Self build 14' S-400 SZtrandus

Discussion in 'Wooden Boat Building and Restoration' started by Allan Bradley, Feb 9, 2021.

  1. Allan Bradley
    Joined: Feb 2021
    Posts: 2
    Likes: 0, Points: 1
    Location: Wales, UK

    Allan Bradley New Member

    Hi Guys, I have been looking for designs of a 14' pocket cruising sail boat and came across free plans for a suitable boat called S-400 Sztrandus, a Polish designed boat, Sztrandus http://www.geneboat.cba.pl/s400/s400-1.html
    The only problem is, is that all the plans and instructions are in Polish....and why not!
    Has anyone had a go at building this boat and do you have any links to english instructions/plans? I have searched endlessly and can't find anything but have seen a boat called Bijou, built in America, which looks to be from the same set of plans

    One other question, the boat has a Sloop rig and I would like to do it with a Gaff rig and tabernacle, is this possible without upsetting the balance and stability of the boat?

    Thanks guys
    Allan
     
  2. bajansailor
    Joined: Oct 2007
    Posts: 3,596
    Likes: 1,560, Points: 113, Legacy Rep: 37
    Location: Barbados

    bajansailor Marine Surveyor

    Welcome to the Forum Allan.

    Do you have a strict physical size limit re 14'?
    I am wondering if this is the maximum size that you can build in your garage?
    If you do not have strict limits (ie you can go a few feet bigger), there are many other small cruising boat designs available, including with gaff rig.

    If the main appeal of the 14' Polish design is the fact that the plans are 'free', be aware that even if you buy a set of plans (there are some suggestions below), the cost will be very insignificant compared to the cost of the materials that you will have to put into the boat.

    How about Sam Devlin's 15' Nancy's China?
    Nancy’s China 15 https://devlinboat.com/nancys-china-15/

    Or her bigger sister. the 17' Eider?
    Eider 17 https://devlinboat.com/eider-17/

    Or the 18' Little Coot?
    Lit’l Coot 18 Full Keel https://devlinboat.com/litl-coot-full-keel-18/

    If you can go up to 18' the benefits will be huge - here is a nice example of why.
    Catbird 18. Daysailer/Pocket Cruiser http://boatplans.cc/cmd/catbird-18/

    Here is a range of Pocket cruisers under 20' from Selway Fisher - Pocket Cruisers 16' to 20' https://www.selway-fisher.com/PC1620.htm

    There are many more small boat designs out there, some even with gaff rig.
     
  3. Allan Bradley
    Joined: Feb 2021
    Posts: 2
    Likes: 0, Points: 1
    Location: Wales, UK

    Allan Bradley New Member

    Hi bajansailor and many thanks for your reply.
    Unfortunately, you hit the nail on the head, my space is very limited and to be perfectly truthful, a tad over 13' with a 6' beam is about the limit.
    Originally, I looked at many designs including Nancy's China and indeed the 17' Eider and in the end had to accept the reality of my build space so came back to considering both the 15' Pocket ship by CLC and the Morning Tide 14' by Selway Fisher (I do like this one....old world charm and gaff rig too). I had sort of settled on the Morning Tide and then, over the weekend, I came across the Bijou and the S-400 which although is a sloop rigged design, felt that it fit my build space perfectly. The obvious downside was the rig as I would particularly like a gaff rig and so wondered if it was possible to change this to a gaff configuration.
    Also, other than the short video on the Bijou build and the Polish basic plans, I could find very little in the way of additional information and so came to joining Boat design.net (something I see I should have done months ago).

    Good that you point out the cost proportions of the plans vs the build cost, and yes, you are right, it's a very small portion of the overall investment.
    Many thanks for your interest and comments and whilst the Morning Tide 14 still looks to be my preferred option, I would still like to research the S-400/Bijou option a bit further.

    Regards
    Allan
     
  4. bajansailor
    Joined: Oct 2007
    Posts: 3,596
    Likes: 1,560, Points: 113, Legacy Rep: 37
    Location: Barbados

    bajansailor Marine Surveyor

    Have you seen the list of cabin sailboats under 15' available from Duckworks?
    Plans & Kits - Plans by type - Sailboats - Cabin Sailboats to 15' - Duckworks Boat Builders Supply https://duckworks.com/cabin-sailboats-to-15/

    It includes the 13' Tread Lightly by John Welsford -
    Tread Lightly Printed Plans https://duckworks.com/tread-lightly-plans/
    She has a lug rig - not quite a gaff rig, but much more efficient.

    Or the 14' Adelie from the Bateau plans folk?
    Adelie 14 Boat Plans (AD14) - Boat Builder Central https://boatbuildercentral.com/product/adelie-14-boat-plans/

    And this 15' micro cruiser -
    https://www.bedardyachtdesign.com/designs/sail/15-rog-micro-cruiser/

    Re how your building space is so restricted, here is a rather left field suggestion - it might be possible to build a 16' boat in two halves, and then join them together, in similar fashion to what Bolger did with two of his Bricks?
    Brick Grout - join 2 hull together to make a long scow http://www.pdracer.com/hull-config/brick-grout/

    Re converting your Polish design to a gaff rig - anything is possible, but I think she would be much better in all respects with the simple fractional sloop rig shown.
    A gaff mainsail on the same height mast would move your centre of effort a bit further back, making the boat want to round up more - which then means that you need to move the job further forward (ie out on to the bowsprit) to compensate.
     
  5. davek107
    Joined: Mar 2015
    Posts: 2
    Likes: 5, Points: 3, Legacy Rep: 10
    Location: SE Pennsylvania

    davek107 New Member

    C6140315-6D60-416A-A9E7-BC5A26DA91C3.jpeg Just finished a Sztrandus after visiting the Bijou by Bob Trygg at Sail Oklahoma in 2014. Yes I spent 7 years building the boat. If you are still interested please reply and I can answer many of your questions.
     
    fallguy, Flotation and bajansailor like this.
  6. wet feet
    Joined: Nov 2004
    Posts: 1,390
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    Location: East Anglia,England

    wet feet Senior Member

    Congratulations for having the persistence to complete the boat.Might we be given a report on the sailing aspects when the weather permits?
     
  7. bajansailor
    Joined: Oct 2007
    Posts: 3,596
    Likes: 1,560, Points: 113, Legacy Rep: 37
    Location: Barbados

    bajansailor Marine Surveyor

    @davek107 your Sztrandus looks very fine indeed - in addition to wet feet's request for a report on the sailing aspects, could you also post a few more photos of her please?
    And if @Allan Bradley is still with us, and thinking about building one of these vessels (or he might even have started construction already), I am sure that he would like to see some more photos as well.
     
  8. davek107
    Joined: Mar 2015
    Posts: 2
    Likes: 5, Points: 3, Legacy Rep: 10
    Location: SE Pennsylvania

    davek107 New Member

    Happy to post a few more pics. Sailing report will have to wait until next Spring. 8B9F31B3-1196-4ABB-9133-808C15EBCD60.jpeg 107C48F1-B399-4A14-9587-A5AF2B2FBA6F.jpeg 425CE472-B7F9-44AC-A89F-40A815C104D2.jpeg
     
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  9. Sloop John T
    Joined: Sep 2022
    Posts: 1
    Likes: 0, Points: 1
    Location: Hartlepool

    Sloop John T New Member

    Thank you for an excellent discussion. I have a 10' boat in build, and am starting to look at my next project. I have similar constraints and desires to Allan, so this is all very relevant. @Allan Bradley
     

  10. Mholmes3038
    Joined: Sep 2022
    Posts: 6
    Likes: 1, Points: 3
    Location: Chicago

    Mholmes3038 Junior Member

    Omg these boats are beautiful. Thanks for sharing this is what I've been trying g to find for months. I like 18' but I'd scale it up if someone wanted to stay in it over night.

     
    bajansailor likes this.
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