EC 22

[Joe Anderson]

I have been thinking about building a beach cruiser with spartan accommodation and spirited performance. I have built two stitch and glue kayak kits and one skin on frame kayak. I have read with interest the discussions on this forum about the development, construction and performance of Southern Skimmer. I envision doing multi day trips exploring the Outer Banks of North Carolina, the Barrier Islands of Virginia and one day trucking the boat up to Nova Scotia.

I found the interview with Christy and Noel Davis on furledsails.com very revealing. Graham comes across as a very practical and performance oriented designer, who also builds and races his boats. There is just something about his attitude that I like.

The discussion about the displacement/length and sail area/displacement ratios made it clear that the EC 22 is well out on the performance end of the spectrum. And yet Graham made it sound like the boat was very predictable and capable of handling some rough conditions safely with a skilled crew.

I would like to find out more about the boat. I would like to see and perhaps sail an EC 22. Is the EC 22 purely a race boat, that an amateur has no business puttering about in? I do not see plans listed on the B&B web site. Will there be plans available?

Is there a book or books that would be particularly helpful to a novice building one of Grahams boats.

Thanks

[Brent]

Joe,

I built a CS20 for the same reasons - spirited performance and simple accomodations. If you are coming from a kayak you will appreciate how having storage space for a number of "luxury" items on board. I take the type of trips you describe - multi day explorations - with a simple tent over the forward cockpit area for "accomodations".

You have already made some key insights into these boats and the designer.

I have not sailed or even seen in person the EC22. To my knowledge there is only one in existence. But it is a cool concept!

Keep in mind the EC22 was built for speed and intended to be crewed by a team of experienced sailors. Out on multiday excursions be prepared to handle the full range of weather. A couple of skilled sailor with a weather eye will have a blast with this boat. If you imagine finding yourself out there alone - you will have your hands full.

[Garry]

Great job on those brochures, Ray. Even got me thinking if I could afford to order a boat!!! ; :wink:

[Charlie Jones]

And if you happen to be in the southern half of the US, remember there's ANOTHER builder on the Gulf Coast. Shipping would be way less.

[Ken_Potts]

And then there are those of us who would be willing to sail your new boat from either builder to you for very very little compensation at all...

[JeffM]

Just show me where to sign on as delivery crew...

[Joe Anderson]

Sounds great. Now I know where I can have a beautiful boat built and at least two offers to deliver the boat. Very tempting.

One problem is there would be several things I will never discover. Like what exactly is long boarding?

Ray do you have a favorite reference or did you learn everything in the school of hard knocks?

[Garry]

Longboarding is a surfing term. Right Ray? :wink:

[ChrisObee]

No... No... long boarding is origionally a pirate term. Its that "long board" that they use when boarding ship from a dock.

[Charlie Jones]

I notice no one actually mentioned what longboarding really IS.

It's kinda torture at first, but then everything goes numb and you can sorta "zen out" while doing it

Here's a couple of mine- sized so a sanding belt cut open will glue to the underside- say 20 inches long by 3 inches wide, and made using 1/4 or 6mm ply. Use is to span low spots while sanding away high places while fairing a boat.

Fortunately on the sheet ply boats they aren't used ALL OVER like on cold molded boats. But for the Princess design, you'll get quite familiar with long boards working the bow sections. They also work very well making sure chine lines are straight and smooth.

But just wait til you long board the hull of a 35 foot cold molded trimaran. AND the two 32 foot amas :shock:

I own and peruse many many books on boat bulding, but having done it since 1976, MOST of my knowledge has come the hard way.

[Ken_Potts]

One thing to add - Since the longboard is thin it will flex to the curve of the surface you're fairing.

[Ken_Potts]

If you listen to music while sanding you could call it songboarding.

Once you've built up some muscles doing it you're strongboarding.

If you get a large ape to do it for you you're Kongboarding.

If you take a break to play video games you're pongboarding.

But if you do it as well as I do you should probably call it wrongboarding

[Howard]

This longboarding......before or after the epoxy goes on? I can see where it would work on plywood, before the epoxy goes to fair things up.

I ask, as when I tried it on the cured epoxy, I got about 5 good strokes out of it before the paper clogged. I was using a sanding belt, cut to layout on a board....about 60 grit. I wouldn't mind the work, but it wasn't "working".

So I resorted to a heavy disk sander with vacuum sucking the dust off as I went. NOT the same thing for fairing. But it was all I could get to work.

[Tom Lathrop]

Longboarding, HA!

It is more accurately known as a tortue board and with good reason. I don't use no stinkin tortue board. I have Greek friend named Arthritis that takes care of the excuses.