Joe Farinaccio(83) ID Theft Help 911 Log in to become a member of Joe Farinaccio's Fan Club!
There are good arguments for and against building a small trimaran with wood. Even though building such a sailboat with fiberglass, also known as GRP (Glass-reinforced plastic), seems like a great way to go for larger boats, I still like small trimarans built with wood.
First, lets talk about what could possibly be the biggest disadvantage to building a small trimaran with wood ... the ability of a boat to maintain strong monetary/resale value in the marketplace.
There is a reason why, for example, small trimarans constructed properly using GRP methods have strong resale value. Many individuals in the market for a sailboat simply don't want to buy a wooden boat. And all things being equal, a GRP small tri in excellent condition is probably going to fetch a lot more than a wooden small trimaran of comparable size and features.
If resale or investment is a very important consideration for you then you'll want to talk with some sailboat brokers and get their feedback about this issue. Whether buying commercially or home-building, you need to know what the market wants, and will probably want in the future, before deciding what type of sailboat you're going to sink time and money into.
If resale factor isn't a very important factor for you then building a wooden small trimaran may become an attractive option. Here is why:
Cost - wood boats are generally much less pricey to construct.
Even though wood and epoxy costs have taken off lately, wood building is still not going to cost as much as fiberglass construction. The materials for GRP construction, in addition to the equipment necessary to put them together, will cost more money.
Even if you've got a healthy budget, and money isn't an issue, then you still may want to consider wood for another reason we'll talk about in a moment. But just keep in mind that building a GRP boat tends to be pricier.
Level of Difficulty to Build - The molds and time-consuming techniques for GRP building are going to pose a much bigger challenge than wood construction methods.
I do realize it's rare that anything in life worth having ever comes easy. But some folks don't have an aptitude to work with their hands as well as others.
If you're somebody who wants to build a fast, fun small trimaran with the least amount of hassle then there are ways to achieve this goal without enduring a 2 to 3 year building project. Building a boat in fiberglass at home can take anywhere from 1,000 to 2,000 man hours.
Reputable designers that explain in detail how to build a small trimaran in GRP have sold many plans to prospective boat builders. Many would-be boat builders have purchased these plans with every intention of building the GRP sailboat. Many of these would-be builders never complete their dream.
What happens?
Somewhere in the process the builder loses heart. Then they lose focus. Then the project languishes.
Dreams serve as fuel for our goals. But personal goals should be realistic and attainable.
If you've never built any boat before then building a 20-plus foot small trimaran in GRP is going to be very difficult. It'll be far more difficult, in my opinion, than building with wood.
I had one small tri designer tell me recently that as many as 90% of those who purchase boat plans never actually finish building their dream sailboat. This, of course, means only about 1 in 10 actually finish.
You may be up to the GRP challenge. But count the costs in money, time and skill level before undertaking such a project.
--------
Joe Farinaccio blogs about small trimarans. Visit http://www.SmallTrimarans.com for free info, plus downloadable resources on small trimarans. His "Small Trimarans" book is scheduled for printing in early 2009.
Disclaimer: All information on this site is provided for informational purposes only! By no means is any
information presented herein intended to substitute for the advice provided to you by any health care or other professional
or organization.
