Huge sailboat simply built

[Pericles]

Guillermo,

Success.

Thank you.

Perry

[Greenseas2]

Ran in to some legal problems with export to the Bahamas with the 24 foot Pelican. Also was officially and unofficially told that sending them to the Caribbean was not a good idea as they're weight carrying capacity, simplicity in building and seaworthiness made them ideal candidates for smugglers. Even good deeds have their draw backs.

[Mark Elliot]

greenseas 2 hi I am interested in the Pelican 24 as a cruising boat, can this be junked rigged. Any pics & info I would love to see regards Mark Elliot

[Greenseas2]

The Pelican 24 was modified to be an inexpensive island freighter and would have to be reconfigured quite a bit to be a cruising boat. Your best bet is to use the plans for the Pelican 12 and double them. There are afew versions of larger Pelicans on various web sites, but for our purposes we needed the higher freeboard that was accomplished by doubling the Pelican 12 plans with additional structural reinforcement which is easy to figure out. The current 24 freighter version has double external keels with encapsulated zinc anodes for ballast and changes the sailing characteristics a lot. These two 24's were purpose built and I really wouldn't recommend them to anyone. We won't be building any more.

[FAST FRED]

Same rules, launch from the beach and no motors.

You will have a huge problem with all of the Florida Locks, there not enamored of row boats , and do not allow sailing.

Most bridges will not open for a sail propelled boat .

I live in Ortona , near the lock.

FF

[peterbmetcalf]

Hi everyone,
I met with Bill Short the designer of the Pelican when I was a teenager; my mom talked with him at times re: our boat. He considered the Pelican to be a dory cut off fore and aft, with a pram bow. The dory would be 18 feet if the boat were extended to the ends.
I don't have at present much time to work on and money to afford a 24' Pelican, but if anyone knows of any size for sale in the area of San Francisco Bay, I would like to see if it is a possibility.
My mother on the phone heard Short curse like only a sailor can, the person who built our 12' boat having only a single, rather than twin vertical structural members amidships at the stern. He knew design, and knew the demands of the bay. Some builders consider the Pelican overbuilt. He obviously did not.
The boat is exceptionally seaworthy. I had mine out typically in small craft warnings, and it was great. Greatest blow was 50 knots. I had a great sail.
Peter Metcalf

[peterbmetcalf]

Just writing to say I am still interested if anyone knows of a bigger than 16 ft. Pelican for sale.
Thanks.

[Greenseas2]

A group of us built two 24 foot Pelicans for island cargo carrying but strayed from the design too much and wound up with two boats that should have been scrapped. The 24 foot Emporer Pelican Is easy enough to build if you stick to the proportional dimensions that Bill Short designed for the 12 footer. I don't believe that you can find a production boat with the same sailing qualities of a Pelican for the price to build one. Great boats.

[Thelin]

Hi,

I'm the new owner of "Dowser" a 20' Super Pelican built in 1990 by John Roumbanis. I purchased Dowser from Jeff Lehman of Platypus boats and am just finishing off glassing the interior and repainting the decks. Currently Dowser is fitted with a large Chinese junk rig, but I also have the original bowsprit to reconfigure her to her lug rig/jib design.

Thelin

[peterbmetcalf]

HI Thelin,
Congratulations on acquiring Dowser.
I would enjoy seeing pictures once (s)he is ready. (This is an eastern rig and looking boat - the Arabs consider their boats male, not female).
I would keep the boat light as possible to avoid having to carry too much canvas. Please keep me posted, and if ever you decide to sell, I will be interested. I have a friend who wants to start teaching sailing via his non-profit performance art center (performance as in virtually anything that boosts self esteem and brings fulfillment or satisfaction, and is achieved through practice or effort). A big big Pelican is ideal for SF Bay lessons!
Thanks for responding to my posting! And enjoy Dowser!
Peter

[Thelin]

Thanks for the info Peter.

Dowser's been around for a while and is a very pleasant boat to sail. Keeping her light might be a problem though as John Roumbanis really overbuilt her.

As I've only had Dowser for about a month and a half I have no plans to sell -- yet, but I'll keep you in mind.

Peter