Hi folks,
I’m considering to build a small trimaran myself, thinking of 28"-32". Unfortunately nearly all pictures and videos of joshs boat are gone. Does anybody still have them and may post’em or mail’em to me? A PM to Josh hasn’t generated any results yet…
What do you think about just scaling down a mini40? There are several plans available, so it would be quite easy…
I’m thinking of a rig with just a mainsail, how do you think about that?
Thanks for help in advance,
Cord
I am not sure if these are the ones you are referring to. If not, I believe this was built to 28 inches and was scaled down from GHOST TRAIN lines available from seveal sources for free on the Internet.
Since only 5 images can be downloaded please see following for remainder that I have.
Here are the remainder. The red boat belongs to Jack Ronda from the State of Washington. It is 1 Meter (39+ inches) and is scaled down from a mini40 called PULSE - a U.K. Championship boat from late 1990’s or early 2000.
Those plans are also available, but have a cost associated, since the owner/designer and I have agreed to royalties when I sell his plans for him.
Regards - hope to see something hit the water. Given the popularity of the FOOTY, a 28 inch version of a multihull would be nice to see how it performs. As noted, I too have lost contact with the owner builder. He was living in California, and moved to Hawaii. After that - nothing. I also wonder how it finished out and how it sailed.
Good luck - and reminder - if you download GHOST TRAIN plans, you will need a CAD reader since they are in DXF or DWG format (can’t remember)
Hi Dick,
thanks a lot, these are the pictures i was searching for…nice to know that scaling down mini40’s might work quite good.
I’ll try to get some information from the guys from New Zealand, they have some multis around 800mm (32") as well and they look pretty good on the video i saw.
I’ll let you know when i’ve got a boat ready to sail…
Cord
Thank you for amending your profile to include your country. It always helps when others read a post and find they have a person close by (or not) with similar interests. I wish all would do the same.
Best wishes on your build. I may be wrong, but I believe the fellows “down under” may have started with a one meter and cut it down. I can’t recall if they drew lines from the beginning to be that size. One nice thing about smaller ( besides travel) is that you can use less expensive and less powerful sail winches.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Hi Dick,
thanks so far for your help, i decided to build a modified and scaled down ghost train. the modifications were made to avoid pitchpoling, a little more volume in the bow sections of the floats and an improved shape i guess, the complete documentation is to be found somewhere in the mini40 subforum of rc-network.de…the modified boats seem to sail pretty well.
unfotunately the office is keeping me busy at the moment so it will take its time until the boat is ready to sail…
but i’ve got another question for you: i was thinking about a rig with a mainsail only. on the multione class-homepage i found a picture of a boat of yours with this kind of rig (a blue trimaran actually)…can you give me some information on how it performed? any more thoughts on this issue? how about using a so called “Equilibrium” rig as shown in the footy section?
lots of question, but i would be glad if you answer them…
thanks in advance,
Cord
Cord -
by my avitar, you can see my old 18 Square Meter catamaran that had only one sail. Also modern day classes of big beach cats include the Formula17 and the “A” Class - both of which also are uni-rigged (The F-17 also uses a spinnaker) and are single person cats. Lot’s going on trying to steer, trim main and fly a chute on the 17 all by yourself in a stiff breeze! 
Yes, uni-rigs work, they seem to point much hiigher without a jib going to weather, but if you don’t build up a lead or are good at sialing downwind, the jib/main boats will catch and pass you on downwind legs. Still they are fast and a challenge to sail.
You know, I have read a few of the FOOTY posts on the balanced rig, but haven’t used and really can’t say. Many of the French Mini40’s use a swing-rig, which is a bit different. I know a few FOOTY sialors can perhaps answer your queestions, but the guy who has experience with the rig - AND - who knows about high speed sailing (land yachts) is Bill Korsgard from Wisconsin. If he doesn’t read this post, you might drop him a Personal Message (PM) and ask him for his thoughts and comments.
The biggest issue that makes others experienced with the sails/rig questionable is the fact the FOOTY doesn’t reach wind speed or better upwind, while a cat or tri can easily sail faster than the wind. Thus, experience is lacking if such and idea would work. Upwind in a good performing multihull - you are always sailing into an apparent wind and are close hauled. If you are good and the wind is there, even downwid you sail a broad reach with the sails close hauled (as compared to running downwind with sails out to the side).
Dick
Hi Dick,
thanks for the thoughts on the speed issue, i just overlooked that one…
and it’s funny that you mentioned the a-class cats, because the thougt of using a uni-rig came last weekend…while sailing my a-cat…
i’ll also have a look at the french guys, they’ll probably have a discussion board as well…