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paxfish · 03-04-2018, 09:56

28 foot 2003 Malcolm Tennant Wildfire Catamaran $23K

Faithfully constructed to Malcolm’s plans, Terrapin has recently received many upgrades and is ready to cruise or race. Her hull is an exceptionally durable Western Red Cedar epoxy composite with watertight crash boxes fore and aft. 2 layers of epoxy/glass all around and more along the bottom.

At about 2800 pounds and 550 sq ft. upwind sail area, and 20 feet of beam, she is very fast. Terrapin planes off at 9 knots boat speed, and matches windspeed up to 15 knots apparent. Typically I’ll take the first reef there. I’ve had her to 18.5 knots, and intrepid racers in New Zealand regularly race these boats in the 23 to 24 knot range. Hobie performance in comfort. As equipped, she sails right there with the high performance Corsairs. In fact, her rating without a spinnaker/screecher matches the F28 rating WITH a spinnaker/screecher!

Her high bridgedeck (nearly a meter) and excellent forward buoyancy makes for a drier ride when you’re pushing it. And I’ve never felt like that leeward bow was going to stuff.

All that said, she can be docile as well. With her included autopilot, I regularly single hand Terrapin up to 15 -18 knots true.

For cruising, you have two more reefs and a rotating wingmast to control the main. Off the wind in up to 12 apparent, the screecher keeps her planing. You have acres of tramp space for guests, and berthing below for up to four people. The starboard hull has a private head and the port hull has a small galley and built in icebox. With the daggerboards and rudders raised she only draws 1 foot, so your thinnest gunkhole is now open to you.

Upgrades in the last two seasons include new tramps fore and aft, new Carbon UK Main and Jib, new Screecher on a custom bowsprit. Fantastic Facnor continuous line furler. New floating screecher sheets. Importantly, she has brand new 9mm synthetic shrouds and forestay with Colligo adjusters.

Terrapin is powered by a low hour 4 stroke 9.9 Yamaha that starts easily and runs like a sewing machine. I changed the impeller two seasons ago as well.
Includes:
-Raymarine ST1000 autopilot
-GPS
-Solar charging/controller for house battery.

There it is - for $23K, you can get an updated cat that will compete with a race-equipped $75K F28R. And cruise more comfortably with a private head!

Screecher in light air: