Re: Modified crab skiff?
Hi Stephen,
I liked your idea of scaling up the Crab Skiff (Surf) to get
more boat out of her. I've thought about similar mods to the same
design. One thought I had was to lose the sraight rudder and leeboard
and adopt the pivoting leeboard and rudder of the Pirate racer to
make her more shallow water friendly. I would also try to eliminate
the center web frame to free up space for overnight camping.
Jake
I liked your idea of scaling up the Crab Skiff (Surf) to get
more boat out of her. I've thought about similar mods to the same
design. One thought I had was to lose the sraight rudder and leeboard
and adopt the pivoting leeboard and rudder of the Pirate racer to
make her more shallow water friendly. I would also try to eliminate
the center web frame to free up space for overnight camping.
Jake
While on the subject of tinkering with Bolger's genius . . .
I love the lines of the 20-foot Maryland Crabbing Skiff (a single
leg-of-mutton sail with balanced jib) and 25-foot Maryland Fishing
Sharpie (a leg-of-mutton ketch with balanced jib) from Reuel Parker's
"The Sharpie Book." I've been thinking about trying to do a similar
boat using one of Bolger's hulls.
One approach I've been considering would be to scale up Bolger's Surf
(a/k/a crab skiff), partly because I'd like more a bit more beam, and
partly because I fear that she might be overpowered with any increase
in sail area. For example, a 16-2/3 percent enlargement (2 inches
per foot) would give Surf a length of roughly 18'1" and a beam of
4'2". That size seems comfortable, big enough but not too big. (As
it happens, the LOA-to-beam ratio of Surf is nearly identical to
Parker's crabbing skiff, though Parker's design has a bit more flare,
a hence a proportionally narrower bottom.)
Other options would be to use the Zephyr or Windsprint hulls at their
existing size. However, Zephyr is quite narrow (she's 3'8"), and I
prefer the profile of Surf, which is not built (as are Teal,
Windsprint, Zephyr, etc.) from dead-straight side panels. I also
like the narrow transom on Surf, versus the double-ended hull on
Windsprint.
Regardless of the hull, other modifications would include a modest
skeg, a kickup rudder (I envision one that looks like Parker's rudder
in the up position, rather like a duck in profile), and different
interior arrangements. Also, changing the rig may require adjustments
to the lateral plane, which in the case of Surf might mean scrapping
the leeboard in favor of a centerboard or daggerboard.
Any comments on these musings would be most appreciated.
Stephen Paskey
I love the lines of the 20-foot Maryland Crabbing Skiff (a single
leg-of-mutton sail with balanced jib) and 25-foot Maryland Fishing
Sharpie (a leg-of-mutton ketch with balanced jib) from Reuel Parker's
"The Sharpie Book." I've been thinking about trying to do a similar
boat using one of Bolger's hulls.
One approach I've been considering would be to scale up Bolger's Surf
(a/k/a crab skiff), partly because I'd like more a bit more beam, and
partly because I fear that she might be overpowered with any increase
in sail area. For example, a 16-2/3 percent enlargement (2 inches
per foot) would give Surf a length of roughly 18'1" and a beam of
4'2". That size seems comfortable, big enough but not too big. (As
it happens, the LOA-to-beam ratio of Surf is nearly identical to
Parker's crabbing skiff, though Parker's design has a bit more flare,
a hence a proportionally narrower bottom.)
Other options would be to use the Zephyr or Windsprint hulls at their
existing size. However, Zephyr is quite narrow (she's 3'8"), and I
prefer the profile of Surf, which is not built (as are Teal,
Windsprint, Zephyr, etc.) from dead-straight side panels. I also
like the narrow transom on Surf, versus the double-ended hull on
Windsprint.
Regardless of the hull, other modifications would include a modest
skeg, a kickup rudder (I envision one that looks like Parker's rudder
in the up position, rather like a duck in profile), and different
interior arrangements. Also, changing the rig may require adjustments
to the lateral plane, which in the case of Surf might mean scrapping
the leeboard in favor of a centerboard or daggerboard.
Any comments on these musings would be most appreciated.
Stephen Paskey