I just picked up my first Catamaran and its an 85 AMF trac 16, the guy I got it from said that they sail with the hull plugs out so the hulls have some water in them for ballast, and the water runs out when you are under way, I have never heard of that but is that correct? I ask after reading about how water in hulls is frowned upon.



Edited by thunder1 on Nov 15, 2017 - 08:45 PM.

I get enough water in them with the damn things in
Guess I'll have to try it , would save tipping it up on the beach & pulling them out to drain.......not



Edited by carl2 on Nov 15, 2017 - 10:50 PM.

Thanks for the response, I was finding it hard to believe leaving them out was good idea but also being a novice I wanted to be sure. I just couldn't picture trying to sail with hulls full of water.

Yeeeaahhh, I've never heard of anyone purposely leaving their drain plugs out so water could get in the hulls. Sounds like a bad idea to me.

--
Marty
1984 Hobie 16 Redline Yellow Nationals, "Yellow Fever"
Opelika, Al / Lake Martin
--

Any significant amount of water in hulls is a recipe for disaster.
Firstly, lets ignore what hundreds of lbs of water does for your speed. If you had a ton of water in the upwind hull, it would certainly keep the boat from lifting a hull, & flipping. It would also allow you to pull so much power you could destroy the rig, shrouds torn out, mast folding etc.
Secondly, think about what even 10 gallons of water in each hull will do when you do flip. The upper hull is over center, & that extra weight is now a couple, trying to drive the boat turtle. It will also be much harder to right the boat, as you have to overcome that extra moment with increased hiking out weight.
Finally, the hulls most likely won't "self drain". Many small dinghies self drain, using raised floor cockpits. The only time a Cat would possibly drain, is when sailing fast enough that the plugs are at, or nearly at water level. All the rest of the time, whilst tacking, getting ready, or ghosting along in light wind, you will be slowly sinking. It will also be a b*tch to move the boat onshore.

--
Hobie 18 Magnum
Dart 15
Mystere 6.0XL Sold Was a handful solo
Nacra 5.7
Nacra 5.0
Bombardier Invitation (Now officially DEAD)
Various other Dock cluttering WaterCrap
--

BTW congrats on the Trac, nice boat & welcome aboard!

thunder1

they sail with the hull plugs out so the hulls have some water in them for ballast, and the water runs out when you are under way,

Isn't that the same theory that was used on the Titanic?

sm

Isn't that the same theory that was used on the Titanic?

sm[/quote]

I do believe you are correct sir!

--
John

Nacra 5.0
CT
--

carl2

BTW congrats on the Trac, nice boat & welcome aboard!

Thank you, i am excited for spring to roll around.

Edchris177

Any significant amount of water in hulls is a recipe for disaster.
Firstly, lets ignore what hundreds of lbs of water does for your speed. If you had a ton of water in the upwind hull, it would certainly keep the boat from lifting a hull, & flipping. It would also allow you to pull so much power you could destroy the rig, shrouds torn out, mast folding etc.
Secondly, think about what even 10 gallons of water in each hull will do when you do flip. The upper hull is over center, & that extra weight is now a couple, trying to drive the boat turtle. It will also be much harder to right the boat, as you have to overcome that extra moment with increased hiking out weight.
Finally, the hulls most likely won't "self drain". Many small dinghies self drain, using raised floor cockpits. The only time a Cat would possibly drain, is when sailing fast enough that the plugs are at, or nearly at water level. All the rest of the time, whilst tacking, getting ready, or ghosting along in light wind, you will be slowly sinking. It will also be a b*tch to move the boat onshore.

Yeah, I had to replace the shrouds, and front bridle. No wonder now knowing he was sailing it half sunk?? Gheesh

thunder1

so the hulls have some water in them for ballast

Need ballast?
Ballast = Beer
Ballast = Multiple Bikinis

Ballast = Bikinis x Beer
I'm sure that there are values to the B3 equation above that would allow calculation of Total Fun Acquired, or Belches per Knot...
EdChris177 is the engineer, so I look to him for guidance.

--
Sheet In!
Bob
_/)_____/)_/)____/)____/)_____/)/)__________/)__
Prindle 18-2 #244 "Wakizashi"
Prindle 16 #3690 "Pegasus" Sold (sigh)
AZ Multihull Fleet 42 member
(Way) Past Commodore of Prindle Fleet 14
Arizona, USA
--

Hahaha, B3 equation, I like the way you think!!!

--
Marty
1984 Hobie 16 Redline Yellow Nationals, "Yellow Fever"
Opelika, Al / Lake Martin
--

klozhald

thunder1

so the hulls have some water in them for ballast

Need ballast?
Ballast = Beer
Ballast = Multiple Bikinis

Ballast = Bikinis x Beer
I'm sure that there are values to the B3 equation above that would allow calculation of Total Fun Acquired, or Belches per Knot...
EdChris177 is the engineer, so I look to him for guidance.

I like that ballast much better