dale

Walter Simmons gives a bit of lattitude in the length of his designs by simply spacing the stations differently. I was hoping to proportionately increase it though. And Daniel's Boat is 3.2m which comes out to about 10 and 1/2', not 12'4". Again, this is per John.

I've found a boat whose lines I really love but it is a bit small. Here's the question: Can you buy plans for a boat, increase all offsets and come out with a bigger boat? Not just stretching a plan, but increasing beam as well. Here's the one I like: http://www.duckworksbbs.com/plans/jw/danielsboat/index.htm The boat is 3.2m or about 10' couple inches. (the 12'4" is incorrect per JW) I'd like to build it about 12', a 15% increase in size.

I don't think it is an aversion to sailing nor to the Mac. I'd say it is two-fold. One, she is not really the out-doors type to start with. Two, and I believe the main reason, is all of the trials that we have had sailing. The stories are too numerous to mention but include my inexperience, getting sick while on a sailing vacation (not seasick - just sick), losing a trailer wheel, breaking a rib, ad nauseum.... In retrospect, I wish I had gained some proficiency before getting her involved; but the plan all along was for it to be a family thing and to get us on the water.

this has been discussed before. Tom Lathrop made this comment in one of the threads listed below. "It's easy to make a case based on aerodynamics for better performance with a wishbone or a half wishbone boom but, in practice, the difference is minimal. We have never seen any measurable performance increase using the more complicated rig. We have sailed both rigs on identical Bay River Skiffs on numerous occasions and the simple sprit boom rigs have always been faster. Not to say that the sprit boom rig is superior, but even a small difference in skipper ability overshadows any perceived performance improvement. "Given that the straight sprit is far simpler to build and rig and no significant improvement has been seen using the curved spar, my choice is for the simple rig every time. On larger boats, the story might be different."

As lake sailors, we often sail in light wind conditions. Maybe it would be worth exploring a wishbone boom.

Thought I posted this last night but... I've always wondered about the effeciency of the sprit rig when sailing on the tack that presses the sail against the sprit. Is that needless worry? Has anyone thought about making the sprit like a wishbone like the builders of the Nonsuch do? Could probably get a nice curve with laminated plywood or perhaps steam bent.

Agreed. I've thought long and hard on this because it is such an investment of TIME and money. And my sailing goals are changing too. I doubt sailing vacations with my wife are realistic; so I'm thinking more in terms of daysailing and short term single-handed cruises. I may sell the Mac and go for something in the 18' range as a weekender/family daysailer. Got a grandson coming up too that I have to think about.

Maybe tomorrow I will repost as a new thread. I'm not real fond of the boxy style of many of Jim's boats. If I were going to do a 14 or 16 footer, I would go ahead and do the CS 15 or 17 I believe. The thing I like about JW's boats are they give you the rounded hull look with a fewer number of strakes. Even the Walkabout has only 4 if I'm counting correctly. I'm even fascinated at his new Pilgrim. That sounds like the quintessential cruiser of the size we are discussing.

Scott, or anyone else, If you were going to build something in the 12-13' category for daysailing and the FL 120 (thinking of Scott's listed requirements above), of stock plans, what would you build? I've considered Daniel's Boat, the Bateau C12 (Scott's "Little Gem"), the Bateau Corsair 13, B&B's Sprindrift 12 - maybe a few others but I don't really want a super complicated build as in a lapstrake with 7-9 strakes per side.

I think I have an idea of the kind of boat you are building. I do like the description of Walkabout. In fact, a guy just bought one and posted on JW's forum: "For all you potential Walkabout builders and owners. This is a fantastic boat! In light air conditions today she broad reached up to 5 knots, most of the time she was moving at between 3 and 4.2 knots. I was getting 4 knots to windward in the puffs and I was easily able to row her at 2.5 to 3 knots." She sounds great but may be more boat than I want to build right now. So, 12' is the majic number for registering? Guess that would leave out DB at 12'4".

BTW - what do you think of Daniel's Boat? I like the length, love the lines, and like the fact that it is a lapstrake boat but with only 3 strakes per side. Should give it a great look without being too labor intensive. I really like the Navigator but way too much boat for me to build right now.

Scott, I hope this turns into a good thread. I'm wanting to build something and the itch is very, very strong. I'm wanting something to mainly single-hand daysail. Something I can rig quickly and row reasonably well when the wind dies. Not interested in a motor. I also would like for it to be sufficient for the FL 120 which I would love to do next year. Right now, I leaning heavily towards John Welsford's Daniel's Boat. http://www.duckworksbbs.com/plans/jw/danielsboat/index.htm He has it drawn with a sprit rig. The boat is 12'4" and judging by the drawing the sail has a luff of about 14' and a perpendicular of about 8. He says the sail is 56 sq.ft. I'm ok with that rig but I have always wondered how much it's effeciency would be affected on the one tack. I also would wonder if more sail area could be added for light wind and downwind - perhaps a bow sprit and roller furled jib like the guy in that beautiful 10 footer at the 120. He was doing 3-4 knots in light wind in that thing if I understand the videos correctly. Can you reveal your secret designs LOA/LWA and beam?

BTW - here are a couple pics of the dinghy: one showing a closeup of the mast setup

Back to the birdsmouth spar. I'm thinking about making one for my dinghy. I need a mast that is 12'6" high (from the step) that can carry a sail of 45 sq.ft. The mast is unstayed. Lowes carries 1"x4"x14' clear pine that I'm planning on using (I know I should get sitka spruce - but, sheesh, this is just a 7&1/2' dinghy made from luan). I can make a 6-sided spar by splitting the stock in half and come up with a spar that is about 2&7/8" in diameter; or I can make an 8-sided spar up to about 3&1/2" (or even a little larger if needed). I would taper the spar down to about 2" at the top. I would make the bottom 1&1/2' of the spar solid which would make it solid 3/4' above the deck. Is the 6-sided sufficient? It would take less material, less labor, and no waste. Or should I go with the 8-sided? I have never seen any specs on this. Just kinda thinking common sense at the moment. Thanks for any input.

I think it was the heat that he was concerned about. The guy lives in S. Africa. He apparently has done some significant work having built an 18 meter mast before. Anyway, the rain stopped and I finished. Used gorilla glue (though I will use epoxy if I build the real thing). I had 4 pieces of scraps but one was warped so I made a 6 sided trial. Used 30 and 60 degree cuts. didn't have to reset blade, just turned over the staves. Joints seem pretty tight. Now I'm ready to build a real one!

I found the site: http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/06/howto/birdsmouth/index.htm Go down about 2/3 the way down. "This is the mast stave scarphs being glued. The glue is a special Phenolic Resin. Note! NEVER GLUE UP MASTS WITH EPOXY!"

Just got rained out of a trial effort to build a birdsmouth spar (3' long). Seems I just read on a site the other day (can't find it now) that you should NEVER glue a birdsmouth spar with epoxy. That was a new thought to me. What do yo use to glue up a spar? thickened epoxy? gorilla glue? elmers wood glue? or what?

Pretty nifty!

I guess you've seen Jan's CS17. His masts look nice - not sure how he would rate them for performance. http://www.fivenineclimber.com/boats_sailing/coresound17_older.htm http://www.fivenineclimber.com/boats_sailing/coresound17.htm

Somebody give me the scoop on Nemo. Looks like a really nice boat.

Thanks for the reports and pics! I would love to have been there. I did make it to the Glen-L "Gathering" in Guntersville, AL (oh, hope that's not blasphemy here on the B&B board but it was only 125 miles away compared to 567 miles to the coast). Most of the Glen-L builders there have built power boats - some great craftsmanship though. But my heart was in NC. I've ordered supplies from B&B and one day may build one of their boats - maybe even the Lapwing.

Tom, What a job! She's gorgeous. I've been following the lapwing project from the beginning and have even created my own slide show from your pics. You may have provided me the inspiration to attempt to build a lapstrake boat. I've been thinking about the CS 15 or 17 and may now do the lapwing - we'll see. Just curious - will you have to put ID number on the boat and if so, where? I'd say what a shame to mar such a beaut with numbers and letters. Oh, well...

May or may not be perfect; but she sure is pretty! Great job!!

Bud, it is impossible for me to say for sure at this point, but I'm going to do my best to come. I'm not far, and this would be a great opportunity for me. I'll let you know as we get closer. If I make it, it will be Fri - Sat afternoon only.

I haven't tried, but I imagine I'd have to really duck when the boom came across.