Better boat

or, how would you choose between different designs.

After some reading and some more reading, I am seriously thinking about building my next boat.
So far, my criteria where:
- Speed
- transportability
- basic accommodations for 2 adults, 2 kids for a long weekend.
LOA under 30 ft. (both the building shed space and future compromise between too small to crawl in, too big to handle).
Since it is nearly impossible (there are some exceptions probably) to find an existing examples for a direct try/touch/test, I would have to relay on the other people's opinions and comments and descriptions by the designers, as well as the reputations.
More specifically, I am looking at the "Fish and Chips" from Team Scarab,

Length Overall................. 7.3m (24' 0")
Beam Overall................... 4.6m (15' 0")
Width on trailer............... 2.5 (8' 0")
Draft.............................. 375 mm - 1250mm (1'3" - 4' 0") pivoting boards
Displacement to DWL........1600kg (3520#)
Weight.............................(approx) 950kg (2090#)
Main Sail........................ 22 sq m (240 sq ft)
Jib........................... 8 sq m (86 sq ft)
Mast height...............9.65m (31' 8 ")
Construction.............6mm plywood


and Woods' Merlin
LENGTH O.A.7.65m
LENGTH W.L.7.0m
BEAM O.A 4.6m
DISPL (empty) 0.65T
DISPL (loaded) 1.1T
HEADROOM 1.35m
DRAFT 0.25 - 1.0m
SAIL AREA 30.75 sq m

The most interesting thing I see is, the Merlin is a bit shorter but not as heavy. Which probably means, slower boat.
Any ideas (short of building both and race against each other by comparable crew) are greatly appreciated. Please, do not hesitate to show me a better way to pick a right project.

Thanks

 

Thank you for considering my Merlin design. We had ours for 5 years in the PNW. We bought it from a home builder in 2006 and it was launched in 1992. We sold it last year to a young man who is living on board (yes, even now in mid winter). It is still as solid as the day it was launched and still looks like a fibreglass boat, even though it is in fact wood.

It was a very successful boat for both us and the previous owner, who cruised it far and wide round BC and the San Juan islands, often with his young family

You might also like to consider my 24ft Strider design as that can be built entirely in plywood and has slightly wider hulls. Or maybe my Wizard or Sango designs. They have a hard chine plywood hull option and both come with small cuddies for extra live aboard space.

If you are not able to see the boat in person the next best thing must be to look at some videos. You may have seen my youtube channel currently with 65 or so videos, a good number of those are of the Strider/Merlin/Wizard

Please feel free to ask me any questions about my designs and I hope you find a boat that meets your needs

Richard Woods of Woods Designs

www.sailingcatamarans.com

 

Let me first apologise for intruding on this thread with such an unusual query, after having visited your website.

I'm rather a foodie and I am green with envy of the oven/grill shown in photo gallery 2 of the Sagitta.

Would you know, off hand, the brand of this appliance?

I have to have one! It's a matter of culinary life and death.

James.

 

It's a Smev oven/grill from Italy

Available all over Europe (where its very popular) and in Australia but not in the USA.
Which is rather disappointing, as I am in Washington right now and looking to buy a Smev cooker. I can't

Hope that helps

Richard Woods of Woods Designs

www.sailingcatamarans.com

 

Richard...you always help out others,so here goes:

http://panther-rvproducts.com/SMEV_c129.htm;jsessionid=20413FB51753D60745A8DB212D0677F0.qscstrfrnt01

Panther RV Products
11410 NE 72nd Avenue
Vancouver, WA
360-693-9167

 

I have talked to them already, but thank you

They only have a very small selection of Smev appliances and are the only US dealer. That's how I know you cannot get the full range in the US or Canada

Richard Woods of Woods Designs

www.sailingcatamarans.com

 

Richard,

thank you for you support.
I am browsing the WoodsDesign site and watching the videos.
I intent to get the study plans for Merlin and post here a list of questions that I have.

regards,
Vadim

 

At the risk of stating the obvious why not just order the stove from another country ?

I would start with eBay myself, what are the model details ?

RR

 

On the subject of boats, not stoves, a good mantra to adopt is a classic quote from Colin Chapman, the founder of Lotus: "Simplify, then add lightness."

I'm looking at a 6.5m trailer-sailer myself, for build at some point over the next few years, and it quickly becomes obvious that the lighter you can build it, the better (for towing and handing generally). The performance will also improve, as you'll get better performance in the planing regime with careful design, as there's less weight to support.

It may be a bit small for you, but have a look at the i550. There are a lot of good ideas there, and it is reputadly a pretty quick boat.

Tim B.

 

Tim,
are you talking about the i550 Sportboat? Because thats what Google returns?
It seems to me, I am after something different. i550 may be a better homebuild version of say, J/24 or Melges 24.
I am looking for a bit more of inside space and more speed.

 

Yes, I was.

I appreciate it's not quite what you're after, but it's worth looking at to get ideas. As are the 20'-30' glass fibre production boats.

Cheers,

Tim B.