Wee Rob / MacGregor size

[Captain Pre-Capsize]

Well I sent to The Master for the Wee Rob plans and immediately began having second thoughts. Should I have purchased the plans for MacGregor as it is bigger? Iain is off line and letters take a while so I thought I'd try my luck here. How simple it would be if only he had email... Arghh!

The particulars:

Wee Rob is 28" beam and can be built 12' long or 13'7" long.

MacGregor is 31" beam and can be built 13'7" or 15'8" long.

The Captain here is 185 pounds and 6'3" tall.

It will be used almost exclusively for day paddling around - no excursions really. Rivers mostly and solo. My thought was to build the Rob Roy at 13'7" and that ought to suit my needs. Would it? Is there still room (weightwise) for a day pack of munchies? The longer MacGregor would certainly do but not be as manuverable in the narrow rivers/streams.

Any input is welcome!

[Venchka]

Seems like the McGregor plans would give you way more options. From similar length and a bit more beam all the way to about 17' if memory serves me correctly. Call Iain and ask him before he mails the Wee Rob plans.

MacGregor:

The designer has specified scantlings for those who prefer conventional, plank-on-frame, lapstrake construction (see WB Nos. 36 and 37); he has also provided offsets and stem patterns for building this boat at 15'8" or 17'3".

There are five sheets of plans containing lines and offsets, construction, two sail plans, plus mold and stem patterns showing plank lands. Additional items include a comprehensive materials list, and the 14-page illustrated text on building procedures.
Wayne
In the Swamp. :D

[ 12-11-2004, 02:53 PM: Message edited by: Venchka ]

[Steve Lansdowne]

I have the Wee Rob plans and built the 13'7" version. I'm your weight but only 5'9". This boat is a joy to paddle. It does have a keel, which likely is related to its sailing use.

This boat can also be built to 15'2" as the plans state and demonstrate. The big difference in my view is the beam. Double paddling the MacGregor is more difficult given it's larger beam. The Wee Rob is narrower and paddles easier for that reason (less hitting the paddle on the gunwale). I'd heard this was the case, and a friend who has a MacGregor paddled my Wee Rob and made this comment as well. The MacGregor is described in the catalog as a sailing/paddling boat, and the Wee Rob as a paddling/sailing boat. The preferred/primary use is listed first.

[ 12-11-2004, 03:54 PM: Message edited by: Steve Lansdowne ]

[Doug Canada]

What kind of paddling do you want to do?
Cedarstrip canoe?
Plywood canoe?
Lapstrake?

Doug

[Venchka]

Shoot. :cool:

It's Christmas, right? The plans aren't that expensive. A person can't have too many sets of boat plans. Call Iain. Buy both plans. Decide later. Maybe build both.

Merry Christmas!

Wayne
In the Swamp. :D

[ 12-11-2004, 07:43 PM: Message edited by: Venchka ]

[NormMessinger]

Hey, Cap. I got your private email but will respond here. I kept quiet cause I know nothing about the Wee Lassie except what I read in Iain's catalogue.

Here is a shot of one of our MacGregors on a lake in Wyoming.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid16/p7b0593dee99edac211eedacc63e3d866/fdeebd29.jpg
One does need to lift the paddle fairly high to miss the gunwale so a true kayak stroke using ones body is not very effecient.

We built the 17' version which is big enough for two and would carry a fair amount of gear in the forward and aft compartments.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid16/p66f3117ea1ccb6afab89f96f3ff517b6/fdeebd25.jpg
We have not tried sailing it with two aboard.

I built both our MacGregors as glued lapstrake. The first one I went cheap and used marine fir and decked with 1/8" oak door skin decking. It is a fair bit heavier than the second one which is built in okoume. The deck is stripped with walnut and cherry glassed on both sides with 2 oz glass.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid16/p15105bd71381f15d571bee57bfc6f6bd/fdeebd2e.jpg
If I were doing another it would be close to the second but I'd take more pains to match the colors with the cherry. It gets darker while the walnut seems to get lighter.

With limited experience, we really like them.

[Captain Pre-Capsize]

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid16/p66f3117ea1ccb6afab89f96f3ff517b6/fdeebd25.jpg
We have not tried sailing it with two aboard.[/QB]Boy, I'm not sure I would try it either - not much freeboard left and that is with an adult and a child on board...

[ 12-11-2004, 08:53 PM: Message edited by: Captain Pre-Capsize ]

[Venchka]

That's what hiking straps are for. :cool:

Wayne
In the Swamp. :D

[Meerkat]

Dispense with oars! smile.gif
http://www.swallowboats.com/winsomeph/win3004.jpg
http://www.swallowboats.com/winsomeph/win4008.jpg
http://www.swallowboats.com/winsomeph/canopy2.jpg

I can't help but think this would be ideal as an electric!

[Venchka]

A boat for the recumbent bicycle crowd, eh? tongue.gif

Wayne
In the Swamp. :D

[Jeremy Burnett]

I have a 12' Wee Rob that I paddle on the river and estuary here.It has a clip on canvas deck but is often paddled without this.It is suprisingly seaworthy and dry when a ferry goes past etc.I stow my bag astern.It is a boat I would be reluctant to part with,much fun for little of everything else.If I wanted to sail then the Macgregor would be the choice, but I think it would be harder to paddle.

[skuthorp]

I have decked 17ft Macgreggor, I sail it mostly or row for the pleasure of the exercise. It's quite fast.
I use single or double paddles too, but I seem to sit much higher than most, sometimes on the rear deck. I have a background in K1's and she seems quite stable after that. As for sailing 2 up, she's much less tender with a bit of balast aboard and you can relax a bit more. Bit crowded though, I'd make the cockpit a foot longer aft if I went round again and the sail 10% smaller. :D

[FG]

I built a 10/12 bobs special and like the canoe a lot. Don't worry about the width on the Mcgregor as you can put your seat higher and double paddle it just fine at 31 inches. The bobs is 12-6 long and 30 inches wide. It will handle about 270 lbs at design waterline, so I think the wee rob at 28"X12' would be ok for you for day trips. I'd bet you could camp out of the 13-7 version. Build a sports car, not a station wagon!

[Joe Sengl]

It becomes apparent here that no single boat will fill every need, hence the need for more boats. Same with automobiles, I suppose. It's not wise to take a Buick Roadmaster on the Rubicon.

[Steve Lansdowne]

Camp out of the longer Wee Rob, why of course you can. Here's proof (used as a transport for moving my camping supplies from the truck to the campsite, which was located further away than I wanted to carry all the supplies):

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid138/p81e9548cf87ccf52a8e55cd8642862a3/f722b176.jpg