Need to hire naval architect for major refit/ remodel

[captaingregger]

I have a 45' Horstman Tristar. I love the boat but I often find myself contemplating getting a catamaran instead due to the saloon layout vs that of my tri. However after much consternation over cost to move up to a newer cat, I decided that I'm going to tear off the deck from the mast to the pilot house and make a one-level saloon/ cockpit all the way to the aft deck. The end result will place the mast on the new saloon roof and will add steps to the forward v-birth and to each ama cabin from within the saloon area. I will also add one more cabin. To to this I need to raise the floor I the cockpit by approx 30 inches. That will result in the new floor of the saloon being 56" higher. All space below that new floor, what I the current settee and opposing couch, will become storage and a small crew cabin.

I have spoken to the right boat yard in the Philippines who will build me a shed/ building for the project and can source all the local trades for the carpentry work. I will hire day laborers for the glass work. I plan to use carbon fiber and foam core for the new floor and saloon roof. I will need to relocate the mast to the pilot house roof so I'll need to source a new chainplate fabricator.

I will strive to make this a weight neutral project thought the use of composites and removing the present wood furniture. However, the wrap-around saloon windows and sliding glass door will likely put me over weight so I am planning on adding 3-5 feet to the main hull at the stern and possible 1-2' to each ama. That should help with bouancy, however I am not sure how it will affect performance, nor whether that will even be enough.

I sent Ed Horstman an email to see I he would be interested in taking on the project. He hasn't replied back. I'm not sure if he's even still alive. He's got to be in his 80s by now. But I have heard he does not take to kindly to those who attempt to alter his original designs. So I then contacted Chris White about it. Thus far he hasn't returned my queries.

I know it may seem like an ambitious project but it's actually quite logical. I don't want to spend $800,000 on a new trimaran of this design and I'm not much into the new production cats. I don't like the really low bridge deck clearance. Besides, I really love my boat. She's just needs to be modernized to keep up with the latest multi-hull design and accoutrement trends. I'm figuring $75-$80,000 for the project and most of that is in the custom windows and doors, new galley and new nav suite. I might also add another engine so that would bump up the cost by another $15,000. But even at $100k, I see that as far more fiscally sensible than buying a $800,000 boat that is worth half that amount 10 yrs later. This is the final boat I want to own until I retire. At which point I plan to get out of boating altogether and move on to other things. So I don't mind putting in a bit of money now to get what I want out of a boat but do use most of my longer term financial resources on my kids education and property deals I'm working on as well.

Any ideas as to how I can track down the right multi-hull naval architect?

[FSMike]

Imo-
It might be weight neutral but it's not going to be windage neutral. Adding so many feet in height you may as well leave off the mast because it's sure not going to sail anywhere nearly as well as it was designed to.
Make a nice houseboat though.


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