A Word About Plans…

[A. Mason]

I've noticed various remarks on different threads regarding how closely someone needs to follow the plans. Here are some of Al's thoughts from 1971:

"Scantlings given are the 'recommended maximum,' being in excess of the Nevins, Lloyds, and Herreshoff scantling rules. Amateur builders are strongly uerged not to increase scantlings as this may produce a heavier boat and a distinct loss of performance."

Additionally: "Construction practice shown has been kept simple to suit a wide variety of local materials and conventional boatbuilding practices, and to reduce building cost, but never at the cost of reducing staunchness."

What Al meant by the latter statement was that he had no problem with a builder substituting local wood for the wood specified with the design. In fact, he encouraged it. He also wasn't overly concerned if someone wanted to use a different construction method or material. He did warn that the individual should take care [see scantling statement].

Likewise, he made an effort to utilize standard store-bought fittings whenever possible. Al was also not fussy about interior arrangements. He often noted that the Accommodation Plan of his stock designs were merely a suggestion, and builders were free to make alterations, so long as they kept the weight balanced and didn't move the bulkheads.

Al was well aware that builder/owners liked to incorporate their own personal touches in a design. He was more surprised if a stock design was built precisely to his design. He kind of enjoyed seeing how individuals added innovative cosmetic touches. He expected this to happen.

"Many owners will prefer to substitute the latest materials and equipment."

Hope this helps - Anita

[Wayne Jeffers]

Anita,

Thanks for the interesting and relevant post. I'm perhaps among those whose remarks about hesitating to alter plans you've noticed.

It appears that your father designed with a healthy margin for variation in local materials and methods. I wonder if this is generally true of designers today.

For my part, I don't wish to change anything that may possibly be structural in nature, at least without first consulting the designer or someone else with sufficient expertise. I wouldn't hesitate much to change interior arrangements, at least in a minor way, but I wouldn't trust myself to design an efficient interior from a blank slate. I really want to draw upon the experience of the designer in so many respects because I appreciate the fact that his or her skills and knowledge far surpass mine. It's that expertise for which I will gladly pay. Minimizing the need for alterations in a design is part of the reason I don't mind searching extensively for a plan which is the best possible fit for me.

That said, it also makes sense that each boat should be built to best suit the individual personality and preferences of the builder/owner, so long as the changes don't detract from safety or function, which seems to be what your father expressly allowed for.

Thanks again.

Wayne

[Scott Rosen]

Thanks Anita. That was useful and informative.

[On Vacation]

Only my comment here to all. If the plans that you have need to be modified to meet your needs from the standpoint of enlarging hull sizes, then look elsewhere. 10 percent at the most is a squeeze but thats it. Putting more inside is not as bad as changing hull. But most of the time, people will try to to put 10 lbs in a 5 lb. bag. It will not work for long and you will not be happy. Just my .0002 cent worth.

[Wayne Williams]

These gems + commentary will be in the book, yes?

[A. Mason]

Right On Oyster!!! Al didn't have a problem if someone wanted a counter-stern as opposed to a transom-stern, but if someone wanted a boat a foot longer, it was a complete new design.

It's been mentioned before, but bears repeating, a hull design cannot be proportionally enlarged! The physics of it just doesn't allow it. Sure people have done it, and they've wound up with unbalanced, unseaworthy boats.

If you really like a particular design, but really want it just a bit longer, wider, narrower, shallower, etc. - then consult a naval architect, that's what they do for a living. It's their business to know how to make safe and sound alterations. That is of course, if you can't find an existing design that is exactly what you want.

All of Al's custom designs had their basis in pre-existing designs. A client would visit with Al and show him upwards of six different designs that had certain bits the client really liked. Al's job was to combine all those different bits into one new design. In fact, some of the preliminary rejects were fully developed later by Al as stock designs.

Unless you are an experienced boatbuilder, it can be disasterous to make major changes to an existing design without the aid of a professional.

I know, I know, it's not so critical with the littlest watercraft. But then again, there's not as many possibilities for hull shapes, etc., either.

There are literally thousands of existing designs, and many competent talented designers active in the field today who would be glad to assist a person in creating that person's "dream boat."

If you've found a design or two where you really like different bits, find an active designer who knows and thus understands that type [like anyone else, designers have specialties and preferences], have a chat with the designer and see if you can't come to a meeting of the minds and wallets.

Custom designs do cost more than stock designs, but on the other hand, stock designs are amortized over time. "X" number of sales of blueprints re-emburses the designer for the upfront work they did.

Stock designs are also usually created to appeal to the greatest number of boat enthusiasts, so they often tend to be a bit "homogenized."

There's a real fine line between making a few minor changes to suit taste, and completely mucking up a design. [Think of an engine with all it's little parts, put a wrong part in and that's the end of the engine.]

If you can't afford to work with a designer to create your "dream boat" then look a little harder at existing designs. Find the best compromise between your love and your wallet, but don't go making major changes. You're most apt to end up with an unusable, unsellable pile of pretty polished wood.

You shop for a dentist, a doctor, a lawyer, etc. - do the same thing with yacht designers. Not all of them are high-priced, many are really nice down-to-earth folks who just happen to have spent years learning the intricacies of proper yacht design, which is both an art and a science.

Okay - tirade over! Anita