Tiki 31

Comment by Paul Lawton on August 5, 2010 at 1:17pm

Hi All,
I started this group a while back and feel bad that I haven't added much for a while. I changed my career path a year ago and am now a full time professional sailor, doing deliveries, classroom training, and practical training.
This summer I finally managed to get my 31 back in the water after 18 mnths of sporadic maintenance. I actually spent much of the time removing bits to try and get back to the original boat.
For this season I've taken off the aft mast. One of the previous owners increased the rig height and I find I can get 10 to 12 knots easily with the main and the jib - so I'll try the single mast for a while. we had a blast down the coast of Devon and the balance seems great, much simpler rig.
Next year I'm considering cutting beam 3 to amke it just a deck beam, like on the Tiki38. I sopke to Hanneke and she thinks this would be okay. This will allow me to build in the cockpits and run the cabin all the way through to beam 4. Nervous though.
I'll post photos of my trip asap. Anyone want ot buy my 31 before I start cutting?

Cheers all, Paul Lawton

Comment by Jose Alberto Garibaldi on August 6, 2010 at 2:43am

Hector, Paul, all

Answering questions first, come from a Peruvian and Mexican family, living in the UK since 05, but travelling around more than I should. Happy to discuss boats in Spanish anytime Hector! Noticed that there seems to be an active Wharram group around the river plate -several you tube posts, and another member -Matias Vidal, somewhere around in this website- seems to be around the brazilian coast now in a refurbished tanenui blogging from there. Have also studied your own drawings -which are magnificent. Your rationale for a 1500 hours less T38 seems sensible. The whole thing lies on beam 3 -even if left on, with three separate cabins, cabin might be rather wet, as water would come through the hole for the beam lashings. So might be the case that either you take it out (Paul's route), or you will have to create some beam throughs, or encapsulate the beams somehow to aoid water rushing in -but might be prone to getting rot. I found another alternaive: some photos of a tiki 31, which was being sold in Australia -that had sorted it out by placing beam 3 on top of the cabin, allowing for a long forward cabin. Looked like a long tiki Twenty six albeit a bit strange with the beam out of line with the others, on top of the cabin.

As you Paul, I have just been trying to improve the boat to its original state. The boat is structurally sound, but the decks slats where in bad shape, and one of the beams had some rot -which was controlled. I am now changing most of the deck slats in the foredeck -going tomorrow to place them, and need to sort out the beam -found some old ones in the multhull centre -will probably replace it. Your narrative of your trip hooked me up on the T31. Good to know you considered changing careers - looks like the thing to do, considering what you did.

On the main platform, had also studied Thom's solution -which seems easy and simple -something to try. Thom's route -at least without any cabin on deck) seems sensible if you want to keep the character of the boat (i.e. keep most of the deck free to move around, a sort of village, to follow Hanneke). Would you keep beam two Thom? Would you have to step over if you created some deeper wells in the platform? Your solution Paul (or yours, Hector) seems more sensible if you would like to protect yourself somehow from the weather. Haven't tried the boat yet in cold or bad weather to say anything (non sunny days are very unusual in the UK... ;-) ) so will need to find out. Nevertheless, just changing the deck has been some work. Also it has some tent covering the cockpits which are quite comfortable and well done, but probably too high, and might be better going a bit down. So probably will continue working on its current status, try to boat as it is one season or so and in cold weather, and then start seeing what to do next the coming winter.

Have found the boat is quite fast, and a blast to run. It tacks relatively easily, gybes on a dime, takes little water, and is quite good for a family -everyone can get to its own corner during the day or join in the sailing. It has loads of space,and also goes relatively high up -at least more than I was expected. I once took two families out (seemed like a floating kindergarten) and everybody happy. On the downside, don't know if it could be sailed singlehandedly, it is complex rig, and the main cabins are not that comfortable if two people sleep there (many people complaining in the morning on the sleep when the two families out). However, in good weather, cockpit seems sensible option -you sleep soundly there, tried it already. Sailing it also seems better I believe with crew. But part of what attracted me to the boat was the schoneer rig -so there you another case of the chinese curse: may your wished be granted... But I do like the view of the schooner rig, and probably can sail it alone with some improvements to the rudders (the lines to control it from cockpit are gone, and am also planning to run a line-without the attached tillers- to control it form the middle platform.

Might be useful to exchange views on how it sails and on related aspects. With the demise (or pause) of the PCA, there seems to be little space for that. Pauls comment on his boat with no second mast comes as a surprise -funny it still goes quite fast. People living in common areas could try to get together sometime. The boat seems quite capable of long runs -this one has made it to the Azores and back. I would be trying a longer trip sometime this season -everyone welcome.

Keep the posts. Will add the photos as soons as I find my camera...

Best regards,

Jose

Comment by Hector de Ezcurra on August 6, 2010 at 6:46am

José Alberto:
Nice to have you in this site. It looks as if you will be a great source of ideas and experiences for someone like me who is considering the T31 as a possible next goal. As soon as you can, share some pictures, which are always welcome.
I agree that the schooner rig is one of the main reasons to be interested in this design. I find the T31 maybe the most aesthetically pleasing of JWD's designs, mainly because of the rig.
In my drawing, the idea of leaving beam 3, would be making an enclosed case, so water can pass from one side to the other, not getting inside the cabin. On the inside, this case can be hidden between shelves or lockers.
You are right about Wharrams in our region, particularly Uruguay and Brasil.
If you want to discuss boatbuilding in Spanish, you can also join another forum I own (in http://www.navigare.com.ar), but it more basic and it´s not Wharram-oriented as this one.
Regards.
Héctor.

Comment by Thom delForge on September 12, 2010 at 10:56am

MAST RAKE
Posted by Thom delForge on September 12, 2010 at 10:54am in Tiki 31
Back to Tiki 31 Discussions
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No comments? I would like to know more about the rake on the small schooner rig of the Tiki 31. Also, what perceived issues if the masts where lengthened from 24' to 27'. I getting too crotchety to keep so low. My final finishing is at hand so all final mods will be finished this year.

Cheers,

Thom

Comment by Thom delForge on September 14, 2010 at 8:25am

I do envy you guys with computer drawing skills.

Comment by Hector de Ezcurra on June 3, 2011 at 5:55pm

Luis passed me these links of two nice videos of a modified Tiki 31 from Brazil (owner speaks portughese):

http://youtu.be/QT9cdYwpp2Q

http://youtu.be/GKdZSm19oY0

Enjoy.

Comment by Hector de Ezcurra on July 29, 2011 at 4:40pm

Another modified Tiki 31 from Brazil:

I've found these pictures of a modified T31 on a blog which I can't find again. But I kept the images:

 

A brazilian who knows the boat, says it is very confortable. To much windage, and too heavy, I would think.

You can watch 2 videos of this boat sailing at:

1) http://youtu.be/QT9cdYwpp2Q

2) http://youtu.be/GKdZSm19oY0

Regards.

Comment by Thomas Nance on October 19, 2011 at 12:31am

Hi there. my name is Thomas, im new to join the site but I have been following it all for afew months or so, on the topic of closing in the hulls if you go onto the videos posted on youtube above and look at the other videos posted by the user and there was a little glimps inside the hulls which looks interesting, almost comfatable looking :-) could be an easy convertion for a second hand tiki 31..maybe

Comment by Jose Alberto Garibaldi on January 7, 2012 at 6:48am

Hector, all 

Apologies for my long silence, but other stuff crossed my path, as always. Have been thinking lately on the enclosing bit. However, this is closely related to what you have or want as a boat, and the sort of sailing you wish to take. The boat can be sailed singlehandedly, but takes some effort to handle all the rig. It is better with someone else. 

Have now taken the boat from Plymouth, where it was to Chichester. Rory McDougall was kind enough to help and bring it from there. It was quite a ride, mostly as we had not that good weather, and then we hit the race off portland bill with wind against tide, with very high (4 to 5 mts) waves and rough seas. The good news is that the boat sails very well, is fast and it surfs magnificently, even with closely staked waves, taking them on a stride, provided you handle it well. The bad news is that the boat is very wet - you get soaked in bad weather. You should have very good oilies and/or weather gear: in that case they will get wet, but you will enjoy it (mine were not that good). Now, the front cabins are vey dry: one of my children was there asleep and noticed nothing, and it never got wet. Those in the back, provided you keep the washboards in, are dry as well: otherwise, you will get wet there as well. With heavy seas, the central pod does take a lot of water coming through it. The boat can cut through the water, so to speak, as if a submarine. If you are in the cockpits, you will get water from the side, coming over the low freeboard, the inner side of the hulls, and the holes for the beams -and a lot of it. It will exit promptly. Likewide the water in the central pod (water exit is an issue to consider in a design such as Thom´s). 

On good weather, the boat is vey different: the cockpits provide a shelter and a comfortable and large place to sit around and enjoy the ride. Having the tents on top of the boat makes a difference: they feel welcoming and protect you from the sun. There is no water going over the central platform, and the cockpits take some (through the inner side of each hull) but not that much.  You can sail it from the cockpits, and the tent mkes you feel  sheltered from the elements, being warmer and safer than steering from the tiller bar. It can provide also a place to cook an spacious albeit not a very comfortable galley. Thus, You can use one cockpit to steer and cook if you are sailing on your own.

The boat then will have two modes, so to speak. On rough seas, it has some small cocoons to protect you; in quiet ones, it is spacious and fun boat, of which the cockpits are a part. Whatever the case, the boat is safe: it does not take water; the water just comes and goes. 

Now if you enclose them, you might lose the cockpit space, which is part of the equation rough time / good time equation. However, if using them as a cabin or anything else, while still still serving for a general place to stay in while sailing,  a key point would be to keep them dr(ier), while still have easy access.

An option for an already built boat might be to raise both sides as in Hector´s diagram above. Initially, one could leaving the floor where it stands, and a small roof in form of a smaller tent. This would raise the inner side of the hulls -probably adding a sort of larger-ish sort of washboard entry on the inner side of the hull for ease of entry, which could be raised as needed. The small tent with transparent vinyl would raise on top. If somebody wished, you could add a washboard on both the starboard and port sides of the hulls, to go into the sea or close to it if somebody wishes, while there is good weather.  

Later on, you could shift the entry to the two cabins to the inner side of the hulls, while removing the floors, and placing them lower below. A built up ply/plexiglass raisable roof with canvas on the side could work as in a tiki 31to both serve in harbour and/or when sailing. Thus the cockpits would still serve for general use - you could sail to from one, and have a wet locker and/or toilet and/or navigation table or bunk in the other.    

Such an arrangement would help preserve the use of the cockpits for sailing and general use, but make them drier and better protected, and gain a bunk or two. It would leave the boat safe. Crucial for the dryness early on, and the safety later would be to devise a means to cover water entry from the beam holes on the side. But is a potentially progressive transformation. SOme belated musings, but think Manos has been thinking along these lines as well.

Best regards and luck with the Woods,

Jose A.       

Comment by Jose Alberto Garibaldi on January 7, 2012 at 3:30pm

This is the web from where the photos comes from, I think. 

http://policat-marcosvela.blogspot.com/2011/05/carreta-para-um-tiki...

 There is a view of the inside here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKJD8P0GQQ4&list=UUODLjwG-Rl0Nfk...

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