Spindrift 12 or...?

[Dogdad]

I'm finishing up a stitch & glue canoe and have started looking at small sailboats.    I'm looking for something that could carry 1-3 small/medium-sized adults on New England lakes, but still be small enough to comfortably singlehand.  In my younger days I raced Sunfish, and crewed on Lightnings and a variety of small racing dinghys.   So far the Spindrift 12 looks good, as do the Bay River Skiff 15 and Core Sound 15, but I'm wondering if the latter two would be too much for a small adult to sail alone.   I know that small simple boats tend to get used more than large complex ones.  Ian Oughtred's Shearwater or Gannet also look interesting.

Thoughts/comments/suggestions?

[Dogdad]

5', 120-lb female, not very athletic or experienced in small boats but wants to learn to sail comfortably alone.  She's concerned about being overpowered.

[Dogdad]

  That's a good point -- a boat that's still balanced and behaves well when reefed is important.  I've sailed boats that seemed to only go sideways after the first reef went in. 

[tom151]

5', 120-lb female, not very athletic or experienced in small boats but wants to learn to sail comfortably alone.  She's concerned about being overpowered.

Dogdad,

If you decide to build a B&B design - this forum might help you find a local boat that would be kind enough to provide you with some hands on exposure to the handling characteristics. There are several B&B boats in the New England area.

Or you could plan on taking in the B&B-Mess-About in NC the later part of October -- see the "Point blank" thread for info.

[JeffM]

The cs20 is certainly not a problem single-handing, though I would reef earlier than Ray.  The cat ketch is a pretty relaxed rig.  But handling the boat under sail is only part of it.  A 20ft hull is heavy!  Say 600-700lb.  Also much harder to store: just barely fits kitty-corner in my 2-car garage.  A spindrift would be a whole 'nother experience.

[DISTELTK]

I built a BRS 15.  I have sailed several small boats.  I am 67 and a bit overweight,

I have learned to sail it better each time I have sailed.  I would have no problem sailing this  boat in large waters.  I have sailed dinghys in Lake Michigan and Charlotte Harbor in Florida.  The boat is very stable and my confidence in both my ability to sail it and its stability increases with each trip out.  I sail almost entirely solo.  The BRS is easy to rig, the masts are 17',  2/3 aluminum and no rigging.

Tom D. Lansing Mi.

[Dogdad]

Thanks for the replies!

I'm in west/central NH near Lake Sunapee.  Grew up near Squam Lake (http://www.squamlakes.org/) and did most of my sailing there, and also crewed for some folks racing bigger boats on Winnipesaukee.

I did contact B&B for information on area builders.    I've heard back from one person building a CS17,  and would be delighted to see any others within a reasonable driving range.

[Greg Luckett]

When I purchased my Spindrift 12 plan set, it was intended to be used as a tender for my bigger boat, which I sold.  The S12S secondary role as a day sailor/fishing boat is now the primary reason to build it.  At the rate I am going, it will be done sometime in September this year.  Having gone through this process and looking at the Core Sound builds I am now of the opinion that building and sailing a Core Sound is not any more difficult than the Spindrift build/sailing.  If I had it to do all over, I would not change anything as I have learned and enjoyed a great deal from this Spindrift building, but at this point I do not know if another boat build is in my future or not.  There are many projects left undone while boat building...."opportunity cost" so to speak.  Building a smaller boat has the advantage of less cost and easier to find the space to build, while the larger boats that I would like to build do not have a place to build them.  A Core Sound 20 sure looks like a doable for my situation, but it would take me a couple of years at the rate I go...based on the S12. 

This rambling is to get around to encouraging you to build a CS17 rather than a S12.  Nearly the same amount of effort and only slightly more cost.

[Dogdad]

Since you all seem to like photos, here's my current project -- my first boat.

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2165917960087581313PpGwDA

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2077171480087581313JpiQDg

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2827769310087581313jnVYCa

Nice plywood makes anything look good!

It's a stitch & glue version of John Waters' Osprey solo canoe, brought to life with help from the folks at Newfound Woodworks in Bristol, NH.  They've got a CNC plywood cutter if anyone can think of a use for one....   It's 4mm plywood, 4 oz. glass inside & out, Silvertip epoxy products used throughout. Progress has been slow, and I've made all the beginner mistakes, so when I finally got the inwales attached I clamped a couple of temporary thwarts in place and took it for a spin on the local pond.  I think it's going to be fun!

[Greg Luckett]

Ray, I stumbled onto an old thread about you building in your converted garage.  Did you manage to move into a better facility like you hoped, or are you limited like me as to the size of a boat to build?

Those CS17s are a nicely sized boat, good for a range of use, and ease of both building and handling.  I am still considering  one but like the bigger size of the CS20 for waters like Lake Michigan or coastal sailing.  I would love to have one for next years Texas 200.

[SUKIE]

Ray,

South Thomaston General store has the absolute best lobsta rolls in the world. Big, fresh, fairly priced, and you walk across the street to watch the locals cast for stripers in the raging current, while munching on your feast. I think you should move there!