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Newbie with basic sailboat design questions


tread684

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Hello out there! So I recently completed a cedar strip canoe last year and can't wait to start on a sailboat next. I can't say that I have much experience sailing or knowledge of sailboat design. I had a sailing lesson and look forward to doing some sailing. I do have some woodworking experience and the canoe was challenging but manageable level of difficulty. I've been looking around and I see plenty of resources for many different methods but no discussion regarding the sailing advantages/disadvantages to the different methods. From what I can tell the methods are correlated more directly with ease of construction and time. With my previous experience, I would readily consider the challenge of strip planking another hull if there were sailing advantages over a lapstrake or another method. Any thoughts? What are some resources out there related to stripping a small craft hull? I am looking for details regarding planking dimensions, is it neccessary to do two layers of planking? Expoxy and fiberglass inside and outside of hull or can you paint the outside and varnish interior? Thanks!!!

Design Criteria:

15' or smaller mono-hull

Sails fairly easily, removable daggerboard

easily towable, 300# max tongue weight

Comfortable for 2 adults to sail for a day, 4 adult max capacity (would comprromise to 3 adult cap.)

buildable in a 13'x20' space

post-2440-0-89436900-1333643609_thumb.jpg

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The B&B Core Sound 15 is a proven design that meets all but one of your wishes. The one difference is that the CS15 has a centerboard rather than a daggerboard. Having sailed with both for many years, I choose the centerboard except those instances when the daggerboard make more sense. They are, a very small boat where a CB takes up too much room and when a DB is required by class rules.

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Have you looked over the designs from B and B? They also have a forum on this site, but the home page is-

http://bandbyachtdesigns.com/

Lot's of choices, including pre cut kits if you desire, but even the larger boats are fairly simple to build.

LOL- Tom- we were posting at the same time

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I can't think of any real correlation between construction method and sailing abilities. That is probably why you see no discussion on this topic. Sailing abilities of a boat are related directly to design. Some designs are more easily built with some methods over others, or details are better achieved with some methods, but again, it all goes back to design.

I agree with Tom about daggerboards. I personally don't really like them, but in a really small boat like my Spindrift I could not even build it as a nesting boat with a centerboard, never mind that the trunk would take up way too much room. You might want to reconsider that parameter unless you have some really specific reason you need a daggerboard.

I am posting after these 2 guys, but add my name to those suggesting you consider a B&B design. They are superb sailing boats and anyone with enough patience to carefully read instructions, take their time working and come to the forums for help when needed can build a beautiful boat.

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I made an interesting discovery. My last line in my post above was a totally separate, brand new post. And it added it to my previous. I tried three times to have it be a new post, but it kept adding it, as an edit.

I guess it figures back to back posts belong together :rolleyes:

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Building methods and hull material choices, can affect the sailing abilities of any particular design. Typically this will be in terms of build method shape limitations and weight savings possibilities. Simply put, some build methods force the designer to make hull shape choices, that may not be the best for the boat's general abilities. Most single chine designs fall into this category. Mutli chine designs can mitigate this to a degree, as you can more approximate a round bilge hull form. Also build methods can dramatically change the weight of a hull shell, which directly translates into speed potential. For example a glued lapstrake hull is typically lighter, than a traditional lapstrake or carvel build, even if the hull is exactly the same dimensions. The same could be said of a cold molded hull, a composite build or a few others, when comparing apples to apples.

Considering your sailing skill level, most of this is irreverent. Select a design that suits your building skills, desires, needs, wants and looks. Strip planking is a common and well understood method, usually producing a beautiful, well shaped hull. If you're comfortable with this method then continue with it. If you employ the "Lindsay Lord" strip plank method, you'll have the lightest hull shell possible of the usual wooden build methods.

Your design criteria easy can be met with one of hundreds of possible designs. I think maybe you should try a new method, such as glue lap and Graham's "Lap Wing" would be an ideal boat to get your fill of this method. It is slightly longer then your 15' requirement, but a nice boat. On the other hand, there are literally hundreds of 15' designs to choose from, so don't rush, until you find one that meets all of your needs.

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I have almost finished building a 15 foot boat I designed myself (see http://176inches.blogspot.com), and I would agree with most everything people have said.

- Single-chine stich-and-glue is the easiest to build, and has the advantage of being slightly more stable (the angled profile displaces more water as it heels), but I personaly like a more rounded hull, so I built a glued lapstake boat. Strip building would make a beautiful hull, and so would a narrow lapstrake such as the B&B Lapwing or Francois Vivier's designs (http://www.vivierboats.com). I opted for wider strakes as a compromise between beauty and ease of building. John Welsford (http://www.jwboatdesigns.co.nz/) has several wide strake designs (they are of the hard chine type, made with stringers).

- A pivoting centreboard is more versatile and will compensate for changes in wind speed, point of sailing, etc.

- A cat ketch rig is harder to prepare for launch but easier to sail, and sprit booms also have many andvantages (self-vanging, less danger of being hit), so B&B designs are a good starting point.

- The amount of freeboard, side decks, ability to row, ease of sailing and many other things are decisions one has to make, depending on the conditions you expect to subject the boat.

Good luck and keep us informed as you make your decisions.

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  • 1 month later...

I have recently visited to Dubai to enjoy my vacations. According to your topic i would like you to have a look at yacht or dhow cruise where tourist spend amazing time during Dubai city tour. It will help you to get an idea to get some yacht designs.The yacht and dhow cruise were made in originally antique design of the world’s largest wooden Dhow combined with the modern light and glass add an exquisite feel and offer a lavish and stylish trip across the Dubai creek. Infact you possess woodworking skill which is a modern way of making sailboats,yachts cruise etc these days.

I hope you get some help from my side.

Thankyou :)

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