Small sail boat - breaking the rules

My idea is that the best way to minimize weight and complexity is to minimize drag by using a longer double end hull -a decked sailing canoe or 'Rob Roy'. Even short traditional sailboats are heavy (80 to 120lbs) and more importantly they are very awkward to carry due to their bulk -and worse in wind. The narrower hull of the rob roy is easier to paddle when the wind dies and it weighs 30 to 80 lbs. I don't know what your length limit is based on but short wide hulls are more difficult to car-top.

http://www.westsystem.com/ss/modern-decked-sailing-canoes/

 

Take apart or folding skin on frame designs seem like they would be promising for that. I've seen take apart sailboats. I've seen take apart SoF boats. Someone somewhere has to have tried doing both.

 

Sorry, not yet. As I said in my previous post, I only just bought the plywood glue and glass tape on Friday

So nothing stopping me building now, except the weather and design work

Richard Woods

 

Klepper made folding wood SOF boats in the 50s and 60s. They still make sail rigs for their kayaks. We discussed this extensively in and earlier thread by an eastern european guy that needed to store the boat indoors for security. The Russians have a lots of folding sailboats because of tax/registration rules -mostly inflatable with aluminum framework. It's not easy but I think it is worthwhile for the markets and opportunities it enables. I plan to make my next sailboat fold for storage and travel and might offer it for sale.

http://www.klepperamerica.com/sailing_s1_sail.html
http://sailingtexas.com/201101/sklepper12101.html

 

I started to build the prototype Duo dinghy on March 31 when I began marking out and cutting the hull panels. By the end of the first day I had all the panels cut out and framed. I then got distracted by "real work" - drawing, taxes, customer visits and so on, so only did a couple more hours over the next few days.

So it wasn't until the 7th April that I was able to wire up the hull, fit the bulkheads and glass the inner chine joints.

Today, the 9th, I cut out and fitted the deck panels and buoyancy compartments. The boat will now float with no leaks, but it will be a few more hours to glue in all the decking and make the outer chine joints to make it a safe, seaworthy rowing boat.

Total build time so far is 15 hours. So it looks as though my 20 hours ready to paint for the basic rowing boat is feasible. The weight so far is 40lbs, including the two clamps, which weigh more than the extra glue and glass still needed.

I haven't ever tried to hold a 10ft long boat above my head before, it's more difficult than it looks! It is much easier to lift it with two fingers.

There certainly won't be any problem in finishing the boat in the allotted two days of the Edensaw Boatbuilding Challenge to be held in September during this years Wooden Boat Festival in Port Townsend, Wa, USA (providing it doesn't rain - boats are built outside)

I'll post my next progress report once all the gluing and glassing is complete.

You can see the photos and my acrobatic juggling here

http://sailingcatamarans.com/index....ats-and-dinghies-/420-duo-10ft-sailrow-dinghy

Richard Woods of Woods Designs

www.sailingcatamarans.com

 

Looks good but I don't see a dagger board trunk. I hope you are not skipping sailing for the first hull. I was looking forward to seeing how the moving seat worked.

 

No it isn't there yet. As I wrote elsewhere, the Duo is available as a rowboat, a sail boat and a nesting boat. But I only want to build one boat! Eventually I will have a nesting sailing version.

So right now I have mocked up the rowing version. After that photo shoot I took the main thwart panels out and will fit the daggerboard case when the temperature warms up.

The sketch shows the sailing wing on just one side, and the inflatable tube on the other. Obviously there will also be a wing on the other side when sailing. The aft wing support also takes the removable central aft seat which doubles as a foot brace when rowing.

I'm going to be away for a month from mid April so there won't be any in water trials until late May

BTW I have just updated the studyplan pack to include some sheets from the building plans. I attach them here, or you can use the link on the Duo page of my website

Richard Woods of Woods Designs

www.sailingcatamarans.com

 

The Duo plans are now available (rowing version only for now, the sailing and nesting plans will be ready shortly). You can see an updated Duo page here,

http://sailingcatamarans.com/index.p...sailrow-dinghy

including the first sailing photo and another photo showing it's stability (I'm shown sitting on a rowlock). I hope to have a sailing video online soon, but really I need more than 5 knots of wind.

BTW, our Duo is now purple, which, with the bright yellow rollers, matches our Skoota 28 powercat

The first two sets of plans have already been sold.

Richard Woods of Woods Designs

www.sailingcatamarans.com

 

Hello Richard

Link is not working

 

Sorry, I must have missed a bit when I copied it, try here

http://sailingcatamarans.com/index....ats-and-dinghies-/420-duo-10ft-sailrow-dinghy

or go from here

http://sailingcatamarans.com/index.php/designs/1-beach-cats-and-dinghies-

or even start from my home page. 4 Duos sold now.

Richard Woods of Woods Designs

www.sailingcatamarans.com

 

A quick update.

I cut my Duo in half yesterday, you can see a video here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtDuY4bnsXQ&list=UUhKTQtbKN5BaXFTg2BjcbqA

No going back now!

Nested size is 5ft6in x 3ft 3in x 22in

I'll post another sailing video tomorrow, unfortunately still only in light winds - that's all we get here in the British Columbia in summer.... photos and more details on my Duo page, link as above

Richard Woods of Woods Designs

www.sailingcatamarans.com

 

Just lurking. Very interesting thread.

 

These might be ideal for you:

http://www.gaboats.com/

 

Loved the video - I think its a great method, you end up with a very fair hull, and perfectly matched join areas.

I will check it out in more detail.

 

except the one featured does not have any built in buoyancy, and I will never go in a boat that might sink under me

Most SOF boats are not buoyant when swamped or capsized - very dangerous and not legal if professionally built in Europe

A lot of the weight of the Duo is in its decks and buoyancy compartments

Richard Woods of Woods Designs

www.sailingcatamarans.com