Hello, New builder with a few questions.....

[adifferentbreed]

Hello, I'm presently living in Colorado, but am from Anna Maria Island Florida, and will be here a few more years. I had forgotten just how much fun sailing was, until this summer. A friend of mine, from work, took a sailing course and promply bought a 19ft. O'Day. Went out with him a few times and it all came right back. So, long story short, I'm gonna order my Vacationeer plans after Christmas to start on this spring, but am considering building a 16ft, Summer breeze. I found the plans for online first. I think I could use it as a way of learning some of the skills I'll need for the Vacationeer, as well as give me something to sail to keep the inspiration up. Any thoughts, or should I just build the Vac? Also, pros and cons of taking either with me back to Florida when I go? Thanks for any input.

[Bud_Wilson]

ADB I don't see any reason not to take a Vacationer back to Florida with you. There is one or two at the BEER cruise from time to time, and Keith M. had his Whipperwill at the Port St. Joe messabout last year. They seam to do just fine. There are several in the Gulf Cost area. Bud.

[adifferentbreed]

So running about in the Gulf such as to Egmont Key, etc. will be fine?

I know for the lakes up here and in Utah it will be fine, but I keep reading how unstable a Vac is offshore. I guess I'll just build her and see how she goes. The ballast question seems to have been answered elsewhere in these forums, as have the rot questions. Anything else I should consider?

[ScottWidmier]

Do you mean the 12' Summer Breeze? Nice and easy boat to build that would serve as a primer for the Vacationer. Only problem with having another boat while building is that you might play hookie to much in order to go sailing!

[adifferentbreed]

Found a larger version at 16 ft. Looks like alot of fun, found it on Simplicityboats.com. I know playing hookie may be a problem, but working at a Harley Dealership in the summer cuts down on time to build as well. They say this boat, the 16 footer, can be built in as little as 24 hours, don't see that happening, but looks like alot of fun. I figure two years to build the Vac, as we can't have time off in the summer, so at least I figure that the smaller boat will keep the juices flowing. With a friend helping I am hoping this goes quicker though. Since it's 19 out right now and not getting any better, I'm at least enjoying going through all of the older posts, sure is a lot more to learn than I envisioned. I started intitially thinking, build a boat go sailing, think it may be getting more serious than that. Presently my wife and I own 5 motorcycles, is there a possibility wooden boat building could be as addicitive if not more so?

[JeffM]

Well, let me tell you... I was one of the "I'm building a boat because I want to get back on the water" group. Now I have my Core Sound 20 and have been all over Narragansett Bay with her in the last two seasons. But I've probably spent even more time tweaking and improving and experimenting than actually sailing. And to make matters worse, I now have Birder 2 kayak parts laid out in my garage, and a Piccup Pram a little behind that. Me, an addict? Nah, I can quit whenever I want!

[adifferentbreed]

Maybe a dumb question, but I have found so many great ideas on line, and some I've come up with on my own.................how do you choose which ones to incorperate? Also, my 5 year old insists it has "Pirate" rails. I know he wants rails around the transom, should be easy enough, but I haven't seen anyone with wooden pulpit rails on the bow...anybody seen any, or have any info? Damn, it's beginning to look like I have more ideas for options than boat. I see how this can become addictive and why some people say your boat is never done, you're always tweeking something.

[Brian Walters]

Barry Pyeatt built a pulpit on his weekender, You can see a picture of it in the gallery.

Brian.

P.S. the only "dumb" question is the one not asked.

[ScottWidmier]

You mean the DayDream. I remember when he first came out with that plan. I was planning on building it but decided on the C12 from Bateau.com instead. I think a smaller boat might serve as a primer for the Vacationer and give you a more useful fleet of boats as well. The small boat will be an easy one to grab and go for one person sailing being easier to rig and tow than the Vacationer. How about a pram or small skiff.

[adifferentbreed]

Looked at the C-12 this afternoon, think I'll still stick with the 16 footer, more room for the kids and all, appreciate the input though. Besides, the wife thinks it's a small boat so I get it and the Vac. Looks like it'll be alot of fun on the resivoir here, and I'm really not impatient when it comes to rigging the boat to get it in the water, good family time. Will post pics as it comes together, figure on starting it next weekend. Just gotta get a portable garage and set it up this weekend, should be fun, highs in the 20's and lows in the single digits.

[ScottWidmier]

I do love the C12 with all of the advantages of a beamy V bottomed boat, however, I really wasn't suggesting it as a primer for the flat bottomed Vacationer. Not only is the hull shape different but the C12 goes together stitch and glue while the Vacationer uses stringers. Daydream is more similar in construction to the Vacationer except for the order of the build. On the Daydream you attach the sides first then attach the bottom and trim to fit. On the Vacationer, you attach the bottom to a keel which gives it the shape, then attach the deck and finally the sides and trim to shape. Similar but different.

As for size, it is nice to have a boat that the whole family can on paper go on. However, it is also nice to have two similar boats that the family can use independantly. Two boats make a race and/or parents in one adults in another and/or can split up seperately to explore or do whatever. It is also nice to have both large and small. However, boatbuilding is a disease and once started you can never stop building them. I have built six and have plywood for two more small prams just for the kids. Unfortunately, my wife will only let me keep so many at a time :cry: .

One more note on size, the c12 is actually fairly close in size to the Daydream 16. You are forgetting the effects of beam where the general rule is each additional foot of beam is like adding 5 additional feet to the length of the boat. The c12 is about 8 inches wider than the Daydream and has more displacement thanks to the V bottom. Going with the rule of thumb and equalizing the beam to that of the Daydream, the c12 is more like a 15'4" boat by my very crude estimates. That is why the Pocket Cruiser is actually a bigger boat than the Weekender with cockpit space approaching that of a Vacationer and a very roomy cabin even though it is, on paper, a shorter boat. It is also a lot more stable than the Weekender and you can even walk easily on the side decks.

Fun stuff the differening effects of dimensions!

[adifferentbreed]

Thanks for the input, guess I have a lot to learn, found the beam thing interesting, did not know that. Mostly the boats are gonna end up for me and my son, as my daughters will be leaving for college in 2 years, I hope, haha. So we'll see how things turn out I guess. Again, thanks fopr the input, hopefully this doesn't get as expensive as the bikes do. Hopefully the weather will cooperate this weekend so I can get the garage set up.

[ScottWidmier]

You might find this picture interesting. It is of two boats that I have built (in the picture one is being finished). The boat on the left is the C12 which has plenty of capacity to take on my family of four and enough stability to let the kids wander about and hang over the sides to look at the water. The other boat is a 12' dory of my own design. It cannot take my family of four and may only have capacity for on adult and one child. It also is much more tender. All of this is determined by the different beams (width) of the boats. The c12 is 63" wide and the dory is about 42" wide. Of course, the dory is much lighter (less material), less effort to row, and requires a smaller sail to go. Tradeoffs!

[adifferentbreed]

Thanks for the pics, C-12 looks bigger than I thought, I think I'll take another look at it. Man, more stuff to think about.

[adifferentbreed]

Broke my pinkie at work today...........so much for this week-end, oh well, supposed to snow tommorow anyway. Guess I'll do somemore surfing for info.