Any Wharram builders in Florida?

[Alberto]

Just tryin to see if anyone is building Wharrams in Florida

[boatsmith]

you have questions try me

[Manjuari]

Hey Jeff, 

It's really good to hear back from you. Thanks! I'm nowhere near starting a project yet, just in the "figuring things out" phase. Would really love to take a look at your boats and see first hand what it really takes to build a big boat like your tiki 30. 

We have sailing experience as we used to coastal cruise on a 24 monohull sailboat around our port base in north west Spain. We have been thinking on the smallest "bigger" boat we can sail on a budget as a family (3 kids), and now that we moved to Florida and are surrounded by shallow waters and a lot of new sailing areas to explore a wharram catamaran seems to be the perfect fit for what we need although we have never put a foot on one.

But the whole idea of building such a boat is scary and interesting at the same time. I wonder if I will be able to complete it. If I buy an already built boat I will also need to have the skills for working with plywood, epoxy, fiber glass, etc are going to be required. But the fact is that right now I still don't have the money or the conditions to buy or build a big boat anyways. With all of that starting a smaller project like an Hitia 17 that I can start building right now makes a lot of sense.

I'll contact you with my personal details.

Jeff plentovich said:

Hello manjuari 

I love the wharrams.   I’ve been sailing for 50 years and my tiki 26 that I sail now is one of my favorite boats.   We are up in Dunedin and sail on the sound or Gulf 3-4 afternoons a week weather and work permitting.

if you don’t have much experience in this style of boat building then I would encourage you to take on a smaller projector to learn.  Mistakes on a big project are MUCH more costly.

my tiki 26 will be for sale in the next year or so.   She is in like new shape, new motor new sails sometime this year, new paint, new hatches and on and on.   She is a great boat and fully capable of some extended sailing.   Our longest trip is one week.

‘’my tiki 30 is coming long slowly.   I have the first hull almost assembled.   I have the beams, mast and misc small parts complete.   If you would like to take a look just let me know.   I am building in the safety harbor area.

[Manjuari]

Hey Boatsmith, 

For sure I'll have a lot of questions for you too (please read the response to Jeff) and I appreciate any advice or guidance on my process. I know you have built some Hitias 17 in the past as well as bigger boats. I couldn't find your web page and though you were out of business building boats but I'm happy to have someone with your experience around. 

Are the contact details on the Wharram page still valid? The webpage isn't. 

boatsmith said:

you have questions try me

[Brad Ingram]

Hey Jeff. Do you know roughly of what you'll be looking to get for your 26? I'm planning to give the EC another go this Spring on a custom plywood unlimited board and would love to swing through and see the 30 progressive's etc. 

Jeff plentovich said:

Hello manjuari 

I love the wharrams.   I’ve been sailing for 50 years and my tiki 26 that I sail now is one of my favorite boats.   We are up in Dunedin and sail on the sound or Gulf 3-4 afternoons a week weather and work permitting.

if you don’t have much experience in this style of boat building then I would encourage you to take on a smaller projector to learn.  Mistakes on a big project are MUCH more costly.

my tiki 26 will be for sale in the next year or so.   She is in like new shape, new motor new sails sometime this year, new paint, new hatches and on and on.   She is a great boat and fully capable of some extended sailing.   Our longest trip is one week.

‘’my tiki 30 is coming long slowly.   I have the first hull almost assembled.   I have the beams, mast and misc small parts complete.   If you would like to take a look just let me know.   I am building in the safety harbor area.

[Jeff plentovich]

Hello Brad,

‘I was wondering what came of you.   I see you survived…I’m impressed!!!!!   I hoping to do the EC with my son on the hobie18 I’m trying to bring back to life but that is another story.

regarding the 26 I’d like to get around $25K out of it.  I got a new motor last spring and I’m bending on the new sails as we speak.   She also has new paint, hatches, rudders, non-skid, keels, toe rails, rub rails, running rigging, tramps were just re-sewn and on and on.   I’d honestly say she is in new or better than new shape.

the 30 is taking shape…very slowly.   Life keeps slowing me down.  The bow and stern are decked.   I’m starting to mess about with the interior..    I should be flipping the hull soon to start some of the glass work.   I’m intimidated by the glass so I’m procrastinating lol.

yes…please let me know when you are in the area. It would be great to finally meet you and hear some of your stories.

[Skyler Dixon]

Hello Jeff,

I'm brand new to the forum and am looking at buying a Wharram anywhere from 26' to 38' or potentially building a Tiki 30. I live in Gainesville, FL and make my way down to the St Pete/Tampa area during spring and summer to go sail camping with my Hobie Tandem Island.

I would love to check out your 26 and 30 the next time I'm down that way if you're open to it

Jeff plentovich said:

Hello Brad,

‘I was wondering what came of you.   I see you survived…I’m impressed!!!!!   I hoping to do the EC with my son on the hobie18 I’m trying to bring back to life but that is another story.

regarding the 26 I’d like to get around $25K out of it.  I got a new motor last spring and I’m bending on the new sails as we speak.   She also has new paint, hatches, rudders, non-skid, keels, toe rails, rub rails, running rigging, tramps were just re-sewn and on and on.   I’d honestly say she is in new or better than new shape.

the 30 is taking shape…very slowly.   Life keeps slowing me down.  The bow and stern are decked.   I’m starting to mess about with the interior..    I should be flipping the hull soon to start some of the glass work.   I’m intimidated by the glass so I’m procrastinating lol.

yes…please let me know when you are in the area. It would be great to finally meet you and hear some of your stories.