New SeaCart 26

New Lombard-designed foldable racing tri launched

To complement the full-carbon offshore-capable SeaCart 30 that made its debut in 2005, Oceanlake Marine has launched a new 26ft One Design trimaran for inshore and coastal racing.

Oceanlake’s quest was to create a One Design trimaran that delivered true high-performance for its size, and one that far exceeds expectations for a production boat. The design brief stipulated that the floats of the trimaran must fold in in order to make berthing and trailering quick and easy. It also had to be versatile and suited for both course and distance racing.

Those involved in the creation of the new 26 are the SeaCart 30's designer, Marc Lombard, while Mike Drummond, who headed BMW ORACLE Racing’s Design Team for the 33rd Amand America’s Cup Hall of Fame, was consulted as a technical advisor. Calle Hennix, , has brought this most recent SeaCart project from concept to reality once again.

As well as a boat that could be used for intense course and distance racing, another very important design consideration was that it should also be suited to a wide variety of sailors. It should be attractive for club enthusiasts, experienced racers and top professional teams, alike. It had to also provide a relatively easy transition for monohull sailors contemplating the shift to multihulls.

“We strongly believe we have achieved what we set out to and have created a One Design boat that will become the benchmark in multihull racing,” says Calle Hennix, founder of Oceanlake Marine. “We will put every effort into developing an internationally strong class that will have continental and World Championships within a few years."

While it stems from the pedigree of SeaCart’s 30-footer, this new class has been created from a blank sheet. It has been drawn with modern lines including wave-piercing bows, spray rails, curved foils and a comfortable cockpit. The hulls are built in epoxy/E-glass with carbon fibre reinforcing in areas of higher load. The pivoting centreboard in the main hull and optional foils combined with SeaCart’s signature twin rudders will allow the boat to fly two hulls in full control!

The rig features a carbon fibre wing mast and 26.6m2 high-aspect square-top mainsail. In One Design configuration it will have a 11.2m2 jib and 43.7m2 gennaker. For distance racing a 26m2 Code 0 and larger 57m2 gennaker may be used. North Sails have created the sail plan which is designed to be both powerful and versatile. The One Design Rules will leave the choice of sail manufacturer open and will be governed by a ‘Box Rule’.

While it boasts systems that will excel when sailing, particular focus has also been given to making it easy to handle when not. A super-light and very efficient folding system has been developed that with the addition of a supporting set of stays allows the mast to stay up even when the boat is folded. A roll-on/roll-off cradle kit can also be supplied to suit road trailers, and two boats will fit into a standard 40-foot container for shipping.

Tim Shuwalow, Oceanlake Marine’s International Sales Manager says, “I’m eager to expose and promote these great boats to a broader audience. The SeaCart 26 will excite multihull enthusiasts, and monohull sailors have never had an easier opportunity to get into multihulls. It will be a great boat to race for everyone!”

“Our vision is to create a multihull class that enjoys the strength of numbers seen at regattas like those for Melges sportsboats. Melges is a great example of strict One Design racing, there’s no sports multihull class that comes close but we’re getting set to change that!" says Tim.

“Never before have multihulls received as much attention as right now. So the timing of the SeaCart 26 is perfect because it will be within the reach of many sailors giving them the chance to sail a high-performance yet easy-to-manage boat, with low running costs,” Tim concludes.

Composite Marine International (CMI) has been appointed as the official builder of the SeaCart 26. CMI is currently in the final stages of mould construction at their facility in Thailand. Once the first boat is completed in just a few of months it will be comprehensively test sailed before full production commences on the first 10 boats that have already been ordered.

Despite an overwhelming amount of early interest, Oceanlake Marine is offering attractive deals to reward early adopters to ensure the class is established quickly. Collective buyers will be able to secure multiple boat discounts for a limited time and also cut their shipping costs in half. Orders are being taken now for delivery of the new SeaCart 26 in 2011.

Full description and spec of the SeaCart 26 here