Sailor and self-boatbuilder Bill Kennedy shares background info and pictures of his H19 small trimaran. “An H19 trimaran?” you ask. Yes, we reply. Bill is currently developing one.
It utilizes a Hobie 20 catamaran hull (I am guessing) for the vaka and self-designed double outriggers for its amas. Bill has a lot of sailing experience under his belt, which is exactly what is needed to make a project like this successful.
Can’t wait to see this one in the water this summer. Also pictured is a Rhodes 19, which he is also in the process of refurbishing. See below.
(Thanks Bill, for sharing this with us!)
Update: When I first posted this morning I stated the hull was from a “Hobie 19,” which, as Chris pointed out in the comments area below, couldn’t be the case because there technically was no Hobie 19 model. I am assuming Bill measured the hull and it’s about 19 feet in length.
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H19 Self-Built Trimaran
by Bill Kennedy
I started building my first multihull (a cutter rigged Cross 35) in 1974. Sailed it to the Bahamas, from Maine, and back. Sold it to a fellow from Charleston, NC. And, subsequently built two self-designed catamarans. A 33 and a 37 footer. Sailed them and sold them. I had the pleasure of working in Walter Greene’s shop for a time in 1985 and Hinckley Yachts for a few years.
Now I am retired and playing with small boats again.
The trimaran I am currently building uses a Hobie 19 (hull) for a main hull modified with a foot recess for comfort and a 4×8 platform to sit on and run sheets. I built a new and slightly deeper dagger board reinforced with carbon fiber. Akas are aluminum mast sections. Amas are symmetrical Newick inspired hulls, but with less rocker. This spring I will bolt her together with a Hobie 16 rig and take her out sailing. For now she is buried in snow. Hydrofoils next year.
Pictures included show:
H19 hull modifications…
(The Rhodes 19 “Snow Goose”, beside the Hobie 19 hull, is reported to be hull #2 laid up in the late 50’s or early 60’s. She is in my shop now being refurbished. If you know anyone interested in Rhodes 19’s… )
Aka framework for plug. I made a female mold from the plug and laid up 2 akas, using FG and Carbon fiber, that weighed in at 25 pounds each…
Three hulls all together …
The last picture is the current status of my Trimaran project. Boy, I hope spring is early this year!
Bill Kennedy
Otisfield, Maine
