Aside from the price of gas these days - which you're going to have to pay for in some way, shape, or form if going away anyhow - a trimaran sailboat with a cabin is an ideal camp/cruiser/family adventure craft. And this is true even if the cabin isn't very large ... which it surely won't be within a small trimaran.
You can find cabin plans for smaller trimarans that are practical and roomy enough for a family of 4. I've also seen small tris at anchor in the middle of a beautiful setting with a huge tarp draped over the sail rigging. This offers cover from rain or sun on the boat for everybody outside. And if you take a tent along, then anyone who wishes can sleep in comfort on one of the boat's trampolines at night.
Imagine driving your small trimaran to some beautiful lake, river or ocean destination just a few hours away. With a little preparation, you could easily combine fast sailing, good eating and sightseeing all-in-one.
You could also go on a road trip to some exotic place. If your drive consisted of several days, you might not even have to stay at a motel along the way. Exceptional frugality would allow for a family to sleep inside the boat's cabin while parked at rest areas.
For example, a real adventure might be driving to south Florida for an extreme vacation. Instead of just sailing in your home state, or one nearby, you could take a trailerable trimaran down to the Gulf of Mexico and sail through the Florida Keys ... or perhaps even the Bahamas.
After arriving in Florida, a well designed small trimaran would enable you to be sailing within an hour because of easy set up, including its outriggers. Reputable designers have created either folding or sliding systems that allow amas to easily move from a trailerable position to full sailing position without much hassle at all.
This possible scenario is very appealing to many would-be sailors. Which is why small trimarans are attracting an ever increasing number of fans.
There may be one disadvantage to trailering a small tri down to southern Florida for a week or more of sailing. You'll want to be careful about cruising around in crystal clear, aqua-blue waters for very long. I've heard this can make it difficult for participants to willingly end the vacation.
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Joe Farinaccio writes and blogs about small trimarans. Go to http://www.SmallTrimarans.com and get more info and free downloadable resources on small tris. Joe's "Small Trimarans" book is being published in 2009.
