Strike 18

The 18ft STRIKE is a new trimaran design that uses a beach cat as the outriggers/amas and rig. The cabin top is removable to convert the simple pocket cruiser that sleeps 2 into a fast day sailing boat that sits 6 in dry comfort.

The outrigger hulls fold up for transport

Very easy to build with a stitch and glue hard chine hull and flat panel ply decks.

CLICK HERE for a provisional study plan (in pdf format, but saved as a zip file)

The photo below shows the prototype after 75 hours work.

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The prototype Strike was launched on September 2nd 2009. Unfortunately as is often the case in BC in the summer winds for the first sail were very light. Even so the boat sailed really well and was extremely comfortable to sail. We look forward to some more wind, when I will make a more detailed report of the sailing performance, but in the meantime here are some photos.

The Strike is available as both an open deck boat, as we have built, and also one with a removable cuddy for a basic one/two person micro cruiser. One reason why I build prototypes is to refine the design. Even before launching our Strike I decided to raise the wing bottoms slightly and to lower the front windscreen. Even with the raised wing and lowered windscreen there will still be plenty of room below with the cuddy fitted.

The gps showed a maximum speed of 6.2 knots, yet as you can see there was hardly any wind. A very comfortable and easy boat to sail. Steers itself, yet tacks fast.

I am experimenting with a boomless mainsail, early days yet. On the prototype the outriggers are cut down 18ft singlehander hulls. The mainsail a cut down 18sqm and the mast a shortened Tornado mast. The jib is also from a Tornado, but 35 years old. So, as you can see, with a bit of time spent modifying things, you can use parts from most beach cats.

My third sail was on a breezy day. In fact the first time this year that we saw white horses in our normal sailing area. The wind was certainly well over 20 knots at times. The local multihull association (the BCMS) was having a regatta so I decided to sail along with the fleet for a while. An indication of the wind strength was that I was the only boat unreefed (because I can't - yet), a Farrier 32 was double reefed.

Unfortunately, after the first sequence I was rather along way from shore, but you should be able to see that I did sail at a steady 10 knots for much of the time (11.2 was the highest speed on the gps). In the last shot I appear from the right. The other boats on the video are a F24, a F32, a Banks 35, a Horstman 38 and Bad Kitty, one of the fastest 35ft cats in the world.

Photo from the BCMS website, Strike sailing at around 9 knots

I found that the boomless mainsail is horrible. (Something I had actually already learnt when sailing a Dart). For as soon as you ease the mainsheet the sail goes baggy and you can no longer point and tacking is hard. So for next season I will fit the boom.

I also decided that for sensible cruising (as opposed to just burning around in the bay) I need a set of reef points, while a furling jib would also be nice. Other than that the boat sailed great! And it could definitely be pushed hard without problems.

A few days later we sailed Strike again. This time in company with a Lock Crowther designed Buccaneer 33 trimaran, which has always been acknowledged as a fast design. As you can see from the video below, we sailed at a similar speed. OK the Buccaneer was faster, but also it was 15ft longer and, despite the small jib, had a 49ft mast (the Strike has a 26ft mast)

The Strike is not intended as a fast, "hairy" boat to sail. Instead it is for those who may be new to boatbuilding and multihulls and want to start with a quick and easy project. And it is also for those who already have a beach cat and enjoy it, but who also want to be able to take the whole family out on gentle sails.

It is a "sit in" boat, rather than a "sit on" boat, which is more comfortable and a lot more reassuring for nervous crews and for those with young children. Even on that windy sail I sailed without foul weather gear and no spray came on board, despite the fact that we have yet to fit the trampolines.

For trailering the outrigger hulls fold up. Because they are beach cat hulls they are very light (around 40kgs, under 100lbs) and so it is easy to do. The centre of gravity is still relatively low so no problems when driving. Trailering beam is under 8ft. The flat hull bottom makes it very easy to launch and retrieve. while no trailer chocks are needed. We use Tucanu's flat bed trailer, so it is oversize for the Strike.

Plans and building manual are now available

Plans for the main hull are GBP100, or GBP150 including the Quattro 16 plans if you want to build the complete boat yourself. Plans are available only as download plans in pdf format.