Erutan,

  The offer still stands!  Though it works out that you didn't make it to Maine this summer because the catamaran has been on the hard all season getting a paint job.  I might have a 19' monohull in the water for the month of October, but sadly, that's all I'll be sailing this year.

  Perhaps next year.


All,

  My goal for a maxi-trailerable would remain the same. 

  The second-generation renderings of the Ex40, now offline, are slowly convincing me that it could be the perfect boat.  Perhaps my goals for more size were just reflexive, and I really do want to make it as trailerable as possible.

  The first-generation renderings of the Ex40, also offline, are also slowly convincing me that a shorter folded boat for transportation is also a good idea.  Given that I only plan to transport the boat twice per year, originally I didn't care about length.  But after watching 46' roof trusses scrape trees on two corners in our road while building our house, I can see the wisdom of bows that fold up.

  So, the goal:  the widest 40-48 footer, with the integrated tender/outboard, that can scissor-fold down to 12' wide for transportation.  Tillers with bidirectional foils highly preferred, along with designed sockets for lifting poles to raise the full masts and lower them onto stubs.

  That might allow for slightly more space in the new Ex40, but I can't tell.  It already looks like it would take up every bit of 12' when folded.

---

  Currently the only change or upgrade I'd make would be to add attachable curved aft "seatbacks" so you can lean back against something solid while facing forward, instead of craning your neck to the left or right for hours on end. 

  Perhaps they would have knobs that drop into keyhole slots on the hull, or fasten in place with industrial velcro, or internal highfield levers that hook into padeyes on the hull, or maybe lashings that do the same thing.

  It would be easy to add just the seatback a with legless padded folding deck chair (https://www.westmarine.com/buy/west-marine--go-anywhere-low-back-seat-2--10385656), but I'd rather build it out of glass for the following reasons:

    - It would look intentional, and work with the boat's beautiful lines.

    - It would feel more emotionally secure.  My current open-deck catamaran has nothing to stop the crew from being washed over the transom, and while this has never been a problem, it feels very dicey when seas go past 4', even with a harness and tether.

  Kind of like the the new drop-in cockpit for Bucket List (solid, secure, comfortable, and looks intentional) versus sitting on the tramps. 

        - Mike

 

| Unlikely there will be structural problems if you get the engineering and details right. The looks are a different issue. The folding 40 and the cargo ferry both have cut away decks between the masts. Looks weird, but can be done.

Dear Bob, Rob, MikeC, et.al.;

Mike C has talked a bit about a 12' wide 45-50' trailerable. I had asked about building one like it too.

To me, there is value in several versions of the same ship being built. I thought a 40 would be challenging. Whats a few more feet?!? No, seriously, i'm asking...

Bob, are you interested in seeing about a shared design of something like this? A 'US maxi trailerable'?
Perhaps between Mike, you, and Rob, we could get a SOR for Rob and kick around ideas? Rob has already suggested he was down.

Mike had generously offered, last winter, for me to go over to his, this past sumer, and sail and discuss this. I was unable to take him up on it. But the idea still seems great.

As for me, to paraphrase Supa Hot Fire, I am not a sailor. So I am gonna nod and ask alot of silly questions.

So, wanna design a boat?