Trimaran - Especially Searunner - Owners

[Roy M]

The Awlgrip is durable, but best applied over a secure base such as epoxy. Otherwise, the wood checks and undo the seal of the Awlgrip.

[smj]

Originally Posted by Roy M

The Awlgrip is durable, but best applied over a secure base such as epoxy. Otherwise, the wood checks and undo the seal of the Awlgrip.

Thanks, those were my thoughts as well. The plywood appears to be in great shape for 30 years old, but I guess it's hard to tell what is original.


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[Redreuben]

Um, termites need constant access to the ground and their nest to survive. Unless you have a seafaring variety ?
Just sayin'

[Boatguy30]

I have seen termites do a number on the bulkheads and deck beams in glass boats and Australia requires boats being imported to be gassed for them. I believe they start off the in the ground, but are able to do just fine if that have a food source.

[smj]

There are subterranean termites which come from the ground and dry wood termites which dislike moisture. I'm guessing the ones that would infest boats would be dry wood.


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[Boatguy30]

On the subject of the unfinished wood, I was unclear if it was totally raw in the underside or was painted. I reckon either raw or clear finished with epoxy or varnish is good. This way you can see any wet spots in the wood. Often a piece of hardware will leak water into the sandwich without leaking all the way thru the deck. Look at any balsa cored TPI deck.

If it's painted, you can get a ton of water into the inner veneer and never know until a fitting rios out or the under veneer rots. If it's clear, you will see some evidence of moisture at least before it rots.

Roy is right, I think the idea of ply "breathing" is something of a stretch as water in the inner veneers will likely stay there except in maybe a really dry climate. fir is especially a problem to keep water out of unless it is glassed as it will generally check and split just an epoxy coating.

[smj]

In the interior the plywood has been Awlgriped over raw wood. The interior of the bridge deck has been glassed with epoxy and the exterior of the bridge deck has been Awlgriped on raw wood. Couldn't see any signs of checking in the interior, but there is a little checking under the exterior bridgedeck.
From what I've read the bad think about fully encapsulating with epoxy is if you do get a leak, through a deck fitting or possible failure in the encapsulating, it will hold the moisture in and won't be obvious until it gets really rotten.


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[Roy M]

Redreuben, We have airborne termites in our part of the world. Here's a paper published by Alabama and Auburn Universities on the details: http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-1170/ANR-1170.pdf

Personally, I have worked on boats in the water which have been infested with termites. They swarm during periods of very hot weather and low wind, leaving their wings behind after penetrating the surface of a wooden boat. Another good reason for having well sealed epoxy inner surfaces.

[blewett_john]

Originally Posted by Boatguy30

Roy is right, I think the idea of ply "breathing" is something of a stretch as water in the inner veneers will likely stay there except in maybe a really dry climate. fir is especially a problem to keep water out of unless it is glassed as it will generally check and split just an epoxy coating.

I can attest to the water staying between the plys. My centerboard trunk was a weeper. Over the winter the water in the plys froze and delaminated the plys. There was minimal rot but all the plys just peeled off.

I am a fan of totally encapsulating everything in epoxy, especially the edges of plywood before it is installed.

[Boatguy30]

John

Did you hear from a guy that posted in another thread looking to find the SR 37 his dad built in Michigan? I told him to contact you as I believe your boat was built or at least originally titled in Michigan.

John Marples and WEST system had no info on a SR 37 built in MI when I was looking into buying that boat.

Just building my LAR cat keels now. About ready to glass to the hulls after 4 days work. WAY easier than a trunk, but I'm not looking to go there..... (Don't worry Mark and Roy)
Jeff

[blewett_john]

Jeff,
Why do you believe my boat is MI? I found pictures of it with Royal Caribbean logos on it and paperwork naming it Nalu Explorer
Hopefully that guy will in touch with me. The boat's history would be good. John Marples wasn't familiar with it.
Post pictures of your new boat. We all like to see new projects.

[Boatguy30]

The paperwork the owner showed me had MIZ as the start of the HIN. that is the code for Michigan homebuilt. If you search the forum under builders category, Searunner sub topic, you will see the thread.

[blewett_john]

That's interesting. I didn't know that, or even think of that. I will dig deeper. Thanks

[oceand]

Originally Posted by happyendings

I have been following the latest threads on this forum regarding the Krebs Searunner knockoffs with some interest. My friend Ted Vitale purchased a re-designed Searunner by Richard Clark some years ago that was called a Clark 39. Hired to do a survey by a prospective buyer, John Marples pronounced it "unsafe for ocean use". Ted was thus able to buy her cheaply and thereafter sailed her 16,000 sea miles. According to Ted, the boat was lighter than a Searunner 37 and incorporated some notable design improvements. When asked about the 16,000 miles at sea in a vessel unsafe for ocean use, John Marples attributed it to Ted's seamanship. Ted says the boat is still around somewhere in Florida but that it has been subsequently modified rather extensively. Is anyone familiar with this boat?
-Mark Z

New to this forum ~ I sailed with Ted for 10 years in the 80's. We had 8 boats in those years and yes Vanilla was the best one, light as it was. Ted bought it in Sausalito and actually extended the main hull transom to 41'. We sailed her to Costa Rica and back up to Mexico where we finally parted ways. We were a great team for all those years. I made all the canvas and worked alongside him in the boatyard on all Ted's boats. He had the knowledge and well honed skills. We walked many a dock searching out our next project. Ted is a fine sailor and I learned much. We shared sea time really well and had great adventures, spending our time mostly off the beaten track. Nice to hear him spoken well of here.

[md7a]

Anyone have thoughts on the proper use of the mule jib in the Searunner sail inventory? It's the low, long, heavy jib, like the lower half of a Genoa.

I tried it out for the first time recently and am trying to decide whether to keep it on the boat pour out it in shore storage. Looks to be in very good shape.

Anyone especially love or hate the Mule?

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