Looking for catamaran advise

[bjordnolf]

I am looking at possibly building a Wharram Tiki 30, just wondering if anyone has comments about this boat, or suggestions for other similar designs I might want to look at.
thanks

[Pierre LaRochelle]

Take a look at Mike Waller's Coral Sea 35. You may also want to take a look at Kurt Hughes Designs and do read Chris White's cruising multihulls. Be careful, this is a mono-hull intensive group and they may not share your enthusiasm. Catamaran....it's a good thing!

Madman

[crawdaddyjim50]

Yeah, around here even a wood cat will get you excommunicated..

I second Chris White's book.

[Rigadog]

Anyone who has ever sailed on a catamaran has eventually died. Stick to monohulls.

[ian scott]

i'm not dead- yet.

[paladin]

and anyone who sails on a monohull eventually dies.......your point?:p

[teaksmith]

Since you specified the Wharram Tiki 30 as the catamaran design you are considering, have you seen Boatsmith's (a member of this forum)
blog on the one his shop is currently building? This will give you a good idea of what's involved in the construction, as there are photos and descriptions of every step. The boat is about 80 percent complete. I was just there earlier this week, and spent a few days building the mast and some other parts to help out, since I've built smaller Wharram cats and am currently building a Tiki 26.

The Tiki 30 is a lot of boat for the time and money required to build. It offers shoal draft and proven seaworthieness, can be disassembled for moving or storage, and probably costs less to build than any similar sized cat.

The blog, Pro-Built Tiki 30 is at: http://tiki30.blogspot.com

[bjordnolf]

Thanks guys, yes I have read the blog and yours actually thanks for putting it up.

[Rigadog]

My point was a joke, playing on how some monohull people would never go to sea in a catamaran. Sort of like the kid in "A Christmas Story" who was repeatedly warned about shooting his eye out with a BB gun. Sure enough, a ricochet hit him square in the glasses.
I like Catamarans, especially Wharrams. I don't know if I could face building two hulls though.

[teaksmith]

Actually, building the two hulls is not so bad, since on many designs the two hulls total up to about the same amount of materials and labor as a similar sized monohull. It's the connecting beams, deck structure, tillers and all that stuff that ends up taking an inordinate amount of time, at least in my experience. On the other hand, there's no ballast keel so that saves time. The Wharram cats are probably simpler than anything else, but it you build to a high standard and finish (many are not) they require time and effort.

[Woxbox]

Not dead yet, either.

Nice choice, I would say. I assume you've studied the load capacity and mocked up the interior so you know how roomy a boat it is? The 30-foot number, as Wharram is quick to point out himself, is a misleading way to compare it to other boats on account of the long overhangs in the Tiki designs. But if it's roomy enough and can carry the stores you'll need, go for it.

[barrington]

I built a Tiki 26 a few years ago and was very pleased with the result. Wharram's plans are completely understandable and guide you through every process of how to put the boat together (maybe thats why they're so expensive). Contrary to other opinions, building two Wharram catamaran hulls is far simpler than building a monohull because the hulls are absolutely vee shaped. Two sides and no bottom! You simply stitch the two sides together, spread them apart and insert the bulkheads. Voila! Instant hull. Building the crossbeams is time consuming but no big deal. The thing to watch for is the stitched rudder attachment. Very difficult to drill all those holes in the sternpost and rudder without some water getting in somewhere. The boat sailed extremely well and I sold it a couple of years later and got my material costs back. The 26 has 4 berths only. Nothing else. Accomodations in a Wharram are very limited. I now sail a monohull.
Chris

[Boatsmith]

Hi, This tiki 30 will be on display in the water at the WBS at Mystic Seaport this June.I'm looking forward to meeting a lot of you. David

[wtarzia]

The Wharram V-hulls interest me. I just built a 14 foot v-hull as the ama for my outrigger sailing canoe -- interesting technique. And that is an ama that will not be pounding or slapping! (the ama on my first proa drove me crazy sometimes with the noise). Makes the canoe hard to turn, though (on the other hand it should track very well). How well does the Wharram V-boats go to windward without boards? -- Wade

[kenjamin]

Looking forward to seeing your 30' Tiki at the show. I'm a long time admirer of James Wharram's catamarans and I understand that he will be at the show. Will we be able to board your boat and look around? It would be really neat to get a feel of the boat – a great one for Florida cruising!

[Boatsmith]

yes indeed on all points

[Bob Cleek]

Well, cats have their fans, or so it seems. Let's just assume it doesn't capsize, which takes care of the death issue. Now, all you have to worry about is finding a marina berth wide enough to hold it without paying an arm and a leg in surcharges, and the stomach to deal with a boat with very little resale value. Other than that, they do go fast.

[Woxbox]

I'm still not dead...

Well, cats have their fans, or so it seems. Let's just assume it doesn't capsize, which takes care of the death issue. Now, all you have to worry about is finding a marina berth wide enough to hold it without paying an arm and a leg in surcharges, and the stomach to deal with a boat with very little resale value. Other than that, they do go fast.


So I'll risk another post...

As to the resale, the bigger cats are the only sailboats that are retaining their value these days.

[dakota]

This is to the origional writer of this thread. I have a Tiki 30 that I purchased in Grenada and sailed to Panama. It was built and sailed from England. The T30 is a beautiful fast boat and seaworthy like all Wharrams. We experienced many gales as we followed behind hurricaine Felix with no real concerns. I would cross the pacific in my boat but would like something larger with wider beds, storage and head room ...Tiki38. I seriously concidered building both designs but decided to get on with sailing a Wharram. By building a T30 you would see the end of build sooner than other designs. Modifications are easy, and refits are cheep. We use our 9.8 dinghy motor for power, and a 2.5 hp pushes us at 4 knots. The cockpit is huge, and larger than most 40+ vomitholes... sorry I meant monohulls. The low rig and gaff sail is great for handling, experimenting and can spill excess wind when riding a gale. We have a triple reef if needed. Resale? It will be to an obssesive group losing sleep over your boat because they NEED a Wharram. Be sure to use West System and good ply and paint. Theres my two bits, any questions or comments are welcome.

[slidercat]

I think any plywood boat is going to be difficult to sell for much more than the cost of materials, no matter how well it's built. On the other hand, plywood is a wonderful material, especially for multihulls.

Ray

http://slidercat.com

[Thermo]

This is to the origional writer of this thread. I have a Tiki 30 that I purchased in Grenada and sailed to Panama. It was built and sailed from England. The T30 is a beautiful fast boat and seaworthy like all Wharrams. We experienced many gales as we followed behind hurricaine Felix with no real concerns. I would cross the pacific in my boat but would like something larger with wider beds, storage and head room ...Tiki38. I seriously concidered building both designs but decided to get on with sailing a Wharram. By building a T30 you would see the end of build sooner than other designs. Modifications are easy, and refits are cheep. We use our 9.8 dinghy motor for power, and a 2.5 hp pushes us at 4 knots. The cockpit is huge, and larger than most 40+ vomitholes... sorry I meant monohulls. The low rig and gaff sail is great for handling, experimenting and can spill excess wind when riding a gale. We have a triple reef if needed. Resale? It will be to an obssesive group losing sleep over your boat because they NEED a Wharram. Be sure to use West System and good ply and paint. Theres my two bits, any questions or comments are welcome.

T30 is the boat we are planning at the moment. Plans are godawful expensive at $1200 a set, but it's such a nice boat.

Anybody here in the Chesapeake Bay area have a T30 we can come take a look at up close?

[Wild Dingo]

I once purchased the plans for the T38 but wont be doing it again... she ALMOST murdered me! At the time they equated to over 3000AUD!!... now at least they would only set me back 2770AUD... the T30 and T31 would be far more financially viable at $1200AUD

But then I cant justify that either at the moment... so if anyones feelin right generous and have a set of plans sitting gathering dust it would make me feel wonderously chipper to recieve them!! ;)

Bob and I have had our disagreement over Wharrams years back and he doesnt seem to have changed his view none with the passage of time ;) While some have issues with them period and yet others with cats or tris of any sort even with having read some of Chucks adventures in his tri... but the Wharrams do have a certain charm that doesnt seem to be available in many other boats... perhaps the Indo boat I cant remember the name of right now is about the only other that has the same asthetic charm

Oh as to resale value... down here your LUCKY to recoup your costs PERIOD!!... Wharrams just dont sell most who want a cat want a schonning or such and so most Wharrams seem to command APPAULING prices when they come up for sale which isnt very often... down here anyways

Anyways all the best with it
Shane

[dakota]

I'm coming to think you are all right about resale. Maybe I'm trying to justify
paying what I did (top secret). I was in New Zealand when I ordered the Tiki 38 plans and when they got half way there from the U.K I woke in the middle of the night and thought what the hell am I getting into here. They were able to return my money as there was another builder wanting the same plans.
Lucky for me, but one day I will build, maybe an small ethnic design.

We are currently doing tons of refitwork on our boat and getting ready to transit the canal. We will haul out on the Pacific with the 15' tides.
Best of building to those who have made the commitment.

[JimConlin]

If the boats are what you want, the Wharram boats are very well designed. As a builder, it's a great luxury to have a set of plans where the details have been worked out. $1200 is a world-class bargain.
I have a close friend who's spent seven years trying to interpret much less detailed set of plans for a similar-sized multihull from another designer. The need for 'invention' easily doubled the building time and compromised the end product. If the Wharram boat suits your needs, go for it.

[Thermo]

I emailed Wharram about the plans today. I expect we're actually going to build the T30.

The boat is what I want. Not the boat I wanted to build (that was Chebacco, for the fun of building it, mostly) but it's more of the boat we want to have and take across the stream. Doesn't hurt things either that I can take it across the ocean if I wanted to.