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CS-15 Mk-3


Chick Ludwig

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OK, y'all. Here's the deal. The master says that the boat is practical and would be a good cruiser as well as perform well. The question is: Is there enough interest from you guys out there in the messabout world to go to the time and trouble to complete the design and cutting files to build a kit. He's had some interest from some folks, but what do you say? Ya want one? We'll be making a decision soon so we need your feedback.

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HI All,

 

I'm building a CS-15, and maybe after this post I should name it "Contrarian."   I'm 6'1" and my kneecaps feel the immutable laws of physics every time I get on an airplane. 

 

Someone posted (maybe on this forum) the idea that a really good use of space in a small boat is to make reconfigure-able space. I can't claim any expertise at all - I'm still looking forward to my first overnight on a boat - but this idea makes sense to me.  If a boom tent can be made comfortable and sturdy, then the cockpit becomes a lounging space at anchor and a spacious bedroom at night.  A solid cabin may be cozy (or cramped for a bigger guy), but tough to reconfigure on the fly.  I decided that dinghy cruising was going to fit me best.  A cabin, my knees and the available garage space just weren't going to be compatible.

 

One aspect of Graham's drawing above really caught me attention, though.  It looks like the centerboard is attached to the seat front, rather than just being slightly off-center.   The seat front position would create usable floor space in my "living room" at anchor, or even low-center-of-gravity sleeping space.  I'm already wondering how the sleeping aboard will go, so a low, stable sleeping area appeals to me.  I'd be skittish about packing my mass right up into the bow where there's the least beam for stability.

 

Cheers,

Bob

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I thought about the viability of a CS15 mk3 a lot after talking to Chick today. I spent some time in Carlita's cabin, trying out the bunks and imagining a smaller sister. I think that it is feasible but I do not see the point. It would have almost all of the same components and steps to build. The rudder, centerboard, ballast tanks, tabernacle, the masts are the same but cut down etc.. It would cost nearly as much, take almost as much time to build, to get a slightly slower boat with a cramped cabin.

 

It does not get into a lower class of towing vehicle. According to the owners manual of my 1900cc vehicle, a loaded CS17 mk3 with trailer is well under the recommended limit.

 

I agree with Bob, most people are bigger and need a bit more space. About sleeping so far forward, that is why I wanted the feet under the cockpit. The water ballast would make at more stable with someone sleeping forward.

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I've pretty much came to the same conclusion as Graham. It's been fun,  but I think that it is time to file the CS-15 Mk-3 in the "almost-but-not-quite" file and move on th other, more practical projects. Thanks for the input from all you guys. Feel free to continue to make comments on this page. I'm gonna start wrapping my mind about the CS-17 Mk-3.

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Chick, I thought that all along. If you ever sailed on any small cabin boat, you have either a good cockpit and a lousy cabin, or a good cabin and a lousy cockpit. I think the 17 foot mark in designs past is where you finally get room to have a reasonably good version of both. When I was at B&B last week, I saw Carlita and was very impressed. I think you won't be sorry having that extra 2 feet.

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Steve, the main reason to up-scale to me had more to do with performance and load carrying ability, and the sensitivity of the balance of the smaller boat. Live weight (me) and where it is located in the smaller boat would be critical.

 

Anyway, now i just gotta wait for the good folks at B&B to get time to whip me up a kit. Then a drive to the coast to pick it up, and we're off building. I'd love to be done for the 2015 B&B messabout, but I dunno----lot to get done. I'll start a new thread on "Chick's CS-17 Mk-3, the new Summer Breeze". See y'all there soon!

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