Formula 40 Trimarans...

[Skip JayR]

Hi, folks.. I hope some of you (or one of you) can help me out :-)

We got different trimaran classes since the 80th for the racing circuit, Formula 40, Multi 50, Orma 60 and MOD70.

Actually I am diving for details about the Formula 40 Tris

I havent found lots of infos, as the Formula 40 has it's origin "before the Internet era" in the 80th, in France. In February 2014 there was a headline on the website "The Daily Sail: Formula 40 reborn?" (related to the Volvo Extreme 40)

I citiate from there...

In the mid-1980s with costs spiralling out of control in the Class One offshore multihulls - at that point 85ft long behemoths - some bright sparks in France came up with the concept of Formula 40, a multihull built to a box rule - trimaran or catamaran, with 90sqm upwind sail area, 180sqm downwind and a minimum weight of 1,800kg. The race program was originally conceived along the lines of the Figaro class, with a mixture of singlehanded and fully crewed events, inshore and offshore. Some of the top names competed - Loick Peyron, Philippe Poupon, Yves Parlier, Michel Desjoyeaux, Roland Jourdain and the two time champion of the class Jean le Cam with his series of Biscuits Cantreau tris. From outside of France campaigns were launched by Alan Wynne-Thomas and US Tornado silver medallist Randy Smyth, the 1986 championship winner and ultimately Jo Richards and Stephen Fein fielding their Full Pelt trimaran. Sadly costs spiralled out of control, were not checked and with the French economy on the decline the class lasted three years before blowing itself apart, most boats ending up on the Swiss lakes. This was followed by the even shorter-lived ProSail catamaran circuit in the US. Yesterday's announcement of the Volvo Extreme 40 is something which multihull sailors have been waiting more than a decade for... Yes, the class has clearly been born from the minds of Tornado sailors - it is one design catamaran, much like a Tornado scaled to X2 (in fact the original name for the boat was the Tornado 40) - but the boat is state of the art in terms of catamaran design and build and the one design aspect will achieve what the Formula 40 singularly failed to do in curbing cost escalation. Herbert Dercksen, Chief Executive of the class aside

From multihull designer Kurt Hughes I got some parameters as he had designed a Formula 40, which is sailing now as Trimaran Gecko in Netherlands...

Length overall: 39'-11" (12.16 m)
Length at waterline:
39'-9" (12.16 m)
Beam: 39'-4" 12.0 m
Draft: 1'-3"/8'-10" (0.38/2.7 m)
Weight: 3,950 lb (1,791.7 kg)
Sails - Main: 787 sqft. (73.1 sqm.)
Blade: 323 sqft. (30.0 sqm.)
Spinnaker: 925 sqft. (85.9 sqm.)
Displacement: 4,466 lb (2,025.74 kg)

As we can see, the typically of these boats is the impressive square size of length x beam: 12 x 12 meters. Same concept as it was realized later for the bigger Multi 50 class.






Does anybody have the "original rule book" of this class ?? Would be great.... or at least some tips for sources I can look at ??

Tks in advance :-)
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P.S.: Some Formula 40 Trimarans which are still sailing.... :-) Little beauties, isnt ?

Trimaran Gecko... completely refitted in 2014/2015 and sailing in Netherlands... some first vids on Facebook. Planned to race the OSTAR 2017 by solo sailor Pamela van der Vleuten


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One of the last built Formula 40s... it's Trimaran Biscuits Cantreau 3...


... in regatta modus :-)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SR0iWm3zp50

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The beautiful Formula 40 Trimaran Spirit (former Trimaran of England)... completely refitted during 2014/2015 and since July this year on water again.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqNnnDDQxE8

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Legendary Trimaran Adrenalin (built by Gougeons Brother in NewZealand now) with a uniquely bumper system for the amas...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQpTkLm6T3U

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Felicidade.... a Formula 40 oriented Trimaran (only with 10,00 m beam (width))...

+++

[FSMike]

sjr -

I don't know if you've found the forum multihulls4us but they might have some info. They could use some new blood over there too lol.
Good luck in finding the right boat.

[tp12]

Have you seen these? TRIMARAN DESIGNS - Grainger Designs Multihull Yachts

There's a 52 and 60 foot cruising trimaran design there. And a few others. Some very nice catamaran designs too

[Skip JayR]

Originally Posted by FSMike

sjr - I don't know if you've found the forum multihulls4us but they might have some info. They could use some new blood over there too lol.

Yes, FSMike, I know... and as you mention, it is "out of date"... not going a lot in this forum. Its up to the owner/admin of this page to make it attractive. :-)

Originally Posted by FSMike

Good luck in finding the right boat.

Tks... yes... its exiting... I do little bit documentation about my "search" here on my blog: http://bit.ly/1KYx1W9

Different Trimarans coming across my path.... actually i had two in closer view:

Comforable 30 Foot Cruising Tri - 10 Meter Farrier Command...



Beautiful 40 Footer...



The most frustrating within this search (which mostly becomes more kind of a scientific research) is, that the owners are very lazy folks... dont deliver details, neither a catalogue of latest photos nor technical specifications. Its like pulling all out of the nose.... and the brokers being involved can't do anything (or maybe dont like it) to push the owner into the right direction giving all informations, freely.

I am radical in my decisions... if I dont get detailled infos there is only one way: the prize has to fall down heavily as I take the risks :-)

Actually so my experiences over last months it seems some (or most) owners are still dreaming of "good old times" before the financial crisis in 2008. Their expectations of sales prizes I'd like to call "illussions". Selling old 25-30 year old boats at the prize of a new Porsche... so it doesn't work.

[Skip JayR]

Originally Posted by tp12

Have you seen these? TRIMARAN DESIGNS - Grainger Designs Multihull Yachts

There's a 52 and 60 foot cruising trimaran design there. And a few others. Some very nice catamaran designs too

yeah.... I know Tony's design. His boats are very successfully in "down under". Actually his latst project is the Airplay RAW30 he let built in Asia.

[Franziska]

Hi have a look at www.goldenoldies.biz. That's where all the renovated older French multihulls gather.
On the menu to the left there is an English menu towards the bottom.

Good luck!

Sent from my C6603 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Skip JayR]

Originally Posted by Franziska

Hi have a look at www.goldenoldies.biz. That's where all the renovated older French multihulls gather.
On the menu to the left there is an English menu towards the bottom.

Hello, Franziska ! Tks remembering me... yes I know that "Conservation Project" and the website.

I suppose maybe there was only one 40 Footer member which might base on the "Formula 40" concept, built in 1992 by UK designer Nigel Irens.


Its fritz Fritz Fratz - ex "Star de la trinité" which was owned by a German business man and capsized couple of years ago I think. It had a 22 meter mast. The boat is lost.

All the 40 Foot Trimarans in the GOM fleet like the Nigel Irens' Gordano Goose or Pandemonium (ex IT 82), Green-Newick's Acapella / Amisep and Kelsall's Regain² (ex Filtrasol) have been built shortly before the times of Formula 40 era. All great designers no doubt.

I suppose the applaus goes to the French ones. :-) The 1st ever built Formula 40 Trimaran was built by French Marc Lombard midth the 80th. it is the Trimaran "Category 40" which was presented first time to public during the Lorient Festival in 1985.


Two years later Marc built the uniquely 40 Footer Fildou with one single cross beam... and already was planned for foiling. A boat his times far ahead.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_asQpuqaHU

This boat now is for sales at 75,000 Euros... new look in orange.


Personally I dont like to look back. "Golden Oldies" that sounds like "pension home" some old folks remembering good old times.

For me its more the question to know about the past, get an understanding and learn for the today and plan a new and exiting future. I think, the Formula 40 has a future... (feel free to see my post in the Multihull sub division of BoatDesign.Net Forum).

Greetings from Hanseatic City Hamburg.

P.S.: How is it going in Netherlands, Franziska ?? There is a big community of multihull sailors (round about 400)... you are Cat owner/sailor under German flag, right ? :-) - Pitty that the Trimaran Aquaris was lost 2011.

[Franziska]

Yeah the loss was not something I would like to live through again.
Stupid decisions taken by the skipper (I was not on board) at the time.
Now I have a trusty cruiser. Www.Ladyrover.jimdo.com

Formula 40 where great but true racers...

Sent from my C6603 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Skip JayR]

Originally Posted by Franziska

Now I have a trusty cruiser. Www.Ladyrover.jimdo.com

Great...

Originally Posted by Franziska

Formula 40 where great but true racers...

Can work as crusier, too...

Another F40 was built lately in Montreal in 2000, designed by Antrim Design (California) as cruiser-racing version. Its the Trimaran Zephyr. The mast isnt over-dimensioned up to 80 feet length, but smartly giving some extra square metres sailing area:.

Overall Length: 40' 0" 12.19 m
Waterline Length: 40' 0" 12.19 m
Beam (max.): 34' 1" 10.4 m
Mast Hgt. from WL: 62' 8" 19.1 m
Displacement: 4,620 lbs 2100 kg
Draft (board down) 7' 11 5/8" 2.43 m
Draft (board up) 4' 6 3/8" 1.38 m
Draft (rudder up): 1' 4.25" 0.41 m
Main: 741 sf 68.9 sm
Wing Mast: 71.8 sf 6.66 sm
Jib: 217 sf 20.1 sm
Genoa: 494 sf 45.9 sm
Spinnaker: 1456 sf 135.3 sm

Beautiful lines...




Have not found a vid.

From that cruising-racing version Antrim Design developed a cruising version which was built in China and South Africa...






Displacement: 6,330 lbs 2870 kg
Overall Length: 40' 0" 12.19 m
Waterline Length: 40' 0" 12.19 m
Beam (max.): 34' 1" 10.4 m
Mast Hgt. from WL: 63' 5" 19.33 m
Draft (board down) 8' 2" 2.5 m
Draft (board up) 4' 6" 1.38 m
Draft (rudder up): 1' 7" 0.49 m
Main: 741 sf 68.9 sm
Wing Mast: 71.8 sf 6.66 sm
Jib: 217 sf 20.1 sm
Genoa: 494 sf 45.9 sm
Spinnaker: 1456 sf 135.3 sm

CAPACITY: Berths 1 double, 1 queen, 1-2 single
Heads 1 marine toilet
Fresh Water 110 gal, 416 ltr
Fuel portable
Payload 2500 lbs, 1130 kg
Auxiliary Power 15 hp outboard – saildrive option

It seems a very relaxing boat... as it is not overpowered:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNajkw4gQpE

[Skip JayR]

tks to "cmclauglin" (BoatDesign.Net Forum), so I fell over the "upgrade", Kurt has done with his Formula 40 design (see upper named Trimaran Gecko). Does anybody know when he published it ??

Looks good what Kurt Hughes designed newly... . I suppose he did it 5 years or so ago.



Length overall: 39'11" (12.2 m)
Beam: 39'-0" (11.88 m)
Draft: 1'-10"/9'-6" (0.55/2.9 m)
Weight: 3.750 lb (1,700 kg)
Displacement: 5.650 lb (2,563 kg)
Sail Area m 750 sf (69.7 sq m)
j 307 sf (28.5 sq m)
s 1,175 sf (109.1 sq m)
upwind 1,057 sf (98.2 sq m)


... and good reasons behind for this cruising version:

citiating Kurt Hughes: "This offshore racing trimaran design was done for the legendary ocean racer Phil Steggal*. From my own racing trimaran I learned that even on day-races, each crew has a great volume of gear and it gets in the way down below. The flare on the sides lets the gear get stowed out of the way, and it deflects some of the high speed spray at 25 knots. It looks like Phil will go with one of those famous designers but I can't see it being an improvement over this design."

and I suppose Kurt is still working on a "heavy weather version":

Citiation Kurt: "This is the light to moderate weather model. The higher wind speed model is much wilder with planing amas and lifting foils."

-----------
*) If Corley (BoatDesign.Net Forum) doesnt mind, lazy as I am, I citiate from his wonderful Trimaran Blog, dated on 23rd October 2012: "Phil Steggal's 50' carbon racing trimaran project : Phil Steggal is somewhat of a legend in multihull ocean racing circles. He built his first trimaran to a Walter Greene design in 1979 and came a respectable third in the 1980 OSTAR transatlantic race. A composites expert he has setup a website detailing the design and construction of his latest carbon fibre trimaran. "

The linked website Buildatrimaran.com is no more :-( Phil is or was here in the forum in 2010 with the user name Gosailing (BoatDesign.Net Forum). His latest posting was in 2011.

[trimaranspirit]

Skip JayR

Great thread!! Have you seen or heard much about Lock Crowthers old designs? He did a great Tri similar to the formula 40 in the early 80's originally called Balina but then sponsored and renamed BullFrog.
She had a sister ship built in the 90's in NZ that's now called Ave Gitana. She recently did the transtasman race and won breaking her sister ship BullFrogs old record at the same time.
Ave Gitana is now on the Goldcoast in Australia for sale and is one hell of a boat. Minimal space as per most 40 footers but she's a very well proven ocean capable boat.
If we didn't have Spirit she's be our 2nd choice of what's out there at the moment.
There's more info on her FB page here
https://m.facebook.com/pages/Ave-Gitana/536355233151783
And here is her brokerage site.
Used Crowther 40 / Cruising Racing for Sale | Yachts For Sale | Yachthub
Cheers and all the best from Spirit ��

[Skip JayR]

Hi, folks and F40 friends ! :-)

... surprise, surprise. I fell over another Formula 40 Trimaran kind. It is not exactly following the F40 measurement, as the beam is "only" 10 meters instead of 12.18 meters (the length of a 40 footer).

Little bit strange, neither I have any "boat name" nor I have the year it was built

Only information I have, that it is a design by French naval architect Philippe Cabon (who designed the beautifully 40 Foot Trimaran Felicidade and the 50 Foot tri M'Pulse). The "Greeny2 is built in strip planked sandwich epoxy of total displacement of 3 tons...

Does anybody know more about this boat ? - Did it race on the regatta courses successfully ? Who was first skipper ?

I'd be thankfully for some details... maybe someone of you know it. I suppose it sailed in the past under French flag.








More images as thumbnales in the bottom. For bigger size pls click on each.