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James Wharram Designs

Unique self-build sailing catamarans, inspired by the double canoes of the Polynesians

Mana 24

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The most economical way to enjoy sailing is to build your own small lightweight boat, to keep it at home and trail it to the waters you want to sail in. This gives opportunity to explore many more sailing areas than if based on a permanent mooring and at much lower cost.

Whilst exploring this idea we look sideways into the world of camping and the living equipment you need for a camping holiday bought at a reasonable price, as against highly priced yachting equipment. All these ideas have come together, resulting in the new MANA 24 design, a catamaran specifically designed for trailer sailing.

In trailer/sailer design every increase in length equals harder launching and recovery work. At 23’6”- 7.15m hull length MANA 24 sits between our TIKI 21 and TIKI 26 designs (both very popular trailer sailers), with easier launching and handling like the smaller TIKI 21, but an interior space close to that of the Tiki 26. Her new chined hullshape gives more width for the bunks, which are placed aft where the hulls are widest.

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Mizzen boom doubles as boathook.
The red mizzen downhaul should go to a small cleat (supplied in kit).
Fit a strap eye to the back of the mast to tie the boom and stop it sliding down. [We threaded it through the sail loop on this photo]
The sleeved Wingsails come down easy.
Mana #3 – Rod Mclaren
Mana #3 – Rod Mclaren
Mana #3 – Rod Mclaren
Boat in a box
Boat in a box
Boat in a box
On the slip, ready to be loaded on to the trailer for return to Cornwall.
Mana on the beach in Douarnenez.
On the way to Douarnenez we met up with Tiki 28 Nr. 4 ‘Alphonse’. She was built in our yard in Devoran in 1990 and still looked great. Ply/epoxy boats do last well.
Leaving Brest and the other multihulls of the Golden Oldies fleet.
Sailing with the fleet from Brest to Douarnenez.
Hanneke’s little galley works quite well.
The centra deck is very spacious. With a good tent it will give a lot of living space.
We are using the sheets of Amatasi and a boat hook for temporary mizzen boom, but SHE SAILS!
On the trailer on the ferry to Roscoff. We are able to use our existing trailer we have used for Tahiti Wayfarer, Tiki 8m and Amatasi.
Ready to set sail.
Today the beam locating blocks were finally glued in place. The webbing straps go through the slots and round the beam.
Pierre Yves assembled both aluminium masts.
Another volunteer, Jacob, spends a day making the main hatch coamings.
James and Hanneke discuss the platform while French yacht design student Pierre-Yves look on.
Bow hatch coaming.
The outboard motor well.
First trial assembly of the hulls, beams and platform.
The holes for the rudder lashing, well epoxy coated inside.
Perky, our webmaster is helping out.
Beams ready for final glaze coat of epoxy.
Bi-axial glass cloth is being wetted out, the corners are overlapped for extra strength.
Finished beams ready for glassing. The holes will have watertight drain plugs fitted. The hole midway is a vent in case of air expansion in hot conditions.
Gluing the top on a crossbeam.
The crossbeam before the lid is glued on. All ply inner surfaces were pre-glassed, the stringers well coated, to prevent any rot ever developing inside.
The epoxy primer was applied quickly by Jacob and Hanneke, one rolls it on the other strokes it out. We applied two coats and afterwards wet-and-dry sanded them.
The painted hulls look beautiful.
The rudder is shaped ready for glassing.
The two sides are glued on, again using temporary screws. The webs are pushed in loose to keep the sides square while the glue sets.
Removing excess glue.
More screws go in when panel is turned over.
Paul and Hanneke glue on the timber corner pieces with temporary screws. These are removed next day. Paul holds the timber at ply thickness from the edge, while Hanneke inserts screws into pre-drilled holes.
Hanneke glues up the centre web with extra strengthening to support the mast.
All the parts lying ready for gluing up. The small pieces are webs.
The inner faces of the panels are pre-glassed. Paul sands the edges where the timber corner pieces will be glued on.
The crossbeam parts are joined up on the floor. They have the same jigsaw puzzle joints as the hull panels.
An Iroko sacrificial strip is glued on the keels. The ratchet straps hold the glue joint tight, the clamps and pads hold it level with the edges. We have not used screws, so the glass surface is not penetrated. This hardwood can be planed down and replaced in years to come.
Finally a small fillet is made over the glass joint under the gunnel. You can also see some final fairing over the glass joints made with a thicker mix of epoxy resin plus Microlight filler applied with wide putty knife and trowel.
Sanding the whole hull surface took the two of us one day using an orbital sander as well as long/short boarding the overlaps and chines.
A glaze coat (epoxy resin plus Microlight filler) is applied the same day. We used just squeegees for the flat areas and the paintpad for the edges. Slow even sweeps of the squeegee gave a good flat finish.
Ben came to also help for the day, so we could get the glassing done quick and efficient.
A length of 1m wide glass cloth fits the whole hullside.
The fillet at the forefoot of the stem.
Hulls faired and sanded ready for glassing.
The large spatula draws a fair fillet.
Hanneke makes the large fillets along the keel.
First the whole surface is sanded smooth.
We are turning the hulls to fair, sand and glass them.
Paul sanding the glassed decks and cabins. The orbital sander with vacuum cleaner used for dust extraction keeps the dust levels down.
Glaze coat applied over the whole deck.
Glaze coat applied over the whole deck.
Finished glaze coat, ready for sanding. The weave of the cloth is now filled. After sanding, some more filler will need to be applied with a trowel over the joints and other imperfections to get a perfect flat finish.
We then stroke it out evenly with a spreader. The spreader is also used to apply the coating straight on to the vertical surfaces.
We first spread the resin with a squeegee on the large flat surfaces.
Applying the glaze coat. This is epoxy resin mixed with some Microlight filler.
The overlaps are sanded.
The glass edges are trimmed once the resin is set.
Glassing finished. One needs to check all the corners very carefully for air bubbles and stroke them out.
Trimming the edge with a Stanley knife. The hull glassing will also finish in this corner under the gunnel. We will then make a small fillet to seal the joint.
The cloth was lapped round the gunnels. It is slightly too long and gets trimmed with a knife (see next photo).
On the horizontal surfaces the resin can be poured on the cloth and spread evenly with a rubber squeegee. It is then left to soak in a few moments before using the squeegee to press out all the air and wet the cloth out fully. We use a spreader to apply the resin in corners and on vertical surfaces.
We wetted out the cloth using squeegee, spreader and a gloved finger (as shown here), to get the resin right into the corner.
This part of the deck is quite complex.
After the glass cloth is cut out on a table, it is laid out on the hull and final trimming is done. We used some lead weights to hold it in place.
All the interior fillets are done. Looking forward.
All the interior fillets are done. Looking aft.
Today I drilled the drain holes.
Now there are two hulls!
After gluing on the aft deck, the outer cabinside is fitted. The aft section is doubled for extra strength. The webbing strap pulls in the aft corner. The copper nails hold the edge of the plywood in place. They will be pulled out once the glue has set. We are using an odd collection of old clamps to clamp the two layers of ply together. One could use screws into temporary backing pads instead.
A tent is being built by Tino and Miguel. Long poles are suspended from ropes. The bubble plastic is attached with cable ties. The heat lamps hang from bamboos so they can be moved around easily.
A tent is being built by Tino and Miguel while Hanneke carries on fitting the aft deck. Perky our web master comes in for a look during the tea break.
Miguel applies a second coat of epoxy.
Miguel is learning to apply a coat of epoxy neatly. The heat lamps give sufficient heat, directed at the surface.
Second hull of Mana completely finished up to gunnel level. The fillets in the stem are again made with the glue cartridge filled with epoxy filleting mix.
Second hull of Mana completely finished up to gunnel level.
Second hull of Mana completely finished up to gunnel level.
Sanding the edges of the glass tape over the chine joint. The edge of the tape can be a raised ridge. The heat lamps are suspended from a long pole, which can be raised and lowered. The lamps can also be moved along its length to position them to best advantage.
We have glassed the chine joint and made fillets with the hull lying on its side. Access much easier and it is very easy to turn the hull with just two people.
We cover the hull in bubble plastic to keep the heat inside.
Glenn sands the bunk, ready for its final coat of epoxy.
Hanneke sands the laminated edges of the sternpost.
Tino applies second epoxy coat to bulkheads using our special paintpad.
Beat putting the finishing touches to a bearer under the bunk.
Beat is working on another bulkhead.
Tino neatly cuts the end with the Japanese pull saw.
Tino measures up for one of the bulkhead bearers.
Most of the parts of the second hull are laid out on the floor. They are pre-coated with epoxy, this is before they are sanded.
Most of the parts of the second hull are laid out on the floor. They are pre-coated with epoxy, this is before they are sanded.
Looking forward.
All the fillets are finished inside. Looking aft into the bunk.
The rudder will be feathered along the trailing edge.
The stem and deck edges have all been faired. The stem edge still needs to be rounded off.
Inner cabin side and side deck glued on. We used cable ties to tighten the joints. Some nails are used to hold the bow panel in place.they will be pulled out when the glue has set.
Glenn makes fillets in the bow section.
All the interior fillets are made and the window frame is glued on.
Sawing off the lugs with a Japanese pullsaw.
Aft end of outer cabin side with doubler glued behind. the doubler also forms the backing for the window.
Gluing the doubler on the aft end of the outer cabin side.
Lifting the cabin sides on and off is easily done by one person, they just hook up on the lugs.
The underside is fully epoxy coated before the parts are glued in. After the oozed out glue is removed it is ‘finished’.
The aft cross beam will be lying across the deck here.
Thick ply pad under the deck where the crossbeam will be located. It is fastened down with heavy gripfast nails, quicker than using screws or bolts.
The cambered aft deck is glued on. The camber and the two deck stringers make it very stiff.
Glenn glues the deckstringers to the underside of the deck panel. The whole panel then gets a final coat of epoxy before it is glued on. This means the interior is fully finished and there will be no need to coat in a tight space.
The bunk is comfy with good headroom to sit up.
Hanneke tests out the hatch size and getting in and out.
James studies the shape of the cabin.
Cabin sides and roof dry fitted.
Hannah removes the thin trails of filler from the sides of the fillet.
The finished fillet. It takes only about 5 minutes to make such a fillet. To get perfection you sand it the next day. We use a rolled up length of 60 grit sandpaper for this. It fits nicely into the corner, but is slightly soft. Again it only takes a matter of minutes to do this sanding.
After a clean draw there will be two thin trails of filler along the sides, these are removed with a chisel shaped stick.
As you draw the spatula along, it will collect a dollop of filler. If this dollop gets too big, scrape it back into the pot and continue the draw where you left off.
Next a thin plywood spatula is drawn the full length of the fillet, carefully holding it at right angles to the joint and moving it slowly.
Making a bulkhead fillet. First the fillet mixture (epoxy and WEST 409 Mircosphere blend) is scooped generously, but evenly into the joint, making sure it goes far enough up the sides.