My Gemini cat has a strange looking arrangement of ply and obechi to join the two hulls together and support the mast/keel…I’m wondering if there’s a better material I could use?
Would Lexan/Macrolon be ok? Or alloy sheet perhaps? Say…1/4" thick?
Rich
Carbon Fiber “kite” tubes - or do you need the flat platform?
Ah…I don’t know Dick, I know nothing about multihulls to be honest with you.
From what I can make of the fitting, it’s a multi sectioned piece of ply with ply spacers, just big enough to drill a hole to support the mast…a bit crude, I think.
Thanks
Rich
Rich -
if posible a photo or two post showing the two hulls, with the stuff laying in between them to give us an idea of what you are working with - and what it should look like when done. The avitar is just to small to be helpful.
By looking at the directions a couple of answers would also help…
Dick
Hi Dick,
I’ll get some pics organised throughout the day(good woman is demanding we go shopping…:mad:)
The radio gear is split between the two hulls, according to the instructions you have to cut and extend all the wiring which I’m not overkeen on doing, but I think I’ve worked that one out.
There is no cabin as such, both decks are sanded flush with the hulls, the servo heads merely sit out in the open…something else I’m not that keen on.
OK…gotta go, she’s ready. :scared:
Rich
Rich, sounds like a recipe for writing off a variety of redio gear unless you only sail it in the bath!
Get some pictures posted and we’ll try to advise.
Ray
Ok Dick/Ray…
I’ve just spent half an hour or so looking through the kit and I’ve come to the conclusion that what’s in the box isn’t going to be much good. Some of the timber is pretty badly warped, some is…well, just useless and some is just plain missing. The mast resembles a donkey’s hind leg I also noticed, so that’ll be no good at all.
I do have a good pair of ABS hulls and decks (23.5" long) and a bag of fittings that will be useful, a suit of sails which will be ok to get me started again, so all is not really lost.
So, I guess I’m pretty much starting from scratch here…the internals I’m OK with, I can work out the radio installation and waterproof it all as I go, so that bit is OK. The hull struts(is that the right wording?)I’ll need to fabricate from whatever you guys suggest, the mast…(carbon fibre fishing rod section?) rigging shouldn’t be TOO bad as I have the original instructions to follow, I’ll need to fabricate a decent gooseneck, and make up a keel and rudder.
Apart from that…it’s all easy!! :lol:
I’m in your hands guys…
Rich
This is the gooseneck as drawn in the plans…
And the other pic is the best I can do of the box illustration.
Rich
Well - I’ll give it a try - but not much there to work with, and questionable sailing potential just from the photo.
Let’s start with your gooseneck… their suggestion was made by a non-sailor ! 
If you want a “bucks-down”, cheapie fix - you can always use two screw eyes interconnected. One screwed to mast and the other into the end of the boom. If not, you can fabricate your own - or buy them. I certainly would not spend much money buying anything for this quality of a model.
Visit the AMYA web pages, and go to the US 1 Meter page. There you can download a PDF “Construction Hints and Tips” article. It is written for a 1 meter monohull, but much of the info contained can help with any size/style of boat. In it you find several suggestions for building your own gooseneck fitting, vang and even connections from servos to rudders or mainsail and jib.
As for cross-beamss, again, the value isn’t worth carbon fiber unless you can find something in a size of arond 4mm diameter from a kite shop. Over here they would run about $9.00 (US) and be long enough to get three cross beams cut from one tube. Otherwise (cheap) you can cut some hardwood strips, and shape into an oval cross-section and mount them in place. Without a cabin, you can just leave the space open between the hulls.
Again, I know we recommended you NOT buy this boat, so I really want to reiterate that you not spend very much to get it on the water. Sorry, and you may not like the opinion but it just isn’t worth the time or money to upgrade. (Of course, there is no charge for my opinion. )
Thank you Dick, for the honest opinions…I appreciate it. I’m not going to spend too much money on the 'cat, I just need something on the water fairly soon to keep me ticking over.
I’ve taken onboard(no pun intended)your suggestions for the cross beams, I’m beginning to understand how to sort those out, the gooseneck sounds easy to make up now I’ve seen a few examples and the rest hopefully will follow on.
I will keep you all up to date as I go along, and you’ll be the first to know should I lose patience with the thing and jump on it!
Many thanks Dick…
Rich
Rich, not very promising and remember, you can’t make a silk purse from a pig’s ear!
I agree with Dick, discard the crossbeam arrangement in the kit and get some tubes to replace them. Here’s a source of carbon tubes that I have found good and the prices are competitive.
http://www.pjsails.co.uk/masts_&_booms.pdf
On the subject of the cross beams, I think I would lengthen them to get some additional stability, perhaps a beam to length overall ration of 60-70%. I would also go to two crossbeams if you’re using CF tubes, one below the mast and one at the stern to support the rudder. You’ll still need a longitudal spar along the centreline of the boat to support the fin, rudder and sheeting, I think I would fashion something from some spruce strip. BTW, Peter at pjsails will cut the CF tube down for you, which should reduce postage costs.
I think you’ll have some problems glueing the tubes to the ABS hulls as ABS has good release agent properties. If you PM me your postal address I’m sure I can fund some small offcuts of carbon sheet that you could epoxy onto the tubes and then bolt through to connect to the hulls.
Ray
Dick…Ray…the cat problem is solved. I’ve sold it! Took a loss on it though,but that’s my own fault, should have listened to you guys.
Apparently the local guys also sail Micro Magics as well as 1OMs, so I’ll be at the lake next weekend to check things out before I part with any more of my hard earned.
I thank you all gentlemen…and as the great Arnie once said “I’ll be back!”
Rich
Hi Rich -
sorry to hear that you lost some $$$ - but hopefully it wasn’t too painful.
Given the MicoMagic and IOM being sailed locally - I would suggest for your first model to look closely at the MM boats. They are great fun, fast for their size, and have good size fleet followings around the globe. The cost is VERY reasonable and compared to the IOM class, if you don’t buy a used IOM, you might be able to purchase 2 MM’s for close to the same cost for a single IOM. 
Since either will give great sailing and local racing - you won’t be caught without local help and support. In addition, the MMs are small enought to put in the back seat of your car - and you don’t have to de-rig the boat before local travel.
There will be all sorts of “pressure” from local sailors in both fleets to recruit you into their fleet - but regardles of your choice of boat, I would bet that the majority will be there for your support and technical help if needed.
Best regards, and good luck with your decisions. Besides money/cost - you may also want to study the sailors in each class, how “hard-core” they are, and how they will respond to your questions. Of course - please ask them when they AREN’T racing ! :rolleyes: 
Dick