Trimaran Deconstruction/Reconstruction

[projectfiji]

From searching on all the popular sites, it appears that Trimarans are impossible to find east of say...California. How would a guy go about getting a project Trimaran from the West coast to the East coast? Could you cut the amas off and then brace and reconnect them for reassembly in a safe manner? Or...When you make that initial cut are you basically destroying the boat?

[James S]

I guess it would depend on the model and how its all connected.
I just met a guy who cut up a cat for over land transport and reassembled it.
Anything is possible....practical is another story!
Have you found one yet?

[projectfiji]

No luck yet. Working on getting the finances together for this spring. I do think the first thing we are going to do is hit all the marinas along the Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, and Lake Erie shores. I've stopped at a few on Huron already, and the number of abandoned sailboats is incredible. Most of the time you can buy a fully functioning sailboat for a song and a dance.

Other than that, I've been reading everything I can find on marine construction.

[twisty]

Originally Posted by projectfiji

From searching on all the popular sites, it appears that Trimarans are impossible to find east of say...California. How would a guy go about getting a project Trimaran from the West coast to the East coast? Could you cut the amas off and then brace and reconnect them for reassembly in a safe manner? Or...When you make that initial cut are you basically destroying the boat?

You said hard to find, I just found one in NC today, reasonably priced. Not sure what you are looking for but I have a link to it if you would like to take a look, I am not in buying mode yet. PM Me.

[Maren]

Originally Posted by projectfiji

From searching on all the popular sites, it appears that Trimarans are impossible to find east of say...California. How would a guy go about getting a project Trimaran from the West coast to the East coast? Could you cut the amas off and then brace and reconnect them for reassembly in a safe manner? Or...When you make that initial cut are you basically destroying the boat?

You do realize you asked the same question less than two months ago, right? I can think of two people that have done this: John Marples and myself. I got my directions from him. If the number of boats is as small as you think and the number of people who have done an ama-ectomy is a much smaller subset -- how many people are you looking to hear from?

Let me tell you how, gently shooting you down in the process

1. Inspect the boat yourself and then have it professionally done. That should convince you about the sensibility of it all. But if it doesn't and it surveys well enough ...

2. Drive to CA

3. Have crane or travelift pull the boat out at set it on ... something. Stands are the most likely if you are going to build a cradle, but some flatbeds will allow you to jury rig a decent enough support frame if it doesn't extend to where you will need to cut.

3a. Build cradle matching the shape of the hull. Lower the boat onto the cradle (obviously, building a cradle while the boat is in the sling would save a second lift here, but usually isn't feasible for the marina ... at least, not without a cost to you.)

4. Remove mast. Brace out-hulls. Cut through hulls. lower hulls carefully. Place hulls on ... something. I think you will find that you can't place them on top of the boat or even the sides. Actually, I pretty much know this as I tried to do the same thing but bridges and federal regs tend to put a damper on that sort of thing. But, in the event you could ...

5. Drive home. Don't wreck. Oh, did I mention it's a wide load and you will need the permits, insurance and appropriate licenses? And if it's too wide you will need lead and trail cars

6. Have crane unload everything.

7. Build separate smaller end cradles for out hulls (that's four in total). Epoxy all the fresh wood surfaces to keep water out.

8. Get out hulls up in cradles and lined up with main hull. Ususally you need a few 55 gallon drums and some wood blocking. In your case, add dollies for each of barrels to move them more easily. Align in all three axis's, as well as for cant, camber and tow. In other words, fit everything back together exactly correctly.

9. While maintaining alignment, use butt blocks and bolts to ( ... no, seriously, they're really called butt blocks. Quit laughing) reinforce the cut on all structural elements. No, make that all elements. Epoxy everything in place -- all surfaces of the wood, the holes, the bolts, small animals nearby as a sacrifice to the Gougeon Bros.)

10. Admire your work. There you go, what could be easier? Now go do everything else.

Seriously, a head examination might be in order here.

As for tris on the east coast, I have seen three in the last three months. One I bought. One was on Ebay (check the expired listings); the last was on a broker's website.

In general though, do a bit of homework. Not because asking the same questions makes you look like you want to keep asking until you get an answer you want. And not because asking a question without checking to see if it has been addressed in another thread makes it look like you are want people to re-answer the questions they have taken the time to answer before because you don’t want to be bothered with looking.

But because the sea has no patience for the unprepared and you don’t want to set up the habit now.

[projectfiji]

Maren,
I asked it here, got little response and then went to the trimaran experts. Sorry for the double post. Lighten up on the snap judgement eh?

I've seen probably 10 or so on the East Coast now. Of course I'm not sailing anything on the Great Lakes in January.