vacationer cabin

[andya]

Hi everyone

Building my second boat from Stevenson's projects.Loved my weekender but started working on the vacationer for longer camping trips. How high can I safely bring up the height in the cabin and is it even necessary .

andya 

[Brian Walters]

I added 4" to my cabin height succesfully, I copied Keith Mclean on that, I have sailed on his boat and it seems to be just right to be able to see over while sailing the boat, and adds enough room to the cabin to sit down in nastier weather, while reducing the chances of smacking Your head on the rafters. and it still retains it's sleek look as well.

  Brian.

[andya]

Thanks Brian,

what modifications besides having the boom higher is necessary.ex door opening,port frames

I'm having trouble visualizing the look

thanks andy

[Mike Pennington]

I posted a few pics awhile back at Frank's MSN site.

I believe their are a couple more Vacationer's as well.

http://www.messing-about.com/weekender/albums.htm

The four inches to the cabin hieght is a must, I bang my head as it is.

[Brian Walters]

Ok I dont know if this is going to work or not but here is a photo of Keith Mcleans Vacationer with the 4" lift on the cabin, I am doing like he did and just adding 4" on to the  height, yeah the companion way will be a little wider but it is usefull and you have to cut the rafters to fit which at this point of the build alot of it is cut to fit and the plans become more of a guideline, not difficult at all.buut here is a pic showing how it still holds the sleek lines with the 4"

I also have a pic of one of the errors on the plans, It's about the lofting of the decks on the plans they dont come out right but someone over on the byyb site drew up the correct way it's what I did and it came out right. Here is a pic ...

Well for some reason I cant get it on here but I can Emai it to You if You want. another mod I made was to make the rear cockpit wall extend all the way to the boats sides instead of stopping at the seat backs this way it keeps any water from the tiller hole out and also creates some flotation compartments that I plan on filling with foam packing peanuts.

Brian.

[andya]

Thanks.

I appreciate your input .

I am going to go ahead with the extra four inches. My e-mail address is andrewarseneau@hot mail.com ,I am anxious to  get to plan corrections. Yesterday I Took my weekender out for the season but before doing so I took her for a spin.On the bay of chaleur here in New Brunswick conditions change quickly on the water and I got a good tossing about by mother nature herself. I don't remember the last time I got scared to that level.I enjoy a good adrenalin rush as much as the next fellow but let me tell you I sure was glad to  touch land without losing my boat.My hat goes off to the Stevenson for her design  cause she took some pretty fierce waves.

andy

[Brian Walters]

Well the Hull of the weekender is supposed to be designed from the dory from Nova Scotia so she should be right at home.

It must have been a blast out there though, it can get scarey out there.

Brian.

[buck]

Hi Guys

Had to throw in my 5 cents. I'm quiet vexed over the vacationer cabin height, I like the look of the original but Stevensons cabins are too low for comfortable cruising. This is what I was going to do with my Vacationer:

[Brian Walters]

Ahhh Buck! Your the one with the idea, I have a copy of Your photo and could not remember where I got it.

I really like Your swing down keel idea and I think I am going to try a version of that on My Boat, leave it up, on the lake or calmer waters but be able to relese it when needed is a good option. as far as the cabin extention I think it's wahatever Floats Your boat I like the look of the design ,I think you may have to Raise the gooseneck kinda high, I dunno though I have been wrong before Acctually I have no idea what I am doing building this boat its kinda a learn as ya go thing. just my two cents.

Thank you for sharing Your ideas I appreciate it.

Brian.

[Mike Pennington]

Hello,

A little encouragement. I've busted my head on that mid rafter, more than once 

I forget how many inches I raised the mast base, originally, fourteen, maybe a bit more. Then refitting a couple of years ago, I raised it again, when I changed the mast to white spruce. I got to pick that one out of the mill yard, that was a good day.

I have a double bottom on the Aurorawolf. And her sides are a size up from what the plans called for.(Not intentional, just the only thing that I could get in Fairbanks, at the time.)

She is a bit heavier now, I've added some lumber, from when I first launched. The first few seasons, she was so light that I could ghost along on a flat surface, if the wind could barely flicker a Bic lighter. Now days, I use a Honda 9.9 to push the big duck through the water  ;D 

She rides real well out in the bay off Homer, the raised mast and sail area hasn't effected her stability in my opinion. I think you might be able to see how much room is available. My Vacationer's gunwhales are raised, too, shelter from the cold splash.

I think you might get away with something close to raising the hatchway. Just remember, change one think, and adjust a whole lot more    I want to rebuild my hatch, something with a little more height, and maybe small portholes. But a structure that won't give way or loose in a roll over. As water tight as possible.

The raised sides have given me problems when rowing out of Seward. But I have since decided that if the wind is that strong again, I'll stay in port.  :

Getting side ways in the surf is a big no-no with the Vacationer. All that extra flat surface on the keel at the bow, will drive the boat over.  Same with tacking, she can be fickle.

[Brian Walters]

Hey Mike how are you, you know, I was thinking of raising my gunwhales as well, another thing I was thinking od doing and May help Buck is Gaffing My boom so that it can be adjusted to whatever heigt I need it to be.

thanks Mike.

Brian.

[buck]

Great thread Guys !

Brian I'll keep the sail height the same and take some sail area of the bottom of the mainsail. I do a lot of single handed sailing and I find the Weekender a bit overpowered in 20knots, Reducing the main works wonders. Mike, I you're right about changing one thing and having to change everything. I thought of raising the deck but you end up redesigning the whole boat! Raising the cabin is relatively easy as long as you keep the hull the same.

  One of the things I love about the Weekender is its ability to Gunkhole shallow creeks then go out and bust-up 4' seas and 20knot breezes whilst staying bone dry. (I can forgive windward performance for that) These boats show remarkable qualities in the short piling steep chop I sail in and seem to raise that safety margin just that little bit further than other similar boats.

  I think I'll make the swing down keel a little wider and less deep. Has any one got the position and dimensions of the original weekender one? I was going to just bolt it through the keel and have it sit on the outside. I'm not expecting to much windage problems from the raised cabin as I tried a similar thing on the Weekender without problems. Mike do you really row your Vactioner? Whats she like to sail?

[andya]

WOW

what a couple of great idea's. Just got back from out of town for the week and sure was happy with the info.

As soon as I am done winterizing my weekender I am going to continue working on the vacationer. I value you input so dont be shy.

[Mike Pennington]

Hello All,

I wrote a response last night, but the dang cable company went down, before I could post it. Naturally, I realize now that I didn't save my work either  ;D

Brian, I've been busy raising up the grandkids, very little time for myself. Or the boats.

The Vacationer sails well, I've surprised a few boats that some might think are a higher class boat, and done the Vacationer design credit.

Adding sail forward, helps her point up wind a bit better. Getting the mast angled right helps, too.  :

Rowing the Vacationer is actually easy, once she gets going. I use the oars to put her back on the trailer, much easier than the motor, more control. I used eight foot oars, but nine to ten would be better. I carved out my own ten footers. I had to raise the oarlocks at the cockpit to clear the railing.

Some times in a light wind or a passing speed boat, will cause the bow to stall have way over when coming about. Nice to have that oar ready for a quick dip and get back to heading the right way. All that keel out front will slow you down if you loose momentum.

With a light load the Vacationer can almost keep up with Lars' schooner. Which is saying something. 

I have sailed the Vacationer in some heavy winds, white caps, swells and cross currents. The trick is to reef the sail, before she gets rough. I have scared the dickens out myself more than once, too.

Lars Opland's, "Loon." Very fast, also has two oar stations.

Vacationer, "Mordag," off Ketchikan Island, Alaska, under oar power.

[andya]

That time of year.

It took me most of  the weekend winterize ladydel my weekender. Now it's going to be mostly the vacationer that will get the attention.I was just wondering witch is cheaper (gas stoves , dc powered coolers ,light ect

or installing power inverter to my dc batteries that charge on solar to run ac electric stove,lights, coolers ,ect.

Have any of you found a decent spot to install  a bilge pump.

andrew

[Brian Walters]

                 

I am going to go with this Butane stove, it is really nice and it fits anywhere and uses cans of butane about the size of a rightguard can. I have seen it at my local Ace hardware store for about $29.00, but I got mine online for like 14 dollars not to bad

I may get a propane Magma grill to hang off the rear of the boat as well.

  Brian.

[Mike Pennington]

Water will collect against the aft cabin bulk head, inside and out. It is the lowest point in my Vacationer, when sitting in the water. If your lucky your cabin will never leak  : from above.

The only water that gets in my boat is from the rain and the cockpit can get deep quick.  I would put the pump under one of the seats by the bulkhead.

Stoves! I use a two burner, stainless steel Brinkman. I use the small green Colman gas cansiters. Well okay, Joan uses the stove. Not only for cooking, but a quick warm up. I also have a Colman heater that uses the same canisters. Lasts about seven hours with continuos use.