Affordable seaworthy cruiser

In boats, longer is better because water has certain rules.

 

still don't see how that keel is going to have enough righting moment for the mast/sail. I am total amateur but looks like it will tip over really easily - have you done any math on that?

 

Longer (>50') gives greater form stability due to the greatly enlarged volume of emersing/emerging wedges but not as greatly enlarged sails and deck weight. This hull form will be a cranky ***** if too short, but like all Sharpies, with length comes surprising performance not as dependent on ballast stability.

 

Well as long as the mast and sail are same size then yes 50ft boat is more likely to stay upright than 30ft boat.

But heavy weather 50ft sailboat with no real keel... dunno about that. Maybe it is so - Still I would like to see the math.

 

Munroe's PRESTO series of sharpies proved the idea long ago, but you still have to follow the rules, which are set by the physics of water, not a certification board.

 

Its getting there, but I still think the rocker has to be greater , and maybe fill out the ends a bit. At 40' it is starting to look like the AS39 .

 

Excellent post. I'm surprised no one has picked up on the pun.

 

Greetings,

Extra ideas:

1. With the 40' when the hatch opens the step on top will not be able to close unless there is a triangular notch for step when it swings open.
2. Still dont like the idea of cables running 2.5' above deck to staff, and forgot to mention when emptying composter the turnbuckles will have to be slackened to go around hatch.
3. The composter is to low as drawn maybe another foot in height.
4. Set time is also important factor for epoxy.
5. Router all edges with 3/4" quarter round or else paint chipping will occur.
6. Looked into lexan and costs for 3/4" were about $25.00sf., think that glassman can make same size laminated for same amount, that would be a much better option. For 40' a total of 12 (6 each side) 10.0" rounds are needed ($300.00).
7. When installing ports cut 9" round hole into hull or deck sides, then rout around opening with 7/8" bit to a depth 1/8" deeper than glass. On the inside ledge now created put down two way butyl tape and put in glass and leave 3/8" space all the way around. Next caulk with Sikaflex SP1 and it finished. This will look good and hold without screws (which can actually cause more problems). Glass can be scuffed at edges for better bond. There is also a primer for polyurethane that is used when applying to hard materials such as steel or glass it comes in qts. and is about $25.00. If there is not enough material in hull a wood backing will have to be attached to the interior first and then hole can be cut. This extra wood can be square plywood with trim and will not look bad if its aligned with hole equally.
8. The pitch control and clutch engage in the 40' have and extension that goes into cockpit and rubber boot at cockpit sole. This is a direct route the 50' would need morse cables.
9. The 50' sailplan is not worked out and since it would be sail assist/get home/riding sail, a dippin lug can work, would go for it especially since there would be no boom to worry about. Just several massive oversized pieces for reliability.

Peace.

 

Glass installed this way holds tenaciously for a while, then the moisture creeps in around the Sika at the downhill end, the sun destroys the butyl tape through the glass bit by bit and a few years later it pops out at 2 am when a wave comes aboard if you are not lucky.
There's an argument for some kind of mechanical restraint for when the chemistry can't hack it.
From much personal trial and error with prism deck lights on BERTIE-- the only thing that stuck to glass in the past seemed to be silicone, which must be carefully masked-off and fussed over tremendously because NOTHING sticks to silicone, including paint if you get it anywhere but where it's supposed to go.
Yards I worked in replaced far too many vinyl, bronze, and straight glass ports in 30 to 40 foot fiberglass sailboats over the years with caulks that had failed at the fiberglass surface, the port surface, or both. Straight glass seems to move some from hot day to cold night and strains the bond between rubber and glass. Add dirt, hard sun UV and a few years and you see entropy in action and total breakdown in twenty years. I found myself replacing ports in Islander 36s there for a while in 90s as a lot of them were around at the twenty year age mark and had been leaking badly for awhile.
This replacing is a clamp-in two-piece vinyl window as used widely on production boats in the 70s, specifically an I-36.
The only thing that would reliably stick vinyl frame to fiberglass cabin was silicone at the time, maybe something different now.
Fit new port, clean area, mask carefully with good 2" tape both the boat in and out but the port also, glove up, drape all around area, apply silicone, change gloves, install screws, if get silicone on gloves then change to new ones, tighten and center the screws, change gloves, use a tongue depressor to knife off excess, change gloves, use 2" tape to 'tent' the fresh silicone and seal it off from the atmosphere, change gloves, clean up area. This 'tent-tape' does not touch the stuff, but bridges over the joint from masking on one side to masking on the other. This keeps the ever-present dust from spoiling the surface of the silicone and turning it into sandpaper. Remember, you cannot paint or sand the types of caulk we were using at the time, which was fixing twenty-year old boats twenty years ago. Possibly new products are different. Next day strip all and you have a good job like factory new.
A very sticky black caulk.... Used two cases of some sort of Sika Black (only) stuff sold exclusively for windshield installation and goes off in 40 minutes to pay topside seams in NINA over hard driven 6 lines of oakum, Sika filling a seam about 3/8 to 1/2" square, and it worked like a champ sticking to oakum, greasy hardwood 4" thick sheerstrake and me. Did this the same with masking and gloves but no tent-tape. I don't know how long it has held up but was impressive at the time.
The historic replica needed a simulated 'pitch' to look right and be lower maintenance. In photo she has her original Brazilian white tree sap putty in the seams, but was changed to 'pitch'.
Maybe this is the right product for making glass stick without screws but I don't know the part number or chemistry. Maybe it's a silicone base and not urethane like the other Sika things I remember.

 

Car windshields are installed with an activated urethane , and Sika makes one.
Glass is routinely installed in boats with this material. The weak point is is the window frame it self. If the window frame was trimmed with aluminum it would work. but then why not just make aluminum frames. It might also be possible to
find used windows by scrounging around some marinas .

 

Greetings,

Frank, thats what been said, there are many types of urethanes with different capabilities. Would say if theres a color to choose-use black which is much more resistant to uv breakdown. The Sikaflex would be 1A, not SP1 but will consult the sikaflex manual for the type of caulk you mentioned.

Bataan, have heard that silicone is the only thing to work but dont think thats true anymore. Besides you say 20 years life, cut that in half and remove caulk and window and repeat installation procedure. With urethane you can see the strength of the bond by visual observation, excessive cracking means time for new caulking. BTW, there are other two way tapes that work much better than butyl (by Dow,3M), that came easily to mind.

Some type of exterior frame just for UV protection can be added, this would not be necessary structurally.

 

Ye gods & little fishes. Is GWTA still trying to fly by the seat of his pants? Turn now to #702 in the forum of revelations.

I say verily unto you, a couple of years back I happened across a website that offered a rational analysis of how the Ark might have been built. It's jam packed with information and for the benefit of GWTA I post a link.

http://www.worldwideflood.com/jsmenu/full_menu.htm

As it is in heaven, so it is on earth, I stress that I make no recommendations as to the feasibility of the project. It's for the general amusement of all and offers readers a few diverting minutes away from reality. Let not the text seduce. There are delusions enough. Put not thy trust in Sikaflex, but in the all strengthening love of Epoxy. Thus endeth this sermon. Go ye and do likewise. Thy wholly ark awaits. Silicone off.
__________________

 

Also thinking about ventilation and that its one of the most important factors for interior comfort, the dorade box with cowl is supposed best. Putting these on decks causes interference and some designs have to put up with it.
The 50' is one of those.

The 40' has a raked deckhouse because the composter doesnt need standing room and its a more areodynamic shape easily built. However, do to the need of adequate ventilation a built in ventilator (cowl) and dorade box as an extension of the deckhouse can be added. Only thing a cowl would have advantage over would be to swivel around into wind direction, but the intake of the deck ventilator area can big much bigger, almost like a supercharger.

The properly sized natural ventilation system of any boat will be large and cause turbulence. This takes up less deck space and should be inexpensive.
Just an idea for the 40' as well as for anyone needing more ventilation.

Any better ideas of steering for the 50' as well as comments on the low cockpit? It would have a 4" pipe from scupper and should drain quickly.

 

Pericles,

Go amuse yourself, the righteous will walk on the ashes of the wicked, those are the facts. Christians have been too lax on people like you who come in mockingly trying to get us to accept you. Repent, there is no fellowship between you and me.

 

Self righteous prig. May your earholes turn to arseholes, may you **** all over your collar.