Solid Glass Multihull

[Pointless]

Let's get the fact that I am a novice at all of this out of the way firstly.
After reading endless accounts of problems with cored hulls, I have gravitated to looking for a multihull of solid glass below the waterline. I already know they are much heavier, less efficient, and sail like two logs strapped together with a twig in between. I don't care. What I'll spend in extra time sailing, I won't spend in time on the hard repairing the hull.
I know of the Island Packet Cat, and not much else. Suggestions on brands to investigate will be greatly appreciated, motor or sail, but sail is preferred. Note: "suggestions", not sales pitches, arguments, or mudslinging please. I'm trying to learn without being humiliated for my opinions and you guys are a tough crowd. Thanks!

[downunder]

I believe all the Deans (SAfrican) cats were built this way.

Do not agree with with your view re cored hulls however. Very few if any Aus built hulls are built without coring and they are floating. But then you do not want to here that.

Good luck.

[Cheechako]

I was told my old (TPI) Lagoon 42 was solid below the waterline.... and it certainly was at the thru hull locations.... but others have said not... so not sure. Never noticed the typical "shelving" you can see with a cored hull... but might have missed it.... personally I would avoid coring below the waterline myself... have seen a multitude of issues... but it doesnt mean you cant get a good one.
Boats I have seen with massive core issues below: C&C, CT, J boats, Celestial .....what I can remember right now.

[Boatguy30]

Prouts, Cadilac, all heavy and slow. Packet is really a barge, but probably better than the english ones if that's what you want.

[Pointless]

Originally Posted by downunder

I believe all the Deans (SAfrican) cats were built this way.

Do not agree with with your view re cored hulls however. Very few if any Aus built hulls are built without coring and they are floating. But then you do not want to here that.

Good luck.

Cannot recall hearing of AUS boats with problems. Correct. Hard to get them in the states though, yes? Feel free to suggest those that you know can withstand a novice bump aground (or two). I know it's not a question of "Will I run aground?" but more like how hard and how often!

[smj]

Our Solaris Sunstar wasn't cored below the waterline, as well as our Edel43, Cherokee 35, Catfisher 32 and Gemini. Not sure how much weight you save having coring below the waterline, but I'm sure it's not enough to turn the boat from a performance cruiser to a barge.

[SailFastTri]

Originally Posted by smj

Our Solaris Sunstar wasn't cored below the waterline, as well as our Edel43, Cherokee 35, Catfisher 32 and Gemini. Not sure how much weight you save having coring below the waterline, but I'm sure it's not enough to turn the boat from a performance cruiser to a barge.

It's a huge difference. Might be 10-20% or more in overall boat weight. I'm sure there are some engineering types here who could do the calcs. Depending on the design and size it could be well into the thousands of pounds (or "tons" as someone wrote it couldn't be).

[smj]

Originally Posted by SailFastTri

It's a huge difference. Might be 10-20% or more in overall boat weight. I'm sure there are some engineering types here who could do the calcs. Depending on the design and size it could be well into the thousands of pounds (or "tons" as someone wrote it couldn't be).

If done right I definitely see the benefits to a cored hull but would never have imagined it would have that much of a difference in weight. How thick would the outside and inside laminates of a cored hull be compared to a solid hull. And we are just talking below the waterline not the whole boat?

[Dulcesuenos]

Throwing my 2c in. Some well known "solid glass " below wl boats have had a reported thickness of 3mm or so. A hard impact.on this could result in worse issues than on a properly cored hull. I have seen way many more issues with wet or delaminated cores on the decks of boat from people failing to re bed deck hardware and screw holes etc. Than core issues below wl.

[downunder]

Originally Posted by Pointless

Cannot recall hearing of AUS boats with problems. Correct. Hard to get them in the states though, yes? Feel free to suggest those that you know can withstand a novice bump aground (or two). I know it's not a question of "Will I run aground?" but more like how hard and how often!

Have heard of an Oran that hit a reef and was dragged off with min damage (CF member 44C would know). Doubt you would find one in States.

Point is well built cored hulls are not an issue. There are some USA designers that use the system. Kurt Hughes, M & M, and Chris White. Expect there are plenty others. New Alpha 42 ?

Don't rule out cored hulls.

Cheers

[ozsailer]

Hello all,
having gone through major issues with my mono hull with core below the water line I would never purchase a boat with core the below the water line ever again. Yes I understand there a many out there without issue but its hard to tell which one is which. Very expensive if you get it wrong.
I love Seawind cats. They have a foam core under the waterline yet I have never heard one having an issue to date but I am gun shy just the same. I was looking at Fontaine Pajots and Lagoon with confirmed glass below the water line and within my budget. I believe the newer models of these manufacturers are now going composite below the water line. Its only my opinion but I have my reasons

[colemj]

Just pulled two through hulls on our Manta - one in the solid glass and one in the cored part. Solid underwater hull is 3/8". The glass on the upper hull coring is 5/32" on the outside of the core and 3/32" on the inside. The core itself is 1/2".

The solid part gets much thicker at the keep root and keel bottom.

The uncored hull dimensions are 38.5' long by 4' wide at the widest part.

So it seems like the weight savings is not all that significant. It seems even less significant for a lightweight dagger boat with much less underwater profile.

Mark

[maxingout]

I have a lot of miles under the keel of my Privilege 39 without any delamination problems. I don't think the core is a problem as long as the through hulls were properly applied by bringing the glass together so there is no core in the area of through hulls.

[SailFastTri]

Why not a steel cat?

[toddedger]

I think Shionning designed some cats that are cedar stripped with glass on each side that have relatively good performance. I think the only way to get a really good cored hull is to build it yourself. You could add some extra kevlar on the bottom if you plane on running aground.