Re: finally getting off my butt, looking for recomendations

----- Original Message -----

From:Bill Howard

To:bolger@yahoogroups.com

Sent:Wednesday, December 19, 2012 5:01 PM

Subject:Re: [bolger] finally getting off my butt, looking for recomendations [5 Attachments]

Agreed.  I like Jim Michalak's book and his plans.  Have built a model of his Picara.  After dumping my "June Bug " in the Chesapeake, I like the 500 pounds ballast in Picara.

Another correct and perhaps simpler answer is the Bolger "June Bug," and Dynamite's Payson's book,Build the New Instant Boats.

Easily carries three when rowing.

One person can car-top.

Beachable.

Has a pointy end.

Fiberglass tape is needed only on chines.

No fiberglass cloth needed.

Nail and glue construction.

No complicated bevel cuts on frames.

DO NOT use luan.  As Dynamite said, "I would just as soon use shredded wheat."

Do use marine ply.  About $90 per sheet, five sheets needed.

Spruce is fine for chines and mast.

Use oar plans from Jim Michalak's book, but modify to six-foot length.

Fir for oars improves beauty.  Three coats varnish.  

Order sail from Instant Boats.

Do not stand up in this boat when afloat!

Bill Howard

Nellysford VA

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On Dec 19, 2012, at 4:08 PM, Joseph Stromski wrote:

 

The correct answer to this question is Jim Michalak's book "Boatbuilding for Beginners and Beyond". Included with the book are plans for his Mayfly 14 skiff (as well as a few other boats). There's also loads of other very useful info in that book, and at less than $20 is the deal of the century.

I've never ever seen underlayment at Home Depot that was worth even looking twice at. Lowe's sells Ultraply XL that's a far better material than anything I've ever seen at HD. 

Just my opinion, 

Joe

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From:steven_dantonio <sdantonio93@...>
To:bolger@yahoogroups.com
Sent:Wed, December 19, 2012 1:16:25 PM
Subject:[bolger] finally getting off my butt, looking for recomendations

 

Hi All,

After several years pf procrastination (I like to call it researching my options) it is time to build a boat.

I am looking for comments, both pro and con on my three finalists in the selection (not in any special order:

1. the Summer Breezehttp://www.duckworksmagazine.com/07/projects/summerb/index.htm

2. The Featherwindhttp://www.duckworksmagazine.com/01/articles/featherwind/index.htm

3. Storm Petrelhttp://www.belljar.net/bolgersp.htm

Of the three, the Summer breeze would probably be the quickest and easiest build for a first boat, and probably the easiest to car top (actually pickup truck top). As far as my skills I have over 20 years making making furniture and violins, but no boats. So, while I'm not an expert boat builder, I do know which end of the saw to hold onto.

The first boat build will most likely be 0.25 inch luan ply (home depot grade) with fir chine's (yeah I know it will probably have to be rebuild in a couple years from better materials). Glassed and epoxy encapsulated. With this in mind the Summer Breeze followed in a couple years by a Storm Petrel seems like a good logical sequence (although I was thinking AS29, Jessie Cooper, or black skimmer for the second boat).

The goal is a small-medium size lake, solo, daysailer with will probably never see salt water in it's first year of life.

All three boats have a fairly wide beam, something I like for stability. So I shouldn't roll it to often. I also like a transom so I can tell the pointy end from the back (helps me know if I have it in forward or reverse). This is one reason I decided against the windsprint for a first boat (also the relatively small beam).

So, suggestions and comments please. Both pro and con.

Thank you,
Steven

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Agreed.  I like Jim Michalak's book and his plans.  Have built a model of his Picara.  After dumping my "June Bug " in the Chesapeake, I like the 500 pounds ballast in Picara.

Another correct and perhaps simpler answer is the Bolger "June Bug," and Dynamite's Payson's book, Build the New Instant Boats.

Easily carries three when rowing.
One person can car-top.
Beachable.
Has a pointy end.
Fiberglass tape is needed only on chines.
No fiberglass cloth needed.
Nail and glue construction.
No complicated bevel cuts on frames.
DO NOT use luan.  As Dynamite said, "I would just as soon use shredded wheat."
Do use marine ply.  About $90 per sheet, five sheets needed.
Spruce is fine for chines and mast.
Use oar plans from Jim Michalak's book, but modify to six-foot length.
Fir for oars improves beauty.  Three coats varnish. 
Order sail from Instant Boats.
Do not stand up in this boat when afloat!

Bill Howard
Nellysford VA




On Dec 19, 2012, at 4:08 PM, Joseph Stromski wrote:

>
> The correct answer to this question is Jim Michalak's book "Boatbuilding for Beginners and Beyond". Included with the book are plans for his Mayfly 14 skiff (as well as a few other boats). There's also loads of other very useful info in that book, and at less than $20 is the deal of the century.
> I've never ever seen underlayment at Home Depot that was worth even looking twice at. Lowe's sells Ultraply XL that's a far better material than anything I've ever seen at HD.
> Just my opinion,
> Joe
> From: steven_dantonio <sdantonio93@...>
> To: bolger@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Wed, December 19, 2012 1:16:25 PM
> Subject: [bolger] finally getting off my butt, looking for recomendations
>
> 
> Hi All,
>
> After several years pf procrastination (I like to call it researching my options) it is time to build a boat.
>
> I am looking for comments, both pro and con on my three finalists in the selection (not in any special order:
>
> 1. the Summer Breeze http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/07/projects/summerb/index.htm
>
> 2. The Featherwind http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/01/articles/featherwind/index.htm
>
> 3. Storm Petrel http://www.belljar.net/bolgersp.htm
>
> Of the three, the Summer breeze would probably be the quickest and easiest build for a first boat, and probably the easiest to car top (actually pickup truck top). As far as my skills I have over 20 years making making furniture and violins, but no boats. So, while I'm not an expert boat builder, I do know which end of the saw to hold onto.
>
> The first boat build will most likely be 0.25 inch luan ply (home depot grade) with fir chine's (yeah I know it will probably have to be rebuild in a couple years from better materials). Glassed and epoxy encapsulated. With this in mind the Summer Breeze followed in a couple years by a Storm Petrel seems like a good logical sequence (although I was thinking AS29, Jessie Cooper, or black skimmer for the second boat).
>
> The goal is a small-medium size lake, solo, daysailer with will probably never see salt water in it's first year of life.
>
> All three boats have a fairly wide beam, something I like for stability. So I shouldn't roll it to often. I also like a transom so I can tell the pointy end from the back (helps me know if I have it in forward or reverse). This is one reason I decided against the windsprint for a first boat (also the relatively small beam).
>
> So, suggestions and comments please. Both pro and con.
>
> Thank you,
> Steven
>
>
>

 

racing -funHello my fellow Bolger fans. I'm a total newbe to boats, and I don't even know the basic jargon yet. However, I would like to discuss the "big picture" with you.
For quite some time considered one day owning a  boat as a source of recreation. As world events are unfolding, I have started to think of a boat as a vehicle for evacuation and long-term survival.

The sailing scow, as depicted by Bolger's #501 and BWAOM Chapter 41, would seem to me to be a good choice. Cheaper to build, with lot's of space, and sufficiently seaworthy to serve as coastal cruisers. The flat bottom triloboat,Slacktide , is serving in this capacity up in South East Alaska. It is shoal draft and copper clad underneath, capable of grounding herself as the tides and weather require. An acceptable spot could turn into a long-term camping location.

However, the coastal cruising limitation is one that is disturbing to me. What if the wife insists on evacuating to Hawaii? Or the evacuation takes place when King Neptune is stirring up a fuss? Recently, I became aware of David Raison crossing the Atlantic in a minitransat 6.50, which is a 21-foot scow racing boat. I scratched my head on that one. I thought scows were not ocean crossers.

O.K., I know that Raison's 747 has the innovative "bulbous" bow, which, instead of cutting through the waves, bobs over them, using it's extra floatatriloboation to avoid plowing itself under. I also know the wide-bodied minitransats have dual rudders and a swing keel hanging on a gimbel, or something. Why could not a larger sailing he rcer probablyscow avail itself of features inspired by Teamwork Evolution and the minitransats? Of course, the scow I envision must retain it's extreme shoal draft, because neeping the boat, and going through tight shallow passages, is part of the survival strategy. Perhaps two advanced leaboards taking the place of the swing keel? Another attribute that can't be dispensed with is the metal covering on the bottom half of the hull, to allow beaching and neeping on rockier beaches.

Another issue is sails. What do you think of junk sails? Again, they are easier and cheaper to make, and I understand they are easy to repair at sea.
Here is a link to shoal draft boats, and a link to Teleport, a junk-rigged sailboat that took an Aussie, and his cute girlfriend, to the Arctic.My Boat Page 

Thanks for humoring me...I know my level of knowledge on these topics is comical.

Darrell
San Diego, CA