United States: The 19.5-metre 'Trilogy II' is the latest USCG-certified catamaran to join the fleet of Trilogy Excursions, the oldest family-owned and operated charter business on Maui, Hawaii.
The vessel was designed by John Marples, with Schooner Creek Boat Works in Portland, Oregon, as the builder.
Schooner Creek has a 33-year record of constructing modern wooden boats. The Searunner range of sailing catamarans is built with the patented Constant Camber (trademark) system that uses a 19.8-metre airtight "half-clamshell" mould with a compound curve to create each half hull. When the two convex half-shells are joined at the keel, they form a stiff solid-wood structure.
This method is particularly effective for large day charter boats that do not have a lot of interior furnishings, dramatically reducing the labour needed to produce the hulls.
The hull layup consists of five layers of marine plywood that is pre-cut into long strips on a jig with a fixed curve or "spile". The strips are then fitted, trimmed, numbered and stacked in order.
The hull sides are backed by four full-length stringers and ring frames, allowing the thick hulls to resist engine stresses, dock impacts and fatigue far better than fibreglass sandwich. The vessel has capacity for 88 people.
'Trilogy II' is 9.76 metres wide and is powered by twin 283kW Yanmars with an optimum (economical) cruising speed of 14 knots and a top speed of 24 knots.
Constant Camber panels were also used to streamline the cabin deckhouse and the bridge deck construction. Inside the cabin is a fully equipped wet bar and serving area, lounging spaces and an entertainment centre, complete with a widescreen multimedia display. Finally, there are heads in each hull, along with secure storage areas.
The aluminium mast and boom are from Ballenger, the sails from Doyle. All deck equipment is by Harken, and all sail controls are led aft to the helm station.
The cost of 'Trilogy II' was just over US$2.0 million.