Design dreaming

[JeffM]

My last possible trip of the season scuttled by predictions of gale winds (and possible snow), my imagination drifts from trips that must be 5 months away, to boats of the future.

My daily commute takes me over the mouth of the Taunton River: a mile wide where it enters Mt Hope Bay, and draining a large part of south eastern Massachusetts.  I have many times looked down on sparking waves from the heights of the Braga Bridge and wondered why the adventure must end simply because the wind driving those sparking waves is at 40 degrees and rain is predicted.  Wouldn't it be cool to head out in a Layden Paradox, in which I could adventure in comfort, retreating at will from cold wind and rain simply by sliding a hatch closed and sailing on.  But the Paradox is a one-person boat and Matt is a fairly small person and a thorough athelete, whereas I am a tall, ample sailor only one step up from couch potato, and I usually sail with a boy or two.

The attractions of the 14' Paradox are many: comfort and safety in a wide variety of weather conditions and seasons, self-righting, shoal draft in the extreme, can be beached level, proven coastal cruiser and short passage maker.  It is possible to expand the design, though I know of no one who has.  A plus-size Paradox big enough for two or three would be enormously heavy, since it owes it stability and pointing ability to a well-ballasted and well-immersed flat bottom and vertical sides with Matt's signature chine runners.  I can't imagine handling and trailering such a behemoth.

John Welsford's 18' Swaggie is an attractive design that offers some of the same features as Paradox: sail from inside, sturdy design, strong self-righting moment, but can also take up to four sailors and looks much more roomy and comfortable for this old man.  An aft deck big enough to relax on is an added draw.  Ideal!  But it has at least one very serious drawback: the ballasted shoal keel that gives it stability would make it very difficult to trailer and to put in at many ramps, and impossible to beach.

What to do?  I am thinking of a big (say 18') Paradox-shaped hull, with its flat, rockered bottom, but beamier to add initial stability, and not so heavy in proportion.  Chine runners wouldn't work with so little hull immersed, so some sort of lateral plane would be needed.  Along with that, some other way to gain good self-righting.  I am thinking of either weighted leeboards (Michalak-style, so that either or both boards could be used on either tack), or a weighted centerboard, which could be put well-forward to intrude as little as possible in the living space.  The leeboards might have some advantage as dynamic balance, since the raised weather baord would be well-placed to help keep the boat upright.  A small mizzen would give the advantages of balancing the helm, and heaving-to head to wind.  This boat wouldn't have a Paradox's sailing ability in thin water, but might be an adequate compromise in other departments.  Perhaps better still, could a Swaggie be made with an adequately heavy centerboard, in liu of a ballasted keel?  Finally, are there any other designs with a similar mix of features that I haven't considered?

Thoughts, anyone?

[ChrisObee]

I like the Bateau VG20 Its a pretty boat.  It has a fairly large cabin, a few mods make it very sea worthy.  Its very light for its size, fast and weatherly.

[JeffM]

Chris, i don't see that the VG20 meets many of the things on my wish list.

[Axel]

Jeff, many of your requirements match mine. I think the whole story goes back to Dovekie, and then Bolger Birdwatcher which was developed to meet home builder's needs. A bigger Bolger design (Whalewatcher) seems to work better for people with back problems, but it will be too big for you. The late Bolger designed Birdwatcher 2 to implement a small motor and another two decades of owners input.

Some Michalak boats are designed with the same ideas in mind.

I haven't found the ideal design, but mostly because my sense of aesthetics does not meet may of these designs. But they work, and I think it might be a good idea to look Birdwatcher / Whalewatcher up in "Boats with an open mind" and ask Bolger's wife for some fax information of Birdwatcher 2. This information stimulated my thoughts and helped to make them more precise, which is the opposite of dreaming.

Yours, Axel (Switzerland)

[Tom Lathrop]

I think the VG20 is a very nice little boat, just not what Jeff wanted.  I met the builders of the first VG20 and inspected the boat.  Rather than a wood boat it is more of a wood cored fiberglass boat.  The FG skins are rather thick, inside and out.  I think is is one of Jacques better designs (maybe best).

Paradox is a unique little boat by a unique designer.

[JeffM]

I've dog-eared my copy of Boats With An Open Mind.  The Birdwatcher is a bit big for me, and I've always had the impression (perhaps from Bolger's narratives) that it's a boat for protected waters.  I've been wondering about something like Michalak's Caroline.  It looks like a wonderfully comfortable boat that could be enclosed a bit better for cool weather touring.  But it seems to me (like all of his Birdwatcher-style designs) to have too much windage to sail well to weather; I want to hear more sailing reports from her owners.