This is the ultimate 8 meter sport boat with trailerable beam. The T8 is the most successful trailer yacht in Australia over the past few years.
T8r Design
Dimensions :
LOA
8.0 m
Beam
2.5 m
Draft
2.2 m
Sailing weight
1200 kg
Crew Weight
450 kg
Complete boat
750 kg
Sail area up
45.7 sqm
Sail area down
136.5 sqm
Date : Crew Weight
Description :
Sailing :
The concept of the Thompson 8 meter is for a boat that is capable of winning races in conditions that are stable and easily sailed short handed or fully crewed and can be easily towed behind a medium sized car. The hull shape developed is finer than usual with a healthy ballast ratio, giving an easily driven hull form and greater than normal stability.
Weight is saved above deck by increasing spreader width and reducing mast size, non overlapping headsails are used. The simple three spreader rig does not need backstays and the mainsail roach is carefully configured to produce the right amount of layoff in the carbon rig, this allows the mainsail to exhaust as the wind puffs. The Thompson 8 Meter has proven itself on the racing circuit both in New Zealand and the USA with an incredible race record in both countries, showing great speed to weather and stable easily controlled blasting downwind speed .
The hull and deck is constructed using fiberglass and foam core vacuumed over male moulds giving high strength and yet retaining the lightness required by such a high performance yacht.
Deck gear is kept simple with two winches for sheet control and the remainder of gear dinghy style for lightness, strength and simplicity.
The Rudder and Keel are both retractable in their own cases, the rudder is moulded carbon fibre construction, the keel is made of a composite of carbon fibre and a timber core which supports the low drag lead bulb. The boat can be lifted by a crane from the centre of the top of the keel or launched by trailer.
Purchase and Build Options :
Design
The T8r is designed as a pure race boat.
The designers have utilises the latest VPP software to help create a boat that is very fast and stable upwind yet exhilarating downwind.
It features wide and comfortable side decks and a large cockpit, all of the sailing controls are simple and easy to use.
The rig features no permanent backstay with rig tension adjusted from an optional hydraulic ram under the mast. The mast is designed with the mainsail roach to bend in the puffs and allow the mainsail to exhaust.
Construction
The T8r is constructed using eglass/carbon laminates and epoxy resin with a foam core. Carbon fiber is used for additional stiffening where appropriate.
A cedar stripped plank building method is available but with our simple to build methods in foam it is not recommended.
Plywood internals are used with a simple grid system of foam ringframes. The keel and rudder are constructed using carbon fiber stiffening.
Specification
Rig – The mast is carbon fiber with an aluminium option for the budget conscious. Rigging is Dyform with aluminium spreaders and boom.
The bow pod is articulating and carbon fiber.
Deck Fitout – Full Harken fitout with winch option.
Sails – Mainsail, light and medium jib with a heavy air option. Spinnakers are asymmetric with two masthead and one fractional.
Trailer and launching – The boat can be trailer launched using the custom keel winch or dry sailed with the central lifting hook.
Links to media and Video :
