Further Up-dates will now be on the BLOG

 

Up-date 14 January 2011 - We are still in the midst of flood recovery, but an email from Steve Dorrington has brought a bit of boating delight into my life. Steve recently launched a Flint in New Zealand, and has sent this photo of his new boat being pushed by his 35 year-old British Seagull Forty-Plus 2.5hp outboard at a GPS-measured 6.3 knots! The New Zealanders are experts in the field of Seagull racing, and I'm hoping that Steve's ingenuity will result in some interesting propeller development.

 

Up-date 13 January 2011 - South Queensland Floods - We have been caught in the devastating floods in eastern Australia, and have lost the use of our house and office due to violent flash flooding of Redbank Creek. Our neighbour's house exploded due to the force of the flood, our house and sheds have been inundated. Our bridge (only road access into our house) has been destroyed. At the moment we are travelling into the back of our place on foot through flood waters and mud via several paddocks and through a number of barbed wire fences. We are safe, but have to concentrate on flood recovery for sometime.

So if I don't respond to emails, please be patient - I'll get to them, and plans are still available, although there may be an extra day or so of delay prior to delivery.

 

Up-date 06 January 2011 - More photos of Steve Dorrington's recently completed Flint added to the Flint Photos gallery. Here is a link to Steve's own Flint Gallery FlintDinghy#

 

 Also added are photos of Alec Morgan's Polynesian "Crab Claw" rig, which he reports as being very successful. Alec has completed a number of substantial, multi-day rowing trips in his Flint, leaving and re-entering his home port through the surf on Australia's famous Gold Coast. I've printed a little of Alec's earlier reports further back in this blog. Here is some of what Alec said about his rig. Steve, don't be offended by the 'petrol-head' (that is 'gasoline-head' to American readers!) comment - he is winding you up...

It's all very well for petrol-heads like Stephen to boot up the Seagull however had a great sail yesterday on the local Burleigh Lakes and remembered to take the camera. Photos attached of the sail rig. As noted previously it pretty much does the job deluxe for me. Light, minimal fittings required and either a seabreeze or a SEQ sou-easter gives what feels like hull speed. Sure it looks like I'm up for a new $6 tarp but whatever the load in the boat and strength of the breeze no breakages (yet). I think I will shout myself a nice soft 4mm mainsheet.

The interesting thing about Alec's rig is that he uses no centreboard, daggerboard or leeboard. All of the lateral plane is being provided by the deep, sharp forefoot of the hull, and by the standard skeg.

Up-date 01 January 2011 - Two new videos from Paul Hernes, showing on-board film of him sailing his Phoenix III in blustery conditions. Phoenix III has several rig options, all of which use the same mast step and partner, and most of which use the same mast. This allows different rigs to be substituted without having to make alterations to the boat. Paul has the standard Sprit-Sloop (Knockabout) rig, and also has the Balance Lugsail option on hand for windy days. The Balance Lug is exceptionally simple to rig and operate, and although it is significantly smaller than the standard rig, it still spreads 76 sq.ft of sail (same sail area as a Laser). You can see from Paul's videos that the boat gets up and goes!

http://www.vimeo.com/17723685

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4r-dZQoswqY

News has come in of another Flint launching. The builder is from New Zealand, and as you can see, he has done a really good job of building and finishing the boat.

 

Up-date 29 November - Bobcat for sale. An exceptionally well-built example of Phil Bolger's Bobcat or Instant Catboat design for sale. See 'For Sale' page for details.

 

Up-date 12 November - A number of months ago I was contacted by a man who was nervously contemplating the construction of First Mate. This was a major decision for him due to his total lack of experience at boatbuilding, but he has recently started, and here is a photo of his boat after only ten days of part-time work. This shows just how rapidly the hull of a stitch-and-glue boat can be built if the plans and instructions are followed. Note the small number of ties required to keep the hull panels fair on this design.

Up-date 8 November - Australian Dollar plans prices reduced for Phoenix III, Periwinkle, and First Mate

Up-date 6 November - Free pdf Study Plans available on "Designs" page

Up-date 2 November - two new videos posted on Video page.

Up-date 29 October - Byron Bennett is building a Phoenix III for Richard Stevens, and has documented the process on this Picasa Galley   http://picasaweb.google.com.au/ByronBennett53/BuildingPhoenix111?authkey=Gv1sRgCInm7vKJ5eyqvgE&feat=email#

Up-date 28 October - Nice video of Periwinkle sailing in light conditions in Atkinson's Dam in southern Queensland. Video shot by Rick Sutton from his Welsford Navigator, and provided courtesy of Paul Hernes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mazM15TACjc

Video page added to website

A beautiful Iain Oughtred Whilly Boat has come up for sale. I built her for a customer back in 2001, but the boat has been kept as an object to be admired rather than a boat to be used. She is virtually unused (I think she has only been launched once for use under oars or outboard) and has been lovingly stored in a lock-up shed. She comes with custom oars, two different lug sails, and the original galvanised, registered trailer. The trailer has only been used to get the boat from my workshop to the owners house in New South Wales. Building photos and details available from me on request. Seriously for sale at AUD $4,500.00

Up-date 7 October - prices listed for the two boats below - Micro AUD$8950.00, and Janette AUD$2950.00

 

Up-date 4 October - Two boats for sale - a Phil Bolger-designed Micro and a John Welsford-designed Janette.

I'm currently working on building a Jim Michalak-designed Mayfly 14 and finishing a First Mate of my own design, as well as making a number of masts and carrying out some work on my own old boat. Design work has been keeping me quiet for sometime, as it is incredibly time-consuming. Custom work has prevented me from finishing the drawings for Whimbrel, although I have been able to get some drawings done recently. In fact, one customer already has a number of the finished Whimbrel sheets, and I will advise if/when he starts work.

 

Up-date 5 August - We now have stocks of excellent-quality Hemp-coloured polyester rope, which will allow the rigging of boats with a traditional-looking set of lines. At the moment we are stocking:-

See "Shop" page for prices

Up-date 3 August - New page "Plan Amendments" to give notice of amended plan sheets, as required

For Sale :  British Seagull Silver Centaury Plus clutch-drive. Fully-overhauled by Seagull specialist  $525 Australian

Up-date July 30 I have a new set of plans available now, for my long-promised Three Brothers design.

                                   LOA 26' 2"  Beam 6' 8-1/2"  Draft 10"

Three Brothers

An efficient powerboat for work and play

 

Some time ago I received a letter from my long-time boating and bush-exploration friend, Ian Hamilton. Ian seemed to have been going through something of an extended mid-life crisis, but never having been one to comply with convention, his mid-life crisis-driven ideas were not much different from his normal fantasies, and I didn’t pay him too much attention.

Ian’s latest idea was for us (not that I was consulted about the ‘us’ bit) to wander over to Western Australia to spend a few months exploring the Kimberleys. Australia is a very big place – as big as the U.S. – and most of it is made up of desert. In fact, Australia is the driest inhabited continent on the face of the globe: the Kimberleys are as far from where we live as it is possible to get in this country - about 3,500 kilometers or 2100 miles in a straight line, and all across uninhabited desert…

Now, I am interested in the Kimberleys - the fantastic terrestrial and nautical scenery - but I didn’t ever believe that the trip would come off. With that in mind, I let Ian babble on about boats and equipment in the hope that it would all go away. However, he has remained persistent, and for a long time he pushed to have a boat designed which would have the load-carrying ability and the range, to operate in that remote part of the world.

Ian had been using a Phil Bolger-designed Sharpshooter for quite a few years, and I told him she was the boat for the job – 23 feet long by 5 ft 7ins in breadth with a flat bottom, she had proved to be unexpectedly seaworthy and burdensome. The trouble was that Ian wanted just a few more things – like room, comfort, freedom from pounding – and he wanted me to design the boat.

Some time ago I did some preliminary sketching of possible layouts, drawing on experience I had gained with some much smaller rowboats of similar form. My feeling was that the hull-form (similar to William Hand’s designs in some respects) had the potential to make a decent semi-displacement cruiser which would operate well with small power plants.

Nothing much happened after that for a long time, due to health and workload issues, and the proposal lay dormant as a profile sketch.

Here is a copy of the text of one of Ian’s letters, just to show what he had in mind: -

Dear Rossco.

I’ve been thinking more about my proposed Kimberley trip & about extended bouts of local & backcountry cruising.

Advantages of Sharpshooter:

·         Floats on wet sand                                         

·         Is safe in rough water, with ultimate lifeboat capability

·         Is fast enough

·         Can carry a big load

·         Is easy to trailer, launch & retrieve, despite its length

·         Is cheap to own & run

·         She already exists!

 

But:                  She’s no joy to windward in a chop & not really comfortable to “live” on for extended periods of foul or very hot weather.

 

So:                   Could I drop a load of wishes on you to be considered in a new design which keeps most of the virtues but adds comfort in terms of live-on ability and use in nasty conditions?  The compromises I would tolerate? She will obviously be bigger and cost substantially more (while still being smaller, simpler & cheaper than most would consider for the task!)

 

      This boat should be considered a very basic, but comfortable cruiser for two & a dayboat  for three or four adults and a bunch of kids.        

The accommodation can be ‘cozy’. I’d like to string it out lengthwise to produce a long, narrow, low and light boat that is easy to tow and to power. Sharpshooter runs at 9 or so knots in the rough and about 19knots flat out, fully loaded, on 30hp. This is fine, so if the expanded boat could do that with maybe 50hp I would be very happy. The major difference being …. I want to be able to run smoothly in a chop. (You know the sort of water I’m talking about, and 8 to 10 knots in those conditions would be fantastic if sustainable.) 

Accommodation:   

 Main cabin:    

·         2 berths.   

·         galley…  600 x 600 boxes p&s would do… just for a camp stove & bench top… sitting headroom at the galley end… no running water

·         cabin / galley bulkheaded off from the fuel

·         lockable

 

Doghouse:     

·         soft top or hard…maybe 2000 aft from the bulkhead.  I wouldn’t be thinking to load up the roof on a narrow boat. (At most a small solar panel)

·         Standing room at the helm (fold down seat)

·         Side seat under the shelter (convert to berth, stowage beneath)

·         This area should be open to provide cool shade and enclosable with “clears” in monsoonal rain

·         In a gesture toward true luxury, I’d probably build a very light, open-topped,  removable enclosure for a porta loo & weed sprayer shower, behind the helm.

Cockpit:          

·         Good size for fishing  /  room to lay a couple of camp mattresses for kids /room for a pair of camp chairs & a folding table

·         Seaworthy outboard well and motor mounted on the transom, with room for an auxiliary in one of those nice setups like Phoenix 3.

Construction: 

·         Whether I build it or palm it off, construction should be robust, simple, quick and plywood, with a view to maintenance and repair in isolated  locations.

She needs to be able to look after herself in locations with big tides (7m at Broadsound!) hard south-easterlies , unfriendly wildlife, lots of rocks,  shoals & reefs and to be trailered very long distances routinely.

Should be pretty easy, really!

Ian

 Jumping to now –

Ian rang me a couple of months ago to say that he had seen the advertisement for the WoodenBoat/Professional Boatbuilder Design Competition 2 , and said that he thought that something like the boat we had been discussing would fit the design prescription perfectly. So, I started burning the midnight and early morning oil in an attempt to get a design on paper, and to do the required calculations to determine whether such a boat could meet the criteria specified in the competition rules.

Two-and-a-bit months down the track, and I have a buildable design on paper, with two different wheelhouse layouts, and a completed weight analysis. The conservative weight calculations and the comparative data from the hull drawings have allowed me to make some firm predictions regarding speed, fuel consumption, and load-carrying ability.

In broad terms, the character of the design is as follows: -

·        Long and narrow with a very fine entry to promote fuel efficiency and smooth running in a short, steep chop;

·        Light-weight and simple;

·        Hull-form optimised for efficient operation in the semi-displacement speed-range;

·        Trailerable.

My performance predictions with 288kg (634lbs) passenger weight and 85kg (187lbs) for engine and fuel are as follows: -

·        Assume displacement of 820kg (1804 lbs)

·        Salt water

·        LOA 26ft 2ins      LWL 22.6 ft

·        Power to achieve 10kts                                                            -           13.9hp

·        Power to achieve optimum SL ratio 2.2                                -           15.6hp

·        Speed with 30hp (Crouch’s Planing Speed Formula)                 -           19.3kts

·        Speed with 40hp (Crouch’s Planing Speed Formula)                 -           22.3kts

·        Speed with 50hp (Crouch’s Planing Speed Formula)                 -           25kts

My choice of motor would be either:

·        18hp four-cycle outboard, giving a full-throttle fuel consumption of approximately 5.7 lt/hr (1.5 gal/hr);

·        30hp four-cycle outboard, giving a full-throttle fuel consumption of approximately 9.8 lt/hr (2.6 gal/hr);

·        30hp two-cycle outboard, giving a full-throttle fuel consumption of approximately 13.0 lt/hr ( 3.4 gal/hr), but with a weight and cost advantage.

Other options include an inboard diesel of between 18 and 22hp, or the Subaru automotive conversion as described in WoodenBoat Magazine #134 and #135. The flat cockpit space would be compromised, but the shape and proportions of the boat make an inboard installation very practical.

Below is a list of some of the elements/intentions/assumptions which under-pin the design: -

·        Scantlings have been determined by reference to the book of scantling rules titled, “The Elements of Boat Strength’ by Dave Gerr. Designed to comply with USLC – Section 5 Sub-section M wherever possible, however it is the responsibility of the builder to ensure compliance with relevant regulations;

·        Plywood construction, using the “stitch-and-glue” method. This allows for fast hull and superstructure assembly without the need for any strongback, mold, or dedicated jig. Quick and economical work for a professional or knowledgeable amateur builder;

·        Expanded panel shapes to allow simple marking directly onto the hull panels without the need for patterns or full-sized lofting in a conventional sense. The shapes lend themselves to CNC cutting if desired;

·        All bulkheads, frames, and transom are dimensioned to be marked directly onto components without the need for a full-sized lofting;

·        The majority of the transverse and longitudinal components do not require bevelling due to the gap-filling characteristics of high-quality marine-grade epoxy and the use of double-bias e-glass reinforcements. Components have been dimensioned with this in mind;

·        22"-wide bunks in cuddy cabin, with good sitting headroom, and storage spaces under and forward of the bunks;

·        7’ 4” x 5’ 11” self-draining cockpit floor, with provision for shelter from sun and rain. Suitable for camping with as many as wish to squeeze together;

·        6’ 3” standing headroom in wheelhouse (6’5” in the centre);

·        Cabin sides extend to gunwales in order to maximize volume in cabin, and more importantly, provide a measure of reserve buoyancy in a knockdown;

·        Substantial tumblehome in the superstructure to reduce damage when coming alongside wharves etc., to reduce weight and windage aloft, and to ensure that persons standing in the wheelhouse (i.e. high human centres-of-gravity) are pushed towards the centreline. There is a full 4’ + at shoulder height, which is plenty for two adults;

·        Underfloor stowage available, particularly under the cockpit;

·        Built-in foam buoyancy forward and aft;

·        Station #1 is designed to meet the scantling requirements of a collision bulkhead;

·        Foredeck anchor locker which is self-draining;

·        Cabin roof (deckhead) structure designed to comply the requirements for harsh usage, with closely-spaced longitudinal deck beams – but they only intrude ¾” into the cabin space;

·        Hull shape optimised for operation in the semi-displacement speed range for reasons of economy, range, and some sort of harmony with the environment;

      Plans for Three Brothers come on 20 sheets of A3 drawings, in your choice of metric or imperial measurements. This is a substantial project, and is recommended for builders with some experience. Plans and basic instructions for $210.00 Australian, plus postage.

      Coming soon - Natural Hemp-coloured rope. Initial sizes: - 6mm braided, 8mm braided, and 10mm 3-strand - all in Polyester. Prices to be advised shortly on the "Shop" page.

 

Up-date July 9 Well, it has been a long time since I last up-dated this page, but I have been busy. Firstly, I'm very happy to report that a number of Flints have been built, or have had successful hull glue-ups, and it appears that my supposition that the cracking problems were due to poor-quality plywood was correct. One of the Flint jobs which has really given me a lift is that of Bob .......... , from Wisconsin in the U.S.A.

Back in January Bob told me that he was starting out with no previous boat-building or oar-building experience, and over the months he has peppered me with good-natured questions. Just yesterday I received this note from Bob, along with some nice photos of his completed wooden boat: - Hello Ross - My Flint project is done and I want to thank you for all the help you provided when I had questions. I love the design, and it rows with ease. Attached are some pictures. Warmest Regards, Bob ...........

 

My hearty congratulations to Bob for such a well-finished project. I really like Flint because the boat is so very quick to build, and yet is shapely, fast, and functional in use. The plans now come with the option of two different sail plans for those who wish to sail as well as row and/or motor. The rigs and daggerboard case have been carefully proportioned so that there is minimal carpentry required if someone wishes to reto-fit the sailing gear, and the spars are very light (can be made from wood, carbon fibre tubes, or alloy tubes). Most of my designs use free-standing (un-stayed) rigs, but in this case I went for a stayed rig so that the mast could be deck-stepped to avoid penetrating the buoyancy tanks. Sail area is 64.5 sq.ft for both the Knockabout (sloop) rig, and the Cat rig.

The sail plan supplements to the Flint wooden boat plans include 7 extra sheets of A3-sized drawings in addition to the existing 11 sheets of A3, 2 sheets of A4, and 15 pages of illustrated instructions.

Another boat-building project to reach a successful milestone is the Periwinkle being built in Queensland by Graham ...........

Above is a photo of the completed hull, just prior to turn-over. Graham built her to this stage in just three months(!) of after-hours work. This gives you some idea of how quickly a glued-lapstrake (clinker) hull can be built if the plans contain the correct information. Here are some of Graham's comments: - Today I turned over the hull and began work inside, Now that the boat is upright I can really appreciate the lines and the work you put into the design. I am extremely happy with what I see at this point.


If you would like to refer any clients to me for info then please feel free to do so as I think your approach to XY graph and other methods are the answer.

Anyone who adheres to accuracy in the frame drawings and some care in cutting out the planks can successfully build a clinker boat that looks 100% better than other methods.

Thanks again

Regards Graham  

My reply to Graham was as follows: - Dear Graham,

I really appreciate your kind email, and I am delighted that you are satisfied with the design and the plans presentation.

Publishing plans which do not require conventional lofting is a nerve-racking business. At least with a table-of-offsets you can be sure that the builder will correct any fairing errors during the lofting, but giving fully dimensioned components means that nobody knows what is going to happen until the parts are already cut out. There are a number of designers doing this at the moment, and several I've had experience with have had major (and lots of minor) errors in the plans. The key to the whole thing is to be obsessive with cross-checking of measurements during the design phase - that is why it takes me so long to complete drawings. Having said that, I'm aware that I still make errors, so I'm particularly pleased that you found the plans to be acceptable. When I built the first Periwinkle I noticed some flattish spots which I finally traced down to a characteristic of the hull modelling program when it drew splined curves. I was able to correct them manually, and I hope it worked out ok for you (however, there will always be a tendency for soft ply to flatten out between stations, even when all is fair - I sometimes use fairing battens over the top of the plank laps during the gluing).

As for the internal layout, I tried very hard to make logical use of the structure to produce a relatively clean interior, with existing frames and structural elements like the centreboard case used to support thwarts etc. The stern sheets (aft thwart) provide structural support for the aft bulkhead, and the space underneath is for loose, wet stowage. The centreline hatch in the aft deck is placed so that it should float above the capsised waterline - even if the cover is off. The space either side of the centreboard case is sized to be a decent sleeping width, but it is only 6 ft long - I wanted 6 ft 6 in but couldn't work it into the other elements of the design. The little semi-bulkhead up for'ard is specifically to keep anchor and anchor rode under control.

I am pleased with the boat, and I'm considering making one for my own use when I get the time. If so, I'll be using the Cat rig with the tiny flying jib. I was always concerned about the clutter and lack of windward power from the Cat-Ketch rig when using balanced lugsails, although she does go well if she isn't sheeted too hard. All of the people who are used to modern, highly tensioned and stayed sloop rigs seem to over-sheet everything without understanding the rig - very frustrating!

All the best,

Ross

I will try to up-date this blog about wooden boat building much more frequently, so please come back to check often.

 

Up-date May 16 It appears that both of the Flint projects referred to below were adversely effected by poor quality plywood (I think that the ply came from a single supplier, but I am not certain). The Flint design is notable for the extremely fine and shapely sections towards the bow, and in order to get such a shape from sheet material, the panel shapes must be very carefully designed, marked, and cut. Here is an except from the Flint instructions: -

Plywood 

All plywood must be Marine Grade, stamped to comply with either BS1088 or AS/NZ2272. Do not compromise on the quality of your plywood, despite what the onlookers may tell you. Only ply made to the above mentioned standards is good enough for use in a boat. This has less to do with the type of glue used in the ply than with the standards required regarding approved species of timber, allowable faults in the veneers, number of veneers, thickness of veneers and so on. Once again, only BS1088 and AS/NZ2272 are good enough. 

Over the last year or so, it has been increasingly difficult to locate good quality BS1088 Gaboon (Okoume) plywood. Every supplier I’ve contacted recently has only been stocking a Chinese brand, and although it is stamped BS1088, the examples I’ve seen have contained a significant quantity of voids in the internal veneer

Given the uncertainty in quality, I’ve decided to limit my plywood purchases to Australian AS/NZ2272 plywood. All of the sheets I’ve seen are Hoop Pine, but there may be some Coachwood around. Hoop Pine plywood is excellent stuff, and although it is slightly heavier than Okoume, its superior quality and strength make it the material of choice for me. BS1088 Okoume is also fine, light-weight material if it comes from a reputable manufacturer.

Several of the very well-known suppliers of materials, books, plans and kits sell plywood to the amateur builder. However, my experience leads me to use the mainstream suppliers of plywood, such as Sharps, Australian Wood Panels, Mr Ply & Wood, etc.  (this relates to Australian builders only, of course)

People from countries other than Australia and New Zealand need to research the national standards applicable to their location (I believe the US standard is APA 1-83). Whichever type of plywood is chosen, it is absolutely essential that the planking thickness be at least 6mm, ¼”, or 6.5mm. Thicker is fine, but definitely no thinner than 6mm.

The design of Flint takes the twist and bend of sheet plywood to an extreme - however, if good quality material is used and the marking and cutting are done with care, the resulting boat will be very simple to build and will be a great pleasure to use.

       

Happy Owner                                                                         Happy Designer                               

More about Flint  Further to the previous note about un-folding the bottom panels on Flint, I have received another report from a Flint builder reporting similar problems - here is part of my  email response: -

I'm very sorry to hear about your problems with the panels. Yours is the second such report in about five days, and I had already put a note on my website a few days ago. The other fellow is from New Zealand as well, and the first thing I thought about was the plywood itself, but I'm not sure.
- firstly, what brand of ply have you used, and from which country does it come?
- were the tie holes spaced 50mm apart in the bow area, rather than the 100mm recommended for the rest of the boat?
- had you pre-coated the panels with epoxy? Pre-coating tends to cause problems on stressed panels, and I don't think it is a good idea;
- were the cable ties put in tightly, or with some slack? I'm wondering whether they may have been too tight, and in the process of un-folding the edges of the panels have been snapped in the manner of something being broken along a perforated line;
 

From what you have said, I'm imagining that the failure is a longitudinal crack in the panel, extending aft from the stem roughly parallel with the keel line - is that it?

There have now been a total of four reports (including yours) of problems in this area, and the common factor in the other three has been the quality of the plywood. You may be interested in having a look at this forum report about a current Flint build where poor quality ply caused some cracking - interesting photos http://www.woodworkforums.com/f32/building-flint-112281/

I really hope that we can solve this problem to your satisfaction. The puzzling thing is that most boats un-fold without any problem at all - the one I built was as easy as can be - in fact, you can see the process in the photos on my website. Please keep me in the loop.

Stop Press for Flint builders - In the instruction manual I make a point about the need to use only high-quality marine plywood, and I warn people about the poor standard of some of the Asian brands - just because it is stamped 'BS1088' does not mean it actually meets the standard. Two Flint builders have reported problems with plywood cracking (and in one case, breaking) in the forward sections of the bottom panels during the 'un-folding' process.

I'm happy to say that the vast majority of Flint builders have had no problem, and the boats have turned out well.

 

Up-dated 7 May

I've got a lot of things on the go at the moment, some of which I'll write about in coming weeks. Two significant designs are nearing completion, and I've got a round-bilged double-ender on the drawing board which should be a sweetie. She is something like a cross between a Peapod and a small Norse rowing boat. The construction will be either glued-lapstrake, or glued strip planking. She is 15.5 ft LOA, 4.5ft Beam (all to the inside of the planking), and carries 76 sq.ft of sail in a balanced lug.

For those who have been waiting patiently for a very long time, I've re-commenced work on the First Mate featured on other pages on this site. She is an on-again-off-again project, which can only be worked on when I have spare time. However, I like the design very much, and I'm keen to get a move on. The problems of working as a one-man-band....  Just added are about 16 more photos on the First Mate Photos 3 page.

 

 

Up-dated 25 March 2010

I've recently finished some modifications to a Phil Bolger-designed Micro which I built back in about 2002. She is still in the hands of the original owner, but among other things, he wanted a carbon fibre mast. He sourced the mast blank, but I carried out the required fittings, collar, track and assembly. I needed to test the flexibility, and took her out on Lake Wivenhoe with my good friend Paul Hernes, of Phoenix III fame. The winds were relatively light at between 12 and 15 knots, but we had a good four-hour sail. Average boat speed was 4.5 knots (by GPS) - peak was 6.5 knots. Despite her unusual appearance, Micro is an excellent little sailing cruiser. For those who are interested, build her as originally designed, and resist the urge to make changes to the  hull design and layout. Here is a link to a video I shot on the day - note the way she is steering herself with the tiller set in a rack and the cat-yawl rig working as it should.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LD5BKu9634Y

Work is continuing on my Whimbrel design (see rough drawing below), and I will run a more detailed up-date after Easter.

Up-dated 6 February 2010

Recently I received an interesting email from Jørgen Nielsen in Denmark regarding suitable boats for use in a summer Raid. Attached is an excerpt from Jørgen's email, and an excerpt from my reply - these may be of interest: -

Dear Mr. Lillistone
 
I want to build a boat, and have a few boats in my mind. I want a boat that is fast and easy to handle single-handed, and if the eye is pleased too, it is perfect.
I live in Denmark where the sea often is choppy. I want to have the boat on a trailer.
I have in mind
1. Caledonia yawl - a decked version, but maybe the boat is too big.
2. a. traditional Danish fishingboat. the four sail boat called "Marcus Noer" but trad. lapstrake living on a trailer!!!!
3. Coquina - a handsome boat but not decked
4. Periwinkle - the hull is very similar to Coquina but decked.
I would like to know how many sheets of plywood i need for the boat and how fast the boat can sail? is it a planning hull, and how long is the mast (both)
could you or the owner of the boat tell a little bit more how the boat is, specially in rough weather.
yours sincerely
Jorgen Nielsen

 

Dear Jørgen,

.....................I am familiar with Marcus Noer and although I think she has a wonderful, seaworthy hull shape, I do not think that she would be ideal for a single-hander, and I agree with you about the problems of traditional lapstrake on a trailer.

 

As for Caledonia Yawl I believe that she would be an excellent boat in heavy weather, as she has so much reserve buoyancy in her forward and aft sections. I have seen quite a number of these boats, and they are quite big! At one time, a Caledonia Yawl was brought to my workshop for repairs, and I can remember thinking that she was too big for me to have as a personal boat (at the time, she was one of the boats that I was considering, and I had the plans). In a raid, the rowing is an important element, and I think C.Y. would show too much windage to be suitable for one or two people. However, I still think she is a good design.

 
Coquina has been a favourite of mine for more than twenty years, and I think that she would be an excellent choice. In particular, I like the amount of reserve buoyancy she has in her bow. Perhaps the lack of foredeck and side decks would be a problem in a raid, particularly when sitting on the gunwale in heavy conditions. If I had a Coquina I would be very careful to install some emergency flotation in the forward sections. Another thing with Coquina is that her main mast is very far forward, and the weight may cause the boat to react more slowly to waves and therefore be wet. Light-weight hollow masts (or carbon fibre) would solve the problem (this is one of the reasons I used a balanced lug rig on Periwinkle as it puts the mast further aft).

 
Periwinkle is very similar to Coquina in layout, rig, sail area, and size, but that was not my original intention. In fact, I was not thinking about Coquina at all during the hull design process. John Shrapnel (the owner) came to me for a design similar to my Phoenix III, but slightly larger, and he wanted a ketch rig of some sort. I told him that I thought that the boat would be slow to windward with a ketch rig, but he was determined to try. I tried a few two-masted rig configurations, including a Cat-Schooner, but the one which worked out best was the Cat-Ketch (Periauger rig). This was because of the location of the mizzen mast, which allowed me to have a standard size tiller swing behind the mizzen mast, and also meant that the mizzen sail did not require a boomkin for sheeting.

 
After I had decided on the rig configuration, I became aware that she was very similar to Coquina in layout - even to the extent of the aft deck. This was just a case of "form follows function" - not copying! In this country (like in yours) we do a lot of sailing in rough conditions, and it is very important for a boat to be self-rescuing with adequate emergency flotation. I designed buoyancy tanks under the fore deck and the aft deck with hatches close to the centreline, so that they would stay above water in a knock-down, even with the hatch cover removed. There is space to stow loose, wet gear under the wide aft seat and forward of the semi-bulkhead towards the bow.

 
We have had experience with the flotation arrangement during a series of capsizes in the early days of testing. The boat is easy to right, and with the mizzen sheeted tightly and the main free, she sits head-to-wind while a crew member sits comfortably on the aft seat to bail. Because of the large amount of emergency flotation in the aft compartment, the weight of the crew member is easily carried. 

 
There is space for two people to sleep comfortably on the floorboards as long as they are not too tall (1828mm). 

 
The rowing thwart is a little far forward for a single-hander, but the rowing geometry is good, and she rows easily. With two people aboard (or some equipment stowed aft) she trims well for rowing. I designed her as a very narrow boat (1546mm to the outside of the planking) with very fine sections in the bow area. I did this to make her cut chop well, and to make it a practical proposition to row against a headwind and a head-sea. The other effect of this is that she lacks reserve buoyancy forward and needs to have crew weight aft in heavy weather. The aft sections are fairly wide and flat to provide bearing to carry sail, and to promote planing on occasions.

 
I have include a third mast step and partner to allow either the main or the mizzen to be stepped alone in strong winds. In this configuration, she balances very well, and is very easy for a single-hander.

 
As I was concerned about the windward performance of the Cat-Ketch rig, I have designed another rig which uses the original main mast set in the standard forward step, but arranged as a gaff-headed Cat with the option of a very small jib, set flying (pdf attached). I think this is a very good rig, but it has not been tested.

 
The boat is very fast except when hard on the wind. I expected this, as the Cat-Ketch is not a windward rig. However, if she is sailed free, she makes up for pointing ability with boat speed. I have frequently had her above 7 knots by GPS, and John Shrapnel has occasionally had her above 11 knots with the wind free and some good waves. She does plane, but being so narrow means that she needs careful handling and should not have weight near the bow - she is a much smaller boat than her length-over-all would indicate. Theoretical hull speed (1.34 x the square root of waterline length) is 5.3 knots, but her slim hull allows her to exceed hull-speed easily.

 
From memory, I used six sheets of 9mm ply for the hull planking, one sheet of 6mm for the decks (I think), and one or two sheets of 12mm for the bulkheads, frames, centreboard, centreboard case, thwart and aft seat. I found her to be an easy boat to build, and having only five planks per side made the job go fast.

 
I will contact John Shrapnel and ask him if he could send you an email with his impressions of the boat. Also, I have more photos than the ones I have on the website, so let me know if you would like to have them sent (are you ok for download?)........................

Best wishes,

Ross Lillistone

 

Up-dated 18 January 2010

Phoenix III and First Mate

I've received plenty of mail about these boats and there are quite a number scattered around the globe (Phoenix III, that is - there are only two First Mates to my knowledge, although there have been a few plans sold). On the assumption that there may be others out there who are interested in what I've written to people, I am attaching the text of two replies which I have written in the last twelve hours. Let me know if this sort of general discussion is of interest, and I'll try to did out more.

Dear Doug,
 
Thanks very much for your email about First Mate, and for your kind words.

I know about reduced mobility, as I'm only a short way behind you at 56 in September. However, I'm fortunate to be able to say that I still prefer to sit on the bottom of a boat, with my back supported by the side deck carlings - but I don't know how much longer I'm going to be able to say that! Most people seem to prefer to sit at a level where their feet are lower than their butt, so with that in mind I designed a movable set of side benches which fit (as you suggested) between the main thwart and the face of the semi-bulkhead at the for'ard end of the stern sheets (aft seat). My idea was that the two side benches could be slid together, resting on simple cleats, and become a single, central sleeping platform which would keep the occupant up out of bilge water, and provide space beneath for short-term stowage of gear bags.

Paul Hernes has tried it out in his Phoenix III, which has the same internal layout as First Mate. You can see how it works in the attached photos {see bottom three pictures in the Phoenix III gallery}. I did not expect to make the seats as substantial as Paul did, but you can see the idea. If not required for either sleeping or sitting, they can just be lifted out and stowed beside the centreboard case or somewhere similar.

On one sheet of the First Mate plans I show the dimensions for a simple plywood galley box (with a water shedding lid) which is sized to fit underneath the main thwart when not in use. It can be made stitch-and-glue, or as a simple framed structure. A galley box is a really useful amenity on-board.

I don't have any photos of First Mate under sail, although there is one sailing in Brisbane, having been built as a training boat for a group of Sea Scouts. They seem quite happy, but haven't passed on photos. However, First Mate was designed as a "functional equivalent" to Phoenix III with an identical internal layout, rudder, centreboard, and identical rigs. The breadth is increased by six inches to cater for the different hull cross-section, but performance should be so similar that photos ofPhoenix III under sail should give you an excellent impression. First Mate should be easier to hold up due to her wider side decks and increased beam. It is only conjecture so far, but I suspect that Phoenix III may be the faster of the two in light winds as PH3 has a very slightly lower wetted surface area than FM - we will see what happens in stronger winds...  Phoenix III has already out-sailed some similar sized boats from well-known established designers, but as in all things, it depends on who is at the tiller.

I guess you may have been to my website www.baysidewoodenboats.com.au but if not, have a look at the photos under the button on the left labeled "Phoenix III Photos". Also, you may find the youtube links on the home page interesting as they show Phoenix III under sail in varying conditions - First Mate will be very similar. 

In your area the balanced lug may be the better rig due to it being easier to handle than the sprit, and because of the reduced area. Both rigs use the identical mast in the identical location, so you can mix and match rigs. Paul has one of each, and just puts whichever one suits up on the mast - he has even used both rigs at different times of the same day. I've got a gaff-headed sloop rig on the way which will also use the same mast in the same position - it takes a bit of juggling of shapes and proportions to get all rigs designed so that they use the one mast, but it is worth the effort. The gaff-headed rig will have an area of around 90 sq.ft. 

Please feel free to email me with any other questions about the boat.
Wishing you all the best,

 Ross Lillistone
 

Dear Woody,

Thank-you for writing about Phoenix III and First Mate, and for your nice comment.

 Phoenix III came about because of a customer request for a glued-lapstrake boat for sailing and rowing, and he had been dissatisfied with several existing designs in the popular market place. At the time I had a lot on my plate, but constant nagging eventually pushed me into putting the design on paper. 

For many years I had been agonizing over the optimum proportions and size for my favourite form of boating - beachcruising and day-sailing in a boat which is primarily a sailing boat, but which is a pleasure to row - i.e. the rowing arrangements are well thought out instead of being an afterthought. Other factors were simplicity of rig (to reduce time at the boat ramp - coming and going), light-weight to enable an aging body to push the boat around on its trailer, and self-rescue-ability. The size I settled upon (for my own use) was 15ft LOA x 4ft 6in BOA. Based on this, I made a half-model and made a complete lines drawing by hand.

When the customer request came along, I resurrected this data as my starting point. The lines had to be changed somewhat to allow for developable surfaces, as I was determined to keep the number of planks to a maximum of five per side. Given that the primary advantage of plywood planking is its high cross-grain strength there seemed little point in cutting lots of narrow planks just to ape the shape of boats made from narrow natural-timber planks. Anyway, I have always found the lines of Oselvers and Swampscott Dories etc to be superbly beautiful. 

The choice of rig in the first instance was driven by a desire to have the shortest spars possible, combined with a low centre-of-area. A particular advantage of the Sprit-Sloop (William Atkin would have called it a Knockabout, as there is no bowsprit) is that it is one of the few rigs which can carry a jib effectively without shrouds or back-stays. This is because the sprit, in compression, places the head of the sail in tension, and that tension is transmitted to the luff of the jib (I picked up that insight from Phil Bolger). 

Other elements in the design include the somewhat unusual shape of the centreboard (although it wouldn't seem unusual to a Dory Man), large buoyancy compartments for'ard and aft, a self-draining outboard well (if you must have one), and a handy semi-bulkhead which braces the for'ard end of the centreboard case and acts as a well-placed open-topped stowage location for the anchor and anchor rode.

The centreboard shape was dictated by the need to get the main thwart at the correct level for proper rowing geometry. The space below the thwart limited the chord (width) of the centreboard, and if it had been left at that chord for its full length the board would have had too much length, or not enough area. I decided on the final shape to get the necessary area, and it provides the additional advantage of giving the board plenty of "bearing" in the case when it is lowered. It works very well indeed, and it makes for a very dry case due to the height of the little opening where the rod exits. The one disadvantage is that it prevents the provision of a forward rowing station for proper trim when carrying a passenger under oars. I just had to go for what I thought was the best combination of compromises. If it is a real problem, there is the possible option of a daggerboard case, or better still, leeboards.

In use, the boat has exceeded all expectations - she is fast, dry (thanks to the fine entry angle and the spray-rail effect of the plank-laps), comfortable, and rows nicely for a multi-use boat. Since completing the original design I have received requests for two other rigs - a balanced lug of modest area, and a Bermudian rig with stays. The balanced lug works very well, and is set on exactly the same mast as the sprit-sloop - this took some juggling of proportions, but it makes for a very versatile boat. Paul Hernes has both rigs, and changes them at will - sometimes on the same day.

 First Mate came about because a friend of mine wanted a Phoenix III desperately, but did not have the confidence to tackle a glued-lapstrake hull. For him I designed the stitch-and-glue hull, using an identical internal layout and identical rigs. The weight of either boat should be the same, as the hull surface areas are within 4% of each other - in fact, if you take into account the plank laps on the clinker boat, they would both be the same. First Mate is six inches wider at 5ft, as I needed to pick up some loss of initial stability over the original PH3, but at the waterline there is less than two inches difference.

The hull of First Mate is much quicker to build, as you don't need a strongback and molds, and you don't need to spile clinker planks. But once that is done, both boats involve the same amount of work. I think the stitch-and-glue boat will be easier to maintain, and the vulnerable edge-grain of the plywood planking is protected by glass and epoxy. The hull look different, but I honestly can't decide which one I like the most.

It is very difficult to predict building time, but I'd be thinking around 250 hours including the rig and all of the painting. Painting is where you really see time disappear - some people don't worry too much about it, and that can save a LOT of time. Up until now I've been following a very demanding eight-coat-plus painting schedule using epoxy primers, and high-quality single-pack polyurethanes for the top coats. But recently, I've been carrying out some in-house research into the use of high-quality 100% acrylic house paint for the top coat over oil-based single-pack primer/undercoats. So far it is looking very promising, particularly in my part of the world where extreme levels of UV make most oil-based topcoats crack and peel long before they should normally have worn out.

I hope this long email has answered some of your questions - please feel free to write for more details if required. I guess that you may have seen the photos on my website, but if not the address is www.baysidewoodenboats.com.au 

Wishing you all the best,

Ross Lillistone

Here is a link to an article about Phoenix III which I sent to Duckworks Magazine some time ago www.duckworksmagazine.com/07/designs/phoenix/index.htm

 

Up-Dated 30 December 2009

Work has been continuing on the 17-1/2ft x 6-3/4ft V-bottomed, pram-bowed cruiser with a cat-yawl rig. This boat came about following a discussion I had with a customer who had bought plans for an existing design, which he wanted altered to allow for stitch-and-glue construction, a modified sail plan, a modified cockpit, and a modified cuddy-cabin. I explained that I was not keen on altering somebody else's design, and also that it would be easier to produce the pre-computed developed hull panel shapes required for true stitch-and-glue construction by designing a new boat from scratch.

The resulting design has taken my fancy, and has received good reviews from a couple of particularly difficult-to-please individuals. The main characteristics are: -

 

Phoenix III builder, Paul Hernes, has been having lots of fun stirring up the opposition each Tuesday, sailing on Pumicestone Passage. Other regulars in these informal gatherings include a Periwinkle, Gypsy, Bobcat, Poohduck Skiff, Pathfinder, and Dragonfly. These sailing trips promote friendly competition, rig discussion, boat sharing, beach BBQs, opportunities to compare designs, and much more. Here is one of Paul's recent reports: -

There was a forecast strong wind warning for waters south Cape Moreton and Moreton Bay so I loitered at home till about 8.45 . My neighbour "Jibs" aka "lazy boy" had declined to participate in our early morning walk said it would "tire him out for sailing". I arrived at Military jetty about 9.10 and the two Ricks and John  had launched and were nowhere in sight. There was a 10-15knt northerly blowing and the tide had started to run in so I hoisted my lug rig and launched at Bells Creek. It wasn't too hard getting out of the creek and I reasoned they would have sailed down towards the bar so headed that direction. 8 tacks later I was level with military jetty and by then I could see three sails  up towards the bar. As they were stationary I figured they were pulled up on the sand bank opposite the old sailing club - you know that stretch of water where you and .......... started doing all those capsize tests that fateful day. 22 tacks later I was level with the yellow sign marking the cable crossing to Bribie and noticed that the wind strength was increasing and combining with the incoming tide to make for one of those "what the %#$@ am I doing" occasions. The other three desperadoes were now heading towards me. I kept tacking another 10, in fact, and waved as they ran past heading back to Military Jetty.
       On the next tack towards Bribie I kept going and pulled into the lee of the island and on to the beach to have a spell. Went for a walk on the ocean side, but got sand blasted - so I returned to the passage side sat down and had a drink and bite to eat on my pat-me-lone. The fattest goanna I have ever seen wandered out of the scrub while I was there. I could see the other trio still on the beach at military jetty so had a nice run down to join them. "Jibs" had his wind meter and said it was gusting to 19 knots. We sat around yarning and taking the piss out of each other for a while then decided to pack it in. I had my boat planing on the run down to opposite Bells Creek. As I was on a port tack there was no way I was going to attempt a jibe into Bells, so I headed towards Bribie and it took be three goes to get it around. I am afraid to admit this but I broke the 6knt speed limit as I reached into Bells.
         All up another terrific day on the water - didn't sail a great distance but sailed over a lot of water.

 

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Up-dated 5 November 2009 - The following text is from an email I received from a Flint customer, Alec Morgan, who has been using his boat for about a year.

G'day Ross,
 
A bit over a year on...
 
This morning at first light my feet hit the floor.  I knew conditions would be good with high tide about 7.00am and only a small swell running.  A light sou-wester moved the trees gently as I put the kettle on and made a travel mug of coffee.  Wrote a quick note as to where I was going and my expected return.  Launched at Thrower Drive into Currumbin Creek and noted it was 5.25 as I put the phone away under the seat.  The breeze and a few easy strokes pushed me easily over the incoming tide as a couple of powerboats headed seaward fishing. 
 
Keeping the boat on the box trailer means it's not on the dolly which means I hadn't had a row for a week and it felt good to be on the water.  The rowlocks jarred in my hands and I stopped to wet them down.  All smooth now and I was pleased.  I like it quiet and smooth. 
 
Nearing the river-mouth I stopped rowing and turned the boat for a look at the bar.  There were no waves breaking but I slipped my lifejacket on anyway, in part to keep the chill away and in part because it is a good habit when leaving rivers for the ocean.  A fisherman pulled in a nice tailor as I passed the rocks.  The wind rose a little and had more south in it away from the river.  Best head south and keep the breeze for the home run.  The waves were confused, a shortish SE swell with a SSW chop on it and cross chop coming back off the rocks.  It demanded focus and I reset my balance and pulled the oars inboard to a cross handed rowing position.  Quick last swig of coffee and into it. 
 
Without extra ballast Flint bobs like a cork over the chop.  She's light and that's what I love about her.  I settled on a course about 20 degrees from the eye of the wind with the swell on the port bow quarter.  She tracked steady there and the movement of the boat was more predictable.  Several times I noticed my grip had become too firm on the oars and I could feel the tension in my forearms.  Worse on my right, nearer the swell.  I reminded myself to relax my grip, loosen through the elbows and shoulders and feel the water more.  I passed Elephant Rock just inside the shark nets.  I'll come back outside of those.  The rowing was very technical and less enjoyable than I had thought it would be.  A white cap or two were starting to appear and I stopped for a drink.  It was probably the roughest water I had rowed in, the boat was dry and I was feeling good so I turned my mind to it and got going again with the plan to turn for home around Tugan nets.  About 20 minutes later I passed 200 metres east of my goal and pulled over for a rest.  I took a couple of photos. It was 6.20am.
 
I slipped off the lifejacket, warm enough now and had another drink of water.   I put the wind around 12-14 knots and it crossed my mind that I would be back in no time so planned a boomerang to the east return course.  What a ride!  I shot seaward, swell under the stern starboard quarter and the breeze and chop square.  To the left was ocean horizon.   Point Danger astern.  The boat was alive, twitchy, fast and my spirits soared.  A few hoots escaped though there was no one to hear.
 
Coming around to a NW direction shifted the swell square on with the breeze just aft abeam.  I lined up Currumbin Point and noted the angle of the wind.  Not quite so fast but still making good speed easily.  I pulled onto a couple of runners stroking firmer to ride the swells.  Before I knew it I was pulling around the headland and out of the breeze.  Hugging the south shore I noticed small waves broke on a single sandbank for about 30 metres before rolling into a deep channel 10-15 metres off the beach.  I love surfing and it wasn't much of a detour to the 'take-off'.
 
With confidence growing after a couple of waves I was able to sit steady in my seat and row for trim and small turns while riding the waves as far they could be ridden. Rather than row around the break I went straight out back through it playing with taking the waves at various speeds.  Not a problem for Flint.  I've rowed her in and out of Tallebudgera Creek in surf three or four times this size though not always keeping as dry as today.  When surfing on larger waves I ship the oars and move to the stern, face forward crouched and steer holding the gunwales.  The bow lifts avoiding a broach confirming she has the right rocker and the gentle "v" on her 'surfing section' rides smoothly. 
 
Some stand up paddle boarders come by, one stops and watches a while.  "That's a nice looking rowboat."  "Thanks" I say turning to catch an approaching wave.  
 
I head off the kilometer up river to the boat ramp, first hugging the south shore then skipping across the now outgoing tide to the north bank.  I row hard without the complications of chop and am at the ramp in no time.  Pop her on the trailer and home by 7.30. 
 
Summary
 
Flint is such a great boat for me for the following reasons: 
Design compromises
Drifts quickly according to breeze
Does not sit still at anchor
Pitches fore and aft in chop
 
Writing that down reminds me to take a solid small bucket to use as a sea anchor to help her sit steady at anchor and slow/control drift.
I counter the pitching by tacking upwind which works better anyway.
 
The photo of the boat on the beach is at South Straddie last month.  I've started planning a trip from Tin Can Bay up the inside of Fraser for 4-6 weeks next winter/spring on long service leave.
 
Cheers,
Alec 

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Up-dated 31 October 2009

After more than a years break from full-time building and designing, I have resigned my part-time hardware store job and in a few days time I will return to my passion for small boats on a full-time basis. I needed the break to recharge after nine and a half years of fairly intense work, including too many fourteen-hour days and seven day weeks! Other things came into it, including some health issues.

Current projects include, but are not limited to, the following: -