designing a fast rowboat

Discussion in 'Boat Design' started by nordvindcrew, Oct 13, 2006.

  1. keith66
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    keith66 Senior Member

    They want to round the edges of those thwarts off or some people will be sore!
     
  2. Clinton B Chase
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    Clinton B Chase Senior Member

    Oh there are a number of things that will be modified. It is amazing that two groups of high schoolers built this boat and got it launched on time.
     
  3. El_Guero

    El_Guero Previous Member

    How long was the time?
     
  4. Clinton B Chase
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    Clinton B Chase Senior Member

    One school year, students came 2x per week, I believe. Plus many volunteers helped the project along.
     
  5. nordvindcrew
    Joined: Sep 2006
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    nordvindcrew Senior Member

    river race

    Blazing heat: mid 90's and high humidity. Great day for a race! The turn-out was small due to the weather so we raced for time only. The start was later than usual and we had no tide boost and had the current against us a lot of the way. Still finished the announced 7 miles in 1:18:03. Not blazing fast but good enough for two old guys on a hot day. Some day I will be too old to do this, but I hope that there are a few years still in front of me. One of the racers was in the early stages of heat exhaustion and needed some time in the AC at the pub and some cold liquid to revive. He looked pretty awful when he finished. Looking at the pictures, my brother and I were looking pretty beat up also but we had tanked up on gatorade and swilled some more during the race to stay hydrated. Still, glad to get home have a shower and a few gin and tonics and a few pain killers to dull the pain in my lower back and hip bones. now, my goal is to get through surgery and be ready for the November race.
     
  6. El_Guero

    El_Guero Previous Member

    Back surgery ... race in november? You might want a second opinion on that.

    It sounds like fusion. If it is not fusion, you might make it ok.

    But, if you are taking pain killers, that is usually a sign you have lived with this awhile. The longer you live with it, the less surgery can help, usually. And for all my warnings, I have met people who went golfing days after surgery. They are very rare.

    Usually the doctor tells you 4 to 6 weeks recovery, and then you wait 6 months. And still hope it gets better.
     
  7. nordvindcrew
    Joined: Sep 2006
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    nordvindcrew Senior Member

    surgery

    surgery is for prostrate cancer so I should be up and around pretty quickly. the back pain is from years of working too hard and carrying too much weight around. The cure is a shot of cortisone directly into the spinal column. It is an instant relief that lasts for years if I'm careful about how I do things. The other aches and pains are a consequence of sitting on a lightly padded thwart with my skinny rear end that has no natural padding. My pelvic bones really let me know they are there! Any way, thanks for your concern, I'm going to listen to my doctor and ease back into rowing slowly.
     
  8. El_Guero

    El_Guero Previous Member

    OK, when anyone mentions back and surgery in the same conversation, my back hurts.

    Oh. My back hurts all the time anyway. Two fusions have stabilized, but not fixed my problem.

    Heal quickly!
     
  9. flo-mo
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    flo-mo Junior Member

  10. ava333
    Joined: Jul 2013
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    Location: North Carolina

    ava333 Junior Member

    X-18 Volksboat

    Take a look at my X-18. It'll do 5 knots for sure, and if you have a good oarsman at the helm, it'll probably do 6. Weighs under 250 lbs. www.volksboat.com
     
  11. keith66
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    keith66 Senior Member

    Did the round Canvey race yesterday, its a 14 mile race which is unusual for a rowing race as it has a sail & oar class as well, My son Nick crewed for me & it was a long hard pull against the wind & tide for 3 1/2 miles to the first mark.
    Being a sailing version of the 18ft skiff she is heavier & it showed against several close sister ships. Once the big lugsail went up away she went on the reach & run like a train but was a real handful in the good breeze!
    We ended up rowing 2/3rds of the race & rowing the rest.
    Last bit was a killer as we were trying to hold off a Harkers yard 4 oared Gig.
    You know how it is, only 2 miles from the finish & you dont want to let him past! We cracked on & pulled away three times but each time he came back at us until both boats were level. Both of us pulling fit to burst i got a white hot stabbing pain in my elbow & realised that the old injury & osteo arthritis was trying to tell the old fool something! so i had to pull up. Bummer!
    Recovered a bit after a rest & we finished in 3 1/2 hrs.
    Fastest boat was a sliding seat Coastal four from Gravesend that did it in 2:10:00 followed closely by a Fisa coastal pair sculling boat in 2:14:30
    Fastest fixed seat boat was 18ft skiff O Bucket from Mersea RC in 2:24:54.
    Great atmosphere & nice people, The post race beer was good anaesthetic!
    Need a lighter boat for sure!
     
  12. Clinton B Chase
    Joined: Mar 2005
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    Clinton B Chase Senior Member

    Great update, Keith.

    We always need lighter boats it seems.

    Mine will be as light as possible. The key is to be able to get it on and off my truck rack myself. Think we can do it? It'll be 18' x ~50" I think we had in the last iteration.

    Aesthetics will come later, but I am imagining a Whitehall-like x St Lawrence River Skiff crossed but not sure if the hybrid will have dominant or recessive genes and what those genes are exactly, but light and fast are key as is seaworthiness for the open water races.

    Another fun requirement: stable enough to get out of the seat and kneel on the floorboards to pee into the bucket!
     
  13. keith66
    Joined: Sep 2007
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    keith66 Senior Member

    Lighter is the key! The Skiff O Bucket has very little in her shell & the gunwales are built out horizontally, though she came out of the same mould as my Skiff she must have another 4" spread to the rowlocks at least.
    She went past us like we were towing a trawl. Mind you her crew are seriously fit & strong, And younger! Thats my excuse anyway.
    If i build another one i reckon on flaring the sheer strake out drastically to allow for longer sculls.
    I have a set of moulds for a Cosine wherry & think one of those stretched to 18ft would be a damn good boat.
     
  14. Leo Lazauskas
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    Leo Lazauskas Senior Member

    Great tales, Keith!

    Have you seen any sliding rigger boats in these type of events?
    They would be faster than sliding seats.
     

  15. keith66
    Joined: Sep 2007
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    Location: Essex UK

    keith66 Senior Member

    Things in the UK are different regionally, the West country has its Pilot Gigs & Flash boats, wales has the Celtic Longboat, Scotland has the St Ayles Skiffs, the rest of the country is pretty fragmented with pockets of small classes here & there. The East coast for some obscure reason never really had any organised coastal rowing but this is changing rapidly with new clubs springing up all over the place. Five clubs row Harkers yard Gigs a modern cold moulded take on a shortened pilot gig built by the Pioneer sailing trust, here is a you tube link to a recent race, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBAS8t7KCKg ,
    To me they look far too high sided. The first Gig i built Dauntless 12 years ago is in there as well. Built as a dirt cheap cut & shut job from a written off GRP Skiff she is still winning.

    We have Coastal fours as well with a good racing scene mainly on the South coast. These are like a wide fine boat fitted with staggered sliding seats & large self bailers. Coastal clubs seem to be going over to the Fisa standard boats that have seats in line.
    There are a lot of races springing up with menagerie classes & all sorts of boats turn up. As yet i have seen no Sliding rigger boats but its only a matter of time. Funnily enough i was talking to someone the other day about doing just this, we both thought that a good well engineered drop in sliding rigger unit for a pair sculling racing class or even a sliding rigger for sweep oars would be a good idea.
    But Fisa banned the sliding rigger i hear you say! I have a funny feeling that this is going to get ignored before long. Once a few start racing it could catch on.
    In the end that is what this thread is about, fast rowboats!
     
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