IMPORTANT INFORMATION
How are Small Trimarans Better Sailboats?
Author: Joe Farinaccio
A small trimaran offers sailors a day boat that combines fun with versatility. Not only are trimarans typically faster than monohulls, but their unique design, which includes akas (crossbeams) and amas (outriggers), provides a number of other benefits as well.
First, they don't have keels. This fact means small trimarans enjoy shallow draft capability. With the ability to go into shallow waters you'll be able to explore coastal areas, or offshore island spots, much more easily than if you have a keel boat.
The lack of a long keel also makes small trimarans trailerable. You can easily put a small tri on a trailer and take it to sailing areas that would be out of reach if you had an untrailerable boat. Your sailing venues expand quite a bit when you can simply drive your boat to a new horizon and set it up in a different body of water that could take many days to otherwise reach.
If your trimaran is large enough so that you can use it for overnight camp/cruising adventures then you can easily pull into any private inlet, tranquil lagoon or secluded alcove. You can go where most dinghies can go without needing a dinghy ... whether you need to depart from rough seas during a thunderstorm, camp out for the night, or simply refresh yourself during a lunch break.
Speaking of camping ... the crossbeams, which support the floats, can prove themselves to be very useful in this regard. The main reason is because trampolines (attached to these crossbeams) are usually a standard feature on many models of small trimarans.
The trompolines, also referred to as "the tramps" or "the nets" provide space for comfortable seating, lounging, eating, or sleeping. Some campers even set up their tents on the nets so they won't have to sleep on hard sand or dirt.
If the boat is taken out a little farther from shore then the nets become a useful and spacious platform for fun activities. In effect, the "deck area" of even a small boat is substantially increased by having trampolines attached to the crossbeams. For instance, they're often used for swimming, diving, fishing, crabbing, watching marine life up close (such as dolphins), snorkeling or just getting a suntan.
With these features, small trimarans can save you a bit of money too. If you trailer the boat regularly then you won't need to pay regular docking or mooring fees because the boat can be kept at home in your driveway. And if you take it to different places to go sailing, then a smaller model can be pulled by a fuel efficient mid-size car or truck.
A boat that is trailerable will also demand less maintenance than most boats kept at a dock. You won't have to worry about paying for special solutions to clean the hull. All you have to do is rinse off your trimaran and sails off at home with clean water after each use in order to keep most everything clean.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/hobbies-articles/how-are-small-trimarans-better-sailboats-622039.html
About the Author
Joe Farinaccio blogs about small trimarans. He recently posted pictures of a famous small trimaran named Magic Hempel, which was actually the forerunner to the modern Dragonfly trimarans at http://www.smalltrimarans.com/Magic-Hempel-Small-Trimaran.html
For more information and occasional small tri related downloads, visit SmallTrimarans.com.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
