Striders have proven one of our most popular designs, for good reason as they are good all rounders. Enough accommodation for coastal cruising, race winning performance - especially in light winds - and readily trailable. The original 1982 version was for home building in ply and featured daggerboards and a semi trampoline/hard deck area.

This version was first built in grp in 1984. It proved to be a popular race boat, holding the course record for one leg of the offshore fully crewed Three Peaks Race, coming third in the 1985 World Micromultihull Championship and 1st and 3rd in the 1989 and 1992 UK Championships respectively. Several different rigs were drawn to suit individual owners specific needs, the big rigged boats have a wider overall beam and usually an all trampoline deck area. Such big rig boats are sailed on Lake Kariba in Zimbabwe for example.

In 1987 Palamos Boatbuild wanted a budget boat that would be a good introduction to cruising catamaran sailing. We had found that many people did not want performance, just a big open deck, simple to sail dayboat with the option of occasional overnighting. Most of these owners only wanted to take a boat home at the end of the year and so designing the boat for regular trailing was not important. As a result the Strider Club was developed which proved very popular during 1988 and 89 with about 40 grp boats sold.

This version of Strider had low aspect ratio keels, a small rig and a solid cockpit tray. All making the boat easy and comfortable to day sail. It was this version that three of us sailed singlehanded in convoy to the Soviet Union in 1989. In the same year Palamos Boatbuild went into liquidation and only a few new boats were built in the 90's before the moulds were broken up. However, the plans are still available for both versions if you wish to build in plywood or strip plank cedar. The home builders version of the Strider Club is called Shadow.

To learn more about the different versions view the video "A Day Sail to Russia" which features the Strider Club, or "Multihull Sailors Have More Fun!" which features sailing shots of both versions.