Re: Tri-Hull Club...Yes? No? Maybe?
I'm in. Mine is a 1977 Orrion 15'10" with a 1975 75 hp Chrysler modified to an 85 Chrysler with a Frankenstien mopar ignition system with an MSD Blaster coil setup and L86C spark plugs. This boat is 99 percent used on the Pacific Ocean out of Humboldt Bay, California which has an entrance bar that can be very hostile. I fish Pacific Halibut, occasionally tuna, salmon and rock fish. I closed in the open bow with a wood cover that hinges up from the bow, and I store 20 gallons of fuel in the bow for better weight distribution. No fuel is in the stern. The fuel location change occurred 90 days ago and almost eliminated the tri-hull wave slapping for larger waves. Smaller wind chop like a lake or bay still makes for a slappy ride. A fuel line attaches via quick disconnect where the stern tanks normally are so I can put some there if I want. The line quick disconnect is attached there and runs to the bow compartment where it attaches to 3 portable tanks up there. I can run over 40 gallons of fuel for long ocean trips if I want. So far I've only ever used 4 6.5 gallon tanks for my longest trip offshore.
The Youtube links are some stuff I shot while fishing 10 miles offshore. Farthest offshore with it was 35 miles off shore for tuna one day.
Stomper, with a covered bow compartment
Returning from 10 miles out with a 56 pound Pacific halibut
Same fish. The life jacked padded him from damage from the engine securing clamps. Note the bungee cords which are "anti torque" compensating at cruise speed for "hands off" steering.
Same fish
Same fish again
Electronics layout. Left to right, Lowrance Mark 5X pro sonar, Eagle Cuda 250 GPS and sonar, Asus EEEPC with Sea Clear chart plotter software networked with the Eagle gps and also AIS input from the #1 VHF AIS receiver, Standard Horizon Matrix 2100 VHF with AIS receiver, Icom IC2000 VHF Ham tranciever, and extreme right is a Garmin GPS60CS with full marine charting installed as a backup chart plotter. In the Pacific Ocean, backups and sometimes double backups are what it takes to guarantee safe passage into the entrance with heavy fog and marginal seas. This boat has 3 chart plotters and 3 vhf radios.
The boat design was a pleasant surprise for ocean seaworthiness. It takes 8 foot seas all day long, and with proper weight balance (fuel forward), it rides pretty well as long as the wind chop is longer period than what you get in a bay or lake.
YOUTUBE links at sea in the tri hull
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAsVnXHspRI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5c4ioyd8MCA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbSCYimSXnU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZfyx0inwg4
