Thinking about a Belhaven...

[Lynn Watson]

Hello all,

I've been looking around for the next little cruising boat, and the B19 seems like the best bet so far -- relatively simple build, roomy, potential for performance, easily trailerable and singlehandable, good support from the designer and the community. Especially the last part. The high level of willingness to help and general tolerance of people's foibles in this forum is admirable. The last is important, 'cause I have a few foibles of my own; notably the inability to leave a good thing alone. So I'd like to run a few ideas past you, and see what you think.

The main item on my list of Belhaven mods is the cabin: I'm not a great fan of side decks on smallish boats like this, and tend to begrudge the space lost below. Being able to lean up against the side of the cabin, not hunched over, is very attractive. I would plan on going forward over the housetop anyway. Another factor would be the somewhat increased flotation/righting moment of a raised deck house in a knockdown. There would be some loss in lateral stiffness at the sheer that would have to be made up, somehow.

Has anyone done this on one of these boats yet? Considered it? Dismissed it? Attached are a couple of pix showing attractive raised decks, and one, well, not so much :-) I particularly like the Chebacco model.

Thanks in advance,

Lynn Watson

btw, there's a picture of my present boat in the Main Forum, under Test Post..., she's the green double ender.

[Scott Dunsworth]

First let me say welcome.

After using my Belhaven for six years there's very little I would have changed.

The cabin on the Belhaven is fairly tall and it would make a big step to climb over the roof every time you want to go forward. I liked the side decks to go forward in rough water and the hand rails along the top always gave me one hand on the boat at all times. I personally don't think the trade offs are worth the trouble or the loss of the safety. Not counting the look of the boat.

Another issue would be the fact that the side decks add a great deal of structural integrity to the hull.

I'm not trying to be offensive but personally to me, this modification on THIS design would look like a train wreck with the cabin sides out to the sheer. But that's just me

If I was serious about this kind of modification I would definitely give Graham a call.

[Lynn Watson]

Thanks for the input, and the welcome, Scott. It's valuable to hear from someone who knows the boat. I don't want to fall into the trap of putting a big ugly cabin on a pretty little boat, even though the idea of comfy lounging below is very attractive.

If I do settle on this design, I'll get the plans and use them to build a model first. That way, I can work out details and make mistakes for cheap. And would certainly check with the designer on any structural changes.

Thanks again,

Lynn

[G Man]

I actually shortened my cabin to give the vessel a classic look. Still tons of room below, but i'm in there really only for sleeping and light cooking. Still provides me sitting head room at 5'10". Great little yacht, i've had mine offshore in a pretty good seaway several times and she took it on the chin. Great support from the folks here and at b&b really gives you confidence as the project moves forward. This was my first boat build. Best of luck!

[Scott Dunsworth]

After I posted my thoughts on your cabin modifications I wish I hadn't. You may be able to make it look good. Lance is doing a modification to his boat in NZ with great results. Who am I to say it wouldn't work well.

As for the Belhaven mine was the first to be completed and Graham made a few adjustments to the plans after he sailed mine. He moved the centerboard forward a few inch's and added some more sail area. I believe that was about it.

She will preform very good with the right person at the helm. My boat was over loaded 90 percent of the time and I was always happy with her performance. Shes very forgiving when I would do something stupid. I have had her in some very rough water for a small boat and always felt safe. One time in particular was on a Pamlico sound crossing in a small craft advisory. She brought us through safely.

When we would take her to ten thousand islands for two weeks at a time we would have trouble finding storage space for everything for three people.

I would, if doing the build again build in a real ice hold, But that's just the way I used the boat most of the time, a week or two trip at once. Ice was always my biggest aggravation.

I knock her down twice when I was by my self. She would always spring right back on her feet. Both times I was just to lazy to reef or just wanted to see what I could get by with. The only time I would push her limits were when the water was warm and I was responsible for myself only.

As for the build its self, shes no harder to build than a Core Sound until you get to the cabin.

The cabin takes a little more thought. But its not bad.

Bottom line is if I wanted another 19 foot boat with a cabin I wouldn't think twice about building another one. The only area I would change, I don't need the quarter berth any more and I would make a more advanced galley and good ice hold instead.

Buy the plans and go for it you wont be sorry in the end.

I'll pm you my phone number if you would like to talk about the Belhaven more.

Scott

[Scott Dunsworth]

Nice talking to you the other day Lynn. Feel free to call anytime about questions about this great little boat.

Also I have about five videos on you tube of her sailing and at anchor, nothing real exciting but shows most of the boat. Just do a search for sailing Belhaven and you should find them. One clip about half way through shows her sailing at about 6 knots.

Anyway I wouldn't think twice about building another one. Shes just a super little cruiser.

Scott

[Lynn Watson]

Thanks for the input and encouragement, guys - it's just what I needed. The Belhaven is looking more and more like the next boat; or rather the one after the next boat (working on an upsized Bolger Cartopper right now). When I get the plans and work out a model, I'll post some pix and see what you think.

Excellent chat on the phone, Scott, I appreciate the advice a lot.

cheers,

Lynn

[maligno]

Lynn: I finally made the first cut on my long-delayed Belhaven project last week. I also intend to modify the cabin but in a slightly different direction than yours because of my particular needs. Good to know there's going to be another Belhaven builder out there; Kyle has been my inspiration this past year.

Rolando

[Scott Dunsworth]

Kyles doing a very clean, neat job of building hers. If only I could get her to paint it yellow!!!!

Scott

[Brent Kennedy]

Keep coming back to this forum to catch up on Belhaven builds.

Are there any more photos of completed Belhavens around please?

It is certainly a craft that has all the features I am looking for.

Brent

[Scott Dunsworth]

Brent, Kyle is doing a very professional job of building hers, very clean and crisp. She doesn't ever post any pictures. I' ll talk to her about posting some this week, don't know if she will or not. She is at the stage where shes ready to start decking.

Also Ray was starting a Belhaven some months back but he hasn't posted anything I believe since he was building the centerboard. Ray does excellent work also.

If nobody will post anything PM me with your address and I'll send you a copy of my building CD for the cost of the disk and postage that has around 450 building pictures.

Scott

[Brent Kennedy]

Well...I purchased the Belhaven plans! Will probably take a couple of weeks to arrive so I will have to be patient.

Scott, I absolutely agree with "Romans 8:1" but I wasn't sure about the rectangular ports on your Belhaven, sorry. I did some Photoshopping and tried oval and round shaped ports and think I will build her first and then see what I will fit.

I think from some photos you also have a transparent light in the roof of the cabin so you must have plenty of light inside so don't need large ports.(?)

[Scott Dunsworth]

Brent I had four 5x12's and one 4x10 in the front of the cabin. You will need the front one if you want to be able to store the main spirit in the cabin. It's to long to get in any other way. The 20x20 above the v berth was the best of all. I positioned it to open forward and it was a air scoop that fill the boat with a breeze, whether at anchor or sailing. The boat would usually point to the wind at anchor and the roof hatch was VERY nice.

I got all my Becksons off ebay new in the box for $30 to $60 each, just be patient and you can find them cheap.

Good luck, this is a super small boat design.

[Brent Kennedy]

Well, I have studied the plans and everything seems to be there. As there are no details about the order in which parts should be made and fitted, is there anything I should look out for and not leave too late to install / fit properly? I will make a list of steps from the comments on each page but any comments would be helpful.

Thanks in anticipation, Brent

[Scott Dunsworth]

Brent just start at the bottom and work your way up. I think the beginning is the most important time of the whole build. I took the max width of each hull panel and ripped the ply a few inches wider. Keeping one of the straight edges unmolested so layout of each hull panel can be done accurately. That way you can scarf much smaller pieces of ply.

After cutting out each panel with its opposite mate, fair them while still together to make perfect mirror images of each other. This next tip will not be agreed with by all. Order a few yards of kevlar tape for the butter fly joint. Also run a 2 or 3 inch piece of fiberglass tape up the outer edges of the bow it will help keep the wire holes from braking out during the opening. The kevlar tape in well cured epoxy will keep the butter fly joint together without much trouble.

Bevel all inside edges with the exception of the butter fly area and the shear. When you open her up she will resist mid ship along the keel and at the bow. so more wires in these areas will pay big dividends in the smoothness and fairness of the hull. Take time at this stage, wire in the temporary bulkhead the transom and the #1 bulkhead. Just adjust the wires as needed to fair her up.

I found it very helpful to build most of the cradle ahead of time and used the bridge bulkhead and #2 bulkhead bottom profiles, to make the cradle it helps in keeping the hull shape. The cradle must be laid out to match up to the position of the two bulkheads.

PS some install the stringer before opening up the boat, I installed mine after opening the boat without any bad side effects.