Why tri hull boat

However, its ride is rougher on choppy water since there is an increase in the surface area at the bow. The tri-hull boat design has been most used for boats with lengths ranging from 10 to 12 feet. Shorter boats will enjoy the advantage of the greater stability that this boat design offers. Tri-hull boats are mostly smaller, dinghy-style boats and are commonly used by recreational fishermen on placid lakes. Read on to learn more about tri-hull boats, their pros and cons, and why they are not so popular today.

If you are like most people, you may not know that there is such a thing as a tri-hull boat. You may have already been surprised by boats with two hulls, such as the catamarans. But three hulls? You may think that that is overkill. But it was a popular design choice for a while. This design gives greater stability to the boat.

However, because of the larger surface area at the bow section, its ride is rougher when running on choppy waters. This boat design is used largely in lake boats and smaller dinghy-style boats. The lengths of these boats usually range from 10 to 12 feet only. Tri-hull boats are also called Cathedral and Tunnel hull boats. They are very popular with recreational anglers and sport boat aficionados. Due to their design, these boats are very buoyant, stable, and can get on planes faster.

However, when speeding, these boats tend to pound upon encountering choppy water. Its design makes it unsuitable in non-flat water. These boats are called tri-hulls simply because they have three hulls at their bottoms. Their original designers based their tri-hull designs on the traditional double-outrigger hull watercraft from the Philippines and East Indonesia, including other cultures in the Austronesian parts of Southeast Asia.

These boats are also called trimarans. Most of these boats are built for a tournament or sports use and recreational boating and fishing. In the past, this boat design was also used in building warships and ferries. Modern technology and later developments have led tri-hull boat makers to improve their basic design to enhance their performance, speed, and buoyancy.

In general, these boats are classified as multi-hulls, in the same category as the tri-hull pontoon boat and the catamaran. Others have called them tunnel hull boats because they also form large tunnels at their bottoms when running on the water. They are very similar to V-hulled boats but only with a more pronounced bottom shape.

With their particular hull design, tri-hulls have less contact with water, so they have more buoyancy and lesser drag. As such, they are faster than most sailboats with traditional hull designs.

With three hulls at the bottom, they tend to have more deck space. Boaters can also expect these boats to provide excellent stability. There are many advantages that tri-hull boats offer more than what the boats with more conventional hull designs can provide.

Here are some of these advantages:. The three hulls of these boats make them sail flatter. In certain sea conditions where a monohull boat will be rolling, the tri-hull will stay flat.

There are three hulls in these boats, not like other boats with just one hull. That means the load is distributed across the three hulls of the boat instead of just one. Last edited by a moderator: Aug 6, Joined Apr 12, Messages I know that this is an old post and I am not trying to hi jack this by any means. I have been trying to find other boats like mine, but with no luck.

I love tri hulls ever since my father had one when I was a kid and it rocked as a flats boat. Held more weight than a V and floated in 6 inchs of water. Now, the link I followed from your post MikeDee is exactly like mine.

The company mine was made by is Sabre, so the title says. I bought it from an older man who attempted to rebuild the boat, but lost interest due to age so I picked it up. Were there any other companies that made the same style as the air slot?

My build date is by Sabre Boat Manufacturing. I love the deep V entry, but did not know that they were considered hybrids. I just thought mine was a bit different being it was older than my fathers, along with the fact that I can fly through some thick chop with no problems.

Wouldnt trade this thing for any new flats boat. Joined Jul 31, Messages I have a 14ft tri-hull Tom-boy. It does seem to hammer rather badly in chop. Propper tilt adjustment on the motor does help with that. My boat has that cut-out at the stern so it runs rather deep in the water. Also, the hull design seems to almost demand bunks rateher than rollers on the trailer. Joined Feb 8, Messages 6, I had a 16 ft tri hull with a 55 rude on it.

I had heard a few stories about the bow digging into a wave in rough water but found it hard to believe until it happen to me. This happened while flounder fishing on the eastern shore of Va.

It would have been a great boat for lakes or rivers. Joined Oct 5, Messages MIKDee, I agree with you on the Wellcraft, there is a 24' cuddy up for sale in my neighborhood right now that I am drooling over!!!!

Joined Oct 30, Messages Here is a pick of my Monarch McFast 17' tri-hull. I love how stable it is, and the great fishing area up front. Click to expand Not only does this further reduce drag, it also means that, should a trimaran flip, it's less likely to sink than other boats.

Will Charpentier is a writer who specializes in boating and maritime subjects. A retired ship captain, Charpentier holds a doctorate in applied ocean science and engineering. He is also a certified marine technician and the author of a popular text on writing local history.

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