TRIDENT 42, SAIL VERSION
This catamaran design has a slender center hull which is positioned forward of the main hulls. The center hull hits oncoming waves first, splitting them and reducing the shock on the rest of the boat. Since the center hull contributes considerable flotation, the forward sections of the outer hulls can also be finer than normal. The sections view below shows the first 9' of the TRIdent 42.
This combination of "Wave Piercing" and finer sections reduces pounding and lowers the pitch rate of the boat. Result: a smoother ride, more crew comfort, and less strain on the boat.
Side View, TRIdent 42S
Front Veiw, TRIdent 42S
Plans for both sail and power variants of the TRIdent 42 are available.
TRIdent 42 Cruising Sailboat
TRIdent 42 Plan
The TRIdent 42 center hull has a 27' waterline length (lwl) and displaces 3751 pounds. The side hulls are placed 54" aft of the center hull, have a 36.3' lwl, and displace 5666 pounds each. Total displacement is a moderate 15,083 pounds, with an immersion factor of 1397 pounds per inch. Beam is 21' and draft is 3.4'. Designed for conservative cruising, the TRIdent 42 has a fairly high disp/lwl ratio, 141, and a relatively low sail area/disp ratio, 22.7. Estimated maximum speed is 9.7 knots under sail and from 7 - 10 knots under power, depending on the engine selected.
Center Hull Profile (sail version)
The center hull is to narrow to provide much additional living space, but it is large enough to house the anchor and ground tackle, headstay, work shop (with 6' headroom), 100 gal. fuel tank, engine room, 80 gal. water tank, storage for four batteries, a large wet locker, and the rudder. Removing these items from the outer hulls allows more flexibility in designing the interior, and being able to use only one engine saves the builder quite a bit of money and weight. If high performance under power is important, installing an engine in each outer hull, or a large engine in the center hull, would turn this boat into a serious motor cruiser. Many high speed ferry boats have been based on this configuration and demonstrated excellent speed and seaworthiness.
Building Setup
The TRIdent 42 is designed for wood strip construction using inverted molds. For rapid construction, the deck is laid out first, trimmed along the shear and cabin cut out, and glassed. Four full width primary bulkheads are then glassed to the deck, and temporary hull forms placed on 3' centers. The hulls are constructed with 1/2" DuraCore strips (balsa core with mahogany skins), smoothed, and fiber glassed. The inside of the hull to deck joint is then glassed and the boat is rolled over. The insides of the hulls are then glassed and the cabin structure integrated into the wings and hulls, providing multiple load paths and high torsional stiffness. Additional construction details are available at the TRIdent 42, Power section.
Prototype TRIdent 12 Now Under Construction
Current status: The building forms have been cut out using a high precision water jet cutter and assembled. The hull is now being stripped. A 1/6 scale model was first cut out using the water jet to avoid any "surprises". The model faired perfectly, and was used as a plug for laying up a hull mold (a finished part is shown above). Several model hulls have been built for flotation verification and deck design studies. The model is similar enough to the larger designs to allow for mockup interiors, deck, and cabin variations. It also clearly shows the volume and benefits associated with the center hull. The model is priced at $40, plus shipping. Click here for pictures of the prototype TRIdent 12.