Boat design help

[Bill R]

I have recently been infected with the wooden boat bug, and have been absorbing as much info as possible, as I work on building the first boat.

What I need help and/or guidance with is boat #2-
my criteria are as follows:

20'-24'
trailerable
ability to store dry on trailer
reasonably simple sail plan

I am looking for something that can be sailed up and down the coast, for short (few days) voyages.

Am I insane, or does something like this exist?

Any guidance is greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Bill R.

[Venchka]

Have you got a few days? Not only do the boats exist, there are too blame many of them!

Introduce yourself to the SEARCH feature of this Forum and start searching and reading. I would dredge up a few of the discussions for you but learning for yourself is half the fun, right?

After you master the Search thingie here, widen your horizons with GOOGLE.

A hint to get you started: trailerable cruiser returned 34 topics for you to explore.

Wayne
In the Swamp.

[Bruce Hooke]

A key issue may be what you consider "livable" in terms of cabin space. I know a guy who sailed a Lightning from Chesapeake Bay to Florida! At the other end of the scale, some people want a stand-up cabin and an enclosed head for anything more than a day trip. Where you fit in this range will have a lot to do with what sort of boat will be best for you. Another key factor is what you consider trailerable. There is a big difference between a boat that can be pulled by midsize car and easily launched at the local boat ramp whenever you want to go sailing and a boat that must be pulled by a full-size pickup and launched using the tide or a boatyard.

There are, as Wayne noted, tons of boats in this general category -- it has to be one of the most popular categories around...

[Charles Burgess]

Bill,

You are going to flesh out the details further before you can browse through the numerous designs.

Trailerable...30 LOA is the typical upper limit. A key factor is what kind of vehicle that you now have or plan to have before you choose a design and begin building. The critical component is how much on the ground traction (footprint) and delivered horsepower a vehicle can muster. Normally you would need either a full size van or pickup...a small 4x4 does well too.

[Venchka]

And another thing: building space. Measure your building space carefully, including the overhead clearance at the door. Subtract 2' minimum all around and that's about the size boat you can squeeze into your available space. Having said that, there are examples galore of folks who have built big boats in very small spaces. If you own a 24'x36' (or larger) building with a 10' high door opening...I am jealous and forget what I just said.

Let me be the third person to say that all up trailer weight, including a trailer with brakes if the combined weight exceeds 2,000 pounds (easy to do in a 4 berth cruiser), and an adequate vehicle for that weight is very important to consider before you fall in love with a 5,000 pound boat and then ask us if it's ok to tow that robust jewel with your Honda Civic. :D Don't laugh. Along with tearing out walls to remove boats, folks have tried towing too much boat with too little vehicle.

Wayne
In the Swamp. :D

[Venchka]

Originally posted by Bill R:
I have recently been infected with the wooden boat bug, and have been absorbing as much info as possible, as I work on building the first boat.

Bill R.Classic symptoms. Next thing you know, he'll get the onefootitis something awful. Followed by the dreaded doubleenderitis...or am I talking about myself?

Have fun Bill and give us a bunch of choices for our, uh your, next boat.

Wayne
In the Swamp. :D

[ 04-15-2005, 03:37 PM: Message edited by: Venchka ]

[Bill R]

Sorry for not being specific about trailerable. Trailerable in my case being towed behind a full size truck- I would prefer the curb weight of boat and trailer to be less than 6,000lbs.

I would also prefer something that can be launched without the aid of a travellift- off the trailer, and in the water would be ideal, but not a deal breaker.

Thanks for your guidance.

Bill R

[Venchka]

Now we know which direction to point you.

A favorite of the Forum and theoretically less than 4,000 pounds dry, Iain Oughtred's Grey Seal. Ramp launching possible depending on local conditions. Plans available from the WoddenBoat Store, our hosts here.

http://www.classicmarine.co.uk/boatlists/images/greysealplan.gif

http://www.classicmarine.co.uk/boatlists/images/greyseal.jpg

http://www.independenceboatworks.com/GreySeal_12_small.jpg http://www.independenceboatworks.com/GreySeal_16_small.jpg

And for something entirely different, but very ramp friendly...The Trailer Sailer 24 from Chesapeake Marine Design.

http://www.cmdboats.com/images/trailersailer24_sailplan.jpg
http://www.cmdboats.com/images/trailersailer24-2.gif

I know. I know. It's got leeboards. EWWWWWW! It also has a very easily set up sail rig. It uses water ballast to keep trailering nice and easy.

Several nice 20'-24' boats at Selway-Fisher.

Up to 20' (http://www.selway-fisher.com/PC1620.htm)

Yachts 20'-24' (http://www.selway-fisher.com/Yacht2024.htm)

Boats in this size range have been actively discussed in the past week on the Forum. A quick look at recent topic titles will give you some leads.

Happy hunting.

Wayne
In the Swamp. :D

[John Bell]

I wonder if a single off-centerboard couldn't be built into the faces of one of the settee/berths on the TS24?

But I don't mind leeboards either...

Edited to add:

I would be remiss if I didn't mention Phil Bolger's lovely Chebacco. He's recently penned a new flush-deck version with very nice cruising accomodations for two.

http://www.chebacco.com http://www.chebacco.com/mainpicture.gif

[ 04-15-2005, 05:42 PM: Message edited by: John Bell ]

[OEX]

Grey Seal is a good one and another one of my favorites is the Golant Gaffer. See Classic Marine (http://www.classicmarine.co.uk/boatlists/details.asp?Name=Golant+Gaffer)

Ralph Stanley in Maine and Nat Benjamin in Vineyard Haven both have great designs for the type of boat your looking for.

Another slightly larger one would be Fenwick Williams Gaff Yawl--I think Cannell, Paige and Paine had one for sale a bit ago--maybe there are some pix on their site--www.cppyacht.com

I can't stop---Eday and Duff made a fantastic Gaff cutter after the Piloit Cutters of England and maybe Norway. I think they only made one, but it was in glass. However, it is for sale in RI and maybe you could get the lines off, as Edey and Duff do not seem to have them anymore. There are pix on this siteGaffer (http://www.yachtworld.com/core/listing/pl_boat_full_detail.jsp;jsessionid=bs7tT0iJH2L_?sl im=quick&boat_id=12804 46&units=Feet&currency=USD&access=Public&listing_id=1709&url=) . This boat needs to be built in wood by someone!

Cheers, Bruce

[Gavin Atkin]

That new Chebbacco is very cute indeed. If only...

Gavin

[Mr. Maar]

If you are really interested in such non atractiv sailing boats their plans are available for free everywere. Try svenson's boat.

[OEX]

Bill,

Just wanted to mention a design that is intended for the less than expert boat builder---i.e. like me. The Cape Henery 21. The Magazine Watercraft is following the building one---this magazine is a great source of small cruisers from the UK and Europe--they have been doing what you want to do for a lot longer that most of us in the USADudley Dix Designs (http://www.dixdesign.com). They are now in VA USA.
This boat is very similar to the Cornish Shrimper (19 feet)which I sail. She is a gaff sloop--(do not be worried about a gaff--its not complex at all, and it is much more fun to play with in my opinion). I have a sink, head (porta) and stove--she sleeps my wife and me along with our two kids. I would go up and down the coast in her anytime (with care and skill of course). I sail the downeast area of Maine and this type of boat allows you to do a lot of exploring---like trailer her to the top of Newfoundland and sail in Bergs and whales!!

good luck and feel comfortable to ask about any design without stressing about what people think of it. You want safty and quality and you want to let yourself fall in love with it.

I guess everyone has an opinion as to what is attractive. There would be about 5 boat designs if attractivness was instinctive.
smile.gif :D
Cheers, Bruce

[landlocked sailor]

Another VERY important factor is ease of rigging; if it takes 3 people and 2 hours to raise the stick and rig the boat, it won't be used much. Not enough has been dicussed about this issue and it's something I spend a great deal of mental energy on. Rick

[ 05-03-2005, 09:30 PM: Message edited by: landlocked sailor ]

[hotsuncoolwind]

I am thinking about a 26 foot Double ender. this boat would weigh about 3000kg with trailer. Any suggestions on the vehicle size. What is it really like to tow, shuffle, launch and retrieve a boat this size solo or am I fooling myself?

[Cuyahoga Chuck]

How about "Serpentaire 22"? A 2500 lb.trailerable blue water boat.
http://www.boatplans-online.com/products.php?id=14
Charlie

[OEX]

Rigging---I find a gaff sloop very easy to use and rig. Have a tabernacle and run all lines to the cockpit. Have roller reefing gear on the staysail and/or jib. A housing bowsprit is good if you want sail area and still the ease of getting into a dock or onto a trailor. None of the boats mentioned in this thread will have too much sail area for one person (the 26 footer question about trailors might be an acception)---so I think yawls and cutters are not a must, but they are very versitile and easy. Take a close look at the rig of the cornish shrimper and drascomb lugger (slidding gunther yawl).

Trailers and a 26 foot boat. My real job involves vehicles. I run an Expedition company that specializes in 4x4 vehicles base expedition. We tow all kinds of things including boats. A 26 foot boat could be doable for one person, but you would have to really think it through---it would be tough unless its a gig or something. The displacment is the first thought (2.5 ton or 7 ton?). 3000kg is not too bad, but alone its heavy. iF YOU WANT TO DO A 26 FOOTER ALONE THEN i THINK YOU NEED TO THINK ABOUT A BOAT WITH THE FOLLOEWING ATTRIBUTES (OOPS SORRY ABOUT THER CAP-LOCK ON My LAPTOP...):
- Shallow draft with centerboard---keeps the trailer siimple and allows for rollers on the bottom of the hull.
- beam less than 8 ands 1/2 feet---in USA and many other places you need a permitt to move it if it is any wider.
- haved a tabernacle on the mast with a well thought oout raising system doable by one person.
0-think about a yawl or two masted cat or sprit rig.
- have a hollow mast or graphit mast.
- trailor should be a tipping type and should have its own brakes.
- for 3000kg you will need a fairly powerful vehicle and i suggest four wheel drive(pull out of . You might be in Europe (you use Kg and not pounds) so I would look at a diesel (most torque) Land Rover 110 or a diesel Toyota Land Cruiser or Nissan Patrol or Mercedes G-wagen. These are a few of the vehicles capable of moving something that heavy and being able to brake something that heavy. Or are you in the States or Canada?
The last Classic Boat Magazine had an article about someone who trailers a 26 foot Falmouth Working type boat---but they had a Hydaulic trailer and always needed a lift to get her in the water.

cheers