Stuart Wright wrote: I got my first multi, a Corsair F-27 tri. I later upsized to an F-31 as it was a much better boat in the Lake Michigan type of chop. I then went to a Manta 40 of which I picked up at Saint Petersburg, Florida. I along with my brother took the boat up the ICW, Chesapeak Bay, Jersey coast, Hudson river, Erie canal, Lake Ontario, Welland canal, Lake Erie, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan down to Racine, Wisconsin for the on the water boat show. A trip one day short of seven weeks. One great thing about multi sailing or power is that you can travel when most mono hulls are tied to the dock. After having too many sailing days in pain from old sport injuries, I decided to go power multi. I now have an as yet to be finished Trawler style cat that I ordered as a 48 foot but through the build process it got stretched to a 53.5 with swim step. After launch and 19 inches down in the bow, the builder kept heming and hawing about how to fix the problem. I finally got disgusted, called my marine surveyor and we got a marine engineer who had cat experience and is a hydrodynamist. With a new larger better shaped bulb and a total re-make of the after section, the boat sits level, the transom is the end of the hull. The boat as proven in the last sea trial done in 25 Knot breezes with 30 Knot gusts and short duration chop of 4 to 6 feet is very stable and the new hull slides through the water. All the wake is created from the after section. The down side now is the low horsepower engines versus too much weight giving a top speed of 11.5 Knots full speed in flat or choppy water. The swim step is now on top of the hull where it should have been in the first place. In a 2 to 3 foot chop I have stood on the swim step at 11.5 Knots without getting a drop of water on me as I looked the tunnel to watch the water flow. This boat is now a true 55 feet. Not fast but very stable. Because of the weight, the boat is now a displacement type. I learned to canoe and sail in wooden sail boats at age 8. I got interested in multis when the Hobie cats arrived on the scene. My F-27 was purchased in the mid eighties. I am now 70 so you can see why I learned to sail in a wooden boat. --- Thank you for sharing your experience with us, Stuart. You're such a gentleman not to publicly name the designer or builder. Those who really want to know can send you a private email. What's the new boat called? Where will you be cruising this summer? --Georgs Georgs Kolesnikovs Power Catamaran World http://www.powercatamaranworld.com