Excelsior, an Atkin 'Cruising Canoe'

Ahhh yes, I know the type well. You're right about young chaps aligning their priorities. It seems my son is more concerned about the latest XBox game updates. Even so, this boat looks fun enough for dad to have some fun too. With a stiff wind, this puppy looks like it will screech across a local sailing lake in no time.

I'd like to see how fast it can go. If you find any videos of it or a similar boat on the water send some links

 

Hi Joe, see Michael Storer's "BETH"



Here on DW.



Some vid's on Storer BETH.

She's a "square boat" so easier to build than the Atkin Excelsior which is even nicer to look at . . . . for my eyes . . . .

Good luck !
Angel
P.S. - Michael - MIK - is a member here, see... BOATMIK

 

Although I enjoyed the videos, I don't think a 15'6" boat with a beam of 32" can reasonably be compared to Excelsior -- which is 21' long, with a maximum beam of 5'4." Excelsior is a lot more boat.

 

Yes, didn't take the size into account, but then we don't know the size of Joe's kid . . . . . . :idea:

 

Doesn't matter. After all, it has to carry dad too.....

 

A closer comparison than Beth, might be Bolger's Single Handed and Light Schooners. Also plywood construction and flat bottomed.

It would be interesting to compare their structures with the Atkin design.

There is also a number of Canoe Yawl plans on the web which are for similar sized boats and might help refine your plans...

http://dragonflycanoe.com/stephens/progress1.html

Good luck

 

The Atkins design is a solid plank lapstrake, though plywood could be used, I'm not sure if the plans call for it, but seeing it's one of Billy's designs, you can bet it's a solid lumber build, with sawn frames, floors, the whole works. She'll be a bit heavy compared to a glued lap conversion and a fair bit slower then a straight sided version.

The classic sailing canoes, such as Sunbeam are quite heavy by modern standards and reasonably complex (steamed frames on 4" - 6" center!) These boats actually carry ballast too, up to 100 pounds in some, but 50 to 75 in most.

The Single Handed Schooner is a much bigger then Beth, but not a very accommodating craft, considering it's length. It looks pretty,

It too needs about 150 pounds of ballast.
Until you get in and have a picture taken, when you can see she's a really small 19' boat.


Pound for pound, you'll get more use out of a Beth, then the Atkins or Bolger and a faster, lighter build too, which translates into project cost.

 

Thanks all for the additional info & pics. Looking at both designs it will obviously be important to keep the booms angled up a bit so you can see where you're going. I can see some bozo zipping accross the water blind and smacking into something.

My son is catching up to my size in height (5ft 10"). Being a football player he'll probably be up to my weight of 180 as well. So, any boat I build will be built to accomodate either of us.

I'll explore these designs further and figure out which will work out best. It seems the Excelsior may accomodate 2 people better. I've already got a trailer that will hold a large 31ft voyageur racing canoe. Whether I build a smaller or larger sailing canoe I can toss it on the this trailer and pull either boat. Below is a pic of the trailer & a few pics of the boat.

https://picasaweb.google.com/110150938417367909403/ScrapbookPhotos#5714937092225139650

 

I like the way you've accessorized the canoe, Joe.

 

Thanks, this is actually a dual purpose boat (racing & expeditions). I'm going to build a removable gear box for storing "accutrements" as they are referred to in historical terms, or accessories in contempary terms. And by God one must hav a .50 cal rifle to defend the fort LOL.

 

About the size, for the time and money to build one Excelsior you might be able to build two Beth's . . :idea:

Cruising together with each his own boat could be even more fun and opens the options of competition . . . .

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~​

Just some thoughts . . . .

Good luck !
Angel

 

LOL, Ab so bloody lutely ! Make it a Barrett and you're on, no one dares overtake you

 

Sorry for the late response to post #1 Troy, but I was just re-cruising these forums . .

The MoToR BoatinG cap's like that represent the magazine's covers of the time with the big anchor at center for 2 × the T and cap's on both sides.

Below the cover of MoToR BoatinG nov 1952 . . .

P.S.​

Having an (auxiliary) explosion engine was very hip in the days when the magazine was founded, but it was not exclusively about 100% engine powered boats, and even engineless only sail and/or oar powered boats fitted in the magazine.

 

Just saw MoToR BoatinG Magazine had a different cover headline layout in 1908, so somewhere in between that has changed to the anchor in the middle of the title, and it was 100% motor boats on the June 1908 cover . . .



In 1914 the center anchor for the T's in the cover headline and the large end cap's on both ends were already there . .

 

Sadie B is a beautiful boat.