Small trimaran to live aboard (Suggestions and Tips)

[Breno1]

Hi everybody,

I am very new to the sailing community but decided to invest some time now to reach one of my old time goals. I now that many people called it a “dream” but I rather call a goal because I want to reach it soon, so it sounds better that way. So please do feel offended if some of my questions or comments sound stupid, I am searching for knowledge.

But off course it is a “dream” life that I am looking for. I want to live aboard and sail. This is something that you “veteran sailors” must hear every day, but my GOAL has a little special touch. I want a small boat (as possible) so I can go to very low and non populated islands to dive (scuba and apnea).

I have been working on a trimaran everyday for the past 8 months and felt in love with it. That is way I am looking for some advices and tips from people that have experience and maybe one day started with a similar “dream or goal” as me.

My question is: What would be a good boat for me?

Some things that I am looking for:
• Trimaran
• Live aboard
• 2 person capacity
• Good boat for a novice sailor (Off course I am not going to cruise before I feel ready)
• 30 – 37´ (this was a suggestion that I got, but open for comments)
• Not for racing purpose
• Under US$ 30 K

I know that what I am looking is not something easy to find, but I am very committed to do it so any help from you would be much appreciated.

Thanks so much for your help.

[sailingdog]

Not gonna happen. The under $30k part is a serious deal breaker, especially for a trimaran that is over 30' LOA and good for two people to live aboard.

The older Piver and Jim Brown designs might work, but I doubt you're going to find a seaworthy one for that price. Another possibility, but a bit small IMHO, is a Telstar 8m or Telstar 26--however, I don't think that two people could liveaboard one, and I own a Telstar 28... so I have a pretty good idea of what I'm speaking about.

I'd point out that buying a boat in decent shape and spending the extra money to get one in decent shape is generally less expensive than buying the same boat as a fixer-upper and refurbishing it. This is especially true if you do not have the skills to do most, if not all of the work yourself.

I'd point out that there are some serious differences in sailing a multihull versus sailing a monohull and would highly suggest you get at least three books to start with, to give you an idea of what you're getting yourself into.

Start with:

Chris White's The Cruising Multihull. While this book is a bit dated, the information in it still applies. It has a pretty good description of what the various pros and cons of cruising on a multihull are.

Mike McMullen's Multihull Seamanship. This book really goes into the handling and management of multihulls, including heavy weather tactics and how they can differ from monohulls. However, it is out of print, so I'd recommend try Alibris.com for it.

Thomas Firth Jones' Multihull Voyaging. It discusses cruising on small multihulls.

I'd also recommend you read the Multihulls in a Nutshell article I wrote. You can read it HERE.

[Blin]

I am new to this too and dismissed the multihulls simply due to their price. Then I found a Telstar 8M! It sold before I could get anything lined up on eBay for US$15,900! Made me completely reevaluate my intentions and have grown very desirous for one of these little jewels. Thought immediately of mounting removable diver boarding ladders on each side and the deck, low freeboard, 18inch draft, roomy for a 26 footer, would make a fantastic liveaboard and dive platform. Loads on info on them on the web!