

jon

[Captryan23]

After I cut off the mini-keel, I sealed one foot around and about six inches up the centerboard opening with 8 ounce glass/epoxy. Very solid on the bottom. The rest is polyester.

[Arthurwg]

Beautiful boat. Why did you cut off the mini-keel?

[QD.]

Originally Posted by Captryan23

It is with a heavy heart that I’m selling my beloved 37 Searunner “Honeywind.” Please see my add:

https://www.sailboatlistings.com/view/80295

Hey Captryan that’s a beautiful boat. I’ll pm you mate.

[Captryan23]

Originally Posted by Arthurwg

Beautiful boat. Why did you cut off the mini-keel?

The previous owner had a boatyard in St. Augustine, Fl do some repair work on the mini-keel and they did lousy job. Instead of fixing their mistakes, I just cut it off. Many Searunner owners made that suggestion and I’m glad I did.

[Boatguy30]

As an FYI, I did quite a big repair to Schrimshaw after hurricane Irma damage. Was a 100% polyester boat except for repairs same as Honeywind. Also Jim removed the minikeel! But has that very nice Farrier inspired kickup rudder.

The original fir and polyester boats are still very good. Biggest problem are the rusty staples pushing out thru the glass work. Probably a good idea to reglass at least the mainhull below the waterline on these older boats with a 14 oz biaxial.

[Phaedrus]

I have Phaedrus, a searunner 37. Can someone tell me what size prop I need? I have a 1” shaft and a Yanmar 2gm20. I measured from the top of the shaft to the bottom of the boat at the strut and it was 6 3/8”. I am currently stranded, so I need a quick and simple prop to get me home. Thanks!

[Tusitala]

I would think a quick call to John Marples would give you a variety of options, even just a fixed prop to get you going.

[Roy M]

The prop tip needs space separation from the hull bottom, otherwise there will be cavitation, a condition where the water literally explodes into air bubbles, reducing efficiency. You need a least an inch. You stated you had 6 3/8" as the radius, less an inch or so, that leaves you with a 10" prop diameter. My Searunner, a forty, with a Yanmar 3GM30F engine, throws an 18" diameter folding prop. I take it you have no current prop. I find it hard to believe yours has such a small prop

[Phaedrus]

Thanks, I called and spoke with John Marples . He was very helpful. He told me to check the reduction on my transmission, the the rotation, etc. I’ve been challenged with getting a small prop and not knowing what pitch.

[Phaedrus]

Roy, thanks. I agree. I really need a prop to try on and see. All day long I’ve been calling around and people are willing to order me a new prop. All sales final. That’s a steep learning curve! I found a local diver who thinks he has some used props to try on. I originally figured all searunner 37s have a standard prop...or at least a standard prop.

[Roy M]

Sadly, few Searunner builders understood engine installation to begin with, coupled with selecting the wrong engines, then blowing it on misunderstanding props.

First, you choose the prop. Fixed blades, especially triple blades, have no place on a Searunner which sails like a Dream with a folding prop. Then, you figure out the best shaft angle for a prop shaft long enough to reach from the centerboard trunk area to under the sterncastle. Then, you design the engine bed logs to have the right angle and engine elevation to effectively couple to the shaft. It's done with the lines drawings, the engine spec drawings and templates for the engine mounts. Mine fit within a few thousanths of an inch when I finally installed the engines (first was a Volvo MD2B, later the Yanmar.

The folks who made the prop provided me with the ideal diameter and pitch.

[Roy M]

The shaft needs to have intermediate pillar block bearings, at least at each forty inch frame, or the Cutlass bearing and shaft log. The old Volvo used to make my coffee cup dance on the sterncastle table top. The Yanmar, two hundred pounds lighter, with three cylinders instead of two, is like a sewing machine in comparison. The coffee cup sat invitingly. I use the past tense because everything is in flux as I overhaul. Cabinets, seats, and everything is pulled out so I can repaint every square inch, inspect and upgrade every floorboard, lamp and piece of overhead insulation. All so that I can finally retire and sail over the sunset without repairing and restoring. My Searunner launched in 1978, and I've lived aboard much of the time since. I've had some time to think about things.

[Phaedrus]

Thanks Roy. The propeller that broke was an extendo prop. The benefit seems to be that it extends the blades aft to where there is more clearance allowing for a large diameter. I haven’t been able to find a replacement. When I get home I’ll seek a folding prop. Right now I’m seeking a temporary prop to make the trip back home.