rapido trimarans limited

Rapido Trimarans – On the march

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Rapido Trimarans, is the brainchild of directors Paul Koch and James Sganzerla, who ran the highly regarded and successful Corsair Marine from 1994 to 2010.

Their collective experience of 60 years building more than 1,500 trimarans is combined with the corporate and production management expertise of Richard Eyre, Phil Johns and Damien Judd. The hard-won experience and eye for detail of this core team guides their talented, 60-strong Vietnamese staff at Triac Composites, who produce lightweight high-end composite structures that span numerous disciplines.

‘Compared with cruising cats, cruising trimarans in general are much simpler for their reliance on only one system for steering and propulsion,’ says Rapido’s designer Pete Melvin, who is one half of the mighty Morelli and Melvin design house famous for everything from America’s Cup and Jules Verne Trophy winners to cruising multihulls and Olympic Class one designs.

‘Less weight, complication, maintenance, tankage and cost are all factors that appeal to serious cruising sailors who are interested in getting further, faster and hassle-free. Sail control systems can also be simpler as the distances to route control lines can be less with a single, central location. This is also less hassle and expense.

‘We produce a high-performance line of trimarans that also offer reasonable amenities and safety. The innovation in design comes with the layout of the main hull and reaching the balance between beam, draught and trim to carry the accommodation without too much compromise on performance,’ he adds.

On both the Rapido 60 and 50, keeping the main saloon on the same level as the cockpit promotes a flow-through feel of being more spacious with better visibility and light than conventional designs. This elevated floor plan is possible with a generous, yet streamlined design to the cabin and also allows for the extra volume needed under the floorboards for propulsion and plumbing systems, fuel, water and waste tanks and storage for other heavy items without hindering access for maintenance.

On the Rapido 60 this is especially true of the full-access engine room next to the daggerboard case at the weight centre of the boat. All parts of the Yanmar 4-cylinder 53 HP diesel are accessible from all sides. This space also includes the fuel tank, an optional 8 kW generator, Spectra 24V electric watermaker, a water heater and electrical charging systems. Watertight bulkheads and an automated fire suppression system protect the space, and since all filters and serviceable items are in this isolated area, any leaks or spills will be confined and easy to clean.

The main hull’s beam achieves a similar balance of desired interior volume for good accommodation without too much compromise on weight and drag under sail. The cross-sectional shape of the main hull tapers with elevation to create more volume. Unlike a monohull, this portion of the hull never sees the waterplane due to the constrained heel angles. The stability advantage in Rapidos comes in part from their high volume floats and a wide beam relative to their maximum displacement. Add the C-curved twin daggerboards on the Rapido 40 and the boat can be driven even harder.

Passive ventilation and Lewmar hatches and portlights ensure that the saloon and cabins are airy on all three designs. The carbon fibre foam sandwich construction provides a high level of insulation. There’s enough space aft of the beams and over the transom for solar panels to provide supplementary electric charging to the DC voltage system.

Paul Koch’s extensive experience is shown in both the build quality and clever innovations. His 30 years of collaboration with Pete Melvin has created a trust uncommon in many designer-builder relationships. Triac Composites’ in-house design engineering team ensures faithful and accurate fabrication to the design specifications provided by Morrelli and Melvin.

Among the modern equipment at Triac’s 3000m2 facility in Ho Chi Minh City is a seven-axis Kuka robotic CNC machine mounted on a 23-metre track for milling complex tooling moulds. This is in addition to other CNC machinery, an 8.5 metre autoclave and other equipment that makes Triac a regional leader in the production of complex composites. The factory is on a river with direct access to the sea so boats of any size can be sailed away.

‘We use pre-preg carbon for the high-strength parts such as the cross beams (which are cured in the autoclave), chainplates and bulkheads,’ says Koch. ‘The cross beams are tapered on the ends so assembly is easy, the fit in the main hull is perfect and it’s strong as hell.’

Construction is infused carbon/vinylester laminates on closed-cell PVC cores for high-strength areas and E-glass where carbon is not needed. Vinylester is used in the hull and deck laminates for good adhesion and better compatibility with the gelcoat finish than with epoxy laminates, which are used in the structural elements of the boat. Construction meets ISO/CE standards and with CE Category A certification.

The mast is carbon and on the Rapido 60, the diamonds are Future Fibres’ carbon EC-6 attached to a titanium plate tensioned by a hydraulic ram positioned at the mast base. The ram allows easy tensioning for tuning. Deck gear has all Harken winches and blocks, with Spinlock and Karver clutches and Karver halyard locks to reduce rig compression loads, which are adjusted at the tack of the headsails by deck-mounted tensioning systems.

The furling Solent genoa mounted on the inner forestay is self-tacking and the mainsail reef system uses Karver reef hooks mounted on Dyneema straps wrapping the boom to distribute the loads with minimal chafe. A furling fractional Code 0 and a masthead furling gennaker tack on the bow just ahead of the headstay. Two Harken winches on the cabin top forward of the helm station handle main and Solent sheet loads. Rope clutches for halyards, mast rotation and board up and down controls are positioned to use the same winches.

The boom has truss wings with netting to catch the full-battened mainsail, which is on Antal sliders for easy hoisting, reefing and furling.

On a windy tight beat the Rapido 60’s performance is amazing, with racing monohull angles (thanks in part to the deep carbon fibre daggerboard) and speeds of 17+kts, while at reaching angles the boat far exceeds windspeed with exhilarating acceleration. There is a sweet spot between 18 and 23 knots where the boat simply purrs with one finger on the wheel. Even at 27kts the feeling of absolute control, comfort and security is most apparent.

‘At 10 tons in racing mode and up to two tons more when fully equipped and provisioned, the Rapido 60 is a perfect platform for long-distance and ocean cruising,’ says Koch. ‘The Rapido 50 is also suitable for this kind of cruising, while the Rapido 40 is designed for more regional use. We are excited about offering these easy, fun to sail, safe performance trimarans that have so much living space. Interest in these fast and innovative designs is strong as they fill a real void in the market.’

For ratios of length, beam and displacement trimarans generally offer greater sail-carrying power and higher performance than equivalent-sized catamarans. Because all the elements of the propulsion, electrical and plumbing systems are contained in one hull and not spread across two, there is also less weight to drag through the water and the centre hull’s design can be more forgiving in trim variation than with most cats.

Trimarans are more stable and more sea kindly than monohulls and catamarans and do not have the slamming and fore-and-aft pitching of cats or the terrible 30 degrees-plus heeling of monohulls. Centralising all heavy equipment in the centre of the main hull, as Rapido does, contributes immensely to comfortable, stable movement through the water.

Accommodation can be as spacious as most monohulls and given the angles they sail at, even in hot summers there’s usually good air flow and shade. Retractable daggerboards and rudder blades enable exploration and anchoring where fixed-keel monohulls cannot venture. Being able to anchor nearer the shore means even coming late to an anchorage one generally gets the prime spots.

As the space taken by support systems is only in one hull, it leaves the outboard amas available for light item storage, water toys, fenders and ropes. The R60 has a custom hatch to access the four-metre-long storage area. With the foredeck and “acres” of nets to lounge on safely even at speed, plus the aft deck with custom outer seating, separate cockpit and generous saloon (plus cabins), owners, crews and guests can choose to be sociable or find their own private space. The other standout is the helm position, with complete 365- degree visibility and views of the bows of all three hulls.

While monohulls will heel at 25 or 30 degrees, making basic daily tasks and just getting around the boat something of a tiring and even athletic event, trimarans with their relatively flat sailing give far greater comfort, better rest and less stress. The longer centre hull and centerlinemounted rudder and daggerboard contribute to having better monohull-like manoeuvrability than catamarans, particularly while tacking. The lack of a bridge deck also eliminates the slamming of waves common to most catamarans, which significantly affects their ride quality and speed when sailing upwind.

Safety is also an issue that is well addressed in most trimarans. The R60’s construction is foam sandwich with many watertight bulkheads making it essentially unsinkable.

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Trimaran sailing yacht 50 cruising cruising-racing 2-cabin

Characteristics

15.2 m (49'10" )

10.38 m (34'00" )

8.2 t (9.04 us ton)

Description

Other rapido trimarans limited products.

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• 2-cabin sailing yacht
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Specifications

General Details

• Length: 18.1m (59.3 ft)
• Beam: 11.7m (38.4 ft)
• Draft: 1.0m (2.5 ft)
• Average light displacement (subject to final options): : 9,700 kgs (21,385 lbs)
• Displacement (max load): 12,000kg (26,456 lb)
• Headroom (average): 2.1m (6 ft 11 inches)
• Mast height above water: 25.3m (83 ft)
• Storage volume of floats (at greatest dimension): (l) 4.5m x (w) 1.3m x (h) 1.5m
• Storage volume under cockpit (at greatest dim.): (L) 2.2m x (W) 3.3m x (H) 1.4m

Further information:

• For detailed specifications, click onto  Rapido 60 Specifications (30 Nov. 2021)
• Click to download Rapido 60 General Arrangement .

Sailing La Vagabonde post a video of the launch of La Vagabonde III (Rapido 60 #04) on 2 November 2023. See video below.

• Mainsail: 125m² (1,345 ft²)
• Solent: 71m² (764 ft²)
• Reacher: 130m² (1,399 ft²)
• Asymmetric Spin: 225m² (2,422 ft²)
• Stay sail: 25m² (269 ft²)

General Information

“I  sailed Rapido Hull #01 on the Mediterranean Sea the other day and we were doing 14 knots upwind while cooking in the spacious kitchen!" Ferdinand van West (former F18 World Champion working with designers, Morrelli & Melvin ). ( Click here for original article in Catamaran Racing.)

Billed as the World’s Ultimate Ocean Cruising Trimaran , the Rapido 60 really is the Queen of the Oceans . It offers speed, safety, performance – and luxury.

The inspiration behind the Rapido 60 comes from Paul Koch (co founder of Rapido Trimarans), arguably, the man who has built more production trimarans than anyone else on the planet.

The design is by world renowned naval architects, Morelli & Melvin Design and Engineering who use some of the most sophisticated technology in the world. Triac Composites  is our exclusive builder.

While the foam sandwich and carbon construction is lightweight which gives the boat its speed, it also provides an extremely strong and rigid structure that has been designed to withstand the might of the oceans.

An additional benefit of the foam sandwich construction is the high degree of insulation, protecting the Rapido when the sun beats down.

Morelli & Melvin enjoy a very strong international reputation. Their designs even include entries for the America’s Cup .

https://www.facebook.com/raceweek/videos/1868118026600225/UzpfSTM1ODI2NDQ5MTAwMzkyMjoxMDU2MjY4MzMxMjAzNTMx/

[Video caption: Take a tour onboard Rapido 60, Romanza with owners, Dougall and Jaz Love, during Hamilton Island Race Week.]

Morrelli & Melvin’s computer modelling said that the Rapido 60 was very strong. And so we tested it.

We bolted the centre hull of the Rapido to the factory floor in HCMC. We then brought in two mobile cranes – each took a diagonal corner of the two outer hulls. With one diagonal corner each, the two cranes began to lift while the trimaran’s centre hull remained bolted to the floor, causing it to twist. One tonne of lifting pressure… Two tonnes… Three tonnes…

As the trimaran twisted it began to creak and groan. But the sensitive electronic equipment we had measuring every move and twist remained unphased. Everything was within design parameters.

Seven tonnes… Eight tonnes… Nine tonnes…

The pressure was eased and the Rapido spring back into its original condition – totally unaffected by the enormous twisting pressure that had been placed upon it.

The computer modelling had accurately predicted the incredible structural strength of the composites used in the Rapido. The Rapido is built to take on the oceans.

Rapido is, simply, the Queen of the Oceans.

Incredible storage capacity

The Rapido 60 has amazing, dedicated storage capacity. Floats (4.8m x 1.3m). Beneath the cockpit seats (2.1m x 0.5m). Beneath the cockpit floor (2.1m x 2.9m x 1.3m). Forward of forward cabin (1.4m x 1.2m x 1.2m).

Other videos

[Video above: Rapido 60, Romanza, races effortlessly at 24 knots during the opening day of Airlie Beach Race Week (Whitsunday Islands, Queensland, Australia) in August 2018.]

[Video above: Owners of Rapido 60, Romanza, take the organisers of Hamilton Island Race Week on a walk thru tour.]

[Video above: Owner of Rapido 60, Ineffable, Steve Bourne is interviewed about his boat for the 39th St Maarten Heineken Regatta.]

[Video above; Rapido 60, Romanza wins the PIC Coastal Classic in New Zealand in November 2020. And it wasn’t all hard sailing out there over the 21 hours.]

• For more videos, visit the Rapido Trimarans’ You Tube Channel .

FAST AND POWERFUL

Trimarans are safe, powerful and fast as demonstrated by the fact that they consistently win races and hold the solo speed record for circumnavigating the world.

Safety at sea is the No. 1 priority and this thinking is reflected throughout the design and construction of the Rapido.

The Rapido 60 has some truly amazing living spaces which provide more open, private and intimate areas than monohulls or catamarans.

stable and comfortable

Trimarans are comfortable on all points of sail.

The combination of safety, performance and comfort put the Rapido in a league of its own. The enormous trampoline nets add fun and excitement as you watch the blue water rush underneath you – or as you lounge on the nets while gently floating over a reef. You will be instantly hooked..

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Rapido 60 in action.

See more Rapido Trimarans videos (You Tube)

View all Rapido 60 photos

60 in the media

Below is a list of articles which have appeared in various publications regarding Rapido Trimarans.

• Rapido 53XS First Look: A trimaran with proper living spaces for comfortable sailing , Yachting World Magazine, 15 November 2024
• Rapido 53XS, Video tour by Multihulls World  magazine, 13 October 2024
• Sailboat Review, Rapido 40, A sailor’s dream boat , by Mark Pillsbury, Cruising World magazine, 6 May 2024
• Rapido host much anticipated launch of first Rapido 53XS , Sails magazine, 1 May 2024
• Rapido 53XS – a peak speed of 24 knots during initial sea trials , by Emmanuel van Deth, Multihulls World, 19 April 2024
• Rapido 53XS, the new 16m globetrotter of a trimaran , by Aldo Fumagalli, Vela magazine, 24 January 2024
• First look – Rapido 53XS, a 20 knot cruiser , by Toby Hodges, Yachting World, 29 December 2023
• Video. Sailing Bliss: Unveiling the Rapido 40 Trimaran – GIDDY UP!!! , by Naval Gazing at Camp David, December 2023
• Video. The Rapido 53XS: Tour, review and ideas , by Naval Gazing at Camp David, December 2023
• Rapido 53XS Review , by Yachting World, 9 November 2023
• Video. Der Kat-Jäger: Carbon-Trimaran Rapido 40 aus Vietnam (“The cat hunter: carbon trimaran Rapido 40 from Vietnam”) by Yacht TV, 12 October 2023
• Cruising World announces Rapido 40 as Boat of the Year 2024 nominee , Cruising World, 26 September 2023
• Rapido 40 carbon trimaran from Vietnam – the test , by Michael Good, German Yacht Magazine, 21 September 2023
• C-foils on a fast cruising trimaran? This looks rapid!, Rapido 40 tour, Yachting World magazine video by Toby Hodges, 8 September 2023
• Rapido 40: The Alternative Trimaran , by François-Xavier de Crécy with photos by Ludovic Fruchaud, LE MONDE DU MULTICOQUE #24 by Voile Magazine. July, 2024.
• The Rapido 40 is a 20 knot cruising tri , George Day, Cruising Compass, 24 May, 2023
• Boat Review of Rapido 40, Zuzana Prochazka, Sail Magazine, 4 May 2023
• Rapido 40: ultra fast cruising in complete safety on three hulls , Maxime Leriche , SailboatNews.com, 25 April 2023
• Boat anomaly: Rapido 40 Trimaran , No Frills Sailing, 19 April 2023
• Rapido 40 – Fast, foldable and worry free!,  Multihulls World magazine, No. 189, May-July 2023
• Shipyard Focus: Rapido Trimarans , by Kevin Green, Multihulls World, August / September 2022.
• Rapido, changing the game , by Zuzana Prochazka, Sail Magazine, 23 March, 2022
• Rapido 40: A livable sailboat for cruising on 3 hulls , Briag Merlet, Sailboat News, 23 February 2022.
• Rapido, changing the game , (takes a detailed look at the cutting edge design and technology of Morrelli & Melvin) by Zuzana Prochazka, Multihull Sailor, December 2021
• Boat Review: Rapido 50 , Kevin Green, Boating New Zealand, November 2021
• Harnessing Speed , by Kevin Green, Boating New Zealand, November 2021
• Rapido 60 Trimaran Boat Review: A Bold Gamechanger For Performance Bluewater Cruising , by Zuzana Prochazka, Yacht World, 23 September, 2021.
• Harnessing the wind , by Kevin Green, Multihulls World, September / October 2021 issue, 6 page spread on Rapido Trimarans.
• Sailing La Vagabonde choose Rapido 60 to sail world’s oceans , video announcement by SLV to their 1.59 million subscribers, You Tube, 8 June 2021
• The Ultimate Racer-Cruiser: Clients on Romanza are turning heads on the racetrack when they’re not cruising at high speed , North Sails, 19 April, 2021
• Making Short-handed Short Work – Onboard Rapido 60 , Anna Merchant, Sail-World, 11 February 2021
• Rapido 50 News from the Shipyards , Multihulls World, 2 February 2021
• Buyers’ Guide 2021, Rapido 50 , Multihulls World, 18 December 2020
• “New breed” Rapido 40 & 50 , Yachting World magazine, November 2020
• Cruising Helmsman reviews Rapido 60 , October 2020
• Romanza takes top spot in Yates Cup , SEA Yachting magazine, September 2020
• Rapido Trimarans relocates production arm into Vietnam ,  SEA Yachting  magazine, Nov/Dec 2019.
• Rapido Trimarans, On the March, Seahorse Magazine , October 2019.
• (French)  Rapido 40, un trimaran repliable de 12 m , Bateaux.com, 29 August 2019.
• Rapido 60 – The most exciting production multihull in the world?  (or  click here  for selection of quotes), Multihulls Magazine, Summer (July) 2019.
• Rapido , Cruising Yacht Club of South Australia, June 2019 (pp23-24)
• Ineffable’s Steve Bourne: I’m a nutter for sailing , Daily Herald, 26 February 2019.
• Rapido 60′ the fastest production multihull in the world? , International Multihulls World, December 2017
• RAPIDO 60’ : Le multicoque de série habitable le plus rapide du monde? , Multihulls World, 23 November 2017
• Finding Mrs Right , Boating New Zealand, August 2016
• Blue Water Cruising Trimaran , Australian Multihulls World, August 2016
• Rapido 60 , Cruising World, 25 August, 2016
• Rapido 60 , by Emma Bamford, Sailing Today.

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