Cross 49
Description
The Norman Cross 49 Trimaran (often abbreviated as the Cross 49) is an extremely rare, plans-only American folding trimaran sailboat designed by multihull pioneer Norman Cross in the early 1980s (plans dated ~1982). Intended for home or professional construction using cold-molded plywood-epoxy methods, it's one of the largest and most ambitious in Cross's lineup, with virtually no documented completed units (estimated 0–2, based on forum mentions and the designer's focus on smaller, more buildable tris). It features folding amas (outriggers) that collapse alongside the main hull via stainless hinges, reducing beam from ~26 ft to ~8 ft for trailering. Geared toward unlimited blue water cruising, family voyages, and occasional racing, it would offer exceptional stability and speed with a spacious interior, but as an unbuilt design, it remains conceptual—potentially blending Cross's lightweight ethos with stretched hulls for enhanced performance. No known examples exist in fleets or sales, making it a "theoretical masterpiece" for visionary builders inspired by Cross's legacy (e.g., his proven 46' model).
The standard boat dimensions
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Disclaimer. Boats are not all the same -- even when produced in the same factory of the same model. Sailrite does its best to publish accurate dimensions, but we often find it worthwhile to have our customers measure their boats carefully before we produce kits for them. You should take the same precautions, especially when the data is not from Sailrite. The information on this site is not guaranteed to be accurate. Sailrite offers this content as a service to our community, but takes no responsibility for the reliability of the data provided.