16-18' row/lateen in ferrocement

[HenryVG]

Hi.

I'm new to this group and am looking for help with the feasability of building a 16-18' centerboard sailboat, lateen-rigged, with oarlocks to get in and out of harbors and still weather.

I've recently purchased a home in Yucatan and would like to make this out of ferrocement, since there is a ready supply of concrete workers there.

I'd be sailing this along the coast,within sight of land, and be scared ashore by ANY bad weather. But I'd love to have a boat there. The beach just doesn't seem right without one.

Is this a bad idea? I rarely see anyone looking at ferrocement for anything under 30'. And what I'm proposing is actually more like a sailing dinghy.

Any thoughts?

[PAR]

I know of one successful design in this length, by Jay Benford, but frankly, the choice of hull material has a limited impact on build cost, but a huge impact on value and difficulty. In other words, building a small boat with heavy a material is self defeating, though it can be engineered if someone insists.

Having lots of concrete masons around doesn't really help much, unless they have experience with ferro cement construction techniques.