DUDLEY DIX-Didi 40

[lazeyjack]

Originally Posted by Sly

Hi, this is my first post. Although i have been viewing the forums on this site for a couple months now i finally thought i would post my first post.
I just wanted to ask the members of boatdesign.net for there opinion on this particular design. I have done extensive research on Dudley's Designs, the radius chine plywood method of building that is used to build it. And i have red most of the testimonials, and builder’s websites that have built and are currently building the Didi38/40.

So what are your opinions on the model, the design itself? I’m located on the shores of Lake Ontario 15 minutes away from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. I would like to use the boat for racing at the local yacht club and eventually sail it down the east coast and across the ocean to Europe and finally stopping in the Baltic Sea.

Here is a link to the Didi 38 page on Dudley's website: http://www.dixdesign.com/38didi.htm
Thank you for your time gentleman.

Sylvester Sawala

in my opinion the designs are neither fish nor fowl
you see if you are going to build a nice round bilge, do it, or nice chine boat , do it, but round chines achieve nothing
I worked it out, that to do a nice round bilge takes 4 weeks more than a chine boat
you are very limited to shape with a rounded chine

[Raggi_Thor]

I haven't seen Dudley's boats in real life, but on pictures they look good, to mee.

[lazeyjack]

what are your long term goals Raggi

[Raggi_Thor]

Just to be clear: The pictures above is not mine, but from www.dixdesign.com.

I'm not sure I understand, you mean in boating?
Now I work more with cad than with boat design and building.
One goal is to do more boat related work.
Regarding building I still have a Didi 26 under construction, but little time with wife and two kids :-)
I'll build some small dingies first, Argie 15 for example.
And maybe some from my sketchbook, M16 etc.
The B18 will at last be ready for trial sails this summer, and it will be shown in the Risør Wooden Boat show at august 2-5.
That's probably short term goals.
The major goal is to die happily, satisfied and tired at least 90 years old!
Sailing through the Caledonia Canal and south, and the round then Atlantic clockwise, return home via eastern USA, Canada, Greenland and Iceland is probably i mid term goal.

[lazeyjack]

Originally Posted by Raggi_Thor

Just to be clear: The pictures above is not mine, but from www.dixdesign.com.

I'm not sure I understand, you mean in boating?
Now I work more with cad than with boat design and building.
One goal is to do more boat related work.
Regarding building I still have a Didi 26 under construction, but little time with wife and two kids :-)
I'll build some small dingies first, Argie 15 for example.
And maybe some from my sketchbook, M16 etc.
The B18 will at last be ready for trial sails this summer, and it will be shown in the Risør Wooden Boat show at august 2-5.
That's probably short term goals.
The major goal is to die happily, satisfied and tired at least 90 years old!
Sailing through the Caledonia Canal and south, and the round then Atlantic clockwise, return home via eastern USA, Canada, Greenland and Iceland is probably i mid term goal.

I needed cheering up! you made me larf thank you

[Crag Cay]

Sly,

The Didi 40 would be an excellent choice for a 'cruiser - racer', or even a 'racer - cruiser'. You would have to decide at the construction stage which it was to be, as Dudley does offer you a choice of scantlings. I would be happy with the lighter version. It's well proven.

Your only limits on cruising area are going to be the draught. Bits of the ICW, Florida Keys, Bahamas and bits of Europe are more fun with shallow draft, but I've had loads of good times in them all with 6ft+. Again, with the other uses you have highlighted for this boat, I would go with the deeper draft option.

With plywood construction, a lot of it's strength and durability comes from the plywood you choose. They are certainly not all the same even if marked with the same 'standards'. Do some research and use the very best for the hull. It won't come cheap, however.

In Dudley Dix you have one of the best and most knowledgeable 'designer / builders' to be found anywhere and this is worth a huge amount when considering this type of project. He has, as they say, 'been there and done that'.

Don't worry about this method constraining the shape of the boat. Using largely developable panels gives entirely satisfactory hull shapes. There are loads of successful racing boats that use this method including the latest generation of America's Cup boats.

To chine or not to chine is a personal choice and one with which the sea shows no preference. In fact chines have made a come back on racing boats, with 'planing creases' appearing 15 years or so ago and now if you don't have a full chine aft you are 'dead in the water' (especially in France). But for some people, chines will always say 'home made' and for this reason, the radius chine offered on the Dix design are a good option. Basically you are just cold molding this part of the hull. The increased resale value will easily cover the extra work involved (especially when thought of as part of the total project commitment).

As has been mentioned, there are other similar designs available, but when comparing, remember to consider the complete plans / designer / support package.

See you when you get here!

[Wynand N]

Originally Posted by lazeyjack

in my opinion the designs are neither fish nor fowl
you see if you are going to build a nice round bilge, do it, or nice chine boat , do it, but round chines achieve nothing
I worked it out, that to do a nice round bilge takes 4 weeks more than a chine boat
you are very limited to shape with a rounded chine

If I may chine in

Have you ever seen a Dix radius chine boat out of the water There are Dix radius chine and then there are radius chine in general.
Lazey, if you look at all the modern racing boats around, and more so the radical French, the general impression is that it is a radius chine hull of sorts - that is if you know what to look for....

Having built my share of Dix radius chine hulls - albeit in steel though - I can vouch for the cleanness and purity of lines of these hulls so to speak. It lacks the bulgy look of a proper round bilge hull and looks more streamlined and purposeful.

Something to ponder about. A very well known and successful NA once remarked to Dudley Dix in Cape Town, after checking out a radius chine Dix in steel; " it one of the best and nicest looking steel round bilge hull I've ever seen"
This guy designed some serious boats, including a BOC racer that once led the the race it was competing in until disaster stroke in the form of a submerged something three quarters through the race.
To save this designer some red face, I will not name him, but he since emigrated to one of those countries in the south that is so popular with South Africans

[DGreenwood]

I have been aboard a couple of his designs. They were pretty good looking boats for the simplicity of construction that Dudley seeks to deliver to the DIY types he sells to.
I tell you what, there are many other designers who sell to the same market that don't give their customers nearly the value that Dudley does.
This 65' steel boat is a damn handsome boat and relatively easy to build too.

[Wynand N]

DGreenwood, I actually built that Dix65 you pictured during 1991. In this photo we were at the stage of shotblasting and epoxy prime coating her.
She was built in Despatch, South Africa and can be seen at Dix website on the water and is named "Lorrigray II"

And looking at her in profile, one can see what I tried to get over earlier about the hull form....