Heres a question

[Wild Dingo]

Now I got to have a decent gander at the pocket cruiser plans today.... and I got to wondering why the offset centreboard case? Why not bilge boards?... you know those wee boards off eather side of the keel that the brits tend to have when they stand their boats on the mud?... I was thinkin a pair of them instead of the offset centreboard would be best no?

And yes Ive got this weird dislike of anything that cuts through the bum of a boat! just me I guess :roll:

Cheers fellas :roll:

[Dave R1]

Shane, I expect there are two reasons for it. One is that building two bilge board cases increases the complexity somewhat and build time. It also makes for two places for leaks instead of just one.

The Weekender was originally designed with a centerboard but it was eliminated because there wasn't a significant improvement in performance with the board. Eliminating it also eliminated the leak and simplified the construction.

Remember, these boats were designed for builders who don't have a lot of traditional boat-building experience. They were intended for a relatively fast and inexpensive build by someone with a circular saw, a belt sander and a drill.

How come you haven't started building one yet.

[Tim Diebert]

I gather you are thinking of permanent bilge keels Shane? Not a retractable dagger or center board type?

Personally, I see that as a great idea and absolutly doable. A good opportiunity to add a bit of ballast down good and low as well. Plus the drying out feature. Downside would be the added difficulty retrieving the boat to trailer. If you were going to leave the boat on a drying anchorage, or even at float, it would be great. If you were going to dry sail it, it might not be as cool. But it would get the case out of the boat.

I think they are very practical in some folks cases....and it would be easy to do.

[Wild Dingo]

Flamin oath Tim!!! That was exacatatakally what I was thunkin!... bilge KEELS duhhh

Yeah but... dontcha reckon its a grand idea? I recall someone awhile back reckoned they were gonna put some lead on their weekender/vacationers bum... now if you did the bilge keel thingys instead yerve got a bonzer spot ready made for it... and yer wouldnt have to muck about with the keel itself or cut bloody great holes in her bum to stick some daggerboards through either! :shock:

strewth that bothers me :roll: .. yeah yeah irrational I know and its been done with great success for yonks now but hey I rarely do rational... its an occasional activity with me

[kydocfrog]

Westerly designs (an English series) have used the bilge keel approach for years quite effectively. The Brits have a lot of harbors that dry out with tides I gather, so the boats with bilge keels don't make you spill your pint at low tide.

It's an intriguing idea, though Tim's point about the trailer issue is a bit problematic. I would think you would need a couple of pretty substantial strongbacks (keelsons? false keels? deadwood?) in the interior. Wouldn't think that simply driving some keel bolts through the basic ply floor would be adequate.

DocA

[Greg Luckett]

Flamin oath Tim!!! That was exacatatakally what I was thunkin!... bilge KEELS duhhh

Yeah but... dontcha reckon its a grand idea? I recall someone awhile back reckoned they were gonna put some lead on their weekender/vacationers bum... now if you did the bilge keel thingys instead yerve got a bonzer spot ready made for it... and yer wouldnt have to muck about with the keel itself or cut bloody great holes in her bum to stick some daggerboards through either! :shock:

strewth that bothers me :roll: .. yeah yeah irrational I know and its been done with great success for yonks now but hey I rarely do rational... its an occasional activity with me

Please help me to understand you better? What is "bonzer" and "yonk"?

Thank you

[Greg Luckett]

Try this link.

http://www.seamanship.co.uk/engineering/EKsamplepages/bilge_keel.htm

[Tim Diebert]

Right. A damn fine idea I say. As Doc pojnts out, anything to prevent beer spillage is worth the effort.

(I just designed an new gimballed beer holder myself :drinking: )

The technical aspect can easily be worked out. CLR vs. CE could be done in no time giving you an optimum location, size and shape for the keels.

A substantial keelson would certainly be in order, through bolts and all the usual. Minor details.

Ballast is a given. Although, depending on what design you choose, you may not want much as you have the option of getting it down nice and low. I have 250lbs in my weekender Shane...Ray does a little more I think.

I just looked back, and it seems you are on about the Pocket Cruiser design. I should have read that more carefully, This is quite a beamy cat boat-ish type and may not need any additonal ballast. I can think of only one PC owner on this board...(Scott Windermere..?) and I have never heard of anyone ballasting one before. Though there is zero reason why you could not, or should not. A good topic for discussion.

Having gone and looked at the design on the Stevensons site, that is a right cute rascal.

OK buddy. When are you starting? We are all waiting to give you support here. 8)

Isn't winter just coming in for you now? A great time to stock the fridge and get to work.

Has anyone got an image of the Pocket Cruiser's profile/sail plan?