Didi 26

[J.D.Hogg]

I've come to really like the didi 26 from Dudley Dix. Does anybody have any knowledge or experience with this design? Is there anything similar, either production boats or plans(shallow with board up, fast, comfortable)? Preferably cheap.

[DGreenwood]

http://www.devlinboat.com/

Here is another designer you might check.

You would be hard pressed to beat Dudleys design work for simplicity and clarity. His plans are very complete and he has good support. ( very important)

If you are after speed he is a racer himself and appreciates an agile boat.
I have not built the 26 myself, but I am a builder and have seen his plans and talked to him. Good solid design work with realistic advice on costs and hours.
Listen to him carefully and you will not end up with a rotting lawn ornament that you can't finish.

[Wellydeckhand]

Dix Dudley is a good guy with clear no nonsense explaination....... his plan is resonable anyway, why copy if you can get good stuff and advise from him.

Slap me later if I am wrong.............

WDH

[J.D.Hogg]

Yes his reputation is reassuring as well as the many completed projects, but I'm not yet sure I can afford to build.

Moving to the coast soon, Manteo area probably, to get more experience and have better access to resources, but I'm doing my research (dreaming) now.

[mojounwin]

Could also try Barry Colson. He has a 26 ft performancer cruiser. Should be in a simlar performance range as Didi but has more interior volume and head room. Although once your building your own boat you can adjust head room to suit yourself.

I'm currently building one
http://mojounwin.tripod.com/

Check out Barry's webite
http://www.colsonyachtdesign.com/

Cheers
Mike

[J.D.Hogg]

Thanks.

That looks like it will be a nice boat soon.

How is the mast stepped?

[mojounwin]

G'day JD, The mast is stepped on the cabin roof with the front edge of centreboard case being the compression post. It is of course a lifting keel. As you can see the construction is strip plank so a little different to Didi's method. I wonder what the pros and cons of strip planking vs cold moulding are?

Cheers
Mike

[Milan]

Originally Posted by mojounwin

Could also try Barry Colson. He has a 26 ft performancer cruiser. Should be in a simlar performance range as Didi but has more interior volume and head room. Although once your building your own boat you can adjust head room to suit yourself.

I'm currently building one
http://mojounwin.tripod.com/

Check out Barry's webite
http://www.colsonyachtdesign.com/

Cheers
Mike

Nice boat Mike and interesting designs and articles.

One of the builders of Diidi 26 rised the deck and cabin for about 20 cm to get a bit higher interior for cruising. He has nice informative site, I'll try to find the link, I have it somewhere in favorites…

"…Didi's method…pros and cons of strip planking vs cold moulding"

Dudley Dix method is much faster to build then "normal" cold molding, as for the biggest part of the hull he uses ply sheets. Cold molding is only for radius chine. Didi's method is cheaper then strip planking as ply would soak less epoxy then strips and ply boat would not be glassed inside.

Milan

[Raggi_Thor]

Originally Posted by Milan

....One of the builders of Diidi 26 rised the deck and cabin for about 20 cm to get a bit higher interior for cruising. He has nice informative site, I'll try to find the link, I have it somewhere in favorites…

Did you mean Erik Naese in Finland?
http://www.naese.com/

[Milan]

Originally Posted by Raggi_Thor

Did you mean Erik Naese in Finland?
http://www.naese.com/

Yes, he's the man, thanks Raggi