Bolger Light Schooner (23.5' LOA)

[kdhorton]

Hello all,
my brother and I have been tossing around design ideas for building our wooden sailboat; the limitations have been relative ease of build (we are neither boat builders nor woodworkers yet- this is our maiden attempt at both, fortunately our father is close by who is a woodworker with an equipped shop), preferably a classic look and something you can build on a smaller budget. These things the Light Schooner appears to accomplish. We also want something that is rigged in a way we can start on her, and yet not get bored with her- from the accounts I've read this too is the case with her.

However, before I start laying her down- some questions for those that may know.

1.) She is consistently described as being too easy to capsize without a heavy cargo- many sources state that she sails best with 6 aboard, and with only 2 she can flip pretty easily. My brother and I are planning to use her for a week or so at a time, and so will have quite a bit of freshwater, probably an outboard engine in a well, and camping and cooking equipment. Could we make the keel heavier/longer (I believe the plans come with a daggerboard) and add some ballast to accomplish the difference?

2.) One of our eventual goals is to "beach hop" along the coast; not on the open sea, but would the Light Schooner be suitable for operation 1-2 miles off shore?

We're wanting to start building before the winter starts and have her finished for the spring season, which seems well doable with this boat, but we wanted to be sure before we started that she would be what we wanted.