[bolger] Re: Some sailbooats for Tim
Hi,
I read your post with interest. I am a landlubber who used to sail with a
friend around
fifteen years ago. I got interested in boat building because I wanted a
small light weight boat to hand carry to a fishing pond that has no ramp or
easy access for putting a boat in and out of the pond. I bought the plans
for a small pram which I am currently building. While looking for a fishing
boat, I became interested in building a sailboat as well. After buying
Payson's and Devlin's books I really got excited about it. Dave Carnell's
boat
was my final choice as it looks simple to build and promises to sail well.
After reading your post, it occurs to me that my criteria for selection was
probably poor.
I will be sailing in a fairly large body of water, Ute lake, here in New
Mexico. It is frequently windy there and sometimes gusty. average wind is
probably about 10 knots.
I will be sailing alone for the most part. My wife does not want to drown
with me!
What I probably need is an easy to sail small boat, not a high performance
one. How does the Carnell boat fit in with that?
I am open to suggestions from one and all. My shop size pretty much limits
me to about sixteen ft in length.
I am not stuck on a Bolger design, although I think that his designs are
brilliant in there simplicity and have very pretty lines and would probably
prefer to build one of his.
Fire away!
James Fuller
I read your post with interest. I am a landlubber who used to sail with a
friend around
fifteen years ago. I got interested in boat building because I wanted a
small light weight boat to hand carry to a fishing pond that has no ramp or
easy access for putting a boat in and out of the pond. I bought the plans
for a small pram which I am currently building. While looking for a fishing
boat, I became interested in building a sailboat as well. After buying
Payson's and Devlin's books I really got excited about it. Dave Carnell's
boat
was my final choice as it looks simple to build and promises to sail well.
After reading your post, it occurs to me that my criteria for selection was
probably poor.
I will be sailing in a fairly large body of water, Ute lake, here in New
Mexico. It is frequently windy there and sometimes gusty. average wind is
probably about 10 knots.
I will be sailing alone for the most part. My wife does not want to drown
with me!
What I probably need is an easy to sail small boat, not a high performance
one. How does the Carnell boat fit in with that?
I am open to suggestions from one and all. My shop size pretty much limits
me to about sixteen ft in length.
I am not stuck on a Bolger design, although I think that his designs are
brilliant in there simplicity and have very pretty lines and would probably
prefer to build one of his.
Fire away!
James Fuller
----- Original Message -----
From: "David Jost" <djost@...>
To: <bolger@...>
Sent: Tuesday, January 25, 2000 11:44 AM
Subject: [bolger] Some sailbooats for Tim
> Tim,
> This is a great subject for a snowy day (8" in Worcester, MA as of
> 1:00 est, now sleet). So, pardon my rambiling.
> You have not indicated your preferences other than easy to handle.
> Some other questions to ask might be.
> 1. Are you bringing friends or children along?
> 2. How much boat are you willing to cart around?
> 3. Are you planning on any overnighting?
> 4. What are the weather conditions like on an average day where you
> sail?
>
> I have owned a 13'6" Enterprise racing dinghy since I was 10 years
> old (read that as 33 years)and have succesfully single hand sailed it
> on some very long trips if 30 miles or more. However, now that my kids
> are ready to join in, I have started building the Micro for more
> stability and good single handed sailing. I also have owned a 22'
> Rhodes Continental which was easy to sail but one of the worse
> performing boats I have ever owned. It would do death rolls downwind
> no matter how hard the vang was applied. My next boat was a Herreshof
> Goldeneye which was a full keel sloop rigged boat, with a marginal
> cuddy/shelter. This boat was simple to single hand and a great upwind
> performer, but it was not easily trailered due to its through the deck
> 24' mast , and the three foot draft. I would have been better off with
> a J22.
> Hence the Micro I am building. I am hoping for decent upwind
> performance, easy in the marginal trailering I have planned, and ease
> of sail handling.
> I think that if you are looking at June Bug, Gypsy, or Surf that I
> would also include something like the Instant Cat Boat. It appears to
> be a decent dupication of the Beetle Cat with a decent cost:fun ratio.
> On the south coast of Massachusetts, we have lots of fleets of Beetle
> Cats and their owners are almost fanatical about them. I would think
> that the Instant Cat Boat should give the owner some of the same
> pleasures.
> Of the boats you mention, I think that Gypsy appears to be the
> best sailing of the lot based upon the reading in Payson's books. You
> should be able to get the hang of sailing in it relatively quickly
> provided you don't start on 20Kt days! Just remember; "When in doubt,
> let it out" that should keep you out of trouble. I like the idea of
> letting the sheet go and the whole rig should weathervane since there
> are no shrouds to stop it. The ability to tie in a reef if you get
> overpowered is also a good idea. I once owned a Laser, and whenever I
> was overpowered or out of control, all I had to do was release the
> sheet and the boat would come to a screeching halt,usually upright.
> Once you get the hang of sailing you will find yourself casually
> racing every other sailboat in sight. This seems to be a natural
> progression. You will then appreciate the performance of the better
> sailing boat.
> That's enough for now. Back to shoveling snow :-(
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> eGroups.com Home:http://www.egroups.com/group/bolger/
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>
>
Tim,
This is a great subject for a snowy day (8" in Worcester, MA as of
1:00 est, now sleet). So, pardon my rambiling.
You have not indicated your preferences other than easy to handle.
Some other questions to ask might be.
1. Are you bringing friends or children along?
2. How much boat are you willing to cart around?
3. Are you planning on any overnighting?
4. What are the weather conditions like on an average day where you
sail?
I have owned a 13'6" Enterprise racing dinghy since I was 10 years
old (read that as 33 years)and have succesfully single hand sailed it
on some very long trips if 30 miles or more. However, now that my kids
are ready to join in, I have started building the Micro for more
stability and good single handed sailing. I also have owned a 22'
Rhodes Continental which was easy to sail but one of the worse
performing boats I have ever owned. It would do death rolls downwind
no matter how hard the vang was applied. My next boat was a Herreshof
Goldeneye which was a full keel sloop rigged boat, with a marginal
cuddy/shelter. This boat was simple to single hand and a great upwind
performer, but it was not easily trailered due to its through the deck
24' mast , and the three foot draft. I would have been better off with
a J22.
Hence the Micro I am building. I am hoping for decent upwind
performance, easy in the marginal trailering I have planned, and ease
of sail handling.
I think that if you are looking at June Bug, Gypsy, or Surf that I
would also include something like the Instant Cat Boat. It appears to
be a decent dupication of the Beetle Cat with a decent cost:fun ratio.
On the south coast of Massachusetts, we have lots of fleets of Beetle
Cats and their owners are almost fanatical about them. I would think
that the Instant Cat Boat should give the owner some of the same
pleasures.
Of the boats you mention, I think that Gypsy appears to be the
best sailing of the lot based upon the reading in Payson's books. You
should be able to get the hang of sailing in it relatively quickly
provided you don't start on 20Kt days! Just remember; "When in doubt,
let it out" that should keep you out of trouble. I like the idea of
letting the sheet go and the whole rig should weathervane since there
are no shrouds to stop it. The ability to tie in a reef if you get
overpowered is also a good idea. I once owned a Laser, and whenever I
was overpowered or out of control, all I had to do was release the
sheet and the boat would come to a screeching halt,usually upright.
Once you get the hang of sailing you will find yourself casually
racing every other sailboat in sight. This seems to be a natural
progression. You will then appreciate the performance of the better
sailing boat.
That's enough for now. Back to shoveling snow :-(
This is a great subject for a snowy day (8" in Worcester, MA as of
1:00 est, now sleet). So, pardon my rambiling.
You have not indicated your preferences other than easy to handle.
Some other questions to ask might be.
1. Are you bringing friends or children along?
2. How much boat are you willing to cart around?
3. Are you planning on any overnighting?
4. What are the weather conditions like on an average day where you
sail?
I have owned a 13'6" Enterprise racing dinghy since I was 10 years
old (read that as 33 years)and have succesfully single hand sailed it
on some very long trips if 30 miles or more. However, now that my kids
are ready to join in, I have started building the Micro for more
stability and good single handed sailing. I also have owned a 22'
Rhodes Continental which was easy to sail but one of the worse
performing boats I have ever owned. It would do death rolls downwind
no matter how hard the vang was applied. My next boat was a Herreshof
Goldeneye which was a full keel sloop rigged boat, with a marginal
cuddy/shelter. This boat was simple to single hand and a great upwind
performer, but it was not easily trailered due to its through the deck
24' mast , and the three foot draft. I would have been better off with
a J22.
Hence the Micro I am building. I am hoping for decent upwind
performance, easy in the marginal trailering I have planned, and ease
of sail handling.
I think that if you are looking at June Bug, Gypsy, or Surf that I
would also include something like the Instant Cat Boat. It appears to
be a decent dupication of the Beetle Cat with a decent cost:fun ratio.
On the south coast of Massachusetts, we have lots of fleets of Beetle
Cats and their owners are almost fanatical about them. I would think
that the Instant Cat Boat should give the owner some of the same
pleasures.
Of the boats you mention, I think that Gypsy appears to be the
best sailing of the lot based upon the reading in Payson's books. You
should be able to get the hang of sailing in it relatively quickly
provided you don't start on 20Kt days! Just remember; "When in doubt,
let it out" that should keep you out of trouble. I like the idea of
letting the sheet go and the whole rig should weathervane since there
are no shrouds to stop it. The ability to tie in a reef if you get
overpowered is also a good idea. I once owned a Laser, and whenever I
was overpowered or out of control, all I had to do was release the
sheet and the boat would come to a screeching halt,usually upright.
Once you get the hang of sailing you will find yourself casually
racing every other sailboat in sight. This seems to be a natural
progression. You will then appreciate the performance of the better
sailing boat.
That's enough for now. Back to shoveling snow :-(