Chapelle's 17 foot Hampton boat

[TomF]

He's scattered the full plans for this design through his classic book "Boatbuilding." Uses it as his example for how to do lofting, and then later in the book has a full sailplan, with dimensions.

I once googled up a for-sale listing for a fiberglass version of this design that was built in the UK. The boat dated from the mid to late 1970s, as I recall -- the seller's listing included a link to a magazine article that reviewed the design. They were very complimentary; the boat proved to be seaworthy and easily handled in quite substantial winds and waves, and was surprisingly fast (for a heavy-ish cruising dinghy). Though only 2 were in the boat during the test-sail, they commented that there appeared to be space enough for 6 or so, if needed.

Anybody ever built Chapelle's wooden version of it? Or know of one? The UK version used a slightly smaller rig; still a sprit-rigged shallop, but with a non-overlapping main. A centreboarder, it looks to my eye like there's perhaps 18 inches of draft at the sternpost, when the board's up.

It was originally a strip-planked design; I'd be inclined to build it in epoxy/fabric strip plank style, and put any weight savings into a small lead shoe on the bottom of the keel.

What do folks think? And I wonder how it would compare with things like the Caledonia ...

[Jack Heinlen]

I'm pretty sure it's drawn for plank on frame.

I like it! Chapelle liked it too, or he wouldn't have used it as an example. It's a pretty boat.

Handling that sprit is an issue. There've been much bigger boats that used the rig, but single handing, or with a green crew I think at that size it's going to be a handful. And unnecessary. What's a virtue in a sixteen foot skiff becomes a burden.

Other than that, I think it's a lovely shape. Not going to win any races, but steady and worthy.

[Jack Heinlen]

Woops, hold that, I was thinking of his 24 ft. Hampden boat.

Both are lovely shapes, and I've sailed the 17, though not extensively. It was built traditional lapstrake, and the tuck was a bitch.

Good boats!

[Bob Cleek]

They are drawn for plank on frame, actually. I would not attempt to build in any manner other than what the designer intended. The 24 footer is a much nicer boat in many ways. The size difference is minimal in terms of building effort and will result in a much roomier boat with much greater value. I knew a 24 footer years ago. Always loved the looks of her. Businesslike litte boat!

BTW, I believe you may be able to obtain larger plans sheets from the Smithsonian. Check them out. I recall all of Chappele's stuff is with them. Their plans are really cheap. A gold mine few take advantage of.

[ 08-19-2005, 02:02 PM: Message edited by: Bob Cleek ]

[TomF]

Hmmm, I was certain that one of the bits of the Hampton 17 plan said it was strip planked in white pine, with the hull to finish 3/4" thick. Have to double check that. The tuck would indeed be a real bear to try and do in either carvel or lapstrake ... though lapstrake would end up jawdroppingly beautiful.

I like the 24 too, Bob, but it's more boat than I'd need. A trailerable daysailer and decent camp-cruiser is really the goal here. I want someting which would be happy living mostly on a hook in the St. John river (5 minute walk from my door), but also being pulled for 90 minutes on a trailer either to St. Andrew's or the Northumberland Strait. As my wife isn't much into roughing it, any overnights would simply be with me and the kids ... so a tent on shore would do just fine. If I get SWMBO hooked, I'll build (or buy) something bigger than 24.

In his ASSC discussion of Hamptons, Chapelle mentioned that the fishermen sometimes used a shifting bowsprit to rig a small jib in light air. Of course, he shows nothing like that for this boat. ...But if a guy wanted to fool with such things, how would you start to work out optimal dimensions? I wouldn't to shift the centre of effort so much as to muck up the helm balance.

[Bob Cleek]

If you take a look at the plans for the 24', as I recall, it has a flat plank bowsprit with a clever square hole cut in it which fits over the stem head. The sprit is removable and very simply rigged.

[Roger Long]

Originally posted by Jack Heinlen:
Woops, hold that, I was thinking of his 24 ft. Hampden boat.

Good boats!Bud MacIntosh told me, in his shop on the only occasion I met him, that the 24 foot Hampton was the only bad boat he ever built. Chappelle himself was there for the sea trials. I can't remember exactly how he put it in 1974 but he said something about that long bow waving around on the stern, spray flying, and Chappelle hunkered down in the cockpit with a frightened look on his face. He said Chapelle was very quiet when he left and the boat kind of disappeared.

Maybe he was just telling a good story but it was response to my statement that it's petty hard to design a boat that flat out doesn't work. I've always thought the design rather extreme and would be reluctant to build one myself.

The 17 on the other hand is beautiful.

[JimD]

Sorry to change the subject, but if I may, Roger, how's that pocket cruiser design coming along?

[Jack Heinlen]

Roger,

What looks good on paper is often ignorant on the water. Nothing you say suprises me, though I doubt such a shape could be truly bad.

On reflection, I think the 17 footer I sailed was actually a different boat, a Hampton boat, out of the Long Island or southern NE shore. From Chapelle'sAmerican Small Sailing Craft. Can't speak to the specifics much. It was a pretty cat ketch, with sprit rigs on both spars. A really nice, tucked, butt.

The evolution takes hold. The shallops, which were built and evolved along the Atlantic coast for half a millenia, sang because they worked!

[Roger Long]

Originally posted by JimD:
Sorry to change the subject, but if I may, Roger, how's that pocket cruiser design coming along?Between my boat and the Titanic expedition (See People and Places Forum), I've been too busy to give it another thought. Good thing the winters are long in Maine.

[JimD]

Originally posted by Roger Long:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by JimD:
Sorry to change the subject, but if I may, Roger, how's that pocket cruiser design coming along?Between my boat and the Titanic expedition (See People and Places Forum), I've been too busy to give it another thought. Good thing the winters are long in Maine.</font>[/QUOTE]I hope it happens, one day. I sure liked the preliminary look of her.