BELLE

An 11' boat for sail and oar

by Laurie McGowan

Featured in Design Sketchbook from WoodenBoat Magazine: This is the 3-D concept drawing and design profile you can read in WB No. 276, September/October 2020.

 

 

Particulars:

  • Length: 11′ (3.35m)
  • Beam: 4′ 5½″ (136.cm)
  • Draft board up: 8″ (20cm)
  • Draft board down: 27″ (69cm)
  • Depth amidships: 21½″ (55cm)
  • Boat weight (approx.): 110 lbs (50 kg)

In a nod to performance potential, the boat has a narrower waterline and steeper deadrise than many traditional boats of her size. A simple daggerboard and kickup rudder will make it easy to get her on and off the beach.

The construction and layout are traditional: She is built of copper-riveted planks on steam-bent white-oak frames and can accommodate four people for a daysail.

The lug rig is based on one developed by the late Sam Manning. It is a standing-lug arrangement; the lug is always on the same side of the mast, but the luff is close to, and nearly parallel to, the mast. This differs from a more conventional setup that has about 20 percent of the sail ahead of the mast—an arrangement that affects sail shape when the sail is to windward.


Laurie McGowan is a Nova Scotia–based boat designer with a diverse on- and below-water work history. He specializes in energy-efficient commercial and pleasure boats. More of his work may be found at mcgowanmarinedesign.com.

Do you have a boat concept you’d like to see developed for Sketchbook? If so, email it to sketchbook@woodenboat.com. Your concept should be no longer than 500 words.

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