DRAGONFLY Trimarans User Forum

Not Guilty!
Michael Paterson

Check out posts from LInsolent who took his Df1000 from West Africa to South America. Apart from the obvious problems, fresh water supply may need to be supplemented with a watermaker: the main tank is only 100 litres plus a few more in the hot-water tank.
Mike Paterson, Df1000-34

One more thing, the design of the transducer is such that there is a valve which automatically closes as you pull it out and opens again to allow the 'plug' to be inserted. A bit of water gets in but certainly not a flood.
Mike Paterson, Df1000-34 Champus

If your Df35 has the same layout as the Df1000, the speed/log transducer is a bit port of centre in the compartment astern of the freshwater tank. There are members of the Df forum who remove it and replace it with the 'plug' every time they finish their sail but I suppose it depends on the amount o...

You have certainly been busy. One comment about the swing wing pins - I lost one, probably due to swell in a poorly protected marina while tied up and Jens Quorning commented that the geometry was such that the pressure on each pin is in an upward direction. He was puzzled how it managed to fall out...

Thanks to you both.
Mario, I'd like to see what it should look like but your pic hasn't shown up. I suppose the best cleaning medium would be dilute bleach.
Mike Paterson
Df 1000/34 Champus

My Df 1000 came with a 15 Kg Bruce deployed from inboard on the port ama and attached to 20 m of 8 mm chain. It was just about at the limit of my ability to lift but it served well until I had to cut the rope in an emergency. I've replaced it with a 15 Kg Rocna and shortnened the chain length to 15 ...

The level gauge for my blackwater tank ceased to indicate although there was power to the sender unit. I plucked up courage yesterday, removed the six screws and lifted the unit out of the top of the tank. The sensor is contained in a cylinder measuring about 4" long and 2" in diameter. It...

Yes - reduced weight. My rigger said 'no' to replacing the diamonds with anything other than stainless steel and I've never heard of anyone who has used fibre rope for the job.
Mike. Champus Df1000-34

According to my rigger, insurance companies require the rigging to be renewed after ten years. I imagine that if the boat is raced hard, the interval between renewals ought to be reduced accordingly.
Mike. Champus Df 1000-34

If it's any help, the total cost for my Df1000 came to the equivalent of $2560 with all the attachments as well as stainless steel cables replaced. The backstays were rigged with 8mm dyneema.
Mike, Champus Df1000-34

The 2002 Df 1000 for sale in California may be the same boat that was put up for sale at an auction in 2008(?), asking price $29000, following a grounding during bad weather. The boat, "Flamboyant", was holed below the waterline - perhaps one of the other USA members will be able to give m...

Is your centreboard fully down?
Mike Paterson
Df1000 Champus

Rob James - Multihulls Offshore.
Good on heavy-weather tactics.

Mike Paterson
Df1000/34 Champus

The stern tube for the rudder hold-down assembly is dry. I pumped about 2 litres of water from the stern section of each ama - the bilges underneath are both dry. I'm not sure if the bilge runs the full length of the ama so when I open the boat next week I'll check under the forward sections. Accord...

You are all correct regarding the geometry of the three hulls - Quorning say that it is not possible to adjust the waterstays in order to move the centre of buoyancy. The boat is just back in the water but I'm not yet in a positon to unfold the amas. With them folded, the water level at the stern is...

Yes and I await the reply.
Mke Paterson, Df1000 Champus

I've requested Bo to add three photos. The Centre Hull Bow photo clearly shows the water level rising the further back you go: the centre hull stern masking tape indicates the water level - as you will see, it is getting quite near the engine exhaust. Finally, the port ama is obviously high in the w...

Funnily enough, filling the water tank drops the bow slightly (and slows the boat down) but doesn't raise the stern which is why I thought that the waterstays were out of adjustment.
And it's not an illusion - it is apparent when the boat is berthed.
Mike Paterson, Df1000 Champus

I'm about to anti-foul the centre hull and I find barnacles and weed growing up to 40mm above the colour line at the stern while the bow's colour line must have been well out of the water. The only change to the centre of gravity was the fitting of a 10Kg radar scanner on the targa, not enough to ha...

Mika,
I see you have replaced the stainless steel rear support for the triangle trampolines with dyneema. How did you attach each end to the attachment points?
Mike Paterson
Df1000/34
Champus

The latest register has now been sent to everyone for whom I have an email address. If you have not received a copy, please let me know via the Dragonfly Owners application form. (I can't get the forum message to include my latest email address.) Thanks to owners who have updated their details and a...

You could go the traditional way and buy from Elvstrom who probably supplied the original equipment. I replaced the main and genoa last autumn and they already had the measurements. They are not cheap but my local sailmaker was impressed and thought they would last longer than those from other manuf...

Adrian,
MY pc has failed (miserably) so I've lost your address for arranging a sail. Please drop me another email.
Mike

At the end of this month I'll send a revised Df owner's register to all who have registered. If any of you have changed your email addresses recently, please email me on m.s.paterson@btinternet.com or re-submit an online application form.

Mike Paterson, Df1000 Champus

Hi Adrian, I have a Df 1000 at Port Edgar which you are most welcome to examine. It's a bit bigger and slower than a Df 800 but the principle is the same. It's out of the water for a week or so while some fibreglass repairs are being carried out. Email me on m.s.paterson@btinternet.com if you are in...

Hi Mika, I've sent photos to Bo so they should appear shortly. One drawback of my installation is that two 36w panels become unusable when the amas are folded. On the other hand, when they're folded, you are probably in a marina and on shore power. The power lines run inside each ama and along the i...

Sorry, no info about Kyocera but the first owner of Champus fitted 5 SunWare panels (2 x 18w and 3 x 36w) with one of each forward and aft of the rear aka on each ama and the other 36w on the forward main deck begind the power/water etc hatch. They're controlled by a SunWare FOX-150 regulator and th...

Yes - Ted's roller sounds like the one I used - it's designed for water-soluble paint (usually called 'emulsion' here).
Mike P. Df1000 Champus

I applied the VC17 with a 4 inch, emulsion roller. It showed no sign of deterioration.
I wrapped it in cling-film between coats and binned it afterwards - the thinners are too expensive and
replacement rollers too cheap to bother cleaning it!
Mike P. Df1000 Champus

Both out line sheaves in the coaming double blocks (i.e. where the lines are directed to the winch) are cracked and partly broken. I asked Quorning for advice and this is their reply:- "The double sheave box is beefed up to a slightly bigger size from 10mm sheaves to 12mm. You need to cut or fi...

I lost one of the stainless steel hinge pins around which the forward aka rotates when being swung in or out. Fortunately, I spotted the hole before going sailing. Quorning's comment was that the pins are not vertical and the pressure on them is normally in an upward direction. Hence they are insert...